REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA
MINISTERIO DEL PODER POPULAR PARA LA EDUCACIÓN
UNIVERSITARIA CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGÍA
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL EXPERIMENTAL DE LA GRAN CARACAS,
NÚCLEO ALTAGRACIA
PNF INFORMÁTICA
SECCIÓN I10211-C1
INGLÉS I
TRAYECTO 1
“FORMAL LETTER”
Teacher: Student:
Alberto José Pérez Linares M., Julieth G.
C.I.: V-30.726.353
June, 2022
Structure of a Formal Letter
Both formal letters are based on a specific structure. A good letter should consist of:
1. An appropriate greeting (Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Kathy, Dear Mr Brown).
2. An introduction clearly stating the reason you are writing.
3. A main body in which the subject is developed. Begin a new paragraph for each
main point.
4. A final paragraph in which you sum up the topic or express your wish for
something to be done.
5. An appropriate ending (Yours/Best wishes, + first name, Yours sincerely, Yours
faithfully, + full name).
There is a standard way to structure a formal letter that needs to be followed. This can be
broken down into three sections:
Addresses and date
The address and date should always be at the top of your letter. This makes it easy for the
person who receives your letter to know who it was from, when it was sent and how to get back
in touch with you.
They should be laid out in this way:
Your full name should be on the first line.
Your full address, including postcode, should be underneath this (using separate lines for
each new line of your address).
Your email address should then be immediately underneath this.
The date (writing the month and year in full) should immediately follow beneath this.
They should be in the top-right corner of the page, aligned to the right.
Beginning and ending your letter
Beginning. Most formal letters will start with ‘Dear’ before the name of the person that you
are writing to. You can choose to use first name and surname, or title and surname. However, if
you don't know the name of the person you are writing to, you must use ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’.
Whichever way you begin your letter, it must be followed with a comma.
Your opening sentence, which needs to be on a new line, should then clearly state why you are
writing the letter - get to the point straight away.
Ending. How you sign off will depend on how you started your letter. Here are the rules you
must follow:
If you used someone’s name at the start, end with ‘Yours sincerely,’
If you used ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ instead, end with ‘Yours faithfully,’
Again, whichever way you need to end your letter, it must be followed with a comma.
Paragraphing
The main part of your letter must be divided into paragraphs. Make sure that each new point
you make is given a separate paragraph (bearing in mind that each point is likely to include
several sentences). Ensure you remain firmly focused on the overall purpose of your writing.
Style in Formal Letters
The characteristic of formal style in letters are:
The greeting (Dear Mrs Lee, Dear Sir,)
Frequent use of the passive
Formal language (complex sentences, non-colloquial English)
No abbreviated forms
The ending (Yours sincerely, / Yours faithfully,)
Formal letter to request a new office computer
Julieth Linares
Av. Sur 5, Puente Hierro
Caracas
1020
juliethlinares36@gmail.com
15 th June 2022
Alexander Pascal
XEROX Company
Technical Support Manager
Bello Monte
Caracas
1050
Dear Mr. Pascal,
This letter is to request a new computer for my office work, a computer that can be purchased
by you as a company. The office computer used by me is already very outdated. There are a lot of
new features available today that I cannot use, based on what I researched. I am right, am I not?
Also, the time it takes to access websites and documents is so long that it makes my work
much more difficult and a waste of time.
I think I could produce much faster and better formatted letters and newsletters if I had the
latest technology. I think the documents would look more professional and send a better image of
the company. I am not wrong, am I?
A new computer with new useful applications will make my work easier and faster, and the
results will be much better. For example, video conferences with my current computer are almost
impossible.
It is slow and often the sound is not clear. Please approve and arrange for a new computer
purchase as soon as possible, so you can start being more productive.
I think HP Pavilion, Windows 10 with an Intel Core i7-5420 CPU, 10GB RAM, 2TB, HD
Video Capture would give me what I need.
Your prompt action in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Julieth Linares
Questions about the formal letter
1. What brand and model of computer is requested?
An HP Pavilion, Windows 10 with an Intel Core i7-5420 CPU, 10GB RAM, 2TB.
2. Why is a new office computer ordered?
Because the current office computer is very old, and there are many functions available
that cannot be used.
3. What would be the advantages of a new office computer for the XEROX company?
The advantages would be to produce much faster letters and newsletters with better
formatting.
4. Who is the letter addressed to?
The letter is addressed to Alexander Pascal, Technical Support Manager of the
XEROX Company.
5. Why can't video conferences be held with the computer?
Because the computer is slow and the sound is not clear.
Bibliography
BBC Bitesize. (n.d.). How to write a formal letter. Retrieved from BBC Bitesize:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zv7fqp3/articles/zkq8hbk#znyjwnb4
Varonas Institute. (n.d.). How to write a Formal Letter: Structure, Format, Expressions & Examples.
Madrid. Retrieved from: https://varonasinstitute.com/blog/how-to-write-a-formal-letter-structure-
format-expressions-examples/
