LETTER WRITING

STRUCTURE/ PARTS/LAYOUT OF A COMMERCIAL LETTER

The structure is one of the most important aspects of a business letter. It means the proper arrangement of the various parts of the letter. A business letter has several parts. They are:

i. Headingii. Date

iii. Referenceiv. Inside addressv. Salutation

vi. Body of the lettervii. Complementary close

viii. Signatureix. Identification markx. Enclosure

xi. Copy Distributionxii. Post Script

i. Heading The heading is the most important part of the business letter. It contains

of the name of the concern, nature, address, telephone no, fax no, logo, e-mail address., etc. of the firm. Most of the business firm use printed letter heads for correspondence. Unless it is clear from the name of the firm, the nature of its business should also be indicated. The heading must be printed in capital or block letters. Generally the name and address are printed on the top-middle of the page and other informations are given in the margin.

Telephone no. Fax

Telegram E- Mail

Super Fine Textiles Ltd., Nariman Point, Mumbai 400001

In this heading the firm’s name indicates its business and therefore the nature of the business is not to be mentioned separately.

Telephone no. FaxTelegram E-Mail

Messers. Patiram Aggarwal & SonsWholesale Grain Merchants

Naya BazaarNew Delhi 110006

In the above heading the nature of the business is mentioned separately because it is not clear from the firm’s name.

ii. Date Every business letter must carry the date which enables quick reference

in future and helps in prompt action and orderly filing. The date consists of the day/month/year. The date should be typed two spaces below the last line of the heading and in the right hand corner. Names of the month and the year should be written in full and no suffix such as ‘st’ or ‘th’ should be added to the day.

Use: 31 March 2008 March 31, 2008

Avoid: 31-3-2008 31st March 2008 31st Mar. 2008

iii. Reference: The reference helps to link correspondence for prompt reply and quick

action. It serves to identify the department or section from which the letter is being send or the particular file in which copy of the letter is to be found. Generally, reference is typed on the left margin.E.g.: Reference 7/MA/08

Here 7 denotes the number of the letter, MA denoted the letter has originated from the Marketing Department and 08 stands for the year 2008.

Some firms indicate the reference number and the date of the letter in the main body.E.g.: Thank you for your letter no. 7/MA/08 of March 31, 2008.

iv. Inside Address: It contains the name and full address of the firm or the individual to

whom the letter is written. It facilitates filing and helps the clerk to write the same address on the envelope while despatching.Inside address should be written two spaces below the reference.E.g.: The Manager, The Oceanic Products,

Importers of Marine Products,Kollam-3.

Note: When addressing individuals Mr. / Mrs. / Ms or other appropriate prefix should be used. Mr. / Shri is used for both married and unmarried men. Mrs. / Shrimati is used for a married woman. While Ms can be used both for married and unmarried women. Titles of rank such as Prof., Dr., etc should be used where ever appropriate .Where a firm’s name contain a personal name, Messers should be used.

E.g.: Messers Patiram Aggarwal & SonsNaya Bazaar,New Delhi 110006

v. Salutation :The salutation is the greeting of the address. It should be written

two spaces below the inside address. While addressing an individual Dear Sir, Dear Madam is desirable. When the letter writer enjoys a close relation with the addressee, My dear/ Dear Mr. /Dear etc may be used before the surname. When the addressee is a plural or a firm, Dear Sirs / Dear Mesdames is used. In official correspondence Sir / Madam should be used.

E.g.: Sir/ Madam – For official correspondence Dear Sir/ Dear Madam – For business correspondence Dear Sirs / Dear Mesdames – For saluting firms My dear Mr. –For informal letters

In some cases the subject of the letter is also mentioned with salutation.

E.g.: Dear Sirs, Subject: Payment of Bill no. M/107 of 5 July 2007.

Special salutations are used when addressing various officials and dignitaries like the President of India, the Prime Minister, the Governor, the Mayor, the Chief Justices, the Judge, the Cardinal, the Arch Bishop, the Bishop etc.

