Structure of Letters

Different formats require different placement of various parts of a letter. Although placement may vary, the content and function of these parts of a letter remain constant. The easily can be able to apply the principles learned in this section to the formats next section.

~ Dateline

The dateline is appeal of head part of the letter or the top margin of the page. Aside from simplified-letter format, three lines down from the letterhead is the usual space dispense in most letter formats. Hence, well framed on a letter page and the dateline appointment is flexible. Related to the date was the letter dictated, no matter when it’s typed or mailed, unless, natch, the standard of letter sent out of time and time. The months should always spelt and the day using cardinal number (e.g. , 1, 2, 3…), never using “nd”, “th”, or “st” after the number as you would with ordinal numbers. The order of the dateline is month, day followed by a comma, and year (July 7, 20xx). Sometimes government and foreign correspondence will reverse day before month and omitting coma (7 July 20xx).

According to standard date format is month, day followed by a comma, and year (see Derek Allen’s Addressing Overseas Business Letters). It’s conditional with letter format (see the sample in the next chapter) including full block format (left margin or sometimes centered, if centering the date mingled well with the letterhead), simplified format (left margin), and block format; semi-block format; official style and hanging indented (right margin and should never infest the right margin).  Any of the last these format can also centered under the letterhead, if this adds to the balanced look of the letter or five spaces to the right of the center of the page.

~ Reference Line

After date, reference line can be place if any, but if the letter is more than one page long, the reference number must be carried over to follow though sheets. The location of the reference line should coincide to its location on the first sheet or as indicated by company policy.

~ Personal or Confidential Note

The including personal or confidential note is suffrage. The mean of this part is both the reader and writer be with confidential. If any notes are used as the meaning sense to attract a reader to a letter, otherwise will miss their effectiveness. Regarding to official style format, it should be located four lines above the inside address. It does not be underlined or typed in all capital letters, if want doing underline or capitalize, choose one or the other but not both.

                Personal

                PERSONAL

                Personal

The personal note is scarcely used in official style format but commonly for personal letters. You should decide to include a personal note in official style format, if so, type four lines above the salutation.

~ Inside Address

The inside address is oblige in all letters except to official style format is type two to twelve lines below the dateline and if any reference line and confidential note by means such notation. The general inside address is four lines and the flexible placement on the length of the letter. In the simplified format, typing four lines below the dateline or the last previous notation and the official format, typing two to five lines below the last line of the signature block. Inside address always type in left margin and should no longer than five lines, then don’t cross over the center margin of the page. If so long, the broke in half and continued on the next line, indented two space. Individual address should include title and full name, professional title, company name, and full address.

Mr. Rebeca

Production Supervisor

Lifull Food Company

25 Shiodome Land

Tokyo, Japan   >>>> model 1

Mr. Rebeca, Treasurer >>>> model 2

Mr. Rebeca

Editor, The Tower >>>> model 3 if the company name so short

If you are addressing two or more people, you can either list the names alphabetically on separate lines or use the designation ‘‘Messrs.’’ (Messieurs) for all men or ‘‘Mses.’’ for all women. When using Messrs. or Mses., you omit the addressees’ first names.

Mses. Nakano, Inari, and Sato

Or

Ms. Yuki Nakano

Ms. Fushimi Inari

Ms. Akita Sato

Arabic numerals should be used for all house, building, or office numbers, with the exception of the number ‘‘one,’’ which always should be spelled out. When compass directions appear before numbered streets, cardinal numbers (e.g., 16, 17, and 18) should be used. If compass directions don’t appear before a numbered street, ordinal numbers (e.g., 16th, 17th, 18th) should be used.

226 West 78 Street or 226 – 78^th Street 

A suite or apartment number following a street address should be placed on the same line as the street address, separated by a comma or two spaces.

25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408

25 Huntington Avenue Suite 408

Although the inside address should match the address on the envelope, it generally looks more attractive to spell out the state name in the inside address. On the envelope, the two-letter state abbreviation should always be used. The zip code should be included two spaces after the state in the inside address.

~ Attention Note

The attention note is typed two lines below the last of the inside address and two lines above the salutation. The full-block, block or simplified formats typed in the left margin or centered exception official format uncommonly, if any, used for a personal letter and already clear to whom is addressed. The attention note can be included in a hanging intended letter, but because the format is generally reserved for sales letters, the inclusion of an attention note would not be common. It can be written with or without a colon following the word “attention”. The first letter of the main elements of the attention note should be capitalized.

Attention: Takeshi Muraya

Attention Takeshi Muraya

~ Salutation

All letters appears salutation, but those simplified format typed two to four lines below the inside address or the attention note (if there’s one). Two spaces is commonly, the official format is typed four to six lines below the dateline. You can use professional or title name and use Dear with capitalization for initial salutation. Example: Dear Editorial Director; Dear Ms. Ana or Ladies and gentlemen.

~ Subject Line

The subject line identifies the content of a letter and can be typed in all capital letters or with each important word capitalized or the word capitalized, the whole subject line is underlined. Then, it’s only one subject is covered in a letter. The simplified letter is typed three lines below the last line of the inside address. The full-block, block, semi-block, or hanging-intended format is typed either two lines above or below the salutation with left margin or centered and consist of word “subject” followed by colon and the subject to be covered in the letter.

