Display and Styles of letter writing

It is important that business letters should be impressive and effective in their presentation and for this we use different styles of writing letters. These styles of writing letters and those styles conform to the rules of Display, Spacing and Margin etc.

Style can be termed as “dress of thoughts" in a letter as it shapes the design or structure of the letter. Like a well dressed male or female, it attracts the attention of its reader. In other words, the manner or mode of dressing our thoughts in a business letter is called “Style" of letter writing. It can also be called as FORM OF LAYOUT of a letter.

Kinds of Letter-Styles

The different styles used for writing a letter may be broadly classified into the following:

(1) Indented: This id the traditional style of letter writing and in this style the lines are indented 5 to 10 spaces inside the left hand margin. The date and subscription are written on the right hand side towards the middle of the paper. The reference number is written on the left hand side. The subject heading is written towards the middle while the inside address is also indented. The letter becomes well balanced after all the setting of the matter. The writer of the letter should be careful about the full-stops, commas and other punctuation marks.

The main characteristics of INDENTED STYLE are as follows:

(a) A margin of about 1½" is adopted on both sides left and right of the paper.
(b) The paragraphs and inside address in the body of letter are indented 5 to 10 spaces inside. The first line of the inside address starts from the left hand margin and the rest of other lines are indented.
(c) The date and subscription are written on right hand side of paper.
(d) All the paragraphs in a letter are separated by double line spacing.
(e) The first line of each paragraph is indented and the rest of the lines are blocked on the left hand margin.


Advantages and Disadvantages of Indented Style


The advantages of indented style of letter writing are as follows:

(1) The letter has balance appearance as the entire matter is balance on both sides (right and left hand side) of the paper.
(2) The letter has prominent and attractive display as punctuation rules are strictly followed.
(3) It can be used for business, personal and official use
(4) It has the traditional standard of letter writing.

The disadvantages of indented style of letter writing are as follows:

(1) It is time consuming as the time of typist or writer is wasted in indentation, margin and spacing etc.
(2) It is obsolete method of letter writing and is considered old fashioned in today's business world.

MODIFIED INDENTED STYLE is the new form of INDENTED STYLE and in this all things are like fully indented. The inside address is written as fully blocked and there is no indentation in the inside address while all the other things remain the same.

The specimen of letter written in fully indented is given below:

Specimen of a letter in Indented Form (Fully Indented)

X.Y.Z CO.LTD

Ref. No. ATCL/P/99/1102 20th June 2007

M/s Newcon Furnitures Ltd.
6/10, Kirti Nagar,
New Delhi -110015.

Dear Sirs,

Sub: Supply of Wooden chairs and tables

Please let us know whether you can supply us ten pair of wooden chairs and tables of the latest design. Please send your price-list with the descriptive leaflets showing features of your products.

We will be obliged if your sales executive can arrange for demonstration of the above items before we place a regular order with you
.
We shall appreciate your prompt reply.

Yours faithfully,
For X.Y.Z. Co. Ltd.


Manager


A Letter in Modified Indented Form

GOOD LIVING FURNISHINGS


Ref: No. AO/Purchase/07/897 20th June 2007
Messrs. Newcon Industries Ltd.
Pitambar House,
Andheri (West),
Mumbai,

Dear Sirs,

Sub: Supply of Home Furnishings and Accessories

Please let us know whether you can supply us twenty five pairs of beaded cushions and ten pairs of quilted bed covers of your latest design segment. Do quote your best possible prices and other terms?

As mentioned above all the above mentioned items are urgently required by us and we shall appreciate an early reply and information so that we can place an order with you.



Yours Faithfully,
For GOOD LIVING FURNISHINGS,


Partner


Note – The actual style of writing style starts from the reference number and date and may be printed in any style. The complete letter heading is not given in the above specimen letters.

