3.4: Writing Letters

The first piece of information in a letter is usually the sender’s address. In block-style letters, the address appears as part of the company letterhead in the header, under or beside the prominently displayed and brand-stylized company name and logo. Use a company letterhead template whenever writing on behalf of the company you work for; never use it for personal messages (e.g., reference letters for a relative) not authorized by the company. The letterhead also includes other contact information such as a phone number, email, and website details.

The company letterhead address usually appears in the one-line style following the format given below:

Because modified-block-style letters are often sent by individuals unaffiliated with a company, they typically include only the sender’s two-line address at the top, which divides the above address style in half so that the street number, name, and type go on the first line (with no comma at the end), and the city/town, provincial abbreviation, and postal code go on the second, as shown below:

A distinguishing feature of the modified-block style is that the sender address is justified (flush) to the vertical middle of the page (i.e., the left edge of its text lines up with it) rather than the left margin. Note that modified-block-style letters place the sender’s address on the first line below the header (i.e., about an inch or 2.5cm from the top edge of the page) and don’t include the sender’s name at the top of this address block. The reader can find the sender’s name by darting their eyes down to the signature block at the bottom.

In a formal letter, the date must follow the unambiguous style that fully spells out the month, gives the calendar date, a comma, and the full year (e.g., April 25, 2020). In block-style letters, this appears left-justified (its left edge lines up with the left margin) often with 2-3 lines of space between it and the company letterhead above it and, for symmetry, as much between it and the recipient address below.

In modified-block-style letters, however, the date often appears as the third line of the sender address block. Its left edge, therefore, lines up with the vertical middle of the page. Only one line of space should separate the date line from the recipient address below. After this, block-style and modified-block letters are formatted in the same way until you get to the signature block at the bottom.

No matter what style of letter you use, the recipient address is left-justified, begins with the recipient’s full name on the top line, and follows with their mailing address on the lines below in the format options given in Table 3.4.B below.

Table 3.4.B: Recipient Address Options

Notice that commas follow only (1) the recipient’s name if followed by a professional role (capitalized) or credentials abbreviation and (2) the city or town. Two spaces separate the provincial abbreviation from the postal code, which has a single space in the middle dividing the six alpha-numeric characters into two groups of three for readability. Though you sometimes see addresses that fully spell out the province, rather than abbreviate it, and have only one space between the province and postal code, the style given above is dominant and has the advantage of being more concise and clearly distinguishing the province from the postal code without crowding the line with commas. Keep the end of each line free of any punctuation.

Like a subject line in an email, letters can have subject lines that indicate the topic or purpose. The same titling principles as email apply, only the letter’s subject reference begins with “Re:” or “RE:” and is entirely in either bold typeface or all-caps, but not both. You might also see it positioned above or below the opening salutation, but usually above. Like all the text blocks besides the date line, a blank line of space separates this from the other parts above and below.

The most common opening salutation for a letter is given in Table 3.4.C:

Table 3.4.C: Opening Salutation

The Dear, title, full name, and colon all signal formality. Variations in formal letters include omitting the title or the first name, but not both at once. Omit the title if you’re at all concerned about its accuracy. Other considerations in the opening salutation include the following:

• Using the recipient’s first name only is appropriate only if you know the recipient well and you are on a friendly, first-name basis.
• Using a comma instead of a colon is appropriate only for very informal letters.
• Using “To whom it may concern” as an appropriate opening salutation only if you really intend for the letter to be read by whomever it is given to, as in the case of a reference letter that an applicant gives copies of to potential employers. Otherwise, every effort should be made to direct the letter to a particular person, especially cover letters.

A simple Sincerely or Regards are standard business letter closing salutations that signal the formal end of the message, much like the opening salutation signalled the beginning of the message. A more personal letter sent to someone you know well may end with Yours truly (with the second word all lowercase), but don’t use this with someone you’ve never met or with anyone you want to maintain a strictly professional relationship with. Always place a “hanging comma” at the end of the line.

Your signature is a guarantee of authorship that carries legal weight. In a printed letter, leave enough space—usually about three single-spaced lines—to autograph your signature by hand. When sending a letter that you write and submit completely electronically, you should include an electronic signature.

The signature block clarifies the sender’s name in full, since handwritten signatures are rarely legible enough. The sender’s professional role follows the full name either on the same line (with a comma in between) if both the name and role are short enough, or on the second line if they are too long together. On the line below the sender’s name and role, the company name can appear, followed on the next line by the sender’s work email address. All these lines are single-spaced. If you are writing independently, putting your email address and phone number on the line(s) after your printed name depends on whether or not you used a simple modified-block style address at the top. If you did, you should add your contact info to the signature block. If you used a personal letterhead, perhaps for a job application cover letter, then you need not include anything more than your full printed name in your signature block.

Sometimes letters are written on someone else’s behalf, perhaps by an administrative assistant. In such cases, the signature and typed-out name of the person responsible for the letter is given at the bottom, then the initials of the person who typed it appear after a line of space below the last line of the signature block.

Just as emails can include attachments, letters are often sent along with other documents. Cover letters introduce résumés, for instance, and letters of transmittal introduce reports to their intended recipients. In such cases, an enclosure notice on the very last line of the page (above the footer margin) tells the reader that another document or other documents are included with the letter — e.g., Enclosures (2): Résumé, Portfolio.

Given the importance of the letter you’re writing, especially if it has to do with employment, editing is crucial. Apply revising and proofreading techniques to ensure that the letter fulfills its purpose and represents you well.

Finally, ensure that you leave enough time for your letter to arrive at its destination if punctuality is a factor.

You can find examples of letter formats on OWL Purdue  or in Intercultural Business Communication.