How to Start and End a Formal Letter: A Simple Guide

In today’s growing technological society, business professional interactions require appropriate oral and written communication than ever especially for the learners moving to the workplace. Whether writing to a university or applying for an internship, or even writing to a professor, there are rules guiding how to start and end the letter. But let’s be real—most people don’t learn this stuff in school anymore.

In this blog post, you will learn how to type the first and last lines of a formal letter properly, know the correct formal greeting and formality of a formal letter closing, and learn some useful tips on letter writing. Welcome to improve your communication skills with ease.

What is a Formal Letter?​

A formal letter is a kind of business writing that is used for business issues or to conduct some official business or transaction. Unlike casual communications and emails, it has a style, structure, and protocol that provide order and professionalism to the context. Writing formal letters is something that customers encounter many times in their lives these days in the course of securing internships or a job, for an official request for records from schools, universities, or companies, lodging complaints, or making complaints to the management of a university, applying for information or assistance from companies and organizations among others. These include the sender’s and the recipient’s addresses, the salutation part, the message’s body, and the polite closing. The goal here is to be diplomatic and at the same time informative and to also look rather professional.

How to Start a Formal Letter the Right Way

It’s important to get the foundations set when embarking on any project or journey. First impressions are important in any interaction, and the opening lines of your letter leave your first lasting impression, so they must be done properly.

Step 1 – Use Basic Letter Writing Format

Here is a simple plan with guidelines you should follow:

Section	What to Include
Your Address	Top-right or top-left (no need for email in print)
Date	Beneath your address
Recipient’s Details	Name, position, company, and address
Subject Line (Optional)	One-line summary of your purpose

Step 2 – Choose the Right Formal Letter Greeting

The greeting, which is also commonly referred to as the salutation, must be polite and appropriately addressed especially for a formal letter. The proper name of the recipient must also be named, which may include title and surname when it is applicable such as ‘Dear Mr. Smith’ or ‘Dear Dr. Taylor’. In case you do not know the name of the recipient, it is fine to start with a simple yet polite salutation such as “Dear Sir/Madam.” If all else fails and you do not know the specific person’s name within an organization, one can use the term “To Whom It May Concern,” although it is unsuitable and should not be used. Informal greetings like “hello” or “hi” are deemed unfit for formal letters, and letters should not be greeted with them.

Crafting a Powerful Opening Paragraph

When you have mastered the method of how to address the correct format and salutation of the first paragraph of a formal letter is another significant step. However, make sure that the aim is written concisely without being too explanatory.

Examples of Effective Opening Lines:

For instance, using the example ‘I am writing to you regarding the summer internship position that you recently posted on your website.’

“Please could I request my academic records so that I can use them to apply for the course I desire?”

“The following writing may be considered a formal complaint that records a continued incident that I had reported in the last month.”

Your goal is clarity. It is also advisable to use professional vocabulary and not employ informal expressions or, even worse, significant abbreviations.

Main Body – Structure Matters

Keep the content organized. The ideas should be stated clearly in respective paragraphs and flow from one idea to the next. If there are any lists, dates and or actions, they should be best presented by bulleting them. But don’t get carried away—long paragraphs are important to ensure the letter communicates the formality needed.

Writing a formal letter’s closing paragraph

As much as the beginning message of a formal letter determines the behavior, so does the closing message of a formal letter. The closer you say everything that should be said and the manner in which it is said mirrors the farewell, professionalism and overall courtesy.

What to Include in the Closing Paragraph

The last paragraph of any type of letter must restate the purpose of writing the letter and should be positive. Thus, the reader does not remain confused at the end and, therefore, has a good impression of the author. You may also include a request for a further encounter, in the form of a meeting, among other things.

Example:

It is with great respect that I take my time to write to you detailing my request for registration as a group one student in this Institution. I would like to elaborate more about my qualifications occasionally and I would like to express my readiness to discuss it with you.”

Choosing the Right Formal Letter Closing

The proper conclusion is to choose an appropriate closing phrase to preserve the respect between the participants. The closing should correspond to the level of formality of the given letter as well as the level of intimacy between the sender and the addressee.

Closing Phrase	When to Use
Yours sincerely	When you know the recipient’s name
Yours faithfully	When the recipient’s name is unknown
Kind regards	Neutral and polite; suitable for most formal contexts
Best regards	Slightly informal but still professional

FAQs

Conclusion

It is important in academic writing to know how to begin a formal letter and how to end one. In every suitable writing choice from a proper letter salutation to the proper letter closing, the littlest of things count. Using the tips below as well as the given examples, you are set to write clear, confident, and professional letters.

Still unsure? Save this guide for your next assignment, internship application, or official request — it’s something you’ll want to learn!