(3) Fully Blocked: In this style every line starts from the left hand margin. The reference number, date, complimentary close of all letter are written or typed on the left hand margin and this style is called fully blocked. In this style the entire left hand margin is blocked by writing the matter on left hand side and there are no indentations inside the margin. This style is the most modern style of letter writing in business.



The main characteristics of FULLY BLOCKED STYLE can be described in the following points:

(a) Each and every part of the letter is written towards the left hand margin of the paper. Every line starts from the left hand margin.


(b) The full stops and commas (pattern of punctuation) are implied only where these are absolutely necessary to maintain the accuracy of the letter.



ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FULLY BLOCKED STYLE

FULLY BLOCKED STYLE is the modern use style of letter writing and its advantages are:

(1) This style reduces the time of typist or writer as there are no indentations and the typist does not have to use the tabular space (TAB key) of the typewriter again and again.


(2) The information is one sided so it can be glanced at once and it becomes easier to read letter. In modern times, it is the most preferred style of letter writing as less time is consumed in going through the contents of letter.

The disadvantages of FULL BLOCKED STYLE are as follows:

(1) The right hand side is blank as the letter is one sided heavy on the left hand side with all the matter. The letter does not give balanced look.


(2) The letter sometimes loses clarity due to use of open punctuations. There is possibility that sense may become ambiguous.












A Letter in Fully Blocked Style


Ref. No. ATC/ Admn/07/1256
20th April 2007

Messrs. Sunray Enterprises,
15, Raja Garden,
New Delhi-110027,

Dear Sirs,

We are one of the leading electronic dealers in Central Delhi zone and are situated in the prime location of Connaught Place, New Delhi. We wish to purchase a large quantity of TV sets, DVD players of latest brands and quality. Please send your catalogues with the price list of all displayed products.
Please give information about the discount you can offer if we place an order of more than 100 sets of TV and DVD players per month.

An early reply will be appreciated.

Yours Faithfully,
For Youngman Enterprises


Managing Partner


If there is any subject heading then it will be written from the left hand margin in the FULLY BLOCKED STYLE of letter writing.

(3) Semi-Blocked: In this style of letter writing there are neither too many indentations nor the matters blocked on the left hand margin of the paper. The inside address and paragraph commence on the left hand side and the date and subscription or complimentary close are written on the right hand side. So the letter is neither one sided heavy or fully blocked nor fully-indented so it is called SEMI-BLOCKED.

The main characteristics of SEMI BLOCKED STYLE are as follows:

(1) The reference number, inside address, salutations, subject-heading and all paragraphs of letter commence from the left-hand margin, similar to fully blocked style.


(2) The date and subscription are written or typed on the right hand side of the paper.
(3) Like in fully blocked letter, the open pattern of punctuations (meaning not using full stops and commas strictly) is used in this style of letter writing.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SEMI-BLOCKED STYLE


(1) The letter wears an attractive look because of unbroken left hand margin.


(2) The letter also wears a balanced look as some information is written on left hand side and some information is written on right hand side of the paper.


(3) The semi-blocked style is combination of traditional and modern style of letter writing so it can be termed as moderate.

The only big disadvantage the style has that it is a strong departure from the traditional indented style of letter-writing.


A Letter in Semi-Blocked Style

COMPACT STATIONARY PRODUCTS

2549 Karol Bagh,
New Delhi
29TH September 2006
Ref. No. CS/Purchase/06/2154

Messrs. Sunrise Enterprises
3/27, Pedders Road,
Kandivali,
Mumbai

Dear Sirs,

Sub: Supply of Computer Peripherals

Please let us know whether you can supply us computer stationary products in bulk quantities for our office use. Please send your catalogue with the price list and other terms and conditions for the purchase of the products.
We have urgent requirements for the computer stationary products; we shall appreciate an early reply from you.



