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Block-Style Business Letters

CCORDING TO the U.S. Postal

Service, more than 22 million

pieces of mail are processed every

hour. Letters are an important part of

doing business. Therefore,

understanding how to create and

format block-style business letters is an

essential skill in the business world.

Objective:

þ Create a block-style business letter.

Key Terms:

Writing a Block-Style Business Letter

Choosing the correct words is one small part of effective communication. Knowing how to

follow a form and being familiar with what is expected in certain communications is critical to

the communication process.

LETTER COMPONENTS

Various components exist in a block-style business letter. You will read about letterhead,

dateline, beginning notations, attention line and salutation, subject line and complimentary

close, signatures and initials, ending notations, postscripts and second-page headings.

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addressee

addressee notation

attachment notation

attention line

blind copy

block style

body

complimentary close

copy notation

delivery notation

enclosure notation

inside address

letterhead

mixed punctuation

open punctuation

postscript

reference initials

salutation

second-page heading

sentence case

signature block

subject line

writer’s signature

Letterhead

Letterhead is preprinted stationery that contains the company’s name, address, and tele

phone number. The letterhead may include the company’s fax number, logo, slogan, email

address, Web site address, advertising message, etc. Business letters are normally written on

company letterhead.

Dateline

The first line of a business letter is the dateline. It shows the date on which the letter was

written. The month is spelled out with a comma separating the day and year. The dateline

should appear at least one blank line below the letterhead or two inches from the top of the

paper.

Delivery and Addressee Notations

The next part is the delivery notation and addressee notation. Letters do not always require

these components. A delivery notation is an indication of how the letter was brought to the

intended recipient. For example, the delivery notation may say fax transmission, Federal

Express, messenger delivery, or certified mail. An addressee notation is essentially direc-

tions for the recipient on how to handle the information in the letter. For instance, the

addressee notation may say, “confidential information.”

The inside address (also known as the letter

address, mailing address, or recipient’s address) is

the residential or corporate location of the

addressee. The addressee is the person receiv-

ing the letter. This letter component must be

included. Use a courtesy title (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mrs.,

Dr., or Professor before a person’s name). Many

women in business prefer Ms., but use the title

preferred by the addressee. In some cases, the

name of the addressee may be unknown.

Attention Line and Salutation

The attention line is an area used when the letter is called to the attention of a specific

department or job title when the name of the addressee is unknown. For example, the line may

read, “Attention: Director of Sales.” The salutation is the greeting that begins with “Dear.” If

the letter is addressed to an individual, use that person’s courtesy title and last name. For

instance, the line may read, “Dear Mr. Mason.”

Add a colon (not a comma or semicolon) after the salutation. Placing punctuation after the

salutation and complimentary close is called mixed punctuation. It can be appropriate to

omit punctuation at the end of the salutation and complimentary close, which is called open

punctuation.

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FIGURE 1. Verify all parts of the recipient’s address

before mailing the letter.

Do not use an individual’s full name in the salutation unless you are unsure of the gender

(e.g., Dear Leslie Lanham). When using an attention line (when you do not know the name of

the person but are sending the letter to a department), the correct salutation is “Ladies and

Gentlemen” if the message is to be sent to a company’s department. “Sir or Madam” may be

used if the attention line is addressed to an individual position.

Subject Line and Complimentary Close

The subject line identifies the main topic and is an optional letter component. The body

is the text of the letter. Single-space the paragraphs and double-space between paragraphs.

Every letter has body text.

The complimentary close is a courtesy line that signifies the end of the writer’s message.

The close may be formal (“Very truly yours”) or informal (“Sincerely” or “Cordially”). Use

sentence case, which means to capitalize just the first character of the component when

typing a complimentary close. Place a comma after the close (mixed punctuation), or leave it

without punctuation (open punctuation).

Signatures and Initials

The signature block is the writer’s typed name and job title. The signature block appears

three or four blank lines below the complimentary close. The combination of name, title, and

organization information should be arranged to achieve a balanced look. The name and title

may appear on the same line separated by a comma or single-spaced on separate lines. A busi-

ness letter should always include a signature block.

A writer’s signature is

proof that the writer agrees to the

letter content. The signature

should be written in the same

color of ink as the letter. A cour

tesy title is not included in the

signature. Begin the signature

below the complimentary close

and above the writer’s typed

name. Make sure the signature is

placed in vertical alignment with

the left margin of the complimen

tary close. Also, carefully proof

read the letter’s content before

signing, especially if someone else

typed the letter.

The reference initials are the initials of the typist. If used, the initials of the typist are

typed one blank line below the writer’s name and title. The reference initials are lowercased

and include the first, middle, and last name initial.

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FIGURE 2. Do not forget to sign your business letters.

