Letter and types
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The document discusses different types of letters, including formal letters, informal letters, business letters, official letters, social letters, report letters, notice letters, circular letters, order letters, complaint letters, and employment letters. It then describes the typical parts of a business letter, including the heading with return address and date, inside address, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Finally, it provides requirements for formatting a business letter, such as using standard paper size, appropriate spacing and margins, and how to write the return address, inside address, salutation, closing, and signature.
Letter and types
- 1. Letter Letter writing is the exchange of written or printed messages. Distinctions are commonly drawn between personal letters (sent between family members, friends, or acquaintances) and business letters(formal exchanges with businesses or government organizations). Typesof Letter Letter is an important symbol of human civilization. It has been used as a media of exchanging information from the primitive age. Letter can be categorized into different types based on formalities maintained, information contained, purpose of use etc. A comprehensive classification of letter is shown below- Formal Letter: The letter which is written according to the formal rules and regulations of an organization is called formal letter. This type of letter always maintains the formalities of the office strictly. Institutional and business letter fall in this category.
- 2. Informal or Personal Letter:The letter which does not follow any formal rule and contains personal information is known as informal or personal letter. This type of letter is written to relatives and friends for exchanging news or feelings or to seek favors. The basis of writing personal letter is personal relationship. Business Letter: The letter which contains commercial information and is written among business people is called business letter or commercial letter. Business letters are formal, structured and non-personal. Commercial letter contains information relating to trade inquiry, circular, order, complaint, claims, adjustment, collection relating to trade inquiry, circular, order, complaint, claims, adjustment, collection etc. Official Letter:When letter is written containing the official information like rules, regulations, facts and figures, activities, system, procedure etc. it is called official letter. In other word, when a letter is written following the official decorum, it is known as official letter. Officials use this type of letter to send official message to other branches and offices. Official letter strictly follows the prescribed rules, regulations, structure and style of the office. Social Letter: Letter that is written on any social occasion or purpose is called social letter. Invitation letters for different programs, thanks letter, condolence letter, congratulation letter etc. fall in the category of social letter. It is actually one kind of personal letter. ReportLetter:Letter that is prepared in the form of report or investigation and is sent to the person, who has assigned it, is called report letter. In real sense, it is a short report in the form of letter. The letter sent to the sales manager by the sales man on every day’s sales volume in an example of report letter. Notice Letter:Notice letter is a letter that is sent to a person notifying or informing him about any special topic. Circular Letter: A letter that circulates or announces the same information or message to a large number of people at a time is called a circular letter or a circular. Announce of new product, change of business address, retirement or admission of partner etc. requires circulating the certain message. For this purpose circular letter is written. Order Letter: When the quotation of the seller satisfies the queries of the prospective buyer, he places order through an order letter. So, after granting the quotation, the letter which the buyer writes to the supplier or seller, requesting him to deliver the prescribed amount of goods is called an order letter. Complaint Letter: However efficient an organization may be in running a business, everything does not go all the time according to plan. There will be some mistakes and some accidents. Letters written to bring these mistakes to the notice of those who must own the responsibility for them are called claim or complaint letters.
- 3. Employment Letter: Letters which are written in case of employment are considered as employment letter. Job application letter, appointment letter, joining letter, promotion letter etc are examples of employment letters. Parts of Letter Once you understand the six parts of a business letter, writing one is quick and easy. Heading. The heading includes the return address and the date of the letter. ... Inside Address. The inside address is where the letter is being sent. ... Greeting. The greeting is a formal salutation. ... Body. ... Closing. ... Signature. Heading: The heading includes the return address and the date of the letter. Some people include email addresses or fax numbers in the return address. Inside Address: The inside address is where the letter is being sent. Skip a line after the heading before entering the inside address. Include a title or name, if available. Greeting: The greeting is a formal salutation. It begins with the word "Dear" and includes the person's last name or a title, if the name is unavailable. End the greeting with a colon. Leave an extra line between the inside address and the greeting. Body: The body is the message of the letter. Skip a line after the greeting before starting the body. Keep the body of the letter short and to the point. Closing : The closing word is usually "Sincerely" followed by a comma. Line up the closing with the heading of the letter. In block style, this would be on the left side. Skip a line after the body before entering the closing.
- 4. Signature: Skip two to four lines after the closing and type the name of the sender. The two to four lines allows for the sender's signature. A second line includes the sender's title. Requirements Paper and Page Numbering: Use 8 ½"x11" white unlined paper. If your letter is longer than one page, number the pages beginning with page 2 in the top right margin. Spacing: Type single-spaced, on one side of the page only, and double-space between paragraphs. Double-space below the date, the inside address, and the salutation. Double-space between the last line of the letter and the closing, and leave four lines between the closing and the name of the writer. Leave a double space before Enc. or cc: (indicating that you are enclosing materials or are sending a copy to another person). Left and Right Margins: In the block form, the return address, inside address, salutation, paragraphs, closing, and signature begin at the left margin. The right margin should not be justified but should remain ragged (with lines of unequal length) to avoid gaps in spacing. An alternative and quite common form places the return address and date, the closing, and the signature on the right, beginning approximately five inches from the left side of the paper. ReturnAddress: If you are not using a business letterhead, give your address as the return address, followed by the date. Do not include your name with the address. (If you are using a business letterhead on which an address is printed, you do not have to give a return address.) Inside Address: The inside address gives the name, title, and complete address of the person you are writing to. With a word processing program and certain printers, you can use this part of the letter for addressing the envelope.
- 5. Salutation: In the salutation, include the person's name if you know it, with the appropriate title (Dr., Professor, Mr., Ms.) or just the person's title (Dear Sales Manager). If you are writing to a company or institution, use a more general term of address (Dear Sir or Madam) or the name of the company or institution (Dear Gateway 2000). Use a colon after the salutation in a business letter. When a name is unknown, the salutation can be left out completely. Closing Phrase and Signature: Capitalize only the first word of a closing phrase, such as Yours truly or Sincerely yours. Type your name four lines below the closing phrase (with no Mr. or Ms.). If you have a title (Supervisor, Manager), type it underneath. Between the closing phrase and your typed name, sign your name in ink. Other Information: Indicate whether you have enclosed materials with the letter (Enc.) and to whom you have sent copies (cc: Ms. Amy Ray). The abbreviation cc: used to refer to carbon copy but now refers to courtesy copy or computer copy. You may, however, use a single c: followed by a name or names, to indicate who besides your addressee is receiving the letter.