A typical business letter consists of 3 paragraphs:
· Writing introduction or acknowledgement, in case there has been any previous correspondence
· Giving information and stating the facts
· Referring to future action.
Complimentary Close
A complimentary close is a polite way of bringing a letter to a close. The expressions used should suit the occasion and match the salutation.
Salutation | Complimentary close | Degree of formality |
Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir or Madam | Yours faithfully Yours truly | Very formal |
Dear Mr Burk Dear Ms Lewis | Yours sincerely Sincerely yours | Formal |
Dear Tomas Dear Christine | Best regards Regards Yours | Informal |
Signature
The signature is placed either on the left margin or spaced from the right margin and aligned under the address and date that are put in the right-hand corner.
Enclosures and Copies
If there are any documents or papers enclosed with the letter, you should always indicate it by writing ‘Encl.’ or ‘Encls’ at the bottom left-hand corner:
Encl.: Invoice
‘c.c.’ indicates that a copy of the letter has been sent to those whose names are put against this abbreviation:
c.c. John Smith
Lisa Grace