FORMAL LETTER

FORMAL LETTER

A formal letter will encompass many things and is related to the business letter. To put this into perspective, all business letters are formal letters but not all formal letters are business letters. The term formal letter can be used to entail any written letter for a formal purpose, whether that be a recommendation letter, an invitation letter, a complaint letter and so on.

Formal Letter Format :

All formal letters will include the following aspects, not in this order as they may be arranged in individual preference:

·         Contact details     : Addresses at the top, email and phone number at the start or end of the letter (optional)

·         Date                      : When the letter was written, most formal letters will be archived and if there are several exchanges then it is important to keep order by dating each letter.

·         Salutations           : Both at the beginning and the end, need to be appropriate, see business letter salutations

·         Main body            : This is all upto the writer of the letter, how much detail you want to include, what details you want to include, what point you are putting across, if you want to include a suggestion or solution etc

·         Printing                : Hand signature for printed letters, sometimes placed in envelopes if going in the post, more commonly now they are sent as emails but still may be printed by the recipient to be kept on file depending on the purpose.

Example:

123 Elm Ave.
Treesville, ON M1N 2P3
November 7, 2016

Mr. M. Leaf
Chief of Syrup Production
Old Sticky Pancake Company
456 Maple Lane
Forest, ON 7W8 9Y0

Dear Mr. Leaf:

Let me begin by thanking you for your past contributions to our Little League baseball team. Your sponsorship aided in the purchase of ten full uniforms and several pieces of baseball equipment for last year's season.

Next month, our company is planning an employee appreciation pancake breakfast honoring retired employees for their past years of service and present employees for their loyalty and dedication in spite of the current difficult economic conditions.

We would like to place an order with your company for 25 pounds of pancake mix and five gallons of maple syrup. We hope you will be able to provide these products in the bulk quantities we require.

As you are a committed corporate sponsor and long-time associate, we hope that you will be able to join us for breakfast on December 12, 2016.

Respectfully yours,

Derek Jeter.