Section B Format of a Business letter
Full block form and modified block form with indented paragraphs are the two main patterns of layout in current use.
The former is now the most popular practice of displaying business letters.
Its remarkable feature is that all typing lines, including those for the date,
Inside name and address, salutation, subject heading, each message paragraph and complimentary close, begin at the left-hand margin.
Business letters with the full block form, along with open punctuation or mixed punctuations, re paragraphed by equal line spaces.
For this letter-style the open punctuation pattern is used, the end of the date line, the inside address lines, the salutation, the complimentary close and the signature block lines are unpunctuated, but a comma is necessary between the day and year in the date line and the full stop is retained after the abbreviation such as company, Inc. and Ltd.
While the mixed punctuation pattern, the most welcomed style today, requires an absence of punctuation marks from the date line, the inside address lines and the signature block lines except a colon or comma after the salutation and the complimentary close.
Modified block form with indented paragraphs indented style is the traditional British practice with the heading usually in the middle and the date on the right-hand side.
The complimentary close may be in the center or commence at the center point. The mixed punctuation is often used.
CHINA NATIONAL IMP. & EXP> CORP>
Add: 6, JIANGGUAODAJIE, BEIJING , CHINA
Tel: (86-10) 67483650
Fax: (86-10) 67483651
4 February 1998
Resunic Trade Links
Regd Office Thriuvamkulam Cochin 678201
Kerata India
Dear sirs
EXORTING/IMPORTING ITEMSOF OUR CORP
We now have pleasure in receiving your letter dated 23th
May 1997
Yours sincerely
J. K. DRAW
P