Question

Formal letters: Important points
Written only for official purposes
.​

Answer 1

Important points of

F O R M A L L E T T E R W R I T I N G :-

What is a formal letter?

The official letters containing/dealing with the subjects like request, enquiry, complaint, ordering, apology are called formal letters.

Formal letters should be to the point, to let the reader know the exact.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Format :-

Your address

Date

Reference

Receiver's address

Salutation

Subject

Body of the letter / Content

Subscription

Signature

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Points to remember while writing a formal letter :-

• Letter should be brief.
• Maintain the necessary formal tone.
• The date must be written "Date/Month/Year". For example: 2nd May, 2021.

Answer 2

$\huge\fbox\colorbox{pink}{Formal Letters}$

✔A formal letter is one written in a formal and ceremonious language and follows a certain stipulated format. Such letters are written for official purposes to authorities, dignitaries, colleagues, seniors, etc and not to personal contacts, friends or family. A number of conventions must be adhered to while drafting formal letters. So let us take a look at a sample format of a formal letter.

➡Format of formal letter:-

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.

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.