                Subject: Proposed Sales Arrangement

Subject: Proposed Sales Arrangement

SUBJECT: PROPOSED SALES ARRANGEMENT

~ Paragraphs 

The body of a letter should begin two lines below the salutation or subject line in the full-block, block, semi block, official-style, and hanging indented formats. It should begin three lines below the subject line in the simplified-letter format.

The letter should be single-spaced within paragraphs and double spaced between paragraphs. If the letter is very short, double-spacing can be used within the paragraphs, using the semi block style of indentation to indicate new paragraphs. Paragraphs should be indented five or ten spaces in the official or semi block styles. Five-space indentations are usually standard. In the full block, block, and simplified-letter formats, no indentation is used.

In the hanging-indented format, the first line of the paragraph is flush left and the rest of the paragraph is indented five spaces. Single-spacing within paragraphs and double-spacing between paragraphs are used in the hanging-indented format. Numbered material within letters should be indented five spaces or centered. The numbers should be placed in parentheses or followed by a period. Double-spacing should be used between each item. Punctuation is used either after each item listed in the numbered material or after none of the items.

Long quotations should be blocked in the letter, setting the quotation off by indenting all of it five spaces and keeping it single-spaced. Long paragraphs should be avoided in letters. Of course, the use of brief paragraphs should not be carried to a ridiculous extreme by writing a letter full of one-sentence paragraphs that cause it to sound like a machine gun because of the staccato rhythm. Be sensible about paragraph length. Say what you have to say and move on; avoid any padding or inconsequential information.

The first paragraph should introduce a letter’s subject or refer to a previous correspondence or conversation to which you are responding. The following paragraphs of your letter should elaborate on the subject set up in the first paragraph. The closing paragraph should briefly summarize the topic and close on a positive note, encouraging a positive working relationship with the letter’s reader.

~ Continuation Sheets

There’re two way to write continuation sheet, left and center next pages and this is the sample.

Page 2

Mr. Tina Merlina

July 7, 20xx  >>>> left CS page

Mr. Tina Merlina                               -2-                          July 7, 20xx                 >>> Centered CS page

~ Complimentary Close

The complimentary close must be included in all letters to admire more polite in formal letters and friendly in personal/informal letters.

Formal Complimentary Close                                                      Informal Complimentary Close

1 Yours sincerely, or Cordially,                                                    1 As ever,

2 Very sincerely yours, or Most sincerely,                             2 Best regards,

3 Sincerely yours, or Most cordially,                                         3 Kindest regards,

4 Sincerely, or Cordially yours,                                                    4 Best wishes,  or Regards,

~ Signature Block

The signature identifies the legal and personal letters. Directly under the complimentary close, the letter writer signs his or her name. If the letterhead includes the letter writer’s business title and the business name, these are not typed again in the signature block. If a letterhead is not used and your letter is a formal one requiring the business name, type the business name in all capital letters two lines below and aligned with the complimentary close, or, in the case of the simplified-letter format, two lines below the last line of the letter. Directly below the typed business name should be the signature. A person signing the letter for someone else should initial just below and to the right of the signature.

~ Identification Line

The identification line is an optional addition to any letter. It consists of the initials of either the typist or the writer and the typist, and is typed flush with the left margin two lines below the signature block. The identification line can be typed in a variety of ways. The typist’s lowercase initials may be typed alone.

js

The writer’s initials may be typed uppercase followed by a colon or virgule followed by the typist’s lowercase initials.

MN: js

MN/js

The writer’s initials and the typist’s initials can both be uppercase, or both lowercase.

MN: JS

MN/JS

mn: js

mn/js

Any version of the identification line above can be used as long as it serves the purpose of identifying the typist of the letter. In the odd case that a letter should be dictated by one person, typed by another, and signed by a third, the identification line should include the signer’s uppercase initials followed by a colon followed by the dictator’s uppercase initials, followed by another colon, followed by the typist’s lowercase initials. MN:JS:ms

~ Enclosure and Attachment Notations

If an enclosure is included with the letter, one of the following should be typed two lines below the identification line or the signature block if there is no identification line:

Enclosure; Enc.; Encl.; enc.; encl.

If there is more than one enclosure the plural of one of the above notations is used, with the number of enclosures indicated before the notation, or after it in parentheses.

Enclosures (2); 2 Enclosures; encs. (2);2 encs.; Encs. (2); 2 Encs.

The enclosures should be placed behind the letter in order of importance. If a check is one of the enclosures, it should be placed in front of the letter. It can be numbered and listed next to the enclosure notation, one per line. If they are to be returned, indicate such in parentheses next to the item.

encs. (2) 1. Credit analysis worksheet (please return)

2. International financing brochure

If you’re sending a letter via e-mail and plan to include several attached documents, you should use the word ‘‘Attachment’’ instead of ‘‘Enclosure’’ and follow the same rules as those for enclosures.

~ Distribution Notation

If you would like the recipient of the letter to know to whom you are sending copies of the letter, a distribution notation is used. Sometimes distribution notations appear only on copies of the letter.

Example:

Copy to Louis Leigh

cc: Louis Leigh

Copies to: Louis Leigh (Bethany Bagel Company)

David Marshall (The David Marshall Agency)

cc: LL (Bethany Bagel Company)

DM (The David Marshall Agency)

~ Postscript

A postscript is rarely used in a business letter unless it is in a sales letter to emphasize a point or to make a special offer. It is typed flush with the left margin two to four lines below the last notation in a letter. The writer should initial the postscript. The abbreviation ‘‘P.S.’’ should not be used before a postscript.