How To Write a Letter of Any Type – Types And Example

In modern time every person should know about writing a letter, whether it’s a business inquiry, email, personal letter, or social media post in letter format. Letter writing is a useful skill, which is helpful in communicating clearly and also for making a good impression – specifically for first impressions. In this article we discusses about How To Write a Letter of Any Type – Types And Example…

Below we explain how to write the proper letter, no matter what type you need. We’ll cover the correct format for a formal letter, such as a cover letter or job inquiry, and tips for writing a personal letter, with some useful examples of each.

Detailed study of How To Write a Letter of Any Type

How to Write a Letter :

Here are some quick steps on how to write a letter:

  1-  Choose format (email, paper and mail, etc.)

   2- If you use the block style, write your contact information and date at the top (see below).

   3-ype a salutation on a new line, such as “Dear Ms. Smith,” or “To Whom It May Concern.”

   4-Write the body of your letter in a standard paragraph format.

   5-Write a complimentary closing on a new line, such as “Sincerely,” or “Best.”

   6-Sign your name under complimentary termination.

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Which type of Letter Should You Write?

There are no hard and fast rules. The most appropriate letter format depends on your audience. A casual message or informal letter is usually the best approach for a friend or close relative. There are different types of letters that are suitable for this format. Some include:

• Handwritten letter
• Emailed letters
• Typed social media messages

However, for business contacts or people you don’t know well, a typed formal letter is almost always the most appropriate option. When used for business purposes, formal letter writing is effective for the following:

• Cover Letter
• Letter of intent
• Value proposition letter
• Business memorandum letter
• Promotion letter
• Letters of reference
• Resignation letter
• Thank you letter

These are some of the types of letters you may need to write in a casual or business environment. Before writing the letter, consider the type of letter you need: formal or informal. Each has a different format that you’ll want to follow.

Personal Letters :

These are written to friends, colleagues, neighbours, relatives. These letters write in simple and natural language. In these letters tone of conversation should be interested. In such letters the usual subjects could be exchanging news, extending invitation, congratulations, expressing sympathy.

Personal Letter Example :

Vashi

459 Pali Hill

Mumbai

6th July 2022

My Dear Anup,

Thanks for your letter. You said your school will be closed for 20 days starting may 25th. I have an idea for you to come to your village during the summer vacation . It will give you abetter feel and more energized. So please try to come .

Yours Ever

Shuman

Formal Letter Writing : (Block Style vs. AMS Style) :

Formal letters—such as cover letters, business inquiries, and urgent notices—are some of the most important letters you will ever have to write. Because it is sometimes used as official documents. Formal letters possess a very precise structure and particular format. In fact, to choose from there are a few different “correct formats”.

The most common formats for formal letters are block style and American Mathematical Society (AMS) style. In the example below, we use the block style, specifically the full block style, as it is the most popular. The characteristic of the block style is that all elements are aligned to the left margin of the page. This includes the first lines of a paragraph, in which indentation is not used.

AMS is largely similar and follows many of the same rules as the block style. However, there are some differences, which we’ll cover briefly after the next section.

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How to Write a Formal Letter (Block Style) :

Step 1: Enter contact information and date

All formal letters begin with contact information and the date. In full block style, it goes in the upper left corner.

First, as the sender, align your full name and address to the left, just like you type when addressing an envelope. This is a useful inclusion so that the recipient can easily find your contact information when they want to respond.

If you are writing on an official company letterhead that already includes this information, you do not need to retype the contact information.

After your address, skip a line and then add the date you are writing the letter.

Finally, skip a line again and add the recipient’s name and full address. Include their job title below their name if relevant. After the contact information before writing the salutation leave a blank line. 

Step 2: Write the Salutation

Formal letters always include a salutation at the beginning of written material as a signal that your message is about to begin. This is known as Namaskar.

Most greetings begin with “Dear” and then the recipient’s name. All salutations use capital letters in titles and end in commas.

If you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can also use the job title or department name, for example, “Dear Human Resources Representative.” Try to avoid “Dear Sir or Madam” as it has become a bit out of date.

Step 3: Write the body of the letter

This is where you write your message. The body of the letter follows general rules of grammar, so write it like any other formal document. One exception to the full block style is that you do not indent the first lines of a paragraph.

Unlike personal letters, formal letters are straight and to the point, so don’t be afraid to get straight to the point. Some formal letters are only a sentence or two long, although other letters may be written as paragraphs if there is a lot of information to convey. The important thing is to stay focused and avoid complicated topics.

Although different company cultures have different communication standards, a safe bet is to avoid casual phrases and jokes; Some people also recommend not using contractions. This should go without saying, but don’t use profanity, profanity, or other inappropriate language.

