BRITISH STYLE

BUSINESS LETTER FORMAT

FULL BLOCK FORMAT:

 All the elements are aligned to the left margin.

 There are no indented lines

In these two formats you may see few differences. Either format is correct.

Senders Address/ Heading Senders Address/ Heading

Date
Date
Inside Address
Inside Address
Sub: Application
Sub: “Application”
Salutation,
Salutation
Introduction
Introduction
Body
Body
Complementary closing,
Signature Complementary closing
(Name) Signature
(Name)

 The Heading/ Senders address/letter head is usually placed in the top right
corner of the letter (sometimes centred or left)

Writing the Date

 (Day-month-year) usually placed directly (or 1 blank line) below the heading
 14th March 2014
 14 March 2014
More polite

 14/3/2014
 14/3/14
Less formal, used in memo, b/w friends and an
impersonal business letter

 14/03/14
Used on an invoice/ official/ technical doc.

1 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

  The Fourteenth of March, 2014
Extremely formal mainly used on printed items. E.g. wedding invitations

 The numerical formats use a full stop or hyphen instead of slash.

e.g. 14.3.2014 or 14-3-14

Subject

 You can either underline the subject or put the subject inside double inverted
comma;
E.g. Sub: Application
Sub: “Application”

Salutation

 After the salutation there is a comma.

 According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, the use of
comma is optional. If you use comma after salutation then comma must be
used after complimentary closing. If comma is not used after salutation then
no comma after complimentary closing.

Introduction

 Explain in one or two sentences the reason for writing.

Body

 Outline the information you need to communicate

 Be concise but provide all the necessary information.
 Should include a formal conclusion.

Complimentary closing and Signature

 When the name of the addressee is not known the phrase yours faithfully
should be used.
 Use sincerely or yours sincerely
 If you use comma after salutation then comma must be used after
complimentary closing. If comma is not used after salutation then no
comma after complimentary closing.
 Name should be in bracket

2 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

INDENTED OR SEMI-BLOCK STYLE

 Similar to the modified block business letter style except that the first line of
each paragraph is indented.

Senders address/Heading Senders address/Heading

Date Date

Inside Address Inside Address

Sub: Application Sub: “Application”

Salutation, Salutation

Body Body

Complimentary closing, Complimentary closing

Signature Signature
(Name) (Name)

 Note: either format is correct

3 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

 AMERICAN STYLE

FULL BLOCK FORMAT:

 All the elements are aligned to the left margin.

 There are no indented lines

Senders Address/ Heading

Date

Inside Address

Sub: Application

Salutation:

Introduction

Body

Complementary closing,

Signature

(Name)

Heading

 According to the format but usually aligned to the left.

Writing the date

 (month-day-year) According to the format but usually aligned to the left two
lines below the heading

4 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

  March 14th, 2011
 March 14, 2011
More polite

 3/14/2011
 3/14/11
Less formal, used in memo, b/w friends and an
impersonal business letter

 03/14/11

Used on an invoice/ official/ technical doc.

 March the Fourteenth,2011

Extremely formal mainly used on printed items. E.g. wedding invitations

Subject

 You can either underline the subject or put the subject inside double inverted
comma;
E.g. Sub: Application
Sub: “Application”

Salutation

 After salutation colon is used.

Introduction

 Explain in one or two sentences the reason for writing.

Body

 Outline the information you need to communicate

 Be concise but provide all the necessary information.
 Should include a formal conclusion.

Complimentary closing and Signature

 Use sincerely,
 Sincerely yours,
 Yours truly,
 Comma must be used after complimentary closing.
 Name should be in bracket

5 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

MODIFIED BLOCK STYLE

 The return address, date, closing and signature start just to the right of the
center of the page or may be flush with the right margin
 All body paragraphs begin at the left margin

FORMAT

Senders address/Heading Senders address/Heading

Date Date

Inside Address Inside Address

Sub: Application Sub: “Application”

Salutation: Salutation:

Body Body

Complimentary closing, Complimentary closing,

Signature Signature
(Name) (Name)

 Either format is correct

INDENTED OR SEMI-BLOCK STYLE

 Similar to the modified block business letter style except that the first line of
each paragraph is indented.

6 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014

 Senders address/Heading Senders address/Heading
Date Date

Inside Address Inside Address

Sub: Application Sub: “Application”

Salutation: Salutation:

Body Body

Complimentary closing, Complimentary closing,

Signature Signature
(Name) (Name)

 Note: either format is correct

Other Rules

 In formal writing, should spell the percentage out.

 Numbers smaller than ten should be spelled out.
 Two-word numbers should be expressed in figures.
 One-word numbers can be spelled out. (eleven, thirteen, twenty, thirty, etc)

Difference in British and American Letter

British
Comma follows the salutation in all
letters
No comma after “i.e.” or “e.g.”
Periods is typically used with
abbreviations (Ph.D and Mr.)
American
Comma follows the salutation in an
informal letter.
And colon follows the salutation in a
business letter
Comma after “i.e.,” or “e.g.,”
No period is used (PhD and Mr)

7 LETTER FORMAT/ CCS/2014