PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

Letterhead – most business have printed stationery instead of having to type a return address.
The letter heading will have most of the following:
- a logo (badge, symbol of the organization)
- name of the organization
- the organization’s address
- telephone and fax number
- e-mail address and web page
- names of directors

Reference – this is used to identify a letter in a filing system or computer file. This number can be
a) a file or account number e.g. AC/5374
b) the writer’s initials, followed by the typist’s initials e.g. BM/
c) name of the department, followed by typist’s initials e.g. ACCOUNTS/

Date – This is normally the date the letter is written

Special notation – special instructions such as: ‘PRIVATE’, ‘CONFIDENTIAL’, ‘URGENT’ OR

‘PERSONAL’ and ‘ATTENTION’

Name and address of addressee – this is always found at the left side of the letter

Special notation – Attention line – this letter is sent to a particular person in a department

Salutation – this is the opening words of greeting which begins a letter e.g. Dear Sir

Subject heading – this tells the person receiving the letter what the letter is about

Body – paragraphs stating clearly and precisely the points the letter wants to make. This includes:

Complimentary close – this is the closing remark of the letter which is determined by the way the
letter begins.

Company’s name

Name of signatory – the name of the person to sign the letter

Position of signatory – the position the person signing holds

Typist reference initial – this is the initials of the person signing and the typist’s initials

Enclosure/Attachment – when additional material is placed in the envelope with the letter such as
a picture, price list, cheque; then Enc or Att is placed on the left side of the letter.

Postscript – this is used when information is omitted from the body it is place at the bottom of the
letter - PS

Carbon copy – this tells how many copies of the letter is made and to whom it has been sent
 Spacing

Letterhead / Return address

7 enter / TS

Ref
TS (2 clear line spaces)
Date
TS
Special notation
DS (1 clear line space)
Name and address of addressee
DS
Special notation
DS
Salutation
DS
Subject heading (All caps or initial caps & underscore)
DS
Body (ss with DS between paragraphs)
DS
Complimentary close
SS or DS
Company’s name (All caps)

4 – 6 enter Signature block

Name of signatory
SS
Position of signatory
DS
Signatory/typist initial
DS
Enc /Att
DS
PS
DS
cc
 PUNCTUATION STYLES
Open punctuation Mixed punctuation Closed punctuation

There are no punctuation Punctuation marks are typed Punctuation marks are typed
marks except in the body of throughout the letter but not throughout the entire letter
the letter which is always at line ends except for the
punctuated. salutation and complimentary
close.

Ref: 2# AC/vrt.
Ref 3# AC/vrt
Ref: 2# AC/vrt
April 22, 2011
22 April 2011
April 22, 201
Mr. T. Clarke,
Mr T Clarke 23 St. Charles Street,
23 St Charles Street Mr. T. Clarke Brooklyn,
Brooklyn 23 St. Charles Street New York, 2# NY 20561,
New York 2# NY 20561 Brooklyn U.S.A.
USA New York, 2# NY 20561
U.S.A. Dear Mr. Clarke,
Dear Mr Clarke
Dear Mr. Clarke, (or :)
Yours sincerely,
Yours sincerely
Yours sincerely,
J. Brown,
J Brown Manager.
Manager J. Brown
Manager JB/ca
JB/ca
JB/ca
 LETTER STYLES

Full-blocked letter

All lines begin at the left margin. Use open punctuation.

Ref 3# AC/vrt

22 April 2011

Mr T Clarke
23 St Charles Street
Brooklyn
New York 2# NY 20561
USA

Dear Mr Clarke

FIELD TRIP (subject heading)

Paragraphs are typed in single line spacing (ss) with double spacing between paragraphs (DS). xxxx xxxxx
xxxxxxxxx

Paragraphs are blocked xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxx

Yours sincerely

J Brown
Manager

JB/ca

Enc
 SEMI-BLOCKED LETTER

All lines begin at the left margin except for the date, subject heading and the signature block. The mixed
punctuation style is generally used with this style of letter

Semi-blocked letter WITH reference Semi-blocked letter WITHOUT reference

(Set right tab at Set left tab at

Ref: 2# AC/vrt (ends at the right margin) centre
2011 April 22, 2011
(starts from the

Mr. T. Clarke centre point)

23 St. Charles Street
Brooklyn Mr. T. Clarke
New York, 2# NY 20561 23 St. Charles Street
U.S.A. Brooklyn
New York, 2# NY 20561
Dear Mr. Clarke, U.S.A.
Centre align
FIELD TRIP (subject Dear Mr. Clarke:
heading centred) Centre align
FIELD TRIP (subject
Paragraphs are typed in single line spacing (ss) heading centred)
with double spacing between paragraphs (DS).
xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx Paragraphs are typed in single line spacing (ss)
with double spacing between paragraphs (DS).
Paragraphs are blocked xxxxxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx Paragraphs are blocked xxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Yours xxxxxxxxxx
sincerely,
Yours
(starts from the centre point) sincerely,
Set left tab at centre
J. Brown (starts from the centre point)
Manager Set left tab at centre
J. Brown
JB/ca Manager

Enc JB/ca

Att
 INDENTED LETTER

Similar to the semi-blocked letter only difference is that the paragraphs are indented. The mixed or closed
punctuation style is generally used with this style of letter.

Indented letter WITH reference Indented letter WITHOUT reference

(Set right tab Set left tab at

Ref: 2# AC/vrt. (ends at the right margin centre
2011. April 22, 2011.
(starts from the

Mr. T. Clarke, centre point)

23 St. Charles Street,
Brooklyn, Mr. T. Clarke,
New York, 2# NY 20561, 23 St. Charles Street,
U.S.A. Brooklyn,
New York, 2# NY 20561,
Dear Mr. Clarke, U.S.A.
Centre align
FIELD TRIP (subject Dear Mr. Clarke:
heading centred) Centre align
FIELD TRIP (subject
(set 0.3 tab)Paragraphs are typed in single line heading centred)
spacing (ss) with double spacing between
paragraphs (DS). xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx (set 0.3 tab)Paragraphs are typed in single line
spacing (ss) with double spacing between paragraphs
(set 0.3 tab)Paragraphs are indented xxxxxxxxxxx (DS). xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx
(set 0.3 tab)Paragraphs are indented xxxxxxxxxxx
Yours sincerely, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

(all lines are centred) Yours

Centre align sincerely,
J. Brown
Managing Director (starts from the centre point)
Set left tab at centre
JB/ca J. Brown
Managing
Att Director

JB/ca

Enc