Writing Portfolios (Friendly/Business Letters)

Friendly Letters Friendly letters are usually written to share information with people we know, such as friends and family members.

1.Heading 2.Salutation 3.Body 4.Closing 5.Signature Parts of a friendly letter:

Heading: This part includes your street address, city, state, zip code and date. The heading is located in the upper right-hand corner of the paper.

Salutation: This is the letter’s greeting. It appears below the heading and begins at the left-hand margin of the paper. It usually begins with “Dear” and is followed by the person’s name you are writing to, followed by a coma.

Body: This is the main portion of the letter. This is the place where you write information and ideas in paragraph form. The body is also the place where you ask questions.

Closing: This is the letter’s good-bye. These words, found near the right- hand margin and directly below the heading, are followed by a comma. Only the first word of the closing is capitalized. You might close a letter with “Sincerely yours,” or “Best wishes,” or “Love,” or “Your friend.”

Signature: This is the last part of the friendly letter. It can include your first and last name, or just your first name.

Sample of a friendly letter: 123 Storybook Lane Palace, NC August 25, 2005 Dear Stepsisters, I am writing to tell you that I will soon be married to the handsome prince of the kingdom. I am inviting you to the wedding on June 16, Can you attend our wedding? We will have lots of good food and dancing. You are welcome to bring a date. Are either of you dating anyone? I hope to hear from you soon. Your sister, Cinderella

Business Letters Business letters are written to ask for information so we can get something done or to solve a problem. We also use business letters to offer opinions, to persuade someone to act in our best interest, or to convey information.

Parts of a business letter: 1.Heading 2.Recipient Address 3.Salutation 4.Body 5.Closing 6.Signature

Types of business letters: 1.Letters of request or inquiry 2.Letters to an editor or official 3.Letters of complaint or compliment 4.Letters of opinion or information

Letters of Request or Inquiry: In this type of letter, the writer is trying to locate information to solve a problem or learn more about a topic.

Letters to an editor or official: In this type of letter, the writer is expressing an opinion or a wish about a situation. It is sent to an editor of a magazine or newspaper who has the power to print the letter for others to see. This type letter can also be written to someone who is in charge of rules and decision-making.

Letters of complaint or compliment: We write letters of complaint when we are unhappy about something and want the receiver of the letter to do something about it. Letters of compliment are written to let someone know they have done a good job or service.

Letters of opinion or information: This type of letter is written to convey strong feelings or ideas about a topic or situation.

Salutation: This is the letter’s greeting. It appears below the heading and begins at the left-hand margin of the paper. It usually begins with “Dear” and is followed by the person’s name you are writing to, followed by a colon.

Closing: This is the letter’s good-bye. These words, found near the right- hand margin and directly below the heading, are followed by a comma. Only the first word of the closing is capitalized. A good closing for a business letter is “Sincerely yours.”

Sample of a business letter Return Address Line 1 1 Return Address Line 2 Date (Month Day, Year) 2 Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3 Title/Position of Recipient. Company Name Address Line 1 Address Line 2 Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 Body Paragraph 5-6 Closing (Sincerely...), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9