Formal letters are a type of letter written to Authorities, colleagues, employers, Dignitaries, product managers, etc. Unlike the informal letter, Formal letters are meant for official purposes, and can not be written to friends, families, or acquaintances.

It is written in a proper and respectful language in an outlined format to communicate the intended information professionally.

Types of Formal Letters

There are different types of formal letters. They include:

Application letter

This is written by job seekers or people who are looking for another job opportunity. The letter is specifically to get a role in a company and it is majorly addressed to the Human Resources Department.

Letter of complaint

Customers of a product or service write this letter to show their concerns or disappointment. It is majorly addressed to the seller or sales manager of the product or services and the body includes their dissatisfaction, the lack of quantity, the errors, and other forms of complaint.

Letter of Enquiry

This is meant to gather pieces of information on a product, service, or event from an organization, event manager, or anyone who is in the right position to provide answers to the questions.

Sales letter

Sales letters are meant to promote a product by giving a detailed analysis of the product component and to ensure that the customers familiarise themselves with what the product entails.

Order Letter

This is used to request a product online or offsite from the seller and it can also be used to ask for prices or make enquires about products from a vendor. It can serve as an inventory letter as well as an order request letter.

Promotion letter

This letter is used to advertise a product or service to their target audience. A promotion letter is also used to inform an employee of a change in their current position or level to a higher one.

Letter of employment

Candidates who are successful in a job interview are sent this letter for resumption.

Steps to Write a Formal Letter 

To write a formal letter, you need to carefully follow these steps

Address

A formal letter should contain the sender and receiver's address. The former should be at the Top right-hand corner of the page. The address should be accurate to ensure the receivers get in touch with the sender for further communication without confusion. The latter should be on the left side of the page, two lines after the sender's address. The first line of the address should contain the official title, name, and position of the receiver. Sometimes, The writer might use ‘TO’ in addressing the receiver.

Example: To,

                           The Director

                          ABC Limited, 

                         Tetfund road,

                         Lagos state.

Date

The date should be at the bottom of the sender's address on the right side of the letter. It should be written on the same day the letter would be sent. This is for official and record safekeeping.

Greetings

In a formal, the recipient of the letter should be greeted in a formal and not personal or informal manner. Bearing in mind that the letter is for official purposes, you address the person to whom the letter is directed as “ Dear Sir/ Ma” or by their full name or last name only.

Body of the letter

This contains the purpose of the letter. The body of the letter is always straightforward to the point and it is written in paragraph. The first paragraph should contain the main point of the letter concisely. The language usage and the tone of the letter should be formal and respectful. The use of slang or vulgar language is not allowed in a formal letter.

Conclusion

To end the letter, use the Phrase “Yours Sincerely, or Yours Faithfully” on the right side of the letter. After which your signature follows and you end it with your name in Block letters under the signature.

Below is an example of a formal letter

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