Technology1 min ago
letter writing
7 Answers
basic tips please! it's been quite a while...
Answers
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OK, if it's formal or friendly, you need the address at the top-right-hand side of the page, in line, not slanted, include your post code.
Double-space down, put the ate on the left-hand-side - if you are English, it's 24 May 2006, if American, it's 05.24.06.
Double-space again - begin Dear Sir or Madam if formal, name if not.
Double-space again. Indent five spaces for each paragrah - you can leave a gape between each, it's optional.
Triple-space from the end.#
Sign off 'Yours Sincerely,' if it's friendly, - started with a name, and 'Yours Faithfully' if it's formal.
Triple space again - write your name in capitals on the left and 'bold it - ANDY if it's friendly, A HUGHES if it's formal. Sign your name in the space between the bottom line of the letter and your printed sign-off - to match the written sign-off.
That's it.
It's such a mine field. The "basics" seem to have changed since I was at school, probably largely due to the pernicious influence of the e-mail. I remember taking a simple computing course about 10 years ago, which used letter composition as a practice aid for word processing. The "rules" had striking differences to what I was taught in O' Level english. Some of Andy's advice I would have to disagree with based on my education. For example, I was taught that "Yours sincerely" was to be used for the initial correspondence with somebody who you did not know personally. Subsequent correspondence with the same person could use "Yours faithfully" but should not use "Yours sincerely." Still, these days "Kind regards" seems acceptable, though I think it is uncouth and clumsy.
Further, business correspondence these days seems to be universally left-justified. The indented paragraph will soon belong in a museum.
To add to what andy says, I was taught to put the addressee's name on the left between your address and the dear sir, if it's a business letter:
Mr Joe Q Public
Hollyhock & Clover
123 45th St.
Dear Sir...
But apart from your own address halfway across, I don't think there are really any rules. Try to keep the tone appropriate - no jokes with people you don't know - and make it easy to read. Don't bother with inst and ult (if there's anyone alive who remembers what those mean), just use plain English, and check your spelling. I think a blank line between paras helps, which means no need to indent the first line of a new para. Do sign it personally if possible, rather than get your secretary to do it.
There seems to be a confusion over layout.
If you're typing or word-processing, the modern layout is:
Your Address
Typed Here
Left Aligned
(Or could be your letterhead)
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key twice >
Recipient's address
Again left alighned
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key three times >
Date
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key three times >
Dear Sir / Dear Mrs Froggett etc.
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Body of letter here, left aligned (ie no need to indent paragraphs)
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Leave a line space between paragraphs
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Yours faithfully / sincerely etc.
LEAVE TWO OR THREE LINE SPACES FOR SIGNATURE
And then type your name here.
*************************************************************
Indenting paragraphs and aligning addresses to the right margin isn'r wrong, but it's time consuming if you have a lot of letters to type, hence the acceptance of this so-called 'left aligned' layout.
Take a word-processing or office practice course, and this is what you'll be taught and expected to use for exams.
If you're typing or word-processing, the modern layout is:
Your Address
Typed Here
Left Aligned
(Or could be your letterhead)
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key twice >
Recipient's address
Again left alighned
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key three times >
Date
< 2 line spaces - ie. hit the return key three times >
Dear Sir / Dear Mrs Froggett etc.
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Body of letter here, left aligned (ie no need to indent paragraphs)
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Leave a line space between paragraphs
< 1 line space - ie. hit the return key twice >
Yours faithfully / sincerely etc.
LEAVE TWO OR THREE LINE SPACES FOR SIGNATURE
And then type your name here.
*************************************************************
Indenting paragraphs and aligning addresses to the right margin isn'r wrong, but it's time consuming if you have a lot of letters to type, hence the acceptance of this so-called 'left aligned' layout.
Take a word-processing or office practice course, and this is what you'll be taught and expected to use for exams.
Put the address on the the top right part of the letter then your opening statement like good day or dearest etc. Then your letter and finally your closing remarks and your signature.
http://www.resumeport...ory/computer-resumes/
http://www.resumeport...ory/computer-resumes/
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