Knowing how to write letters is essential in situations that involve work, school chores and even relationships, as these documents serve to convey information and show affection. This article gives you some basic tips on how to get your thoughts down on paper in the right format.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Writing a Formal Letter
Step 1. Know when to write a formal letter
Situations involving work ask for documents of the type, as well as when you want to talk to people or organizations you don't know.
- Compose the letter on your computer and print it. For this, use a text editor, such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice. Also, if the letter is urgent or the recipient prefers, send email messages.
- You don't need to be so formal when dealing with your boss or a current co-worker. It may be acceptable to send emails - without the address at the top of the page.
Step 2. Write your address and date in the upper left corner of the page
If the document has a professional character, use the information or letterhead of the company you work for. Always remember to skip two lines and note the date of the day in question.
- Write the full date. Sep 19, 2016 is much better than Sep 19. 2016 or 09/19/16, for example.
- Do not include the date if you are writing an email.
Step 3. Write the recipient's name and address
Skip two lines and write down the contact information of the person who will receive the letter - unless you are composing an email. Separate the data as follows:
- Treatment pronoun and name.
- Company name (if required).
- Full address (if necessary, use two or more lines).
Step 4. Write a greeting
Skip one more line and add something like "Dear", "Dear" etc. before the person's name. If you like, write the full name and, if necessary, also include a professional title or a pronoun in abbreviated form.
- If you know the name of the position but not who is in it, write "Dear Health Inspector" or something similar. Before that, do an internet search to try to find more recipient data.
- If you don't have a specific contact, write "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To whom it is entitled" or "To whom it may be of interest". However, try to avoid these approaches as they sound old-fashioned.
Step 5. Write the letter itself
Every formal letter should start with a clear, objective paragraph. Use the standard Portuguese language and be very careful with your choice of words. If necessary, refer to the recipient with treatment pronouns such as "Mister", "Mrs" etc. Do a grammar proofreading of the document or ask a friend for help.
If you are writing the letter for business purposes, be concise and to the point. If the recipient is a distant relative or an acquaintance with whom you have social relationships, be a little more lenient - trying to keep the content to less than a page
Step 6. End the letter with one more greeting
This is the best way to finish the document as it creates a connection with the recipient. To do this, skip two lines after the last paragraph and write something like "Sincerely", "Respectfully", "Sincerely" etc. Sign up soon after, following the instructions below: ref>https://site.uit.no/english/writing-style/letters/
- If you typed the formal letter, leave about four spaces between the last greeting and your name (also typed). Print the document and sign with a blue or black pen there.
- If it's a formal email, enter your full name after the last greeting.
- If you like, close the document using some treatment pronoun for yourself. For example: "Sir João da Silva".
Step 7. Fold the letter (optional)
If mailing it, fold it into three parts. Start by bringing the bottom of the sheet up and then bring the top down. Create sharp folds with your fingers. So the paper will fit in almost any envelope.
Step 8. Write recipient information in the exact center of the envelope
This data will be used when delivering the document. Look:
- (Sir) João da Silva.
- Av. Paulista, 123, CEP xxxxx-xxx.
- São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Step 9. Write your own address on the envelope (optional)
If the courier cannot deliver the letter for any reason, it will return it free of charge to that location. Enter your data following the model above; the only difference is where you write them.
Method 2 of 2: Writing an Informal Letter
Step 1. Think about what level of formality the letter should have
How you write it will depend on your relationship with the recipient. Consider the following:
- If you are writing something for a distant or older relative or an acquaintance, be relatively formal. If this person has emailed you before, please reply to them in the same way. If not, it's better to stick to the written document.
- If you're writing to a close friend or relative, both the email and the handwritten letter will do.
Step 2. Start the letter with a greeting
This will depend on your relationship with the recipient, as well as the formality of the document. Here are some possibilities:
- If you're writing a relatively formal letter, use "Dear" or "Hello" for example. Use the person's name if you are in the habit of talking to them on this more intimate level. If not, use a treatment pronoun ("Lord").
- If you are writing an informal letter, you can use "Dear", "Hello", or something even more relaxed, such as "Hi", followed by the individual's name.
Step 3. Start writing the letter on the next line
If it's personal, start by talking/asking how the person is doing: "I hope you're okay" or "How are you?" Think about how you would interact with this recipient.
Step 4. Remember to say everything you want to communicate to the recipient
After all, your main purpose is to get a message across. Talk about your life in detail. It's not enough to say "Thanks for the gift" to your grandmother, for example; show that the gesture meant to you: "My friends and I were playing the game you gave me all night. Thank you!" No matter what the topic is, always remember to give lots of information.
Be aware of what not to write. If you write the letter out of anger or other negative feelings, it won't reap good results. If the document is ready, but you still don't know if you should send it, set the paper aside for a few days before taking it to the post - your idea may change
Step 5. Finish the letter
If it's informal, end the text by talking about your relationship with the recipient. If this person is a spouse, close friend, or family member, use something like "A hug", "A kiss", "With love", etc. If you're being relatively formal, end with "Friendly Greetings", "Friendly Greetings" etc.
- If you like, you can use more old-fashioned structures and phrases to end the letter (although in the past they have been more common in formal documents) in which you demonstrate how you feel for the recipient.
- If you want to add something after finishing the body of the letter, use "P. S.", which stands for Post scriptum ("written after", in free translation).
Step 6. Send the letter
To do this, put it in the envelope, glue a stamp and, finally, write the recipient's details.
Tips
- When writing the letter, focus on subjects that might be of interest to the recipient.
- Generally, a comma is used after "Dear" and other greetings and greetings. In formal letters, you can also opt for a colon.
- Be sensible and polite even when writing a complaint letter - you'll get an equally kind response.
- If printing your formal letter, use paper thicker than A4.
- Only send formal or relatively formal virtual messages if your email address is reputable. If you have something like "joãodasilva1993", for example, it won't be taken as seriously as something like "joão.silva".
- Write the letter using blue or black ink.
- Write down your address correctly.
- Begin paragraphs with indentation.
- Remember to proofread the letter at least twice.