Writing Composition: Introduction to Letter Writing

Contributed by:

Ivan Mon, Feb 28, 2022 11:24 AM UTC

An introductory lesson into writing messages by hand or by print. These messages are addressed to or intended for someone else.

1. LETTER WRITING |"

STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT

2. DEFINITION 3333
e A Letter is really
a piece of conversation
in writing.

3. e 1.The Indented Style
e 2.The Block Style
e 3.The Semi- block Style
e 4.The Hanging — indented Style

4.
THE FULL- BLOCKED STYLE
123 Acacia Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
July 21, 2008
Full block format
Mr. Bob Jones
Widgets Inc.
987 Straight Road
Springfield, OR 97477 e
Dear Mr. Jones
REQUEST FOR JOB APPLICATION PACK
Iam writing to ask for a job application pack for the role advertised on your website
Please find my address details above.
Thank you for your time
Yours faithfully,
Tom Smith
Tom Smith

5. COMMON COMPONENTS OF
BUSINESS LETTERS
1 Heading
2 Date
3 Reference
4 Inside address
5 Attention line
6 Salutation
7 Subject
8 Body
9 Complimentary close
10 Signature
11 Identification marks
12 Enclosure

6. HEADINGS Ba
e Name, address and other details are
printed on the top of the page
e Any other information is indicated in the

7.

CHOUKSEY OIL MILLS
GOKHALE MARKET, BOMBAY ROAD
TELEPHONE:249624 FAX: 120-2496241/42

To give a balance appearance to
the letter , a maximum one-fifth of
the total space should normally be
used for the letterhead.

8. RULES OF WRITING DATE
e Typed two space below the last line of
the letter head
e Indicated on the upper right hand corner
or depending on the format you adopt
e Preferable way of writing should be
in a logical order, if sono comma is used

9. CONTINUED ma
e Name of the month and year is written in
e No suffix as —nd or -th is added to the
e EXAMPLE: 2 August 2007
August 2, 2007

10. REFERENCE ma
e Now a days companies prefer to indicate
reference number in the body of letters:
Thank you for your letter No.
AB/46/P497 of April 2, 2009.

11. INSIDE ADDRESS

e Should be written two spaces below the
date and two spaces below the
attention line
e If no attention line then two space above
the salutation in the left margin
e The details should not be abbreviated
e Names should not be misspelt

12. SPECIALMARKINGS ~SsW
€ ee
e It ensures prompt attention
e It’s written two space below the inside
address and two space above the
e This line is generally underlined
e Example:
e Attention: The Sales Manager

13.
e Two spaces below the attention line/inside
e Depends upon-1.personal relationship
e 2.form of the inside
If the name of the recipient has been used in
the inside address it is usual to use personal
Addressing a firm, company, a board, etc use
‘Dear Sirs/Madams..’

14. SUBJECT @
e Purpose- to let the reader know
immediately what the message is about.
e It saves time
e Type the line in a double space between
the salutation and the first line of the
body of the letter.

15.
SAMPLE ws
Mr. R. K Sinha
Sales Executive
Raipur, (C.G)
Dear Sir,
Sub: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE- 24 AUGUST 2009

16. e Main purpose is to convey a message
e First paragraph, reference, to any
correspondence which has already
taken place should be given
e Second paragraph should state main
e Closing paragraph states expectations,
wishes, or intentions

17.
e The paragraph should not have any
e Participial ending should be
e If used it should end with ‘lam,’ as-
Hoping to hear from you soon,
Yours faithfully

18. COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE

e Typed two space below the last line o
the body of the letter
e The close must agree the salutation
e ‘Yours’ should be placed before
sincerely, faithfully, etc.
e ‘s should not be used at any cost

19. SIGNATURE #
e Placed below the complimentary close
e Name is typed four space below the
closing line providing enough space for
e Routine letters of the firm may be signed
by other officer by inserting ‘for’ or pp
(per procurationem).

20. ENCLOSURE rl 3
e If there is anything attached to the letter
it must be indicated against the
enclosure line
e Typed two lines below the last line of the
letter on the left hand side
e The abbreviated form Encl. is used

21. FORMS OF LAYOUT
e Standard size of paper-8 1/2 by 11, others-
8x10 inches, 5x10 inches
e Margins - one inch on the sides, one and
half inch on the top and bottom
e Envelopes- According to the size
of the paper with least folds
e In window envelops address R
should come under window. °

22.
PUNCTUATION :
e Open Punctuation-No commas, no full
stops in entire letter except body
e Mixed punctuation- The comma is put
after the date, the house number, the
salutation, and the complimentary close
and the full stop follows after the last line
of the address

23.

e Closed style — This is the conventional
e All the parts of the letter are punctuated
Of the three styles, the mixed
punctuated style is most accepted

24. GIST OF THE : sets.
PRESENTATION & 333
e HEADING- °
e 1/5" of the space
e DATE-
e Right side, follow logical order, -nd and —
th should not be used

25. e INSIDE ADDRESS
e Details not to be abbreviated, take care
of spellings
e ATTENTION LINE
e Should always be underlined

26. CONTINUED &
e BODY- °
e 1t para-Reference
e 2¢ para-main message
e 39 para- expectations, intentions
e Participial ending to be avoided, if not
then use ‘lam’

27. CONTINUED & 333
e COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE ~
e ‘s should never be used
e Signature should be above your name
e PAGE
e Standard size is 8% by 11
e 1’’ margin on sides and 1 %"' at top and

28.
archana. shrivastava@ bimtech.ac.in

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