Formats of Business Letter

Business Writing
Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp.
Training and Organizational Development
Human Resources Department
Module 7
Writing Business Letters: Format and
Content
Module 7 : Writing
Business Letters: Format
and Content
Lesson 3
Formats of Business
Letters
Formats of
Business Letters
Formats of Business Letters
Ensuring the correct format of a business letter is
another part of the letter writing process. It
conveys a subtle but negative message to the
recipient when the writer uses a format that
does not follow the standardized principle in
writing business letters. Since the first thing
that a recipient notices about a letter is its
appearance, the writer must make sure that
the letter is logically organized and written in
clear, correct and professional manner.
Basic Business Letter Formats:
•Full block
•Modified block
•Semi block
•Hanging indented
All lines are:
 flush with left margin
 single space within the paragraph
 double space between paragraphs
 Dateline is two lines below the letter
letterhead (may vary from 2-6 lines
depending on the length of the letter.
Full Block
Style
Inside address is placed two lines
below dateline.
 Attention line and subject line if present
are separated by two lines each under
inside address.
 Salutation is two lines under subject line
if present, under inside address, if not.
Body of the letter is two lines after
salutation.
Full Block
Style
Complimentary close is two lines after
the body of the letter.
Signature line is 3-4 lines after the
complimentary close. If there are two
signatories of equal rank, each will have
his/her own signature block. If the two
signatories are of unequal rank, the one
with lower rank, signs first. The higher rank
signatory will sign two lines below the first
with “Noted” above his signature.
End notations may include reference
initial, enclosure and copy line.
Attachment takes the place of enclosure
if the letter is computer generated and
sent through the internet.
Modified
Block Style
Differs from full block
 in placement of dateline,
complimentary close and signature block
 Dateline is tabbed to the center or flush
with right margin.
 Complimentary close and signature
block can be placed either flush to the left
or to the right margins but are usually
aligned with dateline.
 Paragraphs are not indented.
End notations may include reference
initials, enclosure and copy line.
Attachment takes the place of enclosure
if the letter is computer generated and
sent through the internet.
Semi Block
Style
The layout is similar to
that of modified block
style but the paragraphs
are indented.
 The dateline is placed at
right flush.
Complimentary close
and signature block are
placed at right flush.

Hanging
indented
Style
The format is reserved for sales and
advertising letters only.
 First line of the paragraph is flush
with the left margin. The remaining
lines are indented five ( 5) spaces.
 single space within the paragraph
 double space between the
paragraphs.
 date line flush with the right
margin two lines below the
letterhead.
 Inside address and salutation are
flush to the left margin and styled as
full block format
Hanging
indented
Style
 Complimentary close , signature
block and all other notation positions
are the same with the modified block
and semi block formats.
 The difference between the
hanging indented style and the semi
block is in the indention of the
paragraphs.
 The postscript is typed with the
first line flush with the left margin
and the rest of the lines are indented
five spaces from the left margin.
Formats of Business Letters
Good rule of thumb:
• Margins should be consistent from top and
bottom, usually one inch.
• One inch side margins for long letters.
• 1 ½ -2 inches side margins for short letters.
• 8 ½ by 11 inches is the size of the stationery.
• Font: Times, Times New Roman, Courier,
Arial, Helvetica or Calibri – nothing smaller
than 10pt; nothing larger than 14pt.
Formats of Business Letters
• The usual title used in inside address is
Mr. or Ms. unless the woman prefers Mrs.
Miss is rarely used nowadays.
• If the position fits the same line as the
name, put it there. Separate with a
comma.
