Learn How to Write a Formal Letter Easily and Professionally

Charlie was in a quandary. He had written in his application form to Columbia university that he was proficient in the English language. Native level proficiency. But he had his admission essay and personal statement written by a service provider. He knew it was not ethical. But he wanted to somehow get into Columbia. Now that the university had accepted him, he had to write an acceptance letter within 48 hours. That was crazy! He did not have the money to pay for a writer to write on his behalf this time. Now what to do? As usual, he turned to Google. He researched how to write a formal letter.

Parts of a formal letter

1. A header comprising the date, address and company address on the top left. Be sure to write the correct date, and other details. Include the PO Box number.
   
   
2. Salutation: The standard salutation is ‘Dear’ followed by the title and last name of the recipient. Do not use the first name of the recipient. If you do not know the name of the recipient, just use the title. For example, ‘Dear Secretary’. Add a coma to the salutation.
   
   
3. Subject line: This is sometimes omitted nowadays, but is good to add. Usually this is a phrase that conveys what the letter is about. It is usually in bold.
   
   
4. Body of the letter: There should be an introductory paragraph of course. This will introduce the writer of the letter. Then it states the main purpose of the letter. The following two or three paragraphs explain the purpose in detail. Each paragraph should contain only one point. The final paragraph will be a summary of the key points. It may also indicate the next steps. For example, it could suggest a meeting, request a response or express the anticipation of resolving the issue. It is also a good place to offer thanks to the recipient for their time and attention.
   
   
5. Closing: A simple, professional sign-off will do here. There are many polite ways to sign off a formal letter such as ‘Sincerely’, ‘Best regards’, ‘Respectfully’ etc.’
   
   
6. Name and signature: This is the final component of your formal letter. Include your full name followed by your signature.

Types of formal letters

Sales letter: These are formal letters aiming to promote a company’s product. It typically explains why they should be bought.

Acceptance letter: This is used when accepting admission to a course, an honor, or job.

Inquiry letter: This is used when you need more information about a product.

Apology letter: This is used when apologizing formally for a mistake.

Making a claim letter: Not happy with a product or service? Time to make a claim. You could explain your dissatisfaction with the product or service and request a refund.

Cover letter: This is often sent to hiring managers by job candidates with their resume.

Related reading: Writing Exercises and Activities

Tips for writing a good formal letter

The right tone: It is very important to sound polite in a formal letter. You cannot write ‘I demand a reply soon’ in a formal letter. You will write ‘Hope to receive a speedy reply’. The letter should be respectful even if it is a complaint letter.

The right register: Register here means the kind of words suited to use in a particular situation. Only formal words should be used in a formal letter. For example, use ‘explode’ instead of ‘blow up’, ‘father’ instead of ‘dad’, ‘mother’ instead of ‘mum’ etc.

Conciseness: Make your letter brief and to the point. Do not be verbose. Usually, formal letters are not more than one page.

Logical structure: Begin with an introduction, move on with the purpose of the letter and conclude with a closing statement or call to action.

Proper language and grammar: No grammar mistakes. No spelling mistakes. No punctuation mistakes. No slangs. No colloquialisms. Also, no language that is too literary and complex. Avoid jargon and technical language too. The letter should be proofread before finalizing.

Font and Margins: Times New Roman and Arial are standard fonts used for formal letters, along with 11 or 12 font size and one inch margins.

Sincerity and authenticity: A must-have ingredient in all formal letters is sincerity and authenticity. An insincere letter will be seen as an affront to the recipient.

Related reading: Tips to Improve English Writing Skills for Beginners