• Formal letters are official business letters.
• They are letters written to persons who hold official posts because of their official positions and not for personal reasons
• Unlike an informal letter, you may or may not know the person you are writing to

Steps Taken to Write a Formal Letter

• The sender’s address is put at the top right hand side. Include telephone number and email if available.
• The address of the person receiving the letter goes on the left hand side below the sender’s address
• When you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, you may start with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’
• If you begin with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, you end the letter with ‘Yours Faithfully’ and your full name
• If you know the name of the person you are sending the letter to you end the letter with ‘Yours Sincerely’ and your full name
• Remember to use capital letter, full stops, and commas
• Use paragraphs in your letter – at least three.