How many times do you space between the inside address and the salutation?

If you know the name, use it in both the inside address and the salutation. If you don't, then use Dear Sir (for one individual), Dear Sirs or Gentlemen(for a firm).

4. The Body
The form of the body of a business letter is the same as that of any letter. If your letter is very short (7 lines or less), you may double-space the entire body of the letter. When you are typing a longer letter, however, you normally single-space the paragraphs and double-space between them.

5. The Closing
The closing comes between the body of the letter and the signature. The closings that you use for friendly letters are not appropriate for business letters. In business letters, appropriate closings are limited.

Very truly yours, Yours truly, and Yours very truly are the ones most frequently used. Sincerely yours and Yours sincerely are also correct. The closing is placed just to the right of the center of the page, two spaces below the last line of the body of your letter. It is followed by a comma.

EXAMPLES
Very truly yours,
Yours sincerely,

A Business Letter:

303 Clayton Street
Huntington, West Virginia. 25703
February 10, 2006

Executive Secretary
Chamber of Commeree
Mystie, Conneeticut 06355

Dear Sir-

I am writing a report on whaling in old New England and would appreciate your sending me any pamphlets and pictures you have about Mystie Seaport.
I would especially like pictures of the town itself, as well as information on early whaling ships and equipment. Any maps you have of Mystie Seaport and , of early sailing routes w.ould be useful, too.

G. The Signature
Sign your full name to your letter. Do not put Miss or Mr. before your name. If an unmarried woman is writing to a stranger, however, she may place Miss in parentheses before her signature so that the receiver of the letter will know how to address his reply.

EXAMPLE
(Miss) Mary Jane Fiske
A signature should always be handwritten. If your letter your letter is typewritten, type your name flush with the first letter of the closing and far enough (usually four spaces) below to allow room for your signature above it.

EXERCISE. Copy in the proper form and arrangement on the page the business letter given below.

1. Heading: 2420 Nicholson Drive, Portland, Oregon 97221, November 12, 2006

2. Inside Address: Mr. James E. Clark, Business Manager, Allison's Greeting Card Company, P.0. Box 3452, Los Angeles, California 90035

3. Salutation: Dear Mr. Clark

4. Body: As the secretary of the freshman class at my high school, I am writing to you to find out more about the offer you are advertising in local newspapers. Since my class is working to raise money for the "Toys for Tots" campaign, we are interested in selling your Christmas cards. Will you please send me more information about the kinds of cards you have, the price range, and the percentage of profit made on each box sold.

A business letter is a formal letter. Unlike a résumé or cover letter, it can be more than one page, and is likely to contain six parts:

1. The Heading

The heading contains the return address with the date on the last line. Sometimes it is necessary to include a line before the date with a phone number, fax number, or e-mail address. Often there is a line skipped between the address and the date. It is not necessary to type a return address if you are using stationery with the return address already imprinted, but you should always use a date.  Make sure the heading is on the left margin.

Example:

Ms. Jane Doe
543 Washington St
Marquette, MI 49855
Tel:
Fax:
Email:
June 28, 2011

2. Recipient’s Address

This is the address you are sending your letter to. Be sure to make it as complete as possible so it gets to its destination. Always include title names (such as Dr.) if you know them. This is, like the other address, on the left margin. If a standard 8 ½” x 11” paper is folded in thirds to fit in a standard 9” business envelope, the inside address should appear through the window in the envelope (if there is one). Be sure to skip a line after the heading and before the recipient’s address, then skip another line after the inside address before the greeting. For an example, see the end of this sheet for a sample letter.

3. The Salutation

The salutation (or greeting) in a business letter is always formal. It often begins with “Dear {Person’s name}.” Once again, be sure to include the person’s title if you know it (such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr).  If you’re unsure about the person’s title or gender then just use their first name. For example, you would use only the person’s first name if the person you are writing to is “Jordan” and you do not know whether they identify as male, female, or non-binary.
The salutation always ends with a colon.

4. The Body

The body is the meat of your letter. For block and modified block letter formats, single space and left justify each paragraph. Be sure to leave a blank line between each paragraph, however, no matter the format. Be sure to also skip a line between the salutation and the body, as well as the body and the close.

5. The Complimentary Close

The complimentary close is a short and polite remark that ends your letter. The close begins at the same justification as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word of your closing (Thank you) and leave four lines for a signature between the close and the sender’s name. A comma should follow the closing.

6. The Signature Line

Skip at least four lines after the close for your signature, and then type out the name to be signed. If you are printing this letter out and sending it by mail, you will sign your name in pen. This line will include your first and last name, and often includes a middle initial, although it is not required. You may put your title beforehand to show how you wish to be addressed (Ms., Mrs., Dr.).
The signature should be in blue or black ink.

7. Enclosures

If you have any enclosed documents, such as a resume, you can indicate this by typing “Enclosures” one line below the listing. You also may include the name of each document.

Format and Font

Many organizations have their own style for writing a business letter, but here are some common examples.

Block

The most common layout for a business letter is called a block format. In this format, the entire letter is justified to the left and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs.

Modified Block

Modified block is another popular type of business letter. The body of the letter and the sender’s and recipient’s addresses are left justified and single spaced. However, in this format, the date and closing are tabbed to the center point.

Semi-Block

The least used style is called a semi-block. In it each paragraph is indented instead of left justified.

Font

The standard font for business letters is Times New Roman, size 12. However, fonts that are clear to read such as Arial may be used.

Is there a space between salutation and name?

What is the line spacing after the salutation?

How many lines between date and address on letter?