Key takeaways
Every letter has the same bones: your address, the date, the recipient, a greeting, the body, a closing and your signature. A formal letter uses all of them. A personal letter can drop some.
Match the greeting and closing to the relationship: "Dear Ms. Alvarez" and "Sincerely" for formal, "Dear Maria" and "Warmly" for personal.
To address an envelope in the US, put your return address in the top left, the stamp in the top right and the delivery address in the bottom center, in neat capitals without commas or periods, according to the USPS.
Keep the body to a clear purpose, short paragraphs and a specific closing line that says what happens next.
In an age of email and chat, a letter still carries weight. A formal letter shows care in a job application, a complaint or a request. A personal letter says someone was worth sitting down for.
Most people forget the layout rules between letters, and that is the whole difficulty. This guide gives you a clear format for formal and personal letters, advice on how to open, address and end them, a sign-off table, two complete examples and a guide to addressing the envelope. It focuses on US conventions and notes where UK practice differs.
The Parts of a Letter
| Part | What it is | Formal | Personal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sender's address | Your street address, city, state and ZIP | Yes, top | Optional |
| Date | Month, day and year | Yes | Yes |
| Recipient's name and address | Who it is for | Yes | Usually only on the envelope |
| Subject line (optional) | A short topic line | Often | No |
| Salutation | "Dear ..." | Yes | Yes |
| Body | The message, in short paragraphs | Yes | Yes |
| Closing | "Sincerely," "Best regards," | Yes | Yes |
| Signature | Handwritten, then typed name | Yes | Handwritten |
| Enclosures (if any) | "Enclosure: resume" | If needed | Rarely |
How to Write a Formal Letter, Step by Step
- Put your address at the top, then the date, then the recipient's name, title and address, each on its own line.
- Use a clear salutation. "Dear Dr. Okafor:" or "Dear Ms. Alvarez," with a name if you can find it. If you cannot, use a title such as "Dear Hiring Manager."
- Open with the purpose in the first sentence: "I am writing to request..." or "I am writing to apply for..."
- Write the body in two to four short paragraphs: the details, then any supporting facts, then what you want.
- End with a next step: "I would be grateful for a reply by 15 March." or "Please contact me at the number above."
- Close politely with "Sincerely," or "Best regards," then leave space to sign.
- Sign by hand, then type your name beneath.
- Proofread and keep a copy.
Formal letter example (block format)
Maya Chen
142 Elm Street
Madison, WI 53703
March 4, 2027
Mr. Aaron Mills
Customer Relations Manager
Brightloop Software
800 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
Dear Mr. Mills:
I am writing to request a refund for my annual subscription, which I purchased on January 12 and have not been able to use because of a repeated login error.
I contacted support twice, on January 20 and February 3, and was told the issue would be fixed within a week. It has not been. I have attached my receipt and a screenshot of the error.
I would appreciate a full refund to my original payment method. Please let me know by March 18 if you need anything further from me.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Maya Chen
Enclosures: receipt, screenshot
All names and details here are invented. In block format, every line starts at the left margin and paragraphs are separated by a blank line.
How to Write a Personal Letter
A personal letter is looser, but a few habits make it better.
- Date it. A date in the top right or left makes it a keepsake.
- Greet warmly: "Dear Maria," or "Hi Maria,"
- Start with something personal, such as a thank-you, a memory or a question about them.
- Share news and stories the way you would talk, with specific details.
- Ask something, so the letter invites a reply.
- Close warmly, then sign your name.
Personal letter example
March 4, 2027
Dear Maria,
Thank you for the postcard from Lisbon. It is now pinned above my desk, and every time I look at it I want to be there with you.
Things here are busy but good. The garden is finally waking up, and I planted tomatoes yesterday. I will send a photo of the first one, if the squirrels let it live.
How is the new apartment? Tell me everything, especially about the neighbor with the parrot.
Write soon.
With love,
Maya
How to Start a Letter
Start with the right greeting for the relationship.
| Situation | Greeting |
|---|---|
| Formal, you know the name | Dear Ms. Alvarez: / Dear Dr. Okafor, |
| Formal, name unknown | Dear Hiring Manager, / Dear Customer Service Team, |
| Business, friendly | Dear Maria, |
| Personal | Dear Maria, / Hi Maria, / Dearest Maria, |
| A group | Dear Neighbors, / Dear Members, |
Avoid "To whom it may concern" if you can find a name, and avoid "Dear Sir or Madam," which assumes the recipient's gender. For more on greetings, see our guide to how to start an email, which uses the same decision tree.
How to End a Letter
The closing should match the tone, and it comes right before your signature, followed by a comma.
| Tone | Closings |
|---|---|
| Formal | Sincerely, Respectfully, Yours truly, |
| Professional | Best regards, Kind regards, Regards, |
| Friendly business | Best, Thank you, With thanks, |
| Warm | Warmly, With appreciation, All the best, |
| Personal | Love, With love, Yours, Take care, |
Before the closing, add a line that says what you hope will happen: "I look forward to hearing from you," or "Thank you for considering my request." For more options with examples by situation, see our guide to email sign offs, most of which work in letters too.
A note on US and UK conventions. In British English, a letter that begins "Dear Sir or Madam" traditionally ends "Yours faithfully," and one that begins with a name ("Dear Mr. Patel") ends "Yours sincerely." This pairing is much less common in US letters, where "Sincerely" is the usual formal closing for either.
How to Address an Envelope
According to the US Postal Service's guidance on mailing a letter:
- Return address: write your address in the top left corner.
- Delivery address: write the recipient's address in the bottom center of the envelope.
- Stamp: place the postage in the upper right corner.
- Style: print neatly in capital letters, use a pen or permanent marker, and leave out commas and periods.
- ZIP Code: include the ZIP+4 Code whenever possible.
Each address goes on separate lines:
MAYA CHEN
142 ELM ST
MADISON WI 53703-1234
MR AARON MILLS
BRIGHTLOOP SOFTWARE
800 CONGRESS AVE
AUSTIN TX 78701-5678
The ZIP codes above are made up for illustration. See the USPS page on sending a letter for the current instructions and illustrations. Addressing rules for other countries differ, so check the destination's postal service for international mail.
Formal, Business and Personal Letters Compared
| Formal or business | Personal | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Request, complaint, application, notice | Connection, thanks, news |
| Layout | Full block format with addresses | Looser, with a date and greeting |
| Tone | Polite, direct | Warm, conversational |
| Length | One page | Any length |
| Closing | Sincerely, Best regards | Love, Warmly, Take care |
| Signature | Handwritten and typed | Handwritten |
Tips for Better Letters
- State your purpose in the first sentence of a formal letter.
- Be specific. Dates, amounts and names beat vague statements.
- Keep it short. A formal letter should rarely run over one page.
- Use plain words. Avoid "Please be advised that" and similar stiffness.
- Check names and titles. Misspelling a name loses goodwill fast.
- Keep a copy, especially of letters that request or complain.
- Sign it. A handwritten signature adds care.
- Proofread aloud.
Common Mistakes
- No clear purpose.
- Too long, or too many topics in one letter.
- The wrong tone, such as being casual with a stranger or stiff with a friend.
- Missing date or contact details in a formal letter.
- A weak closing with no next step.
- Forgetting the signature.
- Sending a template without changing the details.
Get Help Writing Yours
If you are not sure how to word a letter, the free email generator can draft the body from a few details, and it works well for formal letters too. The cover letter generator and resignation letter generator cover two of the most common formal letters. They are free to use. Edit any draft so the details are right and the voice is yours. Our email writing page and cover letter writing page show how people use Writingful for letters.
What This Guide Cannot Do
Letter conventions vary by country, industry and organization, and this guide describes common US practice. Some employers, schools and courts require specific formats, and some contexts, such as legal notices, have their own rules about delivery and wording. If a letter has legal consequences, such as a dispute or a notice, consider getting advice before you send it.
