Business Letter Format

Block Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 11
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year)2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient.3
Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Recipient's Address Line 1
Recipient's Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:4

Subject: Title of Subject5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Closing (Sincerely...),7

Signature8

Your Name (Printed)9
Your Title

Enclosures (2)10
Typist's Initials11

The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flush against the left margin.

With all business letters, use 1" (one-inch) margins on all four sides.

1

Your Address

The return address of the sender so the recipient can easily find out where to send a reply. Skip a line between your address and the date. (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead already on it.)

2

Date

Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day, Year (e.g., August 30, 2023). Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date).

3

Inside Address

The address of the person you are writing to, along with their name, title, and company name. If you are not sure who the letter should be addressed to, try to put in a title (e.g., "Director of Human Resources"). Skip a line between the inside address and the salutation.

4

Salutation

The greeting, such as "Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:", "Dear Director of Department Name:", or "To Whom It May Concern:" if the recipient's name is unknown. Note that there is a colon (:) after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line or body.

5

Subject Line (optional)

Makes it easier for the recipient to quickly understand the letter's purpose. Skip a line between the subject line and the body.

6

Body

The main content of your letter. Paragraphs should be single-spaced, with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the end of the body and the closing.

7

Closing

Indicates the end of the letter. Common closings include "Sincerely,", "Sincerely yours,", "Thank you," etc. Note that there is a comma after the closing, and only the first word is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name to leave space for the signature.

8

Signature

Your handwritten signature goes here, usually signed in black or blue ink.

9

Printed Name

Your full name typed out. You can also include your title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure notation (if any).

10

Enclosure

If your letter includes other documents, note this by typing "Enclosure." or "Enclosures." If there is more than one, you can specify the number: "Enclosures (2)".

11

Reference Initials

If someone other than yourself typed the letter, include your initials in capital letters, followed by the typist's initials in lowercase (e.g., AG/gs or AG:gs).

Difficult Words & Meanings

• Recipient: The person who receives something (like this letter).
• Letterhead: Special paper pre-printed with a company's name, logo, and address, used for official letters. Using letterhead often means you don't need to type your return address.
• Salutation: The formal greeting part of a letter (e.g., "Dear Mr. Smith:").
• Flush (left): Aligned perfectly straight along the left edge or margin, with no indentation.
• Margin: The empty space around the text on a page, typically 1 inch for business letters.
• Optional: Not required; can be chosen or left out based on preference or necessity.
• Enclosure: An additional document or item included with a letter (e.g., a resume or a report).
• Typist: A person whose job is to type documents.
• Initials: The first letters of a person's names (e.g., if John Doe typed a letter for Ann Green, the reference initials might be AG/jd).
• Sincerely: A common and polite way to end a formal or business letter.
• Format: The specific way in which something (like a letter) is arranged or set out.
• Colon (:): A punctuation mark used after the salutation in a business letter and to introduce lists or explanations.
• Comma (,): A punctuation mark used to separate items in a list, clauses in a sentence, and after the closing in a letter.