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English > Letter Writing > Formal Letter Writing In

English

Formal Letter Writing in

English - Definition,
Format and Writing
Samples

The article elaborates on the format of writing a

formal letter, the definition and structure of a
formal letter, along with sample formal letters
for your reference. Formal Letters are
professional and need to be drafted carefully.
The following topics will help you understand
how to write a formal letter in the most effective
manner.

Table of Contents
Definition of a Formal Letter

Structure of a Formal Letter – Types of

Formal Letters

Writing a Formal Letter – Parts of a Formal

Letter

Formal Letter Writing Samples

FAQs on Formal Letter Writing Format in

English

Definition of a Formal Letter

Formal Letters, also called Business Letters or
Professional Letters, are letters that are written in
a strict and specific format. Formal letters are
naturally much more formal in style than
informal/friendly letters. Formal letters can be
written for a number of reasons such as,

to express your concerns while working in

a professional setup

to provide official information across your

workspace

to order goods, to apply for employment,

etc.

to the Editor of a newspaper addressing

the problems faced by various groups of
people in different areas, etc.

Structure of a Formal Letter

In order to be able to write a formal letter, you
have to first understand the reason behind the
letter. As far as formal letters are concerned, the
structure of the letter changes depending on
the type of letter. There are certain rules to be
followed to be able to draft a formal letter. Every
sentence should be well thought out and laid
down in such a way that the message you want
to convey should be precise and clear to the
reader.

Types of Formal Letters

There are different types of formal letters, as
discussed, and they can generally be labelled
under the following terms:

Business Letters

Letters of Application

Letters to Newspapers

Business Letters

Business letters should be terse, clear and to the

point. There is no room for any kind of stories in
a business letter. Before you start to write a
business letter, there are a few things you
should keep in mind.

Use simple, everyday language to convey

the message clearly instead of using
flamboyant and overemphatic
vocabulary.

Never use jargon that is commonly used in

business when you write a business letter.

Avoid using abbreviations as much as

possible.

The modes of address vary according to

the type of letter and the receiver.

Clear and exact descriptions of the articles

necessary with the expected quality and
quantity should be listed with utmost care
when you write a letter to order goods.

When replying to a business letter, always

quote the date of the letter you are
responding to and its reference numbers
(if any).

Formal/Business letters include letters from an

employer to the employees and vice versa,
letters to order and replace goods, letters of
serious concern to an officer of higher rank,
letters of complaint, etc.

Letters of Application

Letters of Application usually consist of letters

applying for employment. Before and after you
write a letter of application, make sure you
check for the following:

Always start with a short introduction

stating whether the applicant is writing in
response to a reference from an
advertisement found online or in the
newspaper.

State the age, education and experience

of the applicant.

Provide the employer with a genuine

expression of the applicant’s earnestness
in taking up the job in the respective
company.

Also, furnish references so that the

employer can gather an idea of the kind of
employee you would be.

Letters of Application should follow the format of

formal/business letters.

Letters to Newspapers

Always address these letters to ‘The Editor’ and

end with ‘Yours faithfully’. Letters to the Editor are
letters that express concerns that should be
addressed to the higher authorities. These
letters should be professional and authentic. No
newspaper would publish anonymous letters, so
make sure you are writing the letter for a cause
and provide your name and address correctly.

Writing a Formal Letter – Parts of

a Formal Letter
When writing a formal letter, always be
respectful and conscious of your language, no
matter what the subject of the letter might be.
To write a formal letter, there are some points to
be remembered.

1. Always start with the sender’s address

2. This is followed by the date.

3. The receiver’s address comes next. The

receiver can be the name of the firm or
the one who represents the firm.

4. The subject of the letter is very important.

It is a statement of the purpose of the
letter. It should be written in a single line.

5. The salutation can be Dear Sir/Ma’am. If it

is a person you know well, you can
address them by their name, ‘Dear
Shrinath’.

6. The body of the letter can be written in 3

paragraphs.
The first paragraph should be aimed
at introducing yourself and stating
the purpose of your letter.

The second paragraph should

furnish all the information about the
matter.

