Q&A for How to Write a Formal Letter

Always call the person by their title if you know it. If you can, do some research to find out what their titles are so you address them properly.

The field address is yours or the recipient's address, stating the person's name, street address, town/city, state, and zip code.

Follow the advice and format above, but make sure to address the letter to the government official you wish to write. Some officials state how to send them mail on their websites, so check that before heading to the mailbox.

Use 1 inch margins and standard letter or printer paper that's 8.5 inches by 11 inches.

A formal letter can be about any number of topics. For example, you might write a formal letter to apply for a job or accept a job offer, accept an invitation to a formal event, announce your resignation from a job, or confirm a business arrangement with a client or colleague.

The heading consists of the sender’s name and contact information (typically including mailing address, phone number, and email address), followed by the date. This information is usually placed in the upper lefthand corner of the page.

Typically, a formal letter should start with a salutation (such as “Dear Mr. Wooster”) and a brief statement of the purpose of the letter. For example, “I am writing to apply for the position of Personal Valet, as recently advertised in the Times.”

A Formal Letter is a letter written to someone you do not know, usually in pursuit of some specific end. You might write one to a business when you are seeking employment or a government agency when seeking benefits, for example. You generally use more formal language than you would in a personal letter to friends or family.

Don't tell, ask. Be polite. Explain the factors that make your current salary no longer adequate, and/or why you deserve a raise. Talk about your accomplishments, how long you've been at the company, etc.

Write in an urgent but in a polite manner. Tell the police department the reason for the subject of the letter. End your letter by writing you are hopeful the police department will fulfill your needs.

Very formally and politely, using similar language as you would for writing an essay

Write about your fascination with or interest in the glass factory. Be complimentary, and let them know your interest is specific to that particular factory.

Explain the reasons why you need improvement to education, mainly which sectors should be improved, and how you feel that could be achieved.

Be polite and invite them to open a booth or something at the event depending on what you want them to contribute to. Food chains are normally hungry for publicity, and as your question isn't clear, I assume it's for an event or something. You could ask them for donations in a materialistic way (like donating drinks) or money in exchange for them being able to open up a booth or something at the event.

This is not usually done in a formal letter.

Dear Governor So-and So...

Just type your letter topic on Google.

A font that is comfortable to read, and very simple to look at. Size 12 font is typically an appropriate selection.

You would usually use a formal letter when addressing yourself to a stranger or an important person.

Generally, you would not indent paragraphs in a formal letter.

Yes, it should be mentioned.

This is not required, but can let the recipient know what to expect.

An application letter is a type of formal letter (but not all formal letters are application letters). Check out How to Write an Application Letter .

You should do at least a little digging. Address your letter to the lowest level official you can find that has something to do with your concern. For example, in the US, a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be addressed to the official in charge of your region/state/city (whichever you can find online) instead of the national director. You can use "To Whom It May Concern," if you really can't find a reasonable office, but in most cases it's better to go a couple levels too high and get handed off to someone in their department than to go in blind.

Google "formal letter sample".

The AMS format starts with a subject line in all capitals followed by the body of the letter. The traditional block format doesn't have a subject line but instead starts with "Dear name of person". Otherwise, the two formats are very similar.

No, it is not necessary. However, if you are using the AMS format, it may appear unprofessional to exclude the subject. If you don't want to include a subject, use the traditional block format instead.

You can follow either of the formats described above, except you can leave out the date (since this is included automatically by your computer as part of the e-mail) and physical addresses (since you're using e-mail). In other words, don't start the e-mail with your address, your lawyers address, or the date -- just follow through with the rest of either of the above formats. The AMS format is a good choice to go with since e-mail includes a subject line, similar to how AMS format is described above; but Traditional Block format will work too.

If you are referring to the sender/recipient addresses on the top of the letter or on the envelope, you use commas. If you are referring to the "Dear Sir/Madam" or "Dear name of person" line, both the comma and the colon are acceptable -- just use one or the other.

It doesn't have to be formal because you know them well and you can tell them anything. When you are writting the letter, try to be confident and trust yourself.