If your letter covers a lot, it’s best to include a concluding paragraph at the end to summarize what the recipient needs to know. As always, don’t forget to edit and proofread the body of the letter before sending it.

Step 4: Write a Complimentary Closing

Formal letters also use a standard complimentary closing or sign-off, similar to a salutation, before ending with an authentic signature.

One of the most common closures is “Sincerely,” which includes some variations, such as, “Sincerely with gratitude,” or “Sincerely yours.” Other common sign-offs include “Best” and “Yours.” Unlike salutations, closing sentences use capital letters. Always capitalize the first letter of your complimentary closing, but only the first letter. And like salutations, always end with a comma.

If you’re sending a paper letter, leave a few lines after your complimentary closing—this is where you sign your name. Additionally, always write your name, along with your job title, below the signature if relevant. When sending emails or other digital letters, you must not leave a blank line before writing your full name.

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Step 5: Mention the attached materials

This last step is only necessary if you are sending additional materials along with the letter, such as a resume or CV, application, voucher, etc. If you’re just sending letters, skip this step.

After your printed name and alternative job title (below your signature), skip a line and then write “Enclosures:” followed by a list of the materials you included. For example, if you were including a resume, you would write “Attachment: Resume.” This is simply a precaution so that the receiver doesn’t miss any attachments, and if they need to, can verify that something was lost during shipping.

Formal Letter Example (Block Style) :

14 Plowden Road

Torquay

Devon

TQ6 1RS

Tel. 072206538

22 Jan. 2022

The Secretary

Hall School of Design

39 Beaumont Street

London

W4 4LJ

Dear Sir or Madam,

I should Grateful if you would send me information about the regulations for admission to the Hall School of Design. Could you also tell me whether the school arranges accommodation for students?

Your Faithfully

Allan Parker

Sign.-

How To Write a Letter of Any Type

How to Write a Formal Letter (AMS Style):

The AMS style uses the same rules and guidelines including enclosures as the block style for the most part. So you can follow the above steps. You can use any style. However, the AMS style has two major differences in that you need to be aware of:

• Do not leave a blank line between the full address of the sender and the date. The date should be directly below the address.
• AMS style always uses a subject line before or in place of the salutation. The subject line should be written in capital letters and should not summarize the contents of the letter in more than one line, such as “”SEND ME INFORMATION ABOUT THE REGULATIONS FOR ADMISSION. Leave a blank line before and after the subject line as the salutation.

Formal Letter Example (AMS Style) :

14 Plowden Road

Torquay

Devon

TQ6 1RS

Tel. 072206538

22 Jan. 2022

SEND ME INFORMATION ABOUT THE REGULATIONS FOR ADMISSION

Dear Sir or Madam,

I should Grateful if you would send me information about the regulations for admission to the Hall School of Design. Could you also tell me whether the school arranges accommodation for students?

[. . . ]

How to Write an Informal Letter :

True to their name, informal letters are much more casual than formal letters. This means there aren’t nearly as many rules and guidelines, and no one will mind if you don’t leave spaces in the right places.

Still, there is a correct format that people are familiar with, so follow the steps below at least.

Step 1: Write the Date at the Top (Optional)

Putting the date at the top of a letter is a practice dating back to the time when letter writing was the primary means of communication. These days it is no longer necessary to include the date, but some still do as a matter of tradition. In informal letters, this is completely optional.

Step 2: Write the Salutation

Like formal letters, informal letters also begin with a polite greeting to the recipient. The standard format is the same: the word “Dear” is followed by the person’s name, as in “Dear Mr. Lestrade”, using title capitals.

However, informal letters offer more freedom when it comes to what you say in your salutation, and it’s not uncommon to see casual greetings like “Hi [name],” or “Hello [name].”

Like salutations in formal letters, you usually end your salutation with a comma and then skip a line before starting the body of the letter. Sometimes some people end the salutation with an exclamation point, depending on their relationship with the recipient.

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Step 3: Write the Body of the Letter

The portion where you write your message is the  Body of the Letter, and informal letters are often meant to share news or keep in touch.

They have a conversational tone, which means you’re free to incorporate slang and whatever language you use when speaking in person.

Although tangents are more acceptable in informal letters, straying too far off topic can be jarring to the reader. Try to keep your focus as straight as possible, without any restraint—informal letters are meant to be personal after all.

Step 4: Write a Complimentary Ending

Informal letters also use a complimentary closing before the signature, following the same format as formal letters. This includes using sentence capitalization (only the first letter is capitalized), adding a comma at the end, and leaving enough space to sign your name if you’re sending a paper letter.

However, you don’t have to stick to a traditional sign-off like “Sincerely.” If you’re writing a personal letter, you can use something more sentimental, such as “love,” “warm greetings,” or “see you soon,” ( it depends on your relation with the recipient) .

Informal Letter Example :

Ram Mishra

No.5, Rajaji street

Gandhi Nagar

Chennai – 600051

15/09/2021

Dear Satyam;

How are you? I hope you are fine and everyone at home is also fine.

I am good here but we all miss you.

It’s been long since we have met. So I am throwing my birthday party on the 15th October. We want to come along with your family . I want a simple get together for all near and dear ones. Dinner will be arranged. I will be very happy with your great presence.

Hope to see you soon. Take good care of yourself.

Your Loving Friend

Ram Mishra

Salutation or Greeting :

A salutation is the first sentence for reader according to your relationship with reader. It may depends upon the type of letter. It capture the attention of recipient.

The Subscription :

This is the last concluding part of the letter. It is written on the right side of the page.

There are some salutations and subscriptions depending upon the person are given below :

How To Write a Letter of Any Type

What is PS ?

PS stands for Postscript. It’s something you add at the last minute after the letter is complete, usually either tidbits or some little tidbit that you forgot while writing the body of the letter. Typically, you don’t use PostScript in formal letters; If you need to add something, you will have to revise the entire document to include the new information.

When writing PostScript, simply type the letters “PS” and then your message. It doesn’t matter whether you use periods or not (“PS” and “P.S.” are both acceptable), but both letters should always be capitalized.

If you have more than one PostScript, simply add another P at the beginning of each new PS. For example, your second postscript should be labelled “PPS”. And the third postscript should be “PPPS”.

P.S. Rob lands a position at a great company! Lots of thanks for all type support during his unemployment.

PPS. I’ve had to cancel my birthday party, but we’ll still meet up for drinks that night if you want to come.

Envelope :

In the United States, the maximum weight of a first-class letter is 3.5 ounces. If your letter is longer than three pages or you wrote it on heavy paper, you will need to weigh it to make sure it meets the requirements. The size and shape of the envelope also matters. It needs to be rectangular and smaller than about 6 by 11 inches, otherwise you risk having it returned by the post office.

I am Sending a Letter :

Once you’ve decided that the envelope is the right type, all you have to do is mail it. (If it’s a personal letter then you have to always deliver it yourself. In that case, simply write the name of the intended recipient on the outside of the envelope. The bonus of hand delivery? You can choose any envelope of any size or shape.)

In the upper left corner of the envelope write your name and address or attach a mailing label. Carefully write the recipient’s name and address in the center of the envelope. In addition to the state abbreviation and ZIP code, international letters must include the country for both destination and return address.

Postage rates vary. Check the US Postal Service website for current prices or use Forever Stamp for US destinations. Postage charges are written on the top right corner of the envelope.

Double check to ensure that everything is correct on the outside of the envelope. If so, fold your letter and insert it neatly. Don’t seal it until you’re sure you’ve included every page you want to send.

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Letter Writing Tips :

Provide Amenities :

While personal letters naturally use a friendly tone, formal letters can also benefit from pleasantries and polite manners. A simple phrase like “How are you?” Or “I hope you’re quite well” at the beginning of a letter can help to connect sender and recipient, even if the subject matter is purely business.

Similarly, you can also express sympathy, regret, support or gratitude in both formal and informal letters. More than just a courtesy, these pleasantries establish a personal connection that separates your letters from those typed by machines.

Write for Your Reader :

Like all writing, modify your language for your specific reader. If you’re writing a formal letter for a business partner, be professional and decent. If you’re writing a personal letter to an old friend then use jokes.

Sometimes the lines blur – a “formal letter” to a work friend may be more casual than a “personal letter” to a distant relative. Keep the specific reader in mind when writing to strike the right tone. If you’ve never met the recipient before, stick to polite formality.

Include all Necessary Information :

If you have a lot of information to cover, make a short list beforehand to make sure you’ve covered everything. Think of it like a mini-outline to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

This is specifically important for invitations or letters about scheduled events. Make sure you clearly state the essential facts – especially where and when – as well as other knowable information such as directions or special needs.

Conclusion :

Doesn’t it feel great to send a letter that you’ve carefully crafted? Certainly, a well-written letter has the best chances of serving its purpose. To make sure your letter really shines, it’s important that it’s error-free and sets the right tone.

How To Write a Letter of Any Type

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How To Write a Letter of Any Type

How To Write a Letter of Any Type