LETTER FORMATTING

 

 

Personal-Business Letters

 

A letter from an individual to a business is called a personal-business letter. A personal-business letter should contain these parts:

            Date Line: The month, day, and year the letter id typed.

            Inside Address: The name and address of the person to whom the letter is being sent.

            Salutation: An opening greeting such as Dear Ms. Jones.

            Body: The text of the letter.

            Complimentary Closing: A closing to the letter such as Sincerely or Yours truly.

            Writer’s Identification: The writer’s typed name and address.

 

Block Style Personal-Business

To format a personal-business letter in block style:

  1. Type all lines beginning at the left margin.
  2. Press ENTER 6 times to create an approximate 2-inch top margin, then type the date.
  3. After the date, press ENTER 4 times and type the inside address. Leave 1 space between the state and the ZIP code.
  4. After the inside address, press ENTER 2 times and type the salutation.
  5. Press ENTER 2 times and begin the body of the letter. Single-space the body, but press ENTER 2 times between paragraphs.
  6. After the last paragraph, press ENTER 2 times and type the complimentary closing.
  7. Press ENTER 4 times and type the writer’s name and address.

 

Alternate Block Style Personal-Business

The writer’s address is before the date, not after the signature. To format a personal-business letter in alternate block style:

  1.  Type all lines beginning at the left margin.
  2.  Press ENTER 6 times to create an approximate 2-inch top margin, then type the writer’s address. Type the date.

3-6. Follow steps as shown above.

7.    Press ENTER 4 times and type the writer’s name. Do not type the address.

 

Envelopes

 

There are two commonly used envelope sizes: a No. 10 (large envelope) and a No. 6 (small envelope). The No. 10, which is the standard size for business letters, is 9 ˝ by 4 1/8 inches. A correctly addressed envelope should be typed as follows:

  1. Return Address: The writer’s name and address typed or printed in the upper left corner of the envelope.
  2. Mailing Address: The recipient’s name and address beginning at least 2 inches from the top edge and 4 inches from the left edge of the envelope. The mailing address may be typed either in initial caps with punctuation, or in all caps with no punctuation.

 

Business Letters

 

A business letter represents a company, not an individual. Business letters are usually printed on company stationary called letterhead. The letterhead usually includes the company’s name, address, and telephone number. The differences between a business letter and a personal-business letter are these:

  1. The writer’s company name and address appear in the letterhead; therefore, they are not typed in the closing lines.
  2. The writer’s business title is typed below the name. A short title may be placed on the same line as the name, separated by a comma. The name and title are called the writer’s identification.
  3. The initials of the typist (called reference initials) are typed a double space below the writer’s identification.

 

Business letters may be formatted either as Block-Style (everything at the left margin) or Modified-Block style. In the modified-block style letter, the date and closing lines (complimentary closing, writer’s name, and title) begin at the center point of the writing line. Paragraphs in a modified-block style letter may be blocked at the left margin (the preferred style) or indented 0.5 inch.

 

Letters With Indented Paragraphs

 

A variation of the modified-block style letter is to indent the first line of each paragraph, usually 0.5 inch. When using the indented paragraph style, set two tabs – one for the paragraph (at 0.5 inch from the left margin) and one for the date and closing lines (at the center point of the line).

 

 

Letters With Enclosures And Attachments

 

To show that an item is enclosed with a letter, type the word Enclosure at the left margin on the line below the reference initials. If the item is stapled or clipped to the letter, type the word Attachment on the line below the reference initials.

 

If more than one item is enclosed or attached, type Enclosures or Attachments.

 

Letters With Copy And Delivery Notations

 

Copy Notations

 

When you send a copy of a letter to someone in addition to the addressee, type a copy notation on the letter.

  1. Type the copy notation on the line below the reference initials or below the enclosure or attachment notation.
  2. At the left margin, type a lowercase c followed by a colon ( c: ).
  3. Press the tab and type the name of the person receiving the copy. If more than one person is to receive a copy, type each name on a separate line, aligned at the tab.
  4. Use a title before the name only if the first name of initial is unknown.

 

When you do not want the addressee to know that someone else is to receive a copy, use the notation bc: (blind copy). To add a blind copy notation:

  1. Print one copy of the letter.
  2. Type the bc notation 2 lines below the last item in the letter, and print another copy.

 

Delivery Notations

 

When a letter is being sent by a special method (fax, registered, certified, etc.), type the appropriate notation on the line below the reference initials. For example, a letter that is being faxed would have the notation By fax below the reference initials.

 

Letters With Postscripts

 

A postscript ( PS: ) is an additional message in paragraph form at the end of a letter. To format a postscript:

  1. Press ENTER 2 times after the last item in the letter.
  2. If letter paragraphs are blocked, type the postscript at the left margin. If paragraphs are indented, indent the postscript.
  3. Type PS: followed by 1 space; then type the message.