Format of a Business Letter
Let’s Review
Formats of Business Letters
1. The indention of the paragraph from the
left margin is:
a) 3-4 spaces
c) 6 spaces
b) 5 spaces
d) 7 spaces
2. Courtesy title that is rarely used nowadays:
a) Ms.
c) Mr.
b) Mrs.
d) Miss
3. There are X basic business letter formats.
a) 3
c) 5
b) 4
d) 6
Formats of Business Letters
4. The letter format that indents the lines of
the paragraph after the first line is:
a) hanging indented
c) semi block
b) full block
d) modified block
5. Which is NOT an appropriate font for a
business letter?
a) 9
c) 13
b) 11
d) 14
Formats of Business Letters
6. Which statement is false?
a) All the basic parts of the full block letter are left
justified.
b) In Modified block, the date is tabbed to the
center.
c) Hanging indented style is used only for sales
letter.
d) The layout of semi block is similar to that of
modified block.
7. The most widely used format of business letter is:
a) full block
c) semi block
b) modified block
d) hanging indented
Formats of Business Letters
8. Which statement is FALSE?
a) End notation should list those included in the
letter only.
b) Enclosures should be numbered and labeled.
c) All end notations should always be included in
business letters.
d) End notations may not be included in the
business letter.
9. Hanging indention format differs from X in the
indention of the paragraphs.
a) simplified block
c) modified block
b) full block
d) semi block
Formats of Business Letters
10. Which is the correct format for a heading?
a) Allen Marketing
c)
# 81-84 CSB Bldg.
Kapunan Rd, Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
b) Mr. Allen Benavides
Allen Marketing
d)
#81-84 CSB Bldg
Kapunan Rd. Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Mr. Allen Benavides
Allen Marketing
# 81-84 CSB Bldg
Kapunan Rd,Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Allen Marketing
# 81-84 CSB Bldg.
Kapunan Rd., Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Formats of a Business Letter
If you got a score of 6 or less in the
practice exercise, please review the
notes on Formats of a Business Letter
before taking the quiz.
Please look over the uploaded
Powerpoint notes in Quia and check
whether there are other facts you need
to include in your Cheat Sheet.
Formats of Business Letters
1. The indention of the paragraph from the
left margin is:
a) 3-4 spaces
c) 6 spaces
b) 5 spaces
d) 7 spaces
2. Courtesy title that is rarely used nowadays:
a) Ms.
c) Mr.
b) Mrs.
d) Miss
3. There are X basic business letter formats.
a) 3
c) 5
b) 4
d) 6
Formats of Business Letters
4. The letter format that indents the lines of
the paragraph after the first line is:
a) hanging indented
c) semi block
b) full block
d) modified block
5. Which is NOT an appropriate font for a
business letter?
a) 9
c) 13
b) 11
d) 14
Formats of Business Letters
6. Which statement is false?
a) All the basic parts of the full block letter are left
justified.
b) In Modified block, the date is tabbed to the
center.
c) Hanging indented style is used only for sales
letter.
d) The layout of semi block is similar to that of
modified block.
7. The most widely used format of business letter is:
a) full block
c) semi block
b) modified block
d) hanging indented
Formats of Business Letters
8. Which statement is FALSE?
a) End notation should list those included in the
letter only.
b) Enclosures should be numbered and labeled.
c) All end notations should always be included in
business letters.
d) End notations may not be included in the
business letter.
9. Hanging indention format differs from X in the
indention of the paragraphs.
a) simplified block
c) modified block
b) full block
d) semi block
Formats of Business Letters
10. Which is the correct format for a heading?
a) Allen Marketing
c)
# 81-84 CSB Bldg.
Kapunan Rd, Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
b) Mr. Allen Benavides
Allen Marketing
d)
#81-84 CSB Bldg
Kapunan Rd. Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Mr. Allen Benavides
Allen Marketing
# 81-84 CSB Bldg
Kapunan Rd,Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Allen Marketing
# 81-84 CSB Bldg.
Kapunan Rd., Novaliches
Quezon City 1123
Tel. No. 695 9218
Module 7, Lesson 3: Formats of a
Business Letter Quiz
1. Please proceed to www. Quia.com/web.
2. On the space provided, enter your log in
name and your password.
3. Under “Quiz”, please select Module7, Lesson
3, Quiz 1.
4. Follow the instructions in the quiz.
5. Follow these same steps when you go to
succeeding quizzes after every lesson.
End of Module 7, Lesson 3:
Formats of Business Letters