To begin with, letters are basic modes of communication. They existed before distance oral communication and exist even during the time of internet. So, its clear, letters are here to stay. I believe, hence, that it is important for everyone to know professional letter writing. Nonetheless, in this lightning fast age of ours, you can learn about professional letter writing by observing keenly the professional letter format examples below.
How to Write a Professional Letter
Alright then! Lets begin. To start, one needs to be aware that there are basically 2 formats to professional letter writing. Both of these formats are globally known and universally accepted. However, before that, I need to furnish you with the different parts of a letter:
- Return address of the letter writer
- Date of the letter (the date when the letter is written)
- The complete name, surname and address of the recipient
- Salutation (eg. Dear Mr. Stinson:). Make sure, the salutation ends with a colon
- The subject line
- The body of the letter.
- Closing (eg. Sincerely,). The closing is always followed by a comma
- Signature of the writer, followed by the writer’s name below the signature
- Enclosure (This is in case there is any attachment to be seen along with the letter.)
Professional Letter Format Samples
Professional Letter Format Example No. 1
We start off with what I find, the easiest of the professional letter formats - Block Format. This one is very popular as it is simple to use, with no indents and left alignment all over.
| 1800, Stone Ridge Street
Los Angeles, CA 90001. February 29th, 2008 Mr. Stinson President, Stinson Children’s Center 344 Western Lane New York, NY 10027 Dear Mr. Stinson Subject: This line holds the subject of the letter, in one line. It has to be kept to the point. In the first paragraph, one needs to give a brief introduction of oneself. One should also give reference to the purpose of the letter in brief. The second paragraph needs to give the details of the letter and its requirement. This paragraph is mostly longer than the others and plays the main role in the letter. Keep the sentences short and to the point. Avoid using complex words and sentences. The third and last paragraph is the conclusion of the letter and can be kept short. Sincerely, (this is where the signature of the writer will be placed) Robin Keating Enclosures (2) (the enclosures are optional) |
Professional Letter Format Example No. 2
This is one of the oldest formats - Indented Form. This one has several indents and is a little bit more complex to draft as compared to the block format. However, it is still very popular in the professional letter writing field.
|
1800, Stone Ridge Street
Los Angeles, CA 90001. February 29th, 2008 Mr. Stinson President, Stinson Children’s Center 344 Western Lane New York, NY 10027 Dear Mr. Stinson Subject: This line holds the subject of the letter, in one line. It has to be kept to the point. In the first paragraph, one needs to give a brief introduction of oneself. One should also give reference to the purpose of the letter in brief. The second paragraph needs to give the details of the letter and its requirement. This paragraph is mostly longer than the others and plays the main role in the letter. Keep the sentences short and to the point. Avoid using complex words and sentences. The third and last paragraph is the conclusion of the letter and can be kept short. Sincerely,
(this is where the signature of the writer will be placed) Robin Keating Enclosures (2) (the enclosures are optional) |
You can get more information if you read on:
- Cover Letter Formats
- Thank you Letter Formats
There is no specification regarding the occasions when the formats need to be used. However, if one starts writing a letter in a certain format, it needs to be continued in the same, till the end. Professional letters are seldom long, as they are mostly kept short and brief. However, in the event that there is a requirement for a long letter, the writer can have more than 3 paragraphs. The first and the last paragraphs need to be kept short although. Hope these professional letter format examples have helped you out with writing letters. This is where I sign off! Happy letter writing!
