Parts of Writing a Letter
Knowing the parts that make up a letter is important to make a good impression for business matters or correspondences with friends. Word processing software offer templates to create letters for any situation with the points clearly outlined to expedite the writing process and is the most common letter writing method currently in use.
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Heading
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The heading is the section at the top of the letter. An address and date is only necessary for business letters. Most businesses will provide their full name as well as the address with street, city and zip code. The letter's actual sender does not include their own name or title in this part. When adding the date, always use the date the letter was completed and avoid any abbreviations. The inside address, which features the recipient's full address, should be one line under the sender's address. An optional placement can be one inch under the letter's date. Remember to use the U.S. Post Office format when writing out any addresses.
Salutation
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A salutation is also known as the greeting. The name of the recipient follows the capitalized word "Dear." After the name and word, use a comma. Business letters require a colon instead. It is acceptable in some instances,, such as not knowing the gender of the recipient, to instead employ the salutation "To Whom It May Concern."
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Body
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The body is the part of the letter that contains your message. This should always be clear for the reader to understand. If there are several paragraphs needed, use the first to state the point of the entire letter. The next indicates the importance of the letter's point. Any other paragraphs will provide information such as details that support the information.
Closing
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The closing brings an end to the letter. It contains words like "Sincerely" or "Yours Truly" followed by a comma. This should be one line under the last paragraph and in line with the date on the heading of the letter. Only the first word of the closing is capitalized. For business letters, remember that a comma follows the closing instead of a colon.
Signatures
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Finish the letter by signing your name. Business letters are signed but there is an option for friendly letters to end with a typed name.
Enclosures
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Enclosures are used after the closing to let the recipient know that there are documents with the letter. Some examples of enclosures are copies of other papers.
Typist Initials
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Typist initials are on business letters to show who actually typed the document. The initials are not a part of friendly letters.
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