Business letter
Written form of communication among businesses and between businesses and individuals
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Through Business
General format
Margins
Typically, side, top and bottom margins are 25–32 millimetres (1–1+1⁄4 in) inches, and one-page letters and memos are vertically centered.
Font formatting
No special character or font formatting is used, except for the subject line, which is usually underlined.
Punctuation
The salutation or greeting is generally followed by a comma in British style, whereas in the United States a colon is used in formal contexts and a comma otherwise. The valediction or closing is followed by a comma.
Form
The following is the general format, excluding indentation used in various formats:
[SENDER'S COMPANY NAME] [SENDER'S ADDRESS (optional if placed at bottom)] [SENDER'S PHONE] [SENDER'S E-MAIL (optional)] [DATE] [RECIPIENT W/O PREFIX] [RECIPIENT'S COMPANY] [RECIPIENT'S ADDRESS] (Optional) Attention [DEPARTMENT/PERSON] Dear [RECIPIENT W/ PREFIX] [First Salutation then Subject in Business letters] [CONTENT] [CONTENT] [COMPLIMENTARY CLOSING (Sincerely, Respectfully, Regards, etc.)] [SENDER] [SENDER'S TITLE (optional)] [SENDER'S ADDRESS (optional if placed at top)] Enclosures ([NUMBER OF ENCLOSURES])
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Indentation formats
Business letters conform to generally one of six indentation formats: standard, open, block, semi-block, modified block, and modified semi-block. Put simply, "semi-" means that the first lines of paragraphs are indented; "modified" means that the sender's address, date, and closing are significantly indented.
Open
The open-format letter does not use punctuation after the salutation and no punctuation after the complimentary closing.
Block
In a block-format letter, all text is left aligned and paragraphs are not indented.
Modified block
In a modified-block format letter, all text is left aligned (except the author's address, date, and closing), paragraphs are not indented, and the author's address, date, and closing begin at the center point.
company name and address date TO
Semi-block
Semi-block format is similar to the Modified block format, except that the first line of each paragraph is indented.
Modified semi-block
In a modified semi-block format letter, all text is left aligned (except the author's address, date, and closing), paragraphs are indented, and the author's address, date, and closing are usually indented in the same position.