When would I need to write a formal letter?
It’s tempting to think that, in this technological age, there isn’t much call for letter-writing skills. However, being able to write, format, and send formal letters is still an essential skill. There are several situations when writing a long-form letter is the most appropriate method of communication. Children must learn the necessary skills early so that, when the moment comes, they can react and write effectively.
Though communicating via email, social media, or instant messaging is quick and convenient; it’s often a good idea to write a formal letter for official communication. It can make the recipient take you more seriously. It also shows you’ve put time and thought into communicating: that you genuinely care about the person you’re writing to and believe in what you’re saying.
Examples of formal letters:
- letters of complaint;
- travel reservations;
- job applications – you may need to enclose your curriculum vitae;
- inquiries about work experience.
You’ll need to write a formal letter if you’re writing to one of the following people:
- employers;
- landlords;
- government officials;
- banks;
- insurance companies;
- committees or boards at organizations.
What are the features of a formal letter?
Formal letters have a prescribed layout. It’s best if you adhere to the conventions of this layout; it’ll make it easier for the recipient to find information and, therefore, to reply. It’ll also show them that you understand formal letter-writing conventions and know when to use them appropriately.
How do I write dates and postal addresses when writing postal addresses?
When writing formal letters, you need to make sure you have your address and the address of the person you’re writing to in the right places. Your address should go in the top-right corner of the page. Leave a line, and then, underneath your address, write the date.
Once you’ve written the date, go over to the left side of the page. Write the recipient’s address on the line underneath the date, on the opposite side of the page.
You need to write the addresses and the dates in the right places on the page because, when writing formal letters, people often use envelopes with plastic windows. These windows need to show the address of the person you’re writing to, not your address. If the wrong address is visible, you’ll pay for your letter to be posted straight back to you.
How do you address people when beginning formal letters?
When writing everyday correspondence, particularly online, it’s common practice to start a message with ‘Hello,’ ‘Hi,’ or ‘Hey.’ However, in formal letter-writing, it’s better to be more traditional.
Most formal letters start with ‘Dear,’ followed by the recipient’s name. Sometimes, this might be their title, followed by their surname (e.g., Dear Miss Brown), but it could also be their full name (e.g., Dear Anne Brown).
Sometimes, when you begin a formal letter, you don’t know the name of the individual who will read it. On these occasions, you can write ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Madam.’ The phrase ‘To whom it may concern can also be helpful if you don’t know anything about the person at all.
It’s also common practice to add a comma at the end of the person’s name. So you’d write ‘Dear Miss Brown’ at the beginning, then launch into the first sentence of your letter below.
The way you begin a letter affects the way you sign off. If you know the name of the person you’re writing to, you should end the letter by saying ‘Yours sincerely’ and then adding your name to the line below. If you don’t know the person’s name, you should say ‘Yours faithfully’ instead. A handy way to remember is that ‘Sir/Madam’ never goes with ‘sincerely’ – you should never have the two ‘s’ words – ‘sir’ and ‘sincerely’ – together. Instead, ‘Sir/Madam’ goes with ‘faithfully.’ The name of the recipient goes with ‘sincerely.’
How can I start writing the main body of a formal letter?
When writing anything, it can be tricky to get going. However, like most types of writing, it’s often best to get to the point. The first line of a formal letter should tell the recipient exactly why you are writing to them. For example, if you’re writing to someone because you’d like to apply for a job, let them know! A good starting sentence might be, ‘I would like to apply for the role of…’ If you’re writing a letter of complaint, you could start by saying, ‘I’d like to disclose my dissatisfaction with the level of service I received…’ Sentences like this make it clear what the purpose of the letter is and gives the reader a clue as to how they should respond.
What sort of tone or style should I use when writing my letter?
Your letters should be clear and to the point, but you don’t want them to be brusque or rude. It can sometimes help to imagine you’re talking to a real person, someone you admire but perhaps don’t know particularly well. How would you explain the contents of your letter to them?
When you write a formal letter, you often intend to further an argument, persuade someone to do something, or bring the reader to your point of view. As a result, formal letters can contain a great deal of information. If your argument is going to be compelling, you need to make sure the reader understands it. It’s also crucial that you clarify which point leads to which and that your writing flows. Connectives like ‘because,’ ‘also,’ and ‘therefore,’ can keep writing coherent and make it ‘flow.’ A good rule of thumb is to start a new paragraph when introducing a new topic or point of view.
What should I include in a formal letter?
When you write a formal letter, you often communicate with an individual or company for the first time. It might be that your letter is first read by a gatekeeper – a personal assistant or secretary – before it’s passed on to the intended recipient. Therefore, ensuring the letter contains every detail you think is initially relevant is a good idea. It might be down to a gatekeeper to decide what to do with your letter. They will need a complete overview of the situation to make the best decision.
For example, if you’re writing a letter of complaint, it’s a good idea to detail the situation with which you are dissatisfied. State exactly what happened and why you found it so upsetting. You might also like to suggest ways the individual or company could improve their service in the future and your contact details, should they want to get in touch.
If you’re applying for a job, your formal letter will probably be one of many read by the recipient. Therefore, you need to make your whole argument within the letter.
Features of an argument:
- a proposal sentence – ‘I think I would be an excellent candidate for this role.’
- several reasons – ‘I have a great deal of experience working in this sector.’
- examples/evidence – ‘I spent several years working at…. and as a result of my work on… was prompted to…’
- a compelling conclusion: ‘ Therefore, I think I would fit right into your company’s culture and would be an excellent employee.’
Example of a formal letter:
Are you now an expert on formal-letter writing? Then, look at the example below and see if you can spot some of the features listed above.
