Business Letter Formats

Modified Block Format: Business Letter
Below are the modified block and semi-block format of a business letter. If emailing a business letter, you'd omit the heading (return address, date, and inside address) of the letter and start with the salutation (4)

Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3
Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Recipient's Address Line 1
Recipient's Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Complimentary Close (Sincerely...), 7
Signature 8
Your Name (Printed) 9
Your Title

Enclosures (2) 10
Typist's Initials 11

In the modified block format, your address, date (the date can actually go on either the left or the right side), complimentary close, signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of the page (how far you indent in is up to you, as long as the heading and complimentary close is lined up, use your own discretion and make sure it looks presentable).

Semi-Block (Indented) Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1
Return Address Line 2

Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3
Title/Position of Recipient.
Company Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

In the semi-block format, your address, date (the date can actually go on either the left or the right side), the complimentary close, signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of the page (how far you indent in is up to you as long as the heading and complimentary close is lined up, use your own discretion and make sure it looks presentable). Also the first line of each paragraph is indented. The indentations of the first line of each paragraph is the only diffrence between the semi-block and the modified block formats.

Return to Business Letter Format

Also see: Business Letter Writing & Sample Business Letter

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