Complete format of formal letter CBSE
Answers
Sender’s Address
The sender’s address is usually put on the top right-hand corner of the page. The address should be complete and accurate in case the recipient of the letter wishes to get in touch with the sender for further communication.
Date
The sender’s address is followed by the date just below it, i.e. on the right side of the page. This is the date on which the letter is being written. It is important in formal letters as they are often kept on record.
Receiver’s Address
After leaving some space we print the receiver’s address on the left side of the page. Whether to write “To” above the address depends on the writer’s preference. Make sure you write the official title/name/position etc of the receiver, as the first line of the address.
Greeting
This is where you greet the person you are addressing the letter to. Bear in mind that it is a formal letter, so the greeting must be respectful and not too personal. The general greetings used in formal letters are “Sir” or “Madam”. If you know the name of the person the salutation may also be “Mr. XYZ” or “Ms. ABC”. But remember you cannot address them only by their first name. It must be the full name or only their last name.
Subject
After the salutation/greeting comes the subject of the letter. In the centre of the line write ‘Subject” followed by a colon. Then we sum up the purpose of writing the letter in one line. This helps the receiver focus on the subject of the letter in one glance.
Body of the Letter
This is the main content of the letter. It is either divided into three paras or two paras if the letter is briefer. The purpose of the letter should be made clear in the first paragraph itself. The tone of the content should be formal. Do not use any flowery language. Another point to keep in mind is that the letter should be concise and to the point. And always be respectful and considerate in your language, no matter the subject of your letter.
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Closing the Letter
At the end of your letter, we write a complimentary losing. The words “Yours Faithfully” or “Yours Sincerely” are printed on the right side of the paper. Generally, we use the later if the writer knows the name of the person.
Signature
Here finally you sign your name. And then write your name in block letters beneath the signature. This is how the recipient will know who is sending the letter.
A sample of such a formal letter may be as follows,
D- 1801, Neptune Society,
DS Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai 400 008.
11th June 2018.
To,
The Editor-in-Chief,
Hindustan Times,
Main Street,
Mumbai 400 001.
Sir,
Subject: Construction work in our locality during monsoon season causing us difficulties.
Through the medium of your esteemed and respected daily, I wish to inform the municipal authorities of the difficulties the residents of my locality are facing due to the construction and repair work currently happening in our area. Monsoon season has started a few days ago and is compounding our problems.
The repair work has been ongoing for five weeks now and is falling way behind schedule. And now with the current weather conditions, we are having persistent problems of water logging and flooding in our area. Another worry is about the accidents that may occur due to the debris lying around the road. Diseases caused due to waterlogging are another one of our concerns.
Therefore I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities with the help of your newspaper. Hopefully, you will be able to help us in drawing their attention and resolving this matter at the earliest.
Thanking You,
Your Sincerely,
**signature**
[Mr. XYZ]
receiver's address
date
sir/madam
(write what you want to write)
thanks
your well-wisher
(your name)