BUSINESS LETTERS Career Preparedness

TWO TYPES OF LETTERS Personal Business Business Includes the writer’s return address, but reference initials are NOT included. Business

TWO STYLES Full Block All lines start flush with the left margin.

LETTER STYLES Modified Block Certain lines start at the center of the page.

Eight Parts of a Business Letter Date Inside Address Salutation Body Closing Signature line Title Line Reference Initials

OPEN PUNCTUATION No punctuation after the salutation or closing: Dear Sir Sincerely yours

MIXED PUNCTUATION Colon follows the salutation Comma Follows Closing Dear Sir: Comma Follows Closing Sincerely yours,

INSIDE ADDRESS The address of the person to whom you are sending the letter. Mr. John Smith 123 Elm Street Anytown, AL 35242 Double space after inside address.

RETURN ADDRESS The address of the person sending the letter. Used for PERSONAL business letters. 5476 Caldwell Mill Road Birmingham, AL 35242 Quadruple space after personal address.

REMEMBER… House numbers are written in figures except for “one” 4 Elm Street Street numbers (one through ten) are spelled out. Eight Parkway East 11 and up are in figures: 11th Street 24th Avenue

SALUTATION The line at the start of a letter including the greeting and the recipient’s name: Dear Mr. Doe: Double space after salutation

BODY Begin the letter body (message) a DS below the salutation. Single space the lines. Double space between paragraphs.

CLOSE (CLOSING) The farewell to the letter such as: Yours truly, Sincerely yours,

SIGNATURE LINE/TITLE LINE Key the name of the writer a QS (four hard returns) below the closing to leave a space for the signature. Sincerely, John Doe Vice-President

REFERENCE INITIALS If someone other than the writer keys the letter, place their initials (lower case) a double space below the writer’s name. st

ATTACHMENT/ENCLOSURE If there are attachments or enclosures, double space and indicate this under the initials. Attachment(s) Enclosure(s)