ELA B10 – Wade-Cummings
Name:____________________
Influential Person Nomination Letter
DUE: February 12, 2013
A magazine is compiling list of the most influential people in history. You have been asked to
nominate one person that you believe has had the greatest influence on the world as we know
it.
For this assignment you are required to create a nomination letter (block-style business letter)
which explains why you think the person that you have chosen is the most influential person
in history. You can select one of the influential people that we have discussed in class or you
may choose another influential person.
Warning: you only have two class days to research your influential person and create
your nomination letter. Unless you have a very good idea of another influential person
that you would like to research, choose one of the people that we have discussed in
class.
Brad Pitt
Chief Theresa Spence
Steve Jobs
Kobe Bryant
Mohandas Gandhi
Rosa Parks
Aimee Mullins
Oprah Winfrey
Albert Einstein
This is the first assignment that will be included in the major assignments category.
Timeline
Thursday, February 7: Introduce assignment and business letter style.
Friday, February 8: Perform any additional research and complete the Persuasion Map.
Monday, February 11: Type and revise letter.
Tuesday, February 12: DUE at the beginning of class.
Please address your letter to:
Influential Person Nomination Committee
100 Fake Street
Toronto, ON X4T 7P9
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notice at bottom.
Contributors:Elizabeth Angeli and Allen Brizee.
Writing the Basic Business Letter
Parts of a Business Letter
Salutation
Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and
typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for
example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed
by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.
If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the
receiver's name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine
gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender.
Body
For block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of
the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to
remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and
then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the
main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and
supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases,
request some type of action.
Closing
The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph.
Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the
sender's name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing;
otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.
A Note About Format and Font
Font
Another important factor in the readability of a letter is the font. The generally accepted font is Times
New Roman, size 12, although other fonts such as Arial may be used. When choosing a font, always
consider your audience. If you are writing to a conservative company, you may want to use Times New
Roman. However, if you are writing to a more liberal company, you have a little more freedom when
choosing fonts.
Punctuation
Punctuation after the salutation and closing - use a colon (:) after the salutation (never a comma) and a
comma (,) after the closing.
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2"
March 6, 2009
Angela Property
220 Corporation Way
Somwhereville, VA 22590
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I hope that you are doing well. My name is Lydia Lease, and I am an attorney at Sell Your
House, Inc. I am writing in regards to a parcel of land located at 225 Parcel St., Richmond,
VA. My client, Mrs. Tabitha Land, is running into some difficulties in selling her property that
is apparently still under lease by your organization.
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1 line
Justify Left
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Dear Ms. Property:
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This parcel of land (100 ft by 300 ft) is located at the back of my client's property. According
to the city records, the lease was initiated in September, 2001, and never terminated. After
calling your lease office, it appears that you no longer make use of this property. In order for
my client to be able to sell her property, the lease must be cleared. This parcel of land is still
under your organization's name. I have attached the documents describing the lease and ask
that you clear your name from this property as soon as possible.
My client is wishing to put her property on the market by April, 2009. In order to do so, this
parcel of land must be cleared from your organization's hold. I have enclosed the city's
documents concerning the ownership of this land as well as termination documents for your
use. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at
(123) 456-7890. I look forward to working with you to resolve this matter.
Sincerely,
4 lines
Lydia Lease, Attorney, Sell your House, Inc.
206 N. Sell Dr.
Richmond, VA 23218
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Enclosures: 2
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