History

Over the years letter writing has been a very important method of communication, and for centuries has provided us with an insight into the lives of our ancestors.

Written by famous historians, authors, royalty or even war time correspondents, letters have become a treasured and valued part of our history. Whether you are writing a personal or business letter, what you say and how you say it is very important, therefore you should ensure that the recipient gets the right impression.

We've put together a few general points to consider when writing a letter:

How to lay out a letter

• Plan your layout with five or six sections; your address, the date, the address of the person your are writing to (if it is a business letter), the opening greeting (Dear…), the main text, the complimentary closure and your signature.
• Type business letters and write personal letters (assuming you have neat handwriting).
• Decide whether to use blocked (where every line starts at the left-hand margin) or indented style (where the first line of every paragraph is inset).
• Draft your letter first to check for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

How to begin and close letters

• Business letters should begin with Dear Mr, Mrs or Miss. It is important to find out the title of the person you are addressing to avoid causing offence.
• If you are unsure you can use Dear Sir/Madam, and when writing to a company it is acceptable to use 'Dear Sirs'.
• If you are using the recipient's name you can close the letter with 'Yours sincerely' and if you have not used a name 'Yours faithfully'.

Addressing an envelope

• The envelope is the first thing the recipient sees and gives them their first impression of you, so ensure it is well laid out and clearly written.
• The wording should be correctly spaced out so the Royal Mail can distinguish the town and county - capital letters is best.
• Always use the postcode where possible and write the sender's address on the back.

Things to remember

• Basildon Bond stationery is designed for use with fountain pens, which will give you a better finish than a ball point.
• Re-read your letter to ensure your sentences are clear, easily understood and not misinterpreted.
• Check your spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Ensure you have used the correct address and postcode.