Conventional Parts of Business Letters
A business letter is written in formal language and can be used for different purposes, such as corresponding with another company or responding to customer or client inquiries. The content of a business letter depends on the nature of the business, but there are six conventional parts of a business letter that will make the task of writing it easier.
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Heading or Letterhead
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Centered at the top of the page, there is a heading or typed letterhead that consists of the company or writer's name and return address. This is no more than four lines. Skip a line before adding the date under the address. This rests along the left margin.
Inside Address
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After one skipped line from the date in the heading, the next part of a business letter is the inside address. This is the address where you're sending the letter and is written on the left margin. If the letter is being sent to a specific person at a company, his name and title should be written first, followed by the address. If you're using a window envelope, the inside address must appear through the window.
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Greeting or Salutation
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After another skipped line, the greeting or salutation is the next part of a business letter and is also aligned to the left margin. This is a formal greeting that begins with the word "Dear" followed by the name of the person receiving the letter. In instances when there isn't a specific recipient of a letter, the word "Greetings" is also acceptable. The greeting always ends with a colon.
The Body
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Skip a line after the greeting section to begin the body, or main portion, of the letter. Each line of a paragraph is single-spaced with a blank line between paragraphs. In full-block format, the paragraphs are aligned to the left with the inside address and the salutation. In modified block format, the first line of each paragraph is indented five spaces.
The Closing
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The closing is written after a skipped space from the end of the text in the body section of the letter. The closing, which consists of two or three words such as "Sincerely yours" or "Very truly yours," is aligned with the left margin in the full block format and indented to match the heading in the modified block format.
Typed Name and Signature
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The signature line, which comes two skipped lines after the closing, contains the typed name of the person sending the letter. The signature is made in the spaces between the closing and the typed signature name. In full block format, the name and signature will be aligned on the left margin. In modified block format, the name and signature are indented to align with the heading.
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