Effective Letter Writing
Chapter Seventy
Syllabus topic 4.1.2, "Techniques/tips on effective letter writing"
Pages 337 to 339 of 406
In one line
A formal letter has seven fixed parts in a fixed order, and the writing between them follows three rules: one subject to a letter, the purpose in the first sentence, and the action wanted in the last.
The parts of a formal letter
| Part | What goes there | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sender's address | Your address, at the top | No name above it; the name goes at the foot |
| 2. Date | Below the address | Write it out: 12 September 2026 |
| 3. Receiver's address | The name, designation and address of the person written to | Begin with a designation where you do not know the name |
| 4. Subject | A one-line statement of what the letter is about | Underlined or in bold. Marked by examiners |
| 5. Salutation | Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Mr Rao | Comma after |
| 6. Body | Three paragraphs, dealt with below | |
| 7. Complimentary close and signature | Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely, then your signature and name |
The rule about the close that examiners check.
Yours faithfully when the salutation is Dear Sir or Dear Madam, that is, when you have not used a name.
Yours sincerely when the salutation names the person, as in Dear Mr Rao.
Capitals. Yours takes a capital Y; faithfully and sincerely do not. It is never "Yours Faithfully".
Reference line. Business letters often carry a reference number above the date. Include one if the question supplies it.
Enclosures. If you are sending anything with the letter, write "Encl.: Resume" or "Encl.: copies of receipts" below your name. A letter of application that mentions a resume and has no enclosure line is incomplete.
The three-paragraph body
Paragraph one: why you are writing. One or two sentences. State the purpose immediately. Never open with "I hope this letter finds you in good health", and never open with your life story.
Paragraph two: the details. The facts, in order, with dates, numbers and names. This is where a complaint gives the invoice number and a job application gives the qualification.
Paragraph three: what you want. The action requested, and when. A letter that does not say what it wants forces the reader to guess.
And a closing courtesy line where appropriate. "I look forward to hearing from you", "Thank you for your assistance."
Techniques and tips, which is MU's own word
One letter, one subject. Two subjects in one letter means one of them will be dealt with and the other lost.
Put the purpose first. The reader decides in the first line whether to read carefully.
Be specific. Not "some time ago" but "on 4 August 2026". Not "the goods were faulty" but "seven of the twenty chairs had cracked legs".
Prefer short words and short sentences. Legal correspondence has a bad reputation for the opposite, and the reputation is deserved.
Effective Letter Writing
Avoid stock padding. "Please find enclosed herewith", "I beg to state", "the above-mentioned", "kindly do the needful", "at the earliest". Each of these can be deleted or replaced with a plain word.
Keep the tone civil, especially in complaint. The reader is rarely the person who caused the problem, and courtesy is more likely to produce action than anger.
Address a person where you can. A letter to a name is answered more often than a letter to a department.
End with the action. Ask for the specific thing you want, and give a date if one matters.
Check three things before signing. The spelling of the recipient's name, the dates and figures, and whether the enclosure is actually attached.
Common failures in the examination
| Failure | Fix |
|---|---|
| No subject line | Always include one; it is the easiest mark |
| Yours faithfully after Dear Mr Rao | Named salutation takes Yours sincerely |
| Address of the receiver omitted | Include it, even in an examination answer |
| No paragraph division | Three paragraphs, always |
| Vague dates | Use the dates the question gives, or invent specific ones |
| No enclosure line | If you mention a resume, list it as an enclosure |
| Informal contractions | Write "do not" rather than "don't" in a formal letter |
A worked answer
Question. "Write a letter of enquiry to a publisher asking about the availability and price of law books for your college library." Six marks.
A model letter.
Library Committee
St. Xavier's College of Law
Fort, Mumbai 400 001
12 September 2026
The Sales Manager
Eastern Book Company
34, Lalbagh
Lucknow 226 001
Subject: Enquiry regarding availability and price of law titles for institutional purchase
Dear Sir or Madam,
I write on behalf of the Library Committee of St. Xavier's College of Law to enquire about the availability and price of certain titles which we propose to purchase for the college library during the current academic year.
We require the following: fifteen copies of your edition of the Constitution of India, ten copies of the Indian Contract Act with commentary, and five copies each of your titles on the law of torts and on civil procedure. We should be grateful if you would confirm which of these are presently in stock, quote your institutional rate for each, state the discount available on an order of this size, and indicate the time you would need for delivery to Mumbai.
As our purchase must be completed before 31 October 2026, I should be grateful for a reply by 30 September 2026. If it would assist, I am happy to send a formal purchase order on receipt of your quotation.
Thank you for your assistance.
Yours faithfully,
R. Mehta
Convener, Library Committee
Effective Letter Writing
Why it scores. Both addresses, a dated letter, a subject line, the correct close for an unnamed salutation, three paragraphs doing three jobs, specific quantities and two specific dates, and a closing request with a deadline.
Quick revision
Seven parts: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject, salutation, body, close and signature.
Yours faithfully with Dear Sir or Madam; Yours sincerely with a named salutation. Capital Y only.
Three paragraphs: why you are writing; the details with dates and figures; what you want and by when.
One letter, one subject. Purpose in the first line. Action in the last.
Delete: I beg to state, kindly do the needful, at the earliest, the above-mentioned, please find enclosed herewith.
Enclosure line if anything is enclosed. Check the name, the dates and the attachment before signing.
Test yourself
1. Give the seven parts of a formal letter in order. Sender's address; date; receiver's name, designation and address; subject line; salutation; body; and complimentary close with signature and name.
2. When do you write Yours faithfully and when Yours sincerely? Yours faithfully when the salutation does not name the person, as in Dear Sir or Dear Madam. Yours sincerely when it does, as in Dear Mr Rao. In both, only Yours takes a capital.
3. What do the three paragraphs of the body do? The first states why you are writing, in a sentence or two. The second gives the details, with dates, figures and names. The third states the action you want and by when.
4. Give four expressions to delete from a formal letter. "I beg to state", "kindly do the needful", "at the earliest", and "please find enclosed herewith". Others are "the above-mentioned" and "this is to inform you that".
5. What three things should be checked before a letter is signed? The spelling of the recipient's name, the accuracy of every date and figure, and whether the enclosure named in the letter is actually attached.
The rest of this subject
These notes are cut from the University's printed syllabus. Open the syllabus itself, or the past papers, for the same subject.