Yours Faithfully,
For Compact Stationary Products



Proprietor


(4) Hanging Paragraph – In this style of letter writing, the paragraphs are displayed in such a way that they appear to be hanging on a peg. In this style, the first line of paragraph is fully blocked and the remaining lines are continuously indented 5 to 7 spaces inside the left hand margins. It is just reverse to the Indented style of letter writing because in this style the first line is not indented and the remaining lines are indented. On the other hand in Indented style the first line is indented and the remaining lines are not indented. The hanging paragraph style of letter writing is more apt and suitable where there are many topics or subjects in a letter.

The main characteristics of HANGING PARAGRAPH are as follows:

(1) The reference number is written or typed on the left hand side and the date is typed or written towards the right middle of the paper, below the letter heading. The inside address is in fully blocked form.


(2) The first few words of each paragraph are typed or written from the left hand margin, similar to fully blocked style. The remaining lines of paragraph are indented 5 to 7 spaces inside.


(3) The complimentary close or subscription is written or typed in the normal position on right hand side towards the middle and is indented.

The style is used rarely and is preferred for letter containing many topics or paragraphs. The disadvantage of this style is that it is time consuming due to many indentations. Secondly the appearance of the letter is not attractive as compared to letters written in other styles.









A Letter with Hanging Paragraph Style

Glamour Fashions

202, Rajouri Garden,
New Delhi – 110027


25th January 2007
Ref. No. GF/Purchase/07/3567

Messrs. Raj Enterprises
78/34 New Rohtak Road,
New Delhi

Dear Sirs,

Sub: Supply of Fashion Apparels

Please let us know if you can supply us with new designs of men's fashion accessories and women's new range of fashion apparels. We wish to view your new brand of clothing with catalogue and price list.

Please let us know if you can supply us in dozens of each item within week time with your best possible price.

We shall feel obliged if your sales executive can arrange a demonstration of the requested items before we place a regular order to your esteemed organization.

In case we find your prices and products satisfactory, we may place all our future bulk order to your company.

We shall appreciate an early and positive reply from you.


Yours Faithfully,
For Glamour Fashions


Partner

(4) Noma-Simplified or Memorandum – This style of letter writing is implied in inter office correspondence or internal written communication in offices. In this style there is no salutation, no subscription as in business letters and the matter is written directly in a simplified manner. In writing or typing the body of a letter, fully blocked style is generally used.

The main characteristics of MEMORANDUM style of writing can be described as:

(1) The formal salutation “Dear Sir", “Dear Sirs, “Sir" etc and the complimentary close like “Yours faithfully" or “Yours truly" etc are not used.


(2) The subject heading of the letter is written or typed in fully blocked style.


(3) In this style, the body of a letter is generally typed or written with fully blocked style of letter writing by starting every line from the left hand margin. The usual spacing of double line is left between the paragraphs.


(4) The sender's name and address are typed or written towards the right hand side at the end of the letter in bold capital letters and the typist's initials are written at the left hand bottom corner. The typist's initial are written for record purposes and for establishing as to who had typed the letter.

The advantages of MEMORANDUM style of letter writing can be described as:

(1) This style saves the typist's time as no salutation or complimentary close are typed or written and there are few indentations.


(2) This is the most simplified style of letter writing as the writer writes in a straight forward manner.

There are few disadvantages of this style and they can be described as:

(1) This is the most blunt and impersonal style of letter writing.


(2) This style is far away from traditional and conventional manner of letter writing so it is used prominently in internal correspondence in offices.










A Letter in Noma-Simplified Style

COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES
(5, Pusa Road, New Delhi)

Ref. No. CE/Admn/99/8976 26th June 1999

The Branch Manager,
Janak Puri Branch,
New Delhi.

Sub: Supply of Electronics and Electricals Goods

This is to inform you that we have made inquires from M/s Weston Electronics Pvt Ltd in respect of supply of TV sets, DVD players, electric iron and geysers and are placing an order with them.
As son as we receive the same, we shall be supplying the required number of the desired items.

Managing Director