How to Write A Business Letter
When you might need to write a business letter: As a student, there are occasions when you may wish to write a business letter. Some instances might be: * to get information for an assignment * to apply for a job * to express your opinions For example, you might want to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, or perhaps to a local business or organization stating your feelings about a particular issue or as in the assignment you are to complete, you may need to invite a guest speaker to participate in an online discussion regarding a particular subject. Whatever your purpose for writing is you need to make sure you: * Set your letter up in a proper business-like manner. Most business letters use what is called a Block Format. This style suits almost any formal or business letter you write. This makes a letter easy to read. You will be using the Block Format for this assignment. * Get to the point quickly and stick to the issue at hand. * Be clear, concise, and reasonable, giving facts and figures where necessary. * Be polite. Even when you have a strong objection to an issue or situation, you will get further with good manners than with rudeness.
Parts of the Business Letter: Please use the following information as a reference for when you are reading the Formats of a Business Letter information below. 1. Heading The heading consists of your address and the date. 501 Spring Street Regina SK R3T 4N7 January 3, 1997 Please continue to scroll.
1. Heading The heading consists of your address and the date. 501 Spring Street Regina SK R3T 4N7 January 3, 1997 2. Inside Address The inside address consists of the name and address of the person to whom you are writing. It usually appears four lines below the heading if a word processor is used, or one line below if it is hand-written. Sam Hunt Director The Knitting Mill 1409 3 Avenue Toronto ON L3V 7O1 3. Salutation The most traditional salutation or greeting for a business letter is Dear followed by Mr., Ms., Mrs., or Miss and the person’s last name, and ending with a colon. Dear Mr. Smith: Dear Ms. Black: Dear Mrs. Brown: Dear Miss Green: 4. Body The body is the main part of the letter in which you write what you have to say to the person. Skip one line after the salutation. • Be concise. Ensure that sufficient information is given so that your purpose is clearly understood, and your request well received. • Business letters are usually formal, so the language that you use should also be formal. 5. Closing The closing is the ending to your letter. It appears at the bottom of the letter, directly under the body. Only the first word in the closing should be capitalized. It is always followed by a comma. Yours truly, Sincerely,
6. Signature The signature is your full name signed. Your signature should appear directly below the closing. It should always be written in ink. 7. Your name printed 8. Commonly Used Abbreviations for Provinces and Territories Please continue to scroll.
6. Signature The signature is your full name signed. Your signature should appear directly below the closing. It should always be written in ink. 7. Your name printed 8. Commonly Used Abbreviations for Provinces and Territories Province Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Northwest Territories Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Symbol AB BC MB NB NF NT NS ON PE QC or PQ SK YT
Formats of a Business Letter: There are three basic business letter formats. Any of the following formats is appropriate and acceptable for the Grade 9 Achievement test. What is most important is that students choose one format and use it consistently, so that the overall appearance of the letter is attractive. Therefore, I would like you to use the Block Format for this assignment and any other business letter assignment I give in the future. By the time you reach grade 9 and have to write a business letter on the Achievement test, you will be extremely familiar with one style.
1) The Block Format. In this format, all parts of the letter run along the left side of the page (margin). No paragraphs in the body are indented. Please use the information above as a reference in case you are unsure of what the different parts entail. For example, if you forget what to include in “1 Heading (Your address and date)” please refer back to “Heading” in “Parts of a Business Letter.”
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1) The Block Format. In this format, all parts of the letter run along the left side of the page (margin). No paragraphs in the body are indented. Please use the information above as a reference in case you are unsure of what the different parts entail. For example, if you forget what to include in “1 Heading (Your address and date)” please refer back to “Heading” in “Parts of a Business Letter.” Please use this format for the assignment.
____________ 1 ____________ ____________ Heading (Your address and date)
____________2 ____________ ____________
Inside Address (Name and address of person to whom you are writing)
____________ 3 Salutation
(Greeting)
________________________________________________ 4 Body (What you have to say) _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________
____________ 5 Closing (The ending to your letter) ____________ 6 Signature (Your full name signed) This may be done by pasting your work on a DRAW or PAINT document. ____________ 7 Your name printed
**The following letter is an example of a Block Format business letter:** Please note: the topic of this example letter is different than the topic you have been assigned. 40 Withrow Drive Bathurst, NB B6B IT1 April 30, 1999 Please continue to scroll.
40 Withrow Drive Bathurst, NB B6B IT1 April 30, 1999 Ms. Nathalie Canossa Manager John Lee Nurseries Limited 1125 Main Street North Bathurst NB B6B 1TI Dear Ms. Canossa: Our school is having an "Environment Day" next month to make everyone in our community aware of how unjust and unfair we are being to each other and to future generations if we don't stop polluting the earth. We will be demonstrating ways each person can help improve the environment. Our grade seven class is researching alternatives to herbicides and pesticides in home gardening and I understand your company has been actively involved in promoting and using the compost method of fertilizing. I would appreciate it if you would be able to participate in a chat session with the grade seven class of Holy Family CyberHigh. We would appreciate it if you could meet us online at a time of your convenience to answer our questions regarding composting. Please contact me at 567-8910 or www.joe.clean.com between 8:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday - Friday to confirm a plan. Sincerely, (Joe’s signature would go here.) Joe Clean Please Note: Please be sure to space your business letter exactly how it is done in this example. Within each part of the letter the lines are single spaced and between the parts there is a double space. For example: You notice a single space between the lines in the “Inside Address”, however, there is a double space before the “Salutation.” In the body of the letter there is a double space between paragraphs. Also, there are no hyphens in the postal codes and you need to use the correct abbreviations for the provinces. (Please refer to the list provided in “Parts of a Business Letter.”)
2) The Modified Block format. In this format, the heading and the
closing and signature run along the right margin. All the other parts run along the left margin. Please be aware of this form. Please do not use it for this assignment.
Heading (Your address and date)
1 _____________
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2) The Modified Block format. In this format, the heading and the
closing and signature run along the right margin. All the other parts run along the left margin. Please be aware of this form. Please do not use it for this assignment.
Heading (Your address and date)
1 _____________ _____________ _____________
____________2 ____________ ____________
Inside Address (Name and address of person to whom you are writing)
____________ 3 Salutation
(Greeting)
________________________________________________ 4 Body (What you have to say) _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Closing (The ending to your letter) Signature (Your full name signed) Your name printed 5 _____________ 6 _____________ 7 _____________
3) The Semiblock Format. This format is the same as the block format, except that the paragraphs in the body are indented.
Please be aware of this form. Please do not use it for this assignment.
____________ 1 ____________ ____________ Heading (Your address and date)
____________2 ____________ ____________
Inside Address (Name and address of person to whom you are writing)
____________ 3 Salutation
(Greeting)
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____________ 3 Salutation
(Greeting)
________________________________________________ 4 Body ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________-
____________ 5 Closing (The ending to your letter) ____________ 6 Signature (Your full name signed) This may be done by pasting your work on a DRAW or PAINT document. ____________ 7 Your name printed
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