The open format business letter has a clean, formal look just as the block format letter does. There is no punctuation after the closing.There is no punctuation after the greeting or salutation.There are two basic differences between the two layouts: The open format business letter looks almost exactly like the block format business letter. Because they include an optional subject line, they are ideal for situations in which you need to create a formal response or communicate about an account number or case number. Standard format business letters are quite formal. Note that the abbreviation “Encl:” beginning with a capital ‘E’ is used with standard business letter format. On the line below that, you should indicate the presence of enclosures, if appropriate. On the next line, you should indicate whether a copy of the letter is being sent to anyone else with the notation “cc:” in lowercase letters. The typist’s initials should follow the sender’s initials on a line located just below the blank line, with the sender’s initials in uppercase and the typists in lowercase. If a third person, such as an assistant or secretary, typed the letter, a blank line should follow the sender’s information located below the signature. The letter’s closing is followed by a comma.Ī standard format business letter has some additional, optional elements added to the closing and signature area. This should be followed by a brief description of the letter’s subject, an account number, or other applicable information. This is written in all caps, and should read “SUBJECT” or “RE:” (an abbreviation for ‘reference’). The greeting or salutation in a standard format business letter is always followed by a colon.Īn optional subject line follows the salutation or greeting. The standard business letter has the same look as the block style business letter, meaning that all lines are flush with the left margin. If you are corresponding with someone you already have a good working relationship with, the modified block style letter is a good one to use. Modified block style business letters are less formal than full block style letters. Like the margins on a full block style business letter, the margins of the modified block style business letter layout are set to 1 to 1 ¼ inches. It has a clean, traditional look, with your company’s return address, the date, the closing, and the signature line being started at the center point of the page.Īll other elements including inside address, greeting, body, and enclosures notation are left justified, and paragraphs are followed by either double or triple spacing. The modified block style business letter is the second-most popular layout. If you are looking for a single format that will work well in every situation, this is a good one to use. If you aren’t sure which your company prefers, use a comma for all greetings other than the generic “To Whom It May Concern,” which is always followed by a colon.įull block style business letters have a formal look, however they can be used in any business situation. ![]() In the United States, colons are sometimes preferred in the United Kingdom, greetings are usually followed by commas. If you are new to writing business letters and your company doesn’t have a policy in place concerning business letter format, you may find this is a good place to start.įollow the salutation or greeting with a comma or colon. The left justified type is easy to read, looks crisp on the page, and leaves little room for error. ![]() This happens to be the default setting in most word processing programs including Microsoft Word. When you use this business letter format, all the information is typed flush left and margins are set at 1 to 1 ¼ inches all the way around. The full block style business letter layout is more popular than other business letter templates, and given the option, it is the one most people prefer to use. Read on to learn more about the two main types of business letter as well as four indentation types that are used less frequently. The overall style of the correspondence depends on the relationship between you and the letter’s recipient, and it can contain almost anything. ![]() Professional correspondence should have a clean, polished look, which is where proper business letter format comes in.
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