Formal Letter Template

How to Use the Formal Letter Template

1. 1. Choose the format and purpose. Pick US full block, US modified block, or UK block. The purpose only changes the prompts in the empty paragraphs.
2. 2. Fill in the details. Add your name and address, the date, and the recipient's name, title, organization, and address. Say whether you know the recipient's name, because that decides the salutation and, in a UK letter, the sign-off.
3. 3. Write three short paragraphs. The opening says why you are writing, the middle gives the details, and the closing says what you want and thanks the reader. An optional subject line goes after the salutation.
4. 4. Check the layout, then copy, download, or print. Highlighted brackets mark anything still blank. Sign the printed letter by hand in the space above your typed name.

The Three Layouts Compared

In all three, the parts run in the same order: the sender's address, the date, the recipient's name and address, the salutation, an optional subject line, the body, the close, four lines of space for the signature, and your typed name. Enclosure and copy lines go last. Paragraphs are not indented, and a blank line separates them. In the UK layout, the traditional placement of the sender's address at the top right is optional; a left-aligned block is now standard.

Matching the Salutation and the Sign-Off

The UK rule is a pairing: when you address a person by name, the sign-off is Yours sincerely; when you do not, it is Yours faithfully. Only the first word is capitalized. US letters do not follow that rule: Sincerely works either way, and Respectfully, Best regards, and Yours truly are also in use. Wherever you can, find the name and write to a person. A letter to a named reader is better than any generic salutation.

Keeping It to One Page

• Open with the purpose. The first sentence says why you are writing: to ask, to apply, to complain, to thank.
• Give what the reader needs to act. Dates, reference numbers, deadlines, and the exact question or request belong in the middle paragraph.
• Say what you want. Close with the action you hope for, thank the reader, and say how to reach you.
• Aim for about 350 words or fewer in the body. Business letters usually fit on one page, and the tool warns you when the body runs longer.
• Use a real person's name, spelled correctly. Check it against the organization's own website before you send the letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is full block format?

A business-letter layout in which every line starts at the left margin: the addresses, date, salutation, body paragraphs, close, and signature. It is single-spaced with a blank line between parts and between paragraphs, and no paragraph is indented. It is the most common format in US business writing.

What is the difference between block and modified block format?

In full block everything is flush left. In modified block, the sender's address, the date, the complimentary close, and the signature start at the center of the page, while the recipient's address, salutation, and body stay at the left margin. Both are accepted for formal letters.

Is it Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully?

In a UK letter, use Yours sincerely when the salutation includes a name, as in Dear Ms Rivera, and Yours faithfully when it does not, as in Dear Sir or Madam. US letters typically close Sincerely whether or not the name is known.

How do I address a letter when I do not know the name?

First try to find it on the organization's website or by phone. If you cannot, use a role such as Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Admissions Committee, or Dear Sir or Madam. To Whom It May Concern is common in the US but can sound impersonal.

Where does the date go on a formal letter?

Below your address and above the recipient's address, with a blank line before and after it. In US modified block it starts at the center. In the US write March 12, 2026; in the UK write 12 March 2026, with no comma.

Should I use a colon or a comma after the salutation?

A colon is the US convention for business letters. A comma is common for personal ones, and for UK letters, where open punctuation drops the comma altogether. Tick the open-punctuation box on the UK format to remove the commas after the salutation and the close.

Does this tool write the letter for me?

No. It formats the details and paragraphs you type and shows a prompt where a paragraph is empty — honest templates, no AI. The content, the tone, and the proofreading are yours.