Enclosure and Attachment Notation

The enclosure notation is a notification used when another document besides the letter

is sent in the same envelope. In contrast, an attachment notation is a notification used

when a document is physically attached to the letter. An enclosure notation reminds the typist

to insert the enclosure in the envelope, and it reminds the recipient to look for the enclosed or

attached document. The USPS discourages sending stapled or paper-clipped mail because

these envelopes may be torn and disfigured. In addition, the USPS equipment can be dam

aged.

The copy notation is a notification that indicates other individuals or organizations have

received copies of the correspondence. It is placed one blank line below the reference initials

or enclosure notation. A colon following the notation is optional. Use cc for carbon copy (also

known as courtesy copy in emails), pc for photocopy, and bc or bcc for blind copy, which

means the writer does not want the recipient to know the letter has been sent to a third party.

Postscripts and Second-Page Headings

A postscript is an optional message added to a letter as the last item on the page. A post

script emphasizes information in the body or adds a personal message to a business letter. It is

double-spaced below the reference initials or enclosure notation. Block or indent a postscript

to match paragraphs in the body. The postscript abbreviation “P.S.” is not necessary.

A second-page heading is a standard format used when a letter exceeds one page. For

additional pages, use the same kind of paper as the first page. Identify the second and succeed-

ing pages with a heading that includes the name of the addressee, the page number, and the

date. Start one inch from the top of the page followed by two blank lines to separate them from

the continuing text. Avoid using a second page if it has only the complimentary close and sig-

nature block on that page.

FORMATTING

Now that you have read about business letter components, let’s turn our attention to for

matting guidelines. This information will explain how to present your business letter. Visit

online resources for a visual example of the following information.

Margins and Address Lines

Block style is a format in which all lines begin at the left margin. A business letter has a 2-

inch top margin and 1-inch side margins. Type the letter using correct line spacing. For

instance, type the date and leave three blank lines. If there is an addressee or delivery notation,

type it at this location and leave two blank lines. Type the inside address single-spaced.

Start with the addressee’s name or attention line. Type the street address and hit Enter.

Then type the city followed by a comma, spacebar, the state abbreviation code (two capital let

ters), spacebar, and the ZIP code (i.e., Fairfield, IL 62837).

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Salutations, Subject Lines, and the Body

Double-space after the inside address, and type the salutation followed by a colon. The let

ter may be enhanced with a subject line or reference line. Double-space after the salutation.

Then type the body. Single-space the paragraphs, but double-space between paragraphs. Dou

ble-space after the last paragraph. Next, type a complimentary close followed by a comma.

Signature Line and Attachments

Leave three blank lines after the complimentary close to allow room for the signature. Then

type the signature block. Double-space after the signature block, and type the reference initials

if the writer is not the typist.

If another document is added to the mailing, double-space below the reference initials

and type an enclosure notation. A copy notation, if needed, is double-spaced below the

reference initials or enclosure notation.

A postscript, if needed, is double-spaced below the reference initials or the last notation.

A postscript is generally the last item on the page.

Perform a spell check, and proofread the letter. Once the letter is proofread again for con

tent, the writer should sign the letter in black ink in the space provided between the com

plimentary close and signature block.

Summary:

Business letter components are letterhead, a dateline, beginning notations, an atten

tion line and salutation, a subject line and complimentary close, signatures and ini

tials, ending notations, postscripts, and second-page headings. In a block-style for

mat, all lines begin at the left margin. The business letter has a 2-inch top margin

and 1-inch side margins. A combination of single- and double-spacing is used to

separate the components. A handwritten signature is included in business letters.

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FURTHER EXPLORATION…

ONLINE CONNECTION: Addressing the Envelope

When writing a business letter, successful delivery is important. In some cases, the envelope address

may be full of detailed information. For example, the business letter may be addressed to the organization,

a building on a large campus, a department within the building, and a specific person within the depart

ment. Therefore, writing the address is important to ensure successful delivery. The United States Postal

Service (USPS) offers guidelines for arranging the information on the envelope. For example, the USPS

recommends writing the “Attention: Mr. Smith” line on top, never below or on a different part of the enve

lope. Explore the USPS guidelines for addressing a business envelope at http://pe.usps.com/

Checking Your Knowledge:

´ 1. What is the first line of a business letter?

2. What is the difference between mixed punctuation and open punctuation

when writing the salutation?

3. What is the technical term for the letter writer’s initials?

4. When would you use bcc?

5. When is the attachment notation used?

Expanding Your Knowledge:

Write a letter to a local business. You might thank the company for its work or ask a

question about the organization. Be sure to include the components, and follow the

formatting guidelines you learned.

Web Links:

: Basic Business Letters

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/01/

Example Block-Style Business Letter

http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/BusLetter_Block.html

Writing a Business Letter

http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/reading-writing/on-line/b-letter.html

The Importance of Business Letters

http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/importance-letters-communication-

11337.html

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