Office and admin · Free reference and builder
Business letter format
The block-format business letter with every part labelled and its spacing rule, a fill-in builder that lays out your letter to copy or print, and the memo, fax cover sheet and envelope layouts beside it. Free, nothing you type is saved or sent, no sign-up needed.
- Every part labelled
- Builder: copy or print
- Memo, fax cover, envelope
- No sign-up needed
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Part 1 · Block format
The business letter, every part labelled
Block format puts every part at the left margin, single-spaced, with one blank line between parts and four for the signature. The numbers on the sample match the rules beside it.
910 Harbor Avenue
Dayton, OH 45402
October 15, 2026
Mr. Daniel Okafor
Customer Service Manager
Northwind Office Supply
2200 Commerce Drive
Columbus, OH 43215
Dear Mr. Okafor:
I am writing about order 48213, delivered to our office on October 9. Two of the four cases of exam gloves arrived with their seals broken, and we cannot use them.
I have kept the damaged cases and the packing slip, and I have enclosed photos of the seals. The other two cases were in good condition, and the delivery itself was on time.
Please send two replacement cases by October 29 and let me know whether you would like the damaged cases returned. Thank you for your help with this; you can reach me at the address above or at the office number on our account.
Sincerely,
Dana Whitfield
Front Desk Coordinator
Enclosures: packing slip, 2 photos
DW/kp
Sender’s address
Your street address, city, state and ZIP only: not your name or title, which go at the bottom. On letterhead, leave it out and start with the date.
Date
The month spelled out, then the day and the year. About two inches from the top of the page, at the left margin in block format.
Inside address
The reader’s name with a courtesy title (Ms., Mr., Dr.), job title, company and full mailing address, one line below the date and always at the left margin. Write to a named person whenever you can; call the company to get the name.
Salutation
The same name and title as the inside address, followed by a colon, never a comma. Use Ms. for a woman unless she has told you otherwise. If you are not sure of the reader’s gender, use the full name: Dear Chris Harmon:
Body
Single-spaced, at the left margin, a blank line between paragraphs and no indents. The first paragraph opens politely and states the purpose; the middle paragraphs give the details that support it; the last paragraph restates the purpose and asks for the action you want.
Complimentary close
One blank line after the last paragraph, at the same margin as the date. Capitalize the first word only. A comma after it when the salutation took a colon.
Signature block
Four blank lines for the handwritten signature, then your typed name and, on the next line, your title.
Enclosures
Only when something else is in the envelope. Type Enclosure or Enclosures below the signature block; naming each item is optional.
Typist initials
Only when someone other than the writer typed the letter. Leave it out when you typed it yourself.
Block, modified block or semi-block
Block
Every part starts at the left margin. Single-spaced, a blank line between paragraphs, no indents. The most common format.
Modified block
The body and both addresses stay at the left margin; the date and the close start at the center of the page (tab to the center point).
Semi-block
Modified block with the first line of each paragraph indented. The least common of the three.
Four more rules
- Letterhead already carries your address, so a letter on letterhead starts with the date.
- A plain 12-point typeface is the usual choice; a conservative reader expects a classic serif face.
- Keep it short: say what you need, support it, ask for the action, and stop.
- If your organization has its own house format, follow it over these rules.
Part 2 · Letter builder
Fill in the parts, get a formatted letter
Type each part on the left and the letter is laid out on the right with the right spacing. Copy it as text or print only the letter. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere.
Leave a blank line between paragraphs. Replace anything in [brackets].
Your letter
Block format: everything at the left margin.
[Your street address]
[City, ST ZIP]
[Date]
[Recipient name]
[Street address]
[City, ST ZIP]
Dear [Name]:
[Body of the letter]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Plain text, to select and copy
[Your street address]
[City, ST ZIP]
[Date]
[Recipient name]
[Street address]
[City, ST ZIP]
Dear [Name]:
