Formal Letters

FREE Guide to Writing Formal Letters

Quicklinks

• Layout of a formal letter
• Formal letter writing conventions
• Content of a formal letter
• Application of formal letter writing techniques

Back to top
Layout of a Formal Letter

The example formal letter below details the general layout that a formal letter should conform to. Each aspect of the formal letter is detailed more fully below the image.

Back to top
Formal Letter Writing Conventions

There are a number of conventions that should be adhered to when producing a formal letter. It is important that the overall structure is as clear and concise as possible and that you avoid the use of colloquialisms.

Addresses:

1) Your Address
Your address should be displayed in the top right-hand section of your letter. This will enable the person that you are writing to, to reply to your letter.

2) The Address of the person you are writing to
This address should be displayed beneath your address on the left-hand side of your letter, remember to include the name of the person that you are writing to. (If known)

Date:

This should be displayed on the right-hand side of the page on the line beneath your address and should be written in full format:

e.g. 1st January 2001

Salutation & Greeting:

1) Dear Sirs,
If you do not know the name of the person that you are writing to, use the greeting "Dear Sirs,". In some circumstances it is useful to find a name, especially if you are writing to make a request as this will show that you have done your homework and your letter is more likely to receive a response.

2) Dear Mr Jones,
If you know the name, use one of the following titles:

Mr - for a male
Mrs - for a married female
Miss - for an unmarried female
Ms - for a female whose status is unknown or would prefer to remain anonymous
Dr - for a person with the status of a doctor

This should be followed by the surname only (not the first name).

Concluding a Letter:

1) Yours faithfully,
If you do not know the name of the person, end the letter with "Yours faithfully,".

2) Yours sincerely,
If you know the name of the person, end the letter with "Yours sincerely,".

3) Your signature
Sign your name, then print it underneath the signature. If it is potentially unclear what your title would be then include this in brackets next to your printed name.

Back to top
Content of a Formal Letter

In modern society there is a trend to use a shorthand writing style, for instance replacing the word "you" with "u" or replacing the word "weekend" with "wkend", there are many other examples. This casual approach and informal writing style can easily be transferred, sometimes subconsciously, when a more formal style is required.

Introductory Paragraph

The introductory paragraph should be concise and should clearly state the purpose of the formal letter whether it is to lodge a complaint, make an enquiry or to request something.

Main Body

The main body of the formal letter should clearly state the points that you want to make in your letter. As a general rule it is a good idea to keep this as to the point as possible to ensure that the recipient remains engaged. Longer letters may be more appropriate when making a complaint as you may require to add more detail in order to convey the importance of what you are putting across.

Concluding Paragraph

The concluding paragraph of a formal letter should outline what action you would like the recipient to take: to make a refund, to send you information etc.

Back to top
Application of Formal Letter Writing Techniques

Letter of Complaint

A letter of complaint is a formal letter sent to an individual or organisation in response to receiving poor service or a product that is not fit for purpose. An example of a letter of complaint would be a letter sent to a tour operator who has provided a bad service while you have been on holiday. This type of formal letter does not necessarily need to be concise as it is important that you detail your arguments and points as much as possible.

Letter of Enquiry

A letter of enquiry is a formal letter that makes an approach to an individual or organisation either speculatively or in response to printed public domain material whereby you are requesting some information. An example of a letter of enquiry would be a letter sent to an company requesting a copy of their catalogue or brochure. By their very nature letters of enquiry are short and to the point, it is usually beneficial to include other methods of contact in case the company needs to get in touch with via other means.

Letter of Request

A letter of request is a formal letter much like a letter of enquiry but specifically asks an individual or organisation to take an action. An example of a letter of request would be a letter sent to request sponsorship for a charity activity. It is important to stress the importance of being clear and concise with this format of letter as the recipient must remain engaged and interested in what you have to say.