When we are talking about the appropriate letter format, you may be wondering, “What kind of letter? It is a general letter or the professional one?” Unfortunately, the general letter is way too broad – the coverage can be quite wide and pretty general. In most cases, we are talking about the business letter and the appropriate format. The subject business letter itself is still pretty wide because there are different types of them – such as complaint letter, billing request, business offer, and so much more. So, what are the standard acceptable formats?
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The Rules about Formal Business Writing
Whether you like it or not, there are certain rules and regulations about how you are composing the right business letter. If it is only a general letter (such as the one sent between friends or the letter from parents to their college kids), there won’t be a strict regulation over it. The structure is more open and flexible, and you won’t have to deal with certain ‘norms’ in composing your letter. But then again, general letters aren’t the same as business letters that should look more professional and formal. That’s why they have such letter format for the matter.
There are different formats for different letters, especially the different purposes. But when it comes to business matter, there is a general standard used. How to compose them? How to make everything appropriately acceptable? Keep on reading.
The General Structure of Standard Business Letter
So, what are the general standards of acceptable business letter format?
- First of all, you need to include the addresses first. Yours will be written on the top side right hand area, while the address of the recipient should be written on the left side, right below the address of the sender (your address)
- Date. When it comes to the date, different people have different preferences. Some like to write it on the left, while some on the right. It doesn’t matter because everything is right and valid. But make sure that you write the month with words. Instead of writing 2 -9 -2017, you should write it as 2 September 2017.
- Greeting or salutation. Writing ‘Dear Madam or Sir’ is okay if you don’t know the name of the recipient although it is advisable that you should find information about it. This salutation is more acceptable than ‘To Whom It May Concern’. If you have found out the recipient’s name, use the title properly.
- The end. Ending the letter should be done elegantly. Whether you choose ‘Yours Sincerely’ or ‘Yours Faithfully”, make sure that it is elegant.
- Signature. Don’t forget to provide a space for your signature. You can also insert digital signature if you are writing an email.
- Your name. Underneath the signature, you should write down your name and your title.
In the end, you can always find reliable sources where you can get guidance over the right format. Browse around for the specific letter format and make sure that you have chosen the right examples for the business letter format you are looking for.
