Elnar, Pauline Nicole B.

April 30, 2018

Technical Writing M-SAT 9-10:30am

TYPES OF LETTER FORMAT

Full Block Format

Full block style business letters have a formal appearance. However, they can be used in
informal business situations as well as formal ones. This format features all elements of
the letter aligned to the left margin of the page. It has a neat and simple appearance.
Paragraphs are separated by a double line space.

Example:

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Mango Ave., Cebu City
340-4998
April 28, 2018

Romuel Domini Elnar

Ad Concepts and Events, Inc.
Gorordo Ave., Cebu City

Dear Sir,
…

Sincerely,

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Liaison Officer

Modified Block Format

Modified block style business letters are less formal than full block style letters. Modified
block differs from block style in that the date, sign off, and signature lines begin at the
centre point of the page line. This format is written without indents, and is a little less
formal than full block format. Depending on the length of the letter, paragraphs may be
separated by a single or double line space.

Example:

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Mango Ave., Cebu City
340-4998
April 28, 2018
Romuel Domini Elnar
Ad Concepts and Events, Inc.
Gorordo Ave., Cebu City

Dear Sir,
…

Sincerely,

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Liaison Officer

Standard Format
Standard format business letters are quite formal. Because they include an optional subject
line, they are ideal for situations in which you need to create a formal response or
communicate about an account number or case number. In this format, you’ll see
something the other business letter templates don’t contain. Below the signature block are
three lines of text indicating that a secretary or assistant typed the letter for the sender, that
a copy was sent to another recipient, and that there are enclosures. In other business letter
formats, “enclosures” is written out. In standard format, the word is abbreviated.

Example:

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Mango Ave., Cebu City
340-4998
April 28, 2018

Romuel Domini Elnar

Ad Concepts and Events, Inc.
Gorordo Ave., Cebu City

Re: Statement of Account for April 2018

Dear Sir,
…

Sincerely,

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Liaison Officer
Open Format
The open format business letter has a clean, formal look just as the block format letter does.
It is suitable for all business communications. There is one major difference between this
format and the other business letter formats on this page: It contains no punctuation after
the greeting, and no punctuation after the closing.

Semi-Block Format
The semi-block format business letter is a little less formal than the block format letter and
slightly more formal than the modified block format letter. Semi-block business letters
differ from most others in that the first line of each paragraph is indented. It is the least
formal of all the formats shown on this page. This semi-block business letter format looks
very much like the block letter format, except the paragraphs have been indented and that
the only elements of this business letter format that are not left justified are the first lines
of each of the paragraphs.

Example:

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Mango Ave., Cebu City
340-4998
April 28, 2018

Romuel Domini Elnar

Ad Concepts and Events, Inc.
Gorordo Ave., Cebu City

Dear Sir,

Sincerely,

Pauline Nicole Elnar

Liaison Officer

Sources:

1. Business Letter Formats. Retrieved from Ginger: Writing Center

(http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/writing-center/business-letter/format/), on April 28,
2018.
2. Letter formats: block, modified block, and semi-block. Retrieved from English Oxford Living
Dictionaries (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/letter-formats-block-modified-block-
and-semi-block), on April 28, 2018.