Nowadays, knowing how to write a formal letter is a requirement for anyone working in an academic or work environment.

But what does an official letter consist of? Formal letters are documents that are usually addressed to institutions or people with a certain degree of hierarchy, so they must meet several criteria to express the formality of our request. Many people ask help from ​​ a custom essay writing service because not everyone knows how to write a successful formal letter.

If you've never written a formal letter, you're probably not sure what information to include in this type of text. Therefore, we recommend that you continue reading this article, which gives you a step-by-step guide on how to write a formal letter.

What Is a Letter and What Types of Letters Exist?

Years ago, in the absence of the telephone, radio, and internet, a letter was the medium of written communication that began to be used to keep in touch with people in different cities or countries. 

Two important elements of a letter are the sender and the addressee. The person who sends the letter is called the sender and the recipient of the letter is called the addressee. Best college paper writing services recommend paying special attention to orthography and grammar.

There are many types of letters, but in this post, we will focus on how to write a formal letter by following a series of simple steps.

What Are the Types of Letters? 

There is a wide variety of letters. However, depending on the language used and the addressee, we can distinguish 3 types of letters: 

1. Formal letter

As the name implies, a formal letter requires the use of formal language because it is intended to express information clearly and concisely to some authority figure. In addition, there is a predetermined format that must be followed in this type of document that keeps the communication formal. If you want to know how to write a formal letter, you should continue reading this article. 

2. Informal letter

It is usually used for personal communication with friends or family, so it can have conversational language and not much formality. An informal letter also allows the sender more leeway in terms of structure, since the main purpose is to convey the message that needs to be conveyed. 

3. Semi-formal letter

It uses the same format as a formal letter, but with less rigor. It is used to address acquaintances or people with whom you have a business relationship, such as assistants, professors, advisors, etc. They are usually neither too short nor too long, and there is no need to include the sender's address.  

What Is a Formal Letter?

A formal letter is a letter that is used for official purposes, which may be related to work, academia, politics, finance, etc. This type of letter uses an official tone and must follow a certain structure that allows information to be conveyed officially.  

Official letters are usually addressed to companies, institutions, government agencies, colleagues, or government officials of important rank. They are not usually used for close contacts, such as family or friends. 

Due to the purpose of this document, there are some guidelines for writing a formal letter that should be followed so that the message is well received by the recipient. Below, we take a detailed look at the structure that should be followed. 

What Is the Purpose of a Formal Letter?

The importance of a formal letter can vary depending on the purpose for which it is written. Generally, they are used to inform about an important event, make a request, file a complaint, etc. 

It can also be said that the purpose of a formal letter is to maintain respect and good manners when dealing with important matters that concern different people. In this way, the information reaches the addressee and can be properly handled for the final decision.

What Are the Types of Official Letters? 

To better understand the purpose of formal letters, below is an overview of the 9 most commonly used types of formal letters:  

  • Business letter
  • Letter of Order
  • Sales letter
  • Complaint letter
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Letter of resignation
  • Letter of resignation
  • Letter of Receipt
  • Letter of authorization

Characteristics of a Formal Letter

Many features distinguish a formal letter. Here are some elements of a traditional formal letter: 

  • When writing a formal letter, the primary intent is to inform or report something. This means that it is not used to convey a greeting or start a conversation between two people. It is only meant to alert people to something important. 
  • Sometimes it happens that when you write a formal letter, you do not know the addressee. For example, if you want to send a letter complaining to a company about poor service, the recipient of your letter will probably not know you. On the other hand, if the letter is addressed to your boss, there may be a degree of intimacy.
  • The language used when writing a formal letter should be, as the name implies, official. Use well-constructed phrases and sentences and a broad, non-jargon vocabulary. 
  • The language you use when writing a formal letter should convey respect between the sender and the recipient. When writing a formal letter of complaint, you may get annoyed, but you should not use vulgarisms or expressions that could be seen as disrespectful. It detracts from the seriousness of your letter. 
  • Make sure your letter is not too long. Typically, those who receive these types of documents are very busy people who do not have time to read very long texts. It is preferable to choose a formal letter that is short and precise about the information you want to communicate. 
  • Spelling and grammatical mistakes are not allowed in an official letter. You should be as careful as possible and make sure you proofread your text as many times as necessary, otherwise, the recipient may not trust the letter. 
  • While it is customary for informal letters to add a postscript at the end of the document, it is not one of the elements of an official letter, so we recommend that you do not do this. 
  • It is best if your formal letter is written on a computer. We recommend using a font that is easy to understand, such as Arial or Cambria. Also take care of line spacing, proper use of margins, and indentation. 

When printing a formal letter, you should use the right type of paper, such as bond paper. Also, make sure that the letter does not have stains or wrinkles.

How to Write a Formal Letter?

Now that you know what a formal letter is and what it's for, it's time to start putting words together.  So below we will introduce you to the format of a traditional formal letter and describe each section in detail so that you know how to write it correctly. 

1. Direction

Place and date

This should be placed in the upper right corner of the official letter. You must include the city from which the document is being sent and the date with the day, month, and year. 

Recipient

Here you should indicate the details of the person to whom the official letter is addressed. Use the appropriate abbreviation (Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.). You should also indicate the position held by the addressee. 

Logo

If you have to write a formal letter on behalf of a company, you can include the company logo. This will help your letter be more visible. 

2. Greeting

Try to greet the recipient politely. You can use expressions such as esteemed. Since this is a formal letter, it is not recommended to use very affectionate words.

3. Introduction

It is very easy to begin a formal letter. You should clearly and concisely state what you are writing about and what you hope to achieve from the other party. 

Don't go on too long - ideally, this part of the formal letter should only take one paragraph. Don't forget to use formal language. 

4. Body

In this part of the official letter, we should add all the additional information that will help us reinforce the main idea of our text. 

You must pay attention to the wording of the official letter and be as precise as possible. You should also try to convey your arguments so that the addressee can understand what you want to convey. 

5. Goodbye

Before you finish the formal letter, you should add a short farewell paragraph in which you can emphasize the main point of the text. You should also include heartfelt expressions such as kind regards, best regards, etc. 

6. Signature

At the end of the formal letter, you should add the sender's details, i.e., your full name and, if applicable, the position or title you hold. In addition, you need to put your signature at the end of the letter. This can be done by hand or you can use an electronic signature. 

These are the basic steps for writing a formal letter. However, it is also important to focus on the content of the letter. Since formal letters usually contain a request, we recommend that you use some effective negotiation techniques to persuade the recipient to agree to your request.

Conclusion

Now you have all the knowledge you need on how to write a formal letter! Don't forget to watch your spelling and wording. If possible, try to write a draft first, so you can proofread and correct it as many times as necessary before finalizing the document.