letter writing

LETTER WRITINGBy:

Zainab, Saadia Aslam Iqra Almas, Mehwish,

Shahid MurtazaMPhil session 2013-2015

Presented to: Miss Lubna Zahid

What is letter???

“A written or printed communication directed to a person or organization.”

Sample Format:

Before writing a letter

Examine the tone of the letter to which you are going to respond.

Identify your audience and purpose in order to determine the type of letter you will write (formal or informal).

Analyze your reader: Who is your reader? Will my reader be favorable or unfavorably

disposed to what I am going to say? What impression do I want my letter to make

on reader?

Letter Mechanics

Pronoun The use of personal pronouns is important in letters . . . I, he, she, it, we, they, you

In a letter, do not refer to yourself in the third person by using “the writer”.

It is perfectly natural and appropriate to refer to yourself as I and to the reader as you.

Letter Mechanics

Focus and Specificity

Be Focused. Write concise and purposeful letter Do not write confused, overlong letter. Do not be rude. Do not try to impress with your writing. i.e.

Please, very very very thank you

1. Informal Letters:

These are the letters which keep us

in touch with family and friends.

These are usually chatty and informal.

When we need to communicate

a lot of information When we want to communicate

something that is difficult to say

Face to face To mark some special occasion.

2. Formal letters:

Formal letters are letters to people whom we don’t know on personal level.

To find out information To apply for a job To make a complaint

3. Semi-formal letters:

We write semi-formal letters to people that we do not know very well. Compare some expressions of informal and semi-formal letters:

Informal: I'm sorry, but I can't come on Friday night. Semi-formal: I'm afraid I won't be able to come on

Friday in the evening.

  Informal: I didn't like the food. Semi-formal: I was dissatisfied with the food.

Letters format

Full Block StyleModified Block Style

Semi Block Style

Things to remember while writing letter

Decide how formal your letter needs to be:

How you write the letter will depend on your relationship with the recipient. If you're writing to anyone with whom you hope to have a

professional relationship, the letter should be formal. If you're writing someone you know very well, the letter

should probably be informal.

Decide whether you'll send a handwritten letter or typed.

The way you choose to send your letter also indicates a degree of formality. Most formal letters should be typed and sent

through the post. For informal letters, an email or handwritten letter

is acceptable.

Start with a salutation

The salutation you use will depend on your relationship with the recipient of the letter, as well as the formality of the letter.

Start the letter

If you're writing a personal letter, start by asking after the recipient's well-being. This can be "I hope you are well" or "How's it going?".

If you're writing a business or other formal letter, get straight to the point.

Proofread your letter.

Before you send the letter, read over it a few times to make sure it conveys what you wanted to say, and that it's free of spelling or grammatical errors.

Use a complimentary close. 

A complimentary close ends your letter on a good note. Make two hard returns after the last paragraph of the letter, then write the complimentary close.

"Sincerely yours," "Kindest regards," "Best wishes."

Two main categories of Letter:

Personal Letters:A type of letter (or informal composition) that usually concerns personal matters, rather than professional concerns and is sent from one individual to another.

Business Letters: A letter written in formal language, usually used when writing from one business organization to another.

Personal Letter:

It is a kind of letter that we write to our:

Parents Close relatives Close friends

Purpose

Friendly letters convey personal information about ourselves.

They show caring and concern for friends and relations.

Taking the time to hand-write a letter demonstrates our level of caring

Parts of an Personal (Informal) letter

1. My Address

2. Date

3. Greeting

4. Introduction

5. Explanation

6. Close

7. My name

First write your address over here on the right hand side.

Your Primary School,

Your Street,

Your town,

Your County

Postcode

Informal or Personal letter

(Modern)

Now the date

Then drop down one line and write Dear

by the left hand margin.

June 22, 2014

That’s over here! Dear

First write your address over here on the right hand side.

Your Primary School,

Your Street,

Your town,

Your County

Postcode

Informal or Personal letter

(Traditional)

Now the date

Then drop down one line and write Dear

by the left hand margin.

June 22, 2014

That’s over here! Dear

With a sloping margin

Personal Letter

ExampleWrite a letter to your friend Mona telling her about your visit to Countryside.

Dear Mona,

This summer was great. I traveled to Countryside with my family. First, let me tell you about my flight..................................

The first day was wonderful. We went to lots of interesting places. For example,……………….

So as you can see, I really enjoyed my visit to Countryside and I ……………………

I will write again soon.

Best wishes,

………………

Po box 999,Karachi,Pakistan.

18-5-2014

How to Write a Cover Letter

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a letter sent alongside your resume to introduce yourself, explain why you are sending in your resume, and provide more information about yourself.  they are a chance to make a case, to cover everything we can’t express in our resumes 

10 things to remember when writing a covering letter

A good covering email will make your CV stand out from the countless others that pass across an employer's desk. Here are 10 ways to ensure yours makes an impact:

1. Address the contact mentioned in the job advert and quote the reference

2. Outline your current job situation and why you want to move on - don’t be negative

3. Talk about the company to show you’ve done your research

4. State why you are interested in them as an employer

5. Tell them why they should be interested in you as an employee

10 things to remember when writing a covering letter

6. Tailor information to the job and avoid repetition

7. Highlight your transferable skills, achievements and versatility

8. Tailor your information but don’t slavishly match the job description

9. Make sure it’s neat, brief and has no typos

10. End by politely expressing interest in further dialogue

Proofread, proofread, proofread!

You Should Include…

Your address and the date the letter was written

The name and address of the person to whom the letter is being sent

A salutation (Dear ____:) The body of the letter A complimentary close and signature A title of respect, such as Dr., Mr., or

Ms. A return address and zip code Can also include reference initials,

enclosure notifications (such as your resume), copy and postscript

You Should not Include…

including the wrong information can hurt, rather than help, your application for employment.

Mentioning salary requirements in the cover letter, without it being requested . not good. What if the employer wanted to offer more? Or less?

When applying for a temporary job post, some candidates think it's OK to let the employer know the job would be perfect for them, because they are looking anyways! 

Next to Nothing (too short)

"Here's my resume. Call me. [Phone number].“

Criticism of a Prospective Employer

You Should not Include…

Personal Stories  Awkward Language  Someone Else's Words   Irrelevant Experience Arrogance  Wrong Company Name/Wrong

Cover Letter Cultural Preferences Jokes

The Body of the Letter First paragraph –  This

is where you will mention the job for which you're applying and how you found the job listing. It only needs to be 1 to 2 sentences in length.

Your street addressYour city, state, zip code

Month, Day, Year

Mr./Ms./Dr. NameTitleName of company/organizationCompany addressCity, State, Zip code

Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name:

Paragraph 1: Answers “Why am I writing?” · Identify the position and the company· Indicate how you learned about the position· Request the employer’s consideration· Introduce basic information about yourself

Paragraph 2: Answers “Who am I, and why should you hire me?”· Contain a brief summary of your personal data and work experience.· Relate your skills, experiences, and qualities that would benefit you in this

position

Paragraph 3: Answers “What is my next step?”· Refer the reader to your enclosed resume· Reiterate your interest in the position· Specify how you will follow up

Sincerely,Your signature

Your nameTelephone numberEmail address

Body paragraph – Most cover letters will only have 1 or 2 body paragraphs. You don't want to overwhelm the hiring manager or use up a great deal of his or her time. Try to answer the following questions in your body paragraphs: Why am I a qualified candidate for this position?

What work experience do I have that fits the job requirements in the company's listing?

Why do I want to work for this company specifically?

Final paragraph –  This will be where you wrap up and discuss how you will proceed with the application. Consider including the following:Reiterate in one sentence why you feel you're a perfect fit for the position.

Discuss what you'll do next. If you plan on following up with the hiring manager in a week or two, include a specific date. Otherwise, just say that you look forward to interviewing for the position and discussing your qualifications further.

Provide your contact information. Include your email address and your phone number so the hiring manager can get in touch with you.

Mention that your resume or references are attached (if applicable). Thank the person for their time

End your cover letter with a respectful closing statement. "Best" or "Sincerely" are both classic options. Also, since you won't be able to sign your email, finish the letter by typing your full name.

Email Cover Letter

THE BUSINESS LETTER

What is a Business Letter?

A business letter is a letter written in formal language writing from one business

organization to another, for correspondence between such

organizations and their customers, clients and other external parties.

Purpose

serve as a reference for the future. . Provide information regarding

business activities Business letter in the form of

circular letter- many people can read message within one time

Establishment of relationship Solve misunderstandings

Types of Business Letters

Types

Inquiry letter

Letter of Thanking

Letter of Complaint

Response to a Letter

of Complaint

Letter of Request

Response to a Letter of Request

Questions……..