Writing a Professional Letter Beginning Composition

A different style of writing Tone Must be professional Avoid slang, cliches, colloquial language, non-academic words, etc. Avoid sounding too angry Be bold and honest, but not too aggressive Structure Follow the block letter format This is critical, as readers must know you can follow general guidelines

A different style of writing Syntax Be mindful of your syntax Make sure the sentences are easy to read Diction Do not use words the audience might not know You can remain academic and professional without using words that are too complex This can be offputting for the reader and make you look arrogant

What a business letter looks like This is an example cover letter for a job

The Format Sender’s Address Top of letter (left) One line above the date No need to write name or title Only include: street address, city, and zip code Date Use the American date format for letters written to an organization or person in the U.S. July 1, 2017 Skip one to two lines between sender’s address and date

The Format 3. Inside Address The recipient of the letter Extra space or two between date and inside address Company or person’s name with address If it is a person, include their title on the next line Include a personal title: Mr.--for a male Mrs.--for a married woman Miss--for an unmarried woman Ms.--for a female whose status is unknown or prefers to be addressed as a Ms. Dr.--for a person who has a doctoral degree

The Format 4. Salutation Skip a line between inside address and salutation Use the same name as the one on the inside address Use a colon instead of a comma If you do not know the person’s gender, use first and last name: Example--Dear Chris Harmon: Chris can be a male or female’s name

The Format 5. Body Paragraph One: Paragraph Two: Left justify each paragraph Single space between each paragraph Be concise Paragraph One: Friendly opening Statement about the main point (think: purpose of the letter Paragraph Two: Justification of the main point Next paragraph--or two: Continue justifying with background information and supporting details Last paragraph: Restate the purpose and request type of action (if necessary)

The Format 6. Closing: Extra space between last paragraph and closing Use words like: Thank you, with gratitude, or sincerely followed by a comma Leave four lines for a signature Last line of the letter is your name Other parameters Font: Times New Roman or Ariel, 12 point Fit onto one page 1” margins (top, bottom, left, right)