What kind of Letter Styles or Letter Formats are used in business Writing

A letter style is the way of arranging all the basic letter parts. Sometimes a company adopts a certain style; sometimes the individual letter writer is allowed to choose the most appropriate style. Because letter is usually arranged in one of the letter style described briefly below.

Full Block Style

Each letter part begins at the left margin. Paragraphs are always blocked.

This letter style is more efficient than the semi block or the modified block because no extra time is required for paragraph indentations. Many writers believe that the full block style provides an attractive business like appearance.

Modified Block Style:

Same as block Style, except that the date (or the return address and date), complimentary close, and signature block start near the center of the page, Attention and subject lines may be indented, centered or begin at the left margin. In this style paragraphs are not indented.

The most common style for intercultural business letter are the block style and modified block style.

Modified Block style with indented paragraphs or Semi Block Style

The semi block style is similar to the modified block style with one exception; the first sentence of each paragraph is indented

This letter style is considered somewhat conservative. It is used much less than I was number of years ago.

AMS (Administrative Management Society) Simplified style.

The AMS simplified format is full block, but it omits the salutation and complimentary close, using instead a subject line in capital letter without using the word subject.  An extra line space ( a triple space ) precedes and follows the subject line. It is often used when the gender or marital status of the female receiver is unknown

The simplified letter has certain disadvantages, at least in the opinion of some office managers and business writers. They do not wish to give up the usual conventional salutation and complimentary close. They say that because these letters parts have been used so routinely for many years, readers expect them

The advantages of the simplified style are as follows.

• 1.       It is easy for the typist because all lines begin at the left margin.
• 2.       It is economical because salutations and complimentary closes – which convey little or no message are eliminated.
• 3.       It avoids the risk of selecting a salutation that the reader would consider appropriate.
• 4.       It makes the subject easy to identify.

It is popular in all over the world but limited in few departments.