Status of the person Salutation usedThe President of India His Excellency,Sir / Dear Mr. President

The Prime Minister Sir/Madam/Dear Sir/DearMadamThe Governor Your ExcellencyAmbassadors Your Excellency

Justice My Lord/Sir/My Chief JusticeJudge Sir/My Lord

Member of Parliament Dear Sir/DearMadamMember of Legislative Assembly Dear Sir/DearMadam

Member of the Royal family Sir/ Prince/Your Royal HighnessA Govt Officer Your Eminence/My Lord

Cardinal My Lord Arch BishopArch Bishop My Lord Bishop

Bishop Your Lord BishopEditor of the Newspaper Sir

Mayor Dear MrMayor/MyLord/YourLordship

vi. Body of the Letter :This part contains the message which the letter is to convey so as to

produce a suitable response. The material in this part should be arranged and organized carefully. The body consists of the following:

a) Subject and reference :First of all a brief mention of the main theme of he letter is

given. Subject and reference need not be given in the body of the letter if the same has already been given before salutation.b) Opening Paragraph :

This paragraph is designed to attract the reader’s attention and make him go through the whole letter with interest and concentration.The ‘you’ approach should be adopted to make a good impressions.c) Main Paragraph :

This paragraph contains the subject matter of the letter.It should contain all the relevant details but should be brief and precise.It should be written in simple and clear words,so that the reader can understand them easily without any ambiguity in mind.

d) Closing Paragraph :In this paragraph the letter writer should atate the action

expected of the reader. An office or a request may be used in the closing paragraph.

A positive approach and a friendly attitude should be used throughout the body of the letter.

vii. Complementary Close :The complementary close is a polite way of ending a letter like a courteous

leave taking or good bye. Complementary close should correspond with the salutation.

Salutation Complementary close

Remarks

Sir/Madam Yours faithfully/Yours respectfully

Should be used for addressing superiors

Dear Sir/ SirsDear Madam/Mesdames

Yours faithfully/ Yours truly

Appropriate for business letters

Dear Mr.GhoshMy dear GhoshDear MadhuriMy dear Madhuri

Yours Sincerely Used for correspondence between persons having informal relations.

The complementary close is usually given below the closing paragraph of the body of the letter at the right corner (only the first letter is capitalized).

viii. Signature: Signature lends authenticity to the letter has no value at all.

Signature is placed below the complementary close. The name of the person signing the letter is typed below the signature.

Sole proprietorship1) Trading under personal name : Ram Das2) Trading under firm name : For Ram Das enterprises, Ram

Das Partnership Firm

3) Ram Das & Bros : For Ram Das & Bros, Ram Das partner4) Per pro (suggest legal authority) : P.P Ram Das &

Bros,RamDas5) When a subordinate signs the routine letter : For Ram Das &

Bros , Ram Das Limited company:

6) Managing Director : Super India Limited, Ram Das Managing director

7) Director : Super India Limited, Ram Das Director

8) Secretary : Per pro Super India Limited, Ram Das Secretary

9) Others : On behalf of Super India Limited, Ram Das Sales Manger

Women should indicate their marital status. Thus it will ensure correct salutation in reply to their letter.

Yours faithfullyMiss.Shilpa Menon

Sales ManagerOr

Yours faithfullyMrs.Shilpa GuptaAccounts Manger

ix. Identification Marks :In this part initials of the person dictating the letter and of the

person typing are given on the left hand margin. The initials may be put in anyone of the following ways:

CBG OPA CBG/OPA CBG:OPA CBG-OPA

x. Enclosures :In some cases, important documents such as invoice, railway

receipt, cheque/draft, prospectus, catalogue, price list etc are attached with the letter. Generally, the abbreviation ‘Encl’ is typed after the signature and on the left margin against which the number of enclosures is mentioned.

Encl: Two copies of certificatesOrEncl:1. Cheque No. ……… dated ………2. Railway receipt no …….. dated ………

3. Agreement dated ………..xi. Copy distribution :

The copies of the letter are to be sent to persons other than the addressee, names of these persons are typed below the enclosures notation as shown below:

C C:1. Mr.R.B.Chatterjee2. Miss. Latha Varma

xii. Post Script :When the writer forgets to include something

important in the body of the letter he can add the message in this part as follows:

P.S: Please remember the special low price offer is valid till December 31.

Writing post script is not a good practice and should preferably be avoided in a good business letter.

LAYOUT AND DESIGN OF A LETTEROR

FORMS OF LETTERThe total out line of the letter is referred to as the

layout and design of the letter.There are different kinds of layouts. They are:

1) Full block style or form :It is a form of style adopted for arranging letters. In this case

right from the inside addresses up to the signatures are lines begin close to the left margin. Another peculiarity is that double line spacing is used between paragraphs.

2) Indented style: In this case each line of the inside address and the paragraph

are shifted away or indented from the margin so also in the case with complementary close and signature. This form is regarded as an attractive style of arranging letters.

3) Semi Block style : This form of layout is a combination of the block and

intendedstyle.In this case the inside address is typed in the block form while the paragraphs are typed in the indented form.This is the most commonly used style in commercial correspondence.

4) Hanging Indented style :

This is another form of arrangement of the letter. Here the inside addresses and salutation is in the block form. But the specialty of this style is that the first line of each paragraph begins near the margin as in the block form. But subsequent lines of the paragraph are typed away from the margin.

5) Block form : In this style date line, complementary close, signature and

designation are written at the right hand side of the letter.It is the most popular and widely used by many concern. Every line of inside address each paragraph commences from the left hand side of the letter.

6) Modified block form: This form of the letter writing is more popular. It appears like

the full block form with mixed punctuations. Block form is used for writing the senders address, date, complementary close and signature at the right hand corner. The body begins from the left-hand margin and is fully in block form.

7) Noma Form : National Office Management Association are popularly

called as NOMA form of letterwritting.This form avoids many formation involved in other forms of letter styles.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LETTERS

1) LETTER OF ENQUIRY:In most cases business transactions begin with letters of

enquiry. A letter of enquiry can be defined as a letter written by a person or a concern to another for the purpose of seeking information about business matters. The one who writes the letter of enquiry is called the enquirer.

PurposeA letter of enquiry may be written for the purpose of obtaining information regarding the following:

a) The price of goodsb) The quality of goodsc) The quantity of goods required or that can be supplied.d) The terms of paymente) The mode of transport or deliveryf) The time and place of delivery

Thus a letter of enquiry should indicate exactly what is wanted when and where. They must be stated clearly and concisely.

KINDS OF ENQIURY LETTERSLetters of enquiry are of two kinds:1. Solicited letter of enquiry

2. Unsolicited letter of enquiry

1. Solicited letter of enquiry :Solicited letter of enquiry is one which is written to get further information on a mater in response to an advertisement. It is also known as specific enquiry.

2. Unsolicited letter of enquiryUnsolicited letter of enquiry is a letter pf enquiry written by a person on his own initiatively asking for an information.Un solicited letter of enquiry is also known as general enquiry. In this case the letter will contain more details than the unsolicited letter of enquiry.

a) Examples of the unsolicited letter of enquiry:

Telegram E-Mail

Messers. Patiram Aggarwal & SonsDealers in steel furniture

Naya BazaarNew Delhi 110006

Ref No STC/4/89 15 march 1989M/S Mohammed steel commpany Ltd.,Netaji RoadCalcutta

Dear Sir,Please send us a copy of your latest catalogue and price list for the supply of steel furniture.We shall appreciate an early reply.

Yours faithfullyFor Messers. Patiram Aggarwal & SonsDealers in steel furnitureRamesan NairSd/-Manager

b) Examples of solicited letter of enquiry :

Telegram Radios E-Mail

Southern National RadiosDistributors of Radio & Accessories

Station RoadTrivandrum

Ref No R/89 25 January 1989The Philips road Ltd.,Sastri Nagar,Madras.

Dear Sirs,Sub: Supply of portable transistor sets

Having seen your advertisement in the Hindu dated 25January 1989, we understand that you are the makers pf Philips portable transistor sets AC/DC. Please send the descrptive leaflets for distribution among the prospective customers.

We shall be glad to receive samples and lowest quotations for wholesale buyers.

Yours faithfullyFor Southern National RadiosSd/-Proprietor