Parts of a Letter A letter consists of the following parts:
1. Sender’s Name and Address. It includes the writer’s address. It is written at the top on the left hand corner of the page. If the address consists of several parts, each part is given a separate line as follows: 125, Punjabi Basti Anand Parvat New Delhi
2. Date. While writing the date, note that the day is written in figures, month in words and year in full figures. The year is preceded by a comma, when the date is written before it. The date should be written as follows: 12 April 20XX
3. Receiver’s Address/The Inside Address. The official letters are not addressed to the individual but to his/her official capacity; as, The Editor The Times of India Bahadurshah Zafar Marg New Delhi–1100XX
4. Subject. It is a must in official letters. It must be as brief as possible, maximum
three or four words. It must be the pivot on the body of the letter.
5. Salutation. It is the complimentary little greetings to the person to whom the
letter is addressed. It is a formal way of beginning a letter. The form of greeting or salutation depends on the relation and degree of intimacy between the writer and the addressee in personal letters. But in official letters ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Madam’ is used mostly. Note. If the person, who will read the letter, is known to you, you can address him by name: as Dear Mr. Gupta.The appropriate title, Mr, Mrs, or Miss, is to be placed before the name.
6. Body of the Letter. This is the main part of the letter. It consists of three parts: an introduction which gives the reason for the letter, the message which includes the main information and a conclusion, which is always expressed politely or gives suggestions about the problems expressed. It should be well arranged and divided suitably into separate paragraphs unless it is very short. Be brief, courteous and to the point.
7. The Subscription (or the complimentary close). The most common form in business letters is ‘Yours faithfully’. If you have used a personal name in the salutation, the subscription should be ‘Yours sincerely’
8. Signature. The formal letters require your full signature. Below the signature, the name of the person and the position are mentioned. Note. Do not use any punctuation mark after the signature.
LETTER OF COMPLAINT Letters of complaint are written when you have a problem with a product or a thing. The tone of this letter has to be very polite. Take care of the following things while writing these letters. • Describe what is wrong with the product or describe the issues/problems. Give the date of purchase and place of purchase, if applicable. • Explain how you would like to resolve the problem. • Explain that you look forward to receiving a reply with a resolution. Set a date or time limit in which to receive the reply. Format:
SENDER'S Address Date
The Manager ( RECEIVER'S ADD )
Name of Company/Agency Address
Dear Sir/Madam ( SALUTATION)
Subject: ………………………………..
Body of letter -
Para I – Purchased
• When?
• Where?
• What? Model/Brand
○ Bill No.
Para II – Technical complaints (at least 3 points)P
Para III – Since the ………………………………. (item) is under warranty, so kindly
replace it within ………………………………. days.
Yours faithfully
(Name) SAMPLE 1
You had bought a mobile phone from a reputable showroom in Mumbai but after a month it developed a serious fault. Write a complaint letter to the manager asking for immediate repair or replacement of the same. You are Sadiq/Razia, 123, TT Nagar, Bhopal.
123, T.T. Nagar
Bhopal 30 September 20XX
The Manager Shiv Ram & Sons Mumbai
Dear Sir
Subject: Complaint against a defective mobile phone
I bought an LG Nexus 5 from your show–room on 15 September with the receipt
number 123 . The phone has a warranty of three years as per the Guarantee Card . I regret to inform you that the phone has developed a technical snag and has stopped working.
In fact, just a few days after its purchase, it had started giving me trouble off and on but I related it to the connectivity issue or some minor fault that I thought would settle with time. The touch screen isn't working properly and at times it does not respond. Also I have noticed that the sound quality isn't very effective. Since it is still in warranty period, you are requested to replace it immediately.
Needless to say that mobile phones are not a luxury but a necessity these days. An early and appropriate action will be highly appreciated.
Yours faithfully Razia SAMPLE 2
You are Ravi/Rama of 52, Shah Road, Agra. You had bought a textbook ‘First Flight for Class X from a neighbourhood bookstore. After browsing through the book, you realized that a few pages were missing and the print overlapping on a few pages. Write a complaint letter to the Manager, Prakash Books, Sadar Bazar, Agra requesting him for a replacement or refund.
52, Shah Road
Agra 20XXXX 10 October 20XX
The Manager Prakash Books Sadar Bazar Agra Dear Sir
Subject: Replacement of defective book
I bought the book ‘First Flight’ for class 10 from your shop with the cash memo number. 123 . I had purchased it on 5 October 2020. After going through the book, I found that a few pages are missing and the print is overlapping.
The book is also not properly bound. My unit tests are scheduled to begin next week and English is my first paper. As I mentioned earlier, the overlapping of print is in the first few chapters and the few last chapters. I need to prepare for the forthcoming tests.
I therefore, request you to replace the book at the earliest. The copy of cash memo is enclosed herewith for your reference. It would be deeply appreciated if such blunders are avoided in future for your reputable shop to continue enjoying the reputation that it has earned in the previous years.
Yours faithfully
Ravi SAMPLE 3
The unsanitary conditions in your colony are causing multiple diseases. Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner bringing the problem to his notice and request him to take urgent action in the matter. You are Deepak/Deepa of C 2/8, Ankur Enclave, New Delhi.
C 2/8, Ankur Enclave
New Delhi 19 October 20XX
The Municipal Commissioner
Shahdara Delhi 1100XX
Dear Sir
Subject: Insanitary conditions in the colony
I have been a resident of Ankur Enclave for the past eleven years. I would like to bring to your notice the insanitary conditions in our colony. Rubbish and garbage lie in heaps. Lack of drainage system raises a persistent foul smell in the area.
During rainy season water stagnates in pits on the street which makes the whole condition even worse. These become the breeding ground for mosquitoes, which expose the residents to multiple diseases like dengue, malaria, etc. Our colony has become an unhealthy and disease–prone area. Every day, someone or the other is succumbing to deadly diseases. Some of the families have also shifted to better localities.
You are requested to look into the matter and take an immediate remedial action to set things right.
Thanking you Yours faithfully Deepa HOMEWORK
You are Raman/Reena of 240, Shahid Nagar, Agra. Write a letter to M/s Raju Sales Corporation complaining about the poor performance of the washing machine purchased from their showroom, mentioning clearly the specific problem you are facing and the action you want. Give all the relevant details.