The third paragraph can be a

concluding paragraph where you lay
out your expectations regarding the
matter.

7. To close the letter, you can use a

complimentary closing like ‘Yours
faithfully’, ‘Yours sincerely’ etc.

8. Unlike informal letters, the signature

should include your name (in block letters)
and designation below your signature.

Formal Letter Writing Samples

Formal Letter Sample 1 – Letter to the
publisher ordering books for your store

Javed

Read More Book Store

24, Crosby Lane

Bangalore 600045

20th August, 2019

The Manager

Zack Publishing House

Mumbai 400012

Subject: Requirement of new books for the store

Dear Sir,

I have received the books that you sent last

week. The books are in perfect condition, and
they were delivered on time. Owing to the great
service rendered, I would like to order more
books that would be a great addition to the
wide range of books available at my store. Given
below is a list of books that I would like to
purchase:

Title of the Book Author No. of

Copies

Wuthering Heights Emily 3

Bronte

Treasure Island RL 2
Stevenson

A Brief History of Time Stephen 4

Hawking

Surely You’re Joking, Richard 2

Mr. Feynman! Feynman

I shall be grateful if you could send me copies of

these books as mentioned by VPP as early as
possible to the address given.

Thank you in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Signature

JAVED

Manager, Read More Book Store

Formal Letter Sample 2 – Letter to the

Editor about a road that needs repair

Ganesh

25, SS Street

Cheran Nagar

Coimbatore 641023

8th September, 2019

The Editor

The Hindu

Coimbatore

Subject: Repair of the road in Cheran Nagar

Sir,

I would like to bring to your notice that the

people in and around Cheran Nagar have been
facing difficulties in travelling back and forth
because of the bad condition of the roads there.
We have appealed to the Municipality, but there
has not been any response on the issue so far.

As our appeals to their office have had no effect,

we believe that perhaps a mention in the media
would be of great help. Since the beginning of
the last month, the roads in Cheran Nagar have
been almost impassable. The surface is badly
broken up by the heavy rains, and on a dark
night, it is positively dangerous for vehicles to
pass that way. Moreover, there are heaps of
road metal on both sides of the road, which
leave very little room in the middle. The
residents of the area have been inconvenienced
in this way for weeks.

The situation is becoming worse. There have

been multiple accidents happening due to this
condition. I request you to highlight the
seriousness of the matter in your newspaper so
that the road may be properly repaired without
further delay.

Thanking You

Yours sincerely,

Signature

GANESH

Resident

More Formal Letter Samples,

Application for ATM Card Cheque Book

Request Letter

Application for Bank Complaint

Statement Letter Format

Application For Character Consent Letter

Certificate

Application for Closing Bank Enquiry Letter

Account

Application for College Formal

Leaving Certificate Invitation
Letter

Application for Full Fee Job

Concession In School Application
Letter Format

Application for TC by Parents Letter to Editor

Format

Application to the Bank Letter to

Manager to Change Your Principal for
Mobile TC
Number

Job Application Letter Letter to

Format Principal

Leave Application for School Order Letter

Writing a Leave Application Permission

for Office for Personal Work Letter Format

Apology Letter Format Police

Complaint
Letter

Appointment Letter Quotation

Letter Format

ATM Card Missing Letter Relieving

Format Letter

Authorization Letter Salary

Increment
Letter

FAQ on Formal Letter Writing

Format in English

Q1 What is a formal letter?

A formal letter is written for official purposes

such as to express your concerns while
working in a professional setup, to share
official information at your workspace, to
order goods, to apply for employment, to
the Editor of a newspaper addressing the
problems faced by various groups of people
in different areas, etc.

Q2 What is the format of a formal letter?

A formal letter should include the sender’s

address, date, receiver’s address, subject,
salutation, body of the letter,
complimentary closing and finally, the
signature with name (in block letters) and
designation.

Q3 How can I write a formal letter?

Before you start writing a formal letter,

make sure you understand the pattern of
the formal letter. Try to include all the
necessary information about the matter
that is being discussed. Keep your
language simple and clear. Make the
receiver understand your requirements and
also your expectations. Provide authentic
information no matter what.

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