Characteristics of the Parts of a Business Letter

The parts of a business letter include the date, sender's address, recipient's address, salutation, body, closing, signature line and any enclosures. Every part is strategically placed on a business letter with strict guidelines and different layouts. Knowing how to write a proper business letter is crucial for success in many aspects of the business world including, but not limited to, applying for jobs, managing a workforce and communicating with buyers and suppliers.

Characteristics

The date line of the letter shows when the letter was finished. Write out the month completely, followed by the day and the year, 2 inches from the top of the page. The sender's address is optional, but can fit in the letter in two places, if included. The address can go one line below the date; no need to exclude the sender's name or add the address just below the signature line. The recipient's address, also called the inside address, should begin one line below the sender's address with a personal title included. For the salutation, use the full name of the recipient followed by a colon. The closing, such as "Thank you," needs only the first word capitalized, followed by a comma. Add four lines for a signature between the closing and the sender's name.

Function

The body of the letter should be concise; the paragraphs should simply state the main point of the letter, explain the importance, give details and background information about the topic and request action from the recipient.

Types

There are three different business letter formats: block format, modified block format and semi-block format.

A block format is the most commonly used; the paragraphs are left justified and single spaced, except for between paragraphs, which is double spaced.

The modified block layout is the same as the block, but the date and signature are started in the center of the page.

The semi-block format is the least used. Each paragraph is indented; the date and signature are centered on the page.

Size

Business letters should always be written on 8½-by-11-inch paper with at least 1-inch margins. The most accepted and widely used font for business letters is Times New Roman size 12.

Misconceptions

Although many letters are written with a comma after the salutation, business letters should always have a colon following the salutation.

References

• English Plus+: Parts of a Business Letter
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: How to Write a Business Letter