Formal Letter

Formal letters are written to people

with whom we are not closely related to. For
example,Managers,directors in organizations either
public or private.
Example of Formal letters are
 Letters for application,
 Letters for complain.
 Business letters.
 Letters of invitation.
 Letters of Enquiry.

Formal Versus informal Language.

The language of Formal letter is very Formal.
We use formal language in situations that are
serious or that involve people we don’t know well.
Formal vocabulary commonly involves longer words
or words with origins in Latin and Greek. Most
dictionaries indicate very informal and/or formal
words.
Formal Informal
She has decided to She’s decided to accept
accept the job. the job
The girl whom I met in The girl I met in
Singapore was Singapore was
interested in working in interested in working in
Australia. Australia.
We went to Barcelona Went to Barcelona for
for the weekend. We the weekend. Lots to tell
have a lot of things to tell you.
you.

 Commerce[formal]
 Start[informal]
 Terminate[formal]
 End[informal]
 Endeavor[Formal]

We often choose to use certain model verbs to

be more formal and polite:
 Can I suggest you try this new model?
{neutral}
 May I suggest you try this new model [more
formal]
 Might I suggest you try this new model?[very
formal
 Format of a Formal Letter.
• The address of the writer goes in the top-right
hand corner of the page.
• The date goes beneath the page.
• The name and address of the person one is
writing to goes on the left, above the salutation.
• The Opening greeting (Dear Sir/Ma), if possible,
use the name of the person you are sending to.
• The subject of the letter goes under the
salutation and is underlined
• The body of the letter begins after another line
• The Valediction which is usually “Yours
Faithfully” then follows.

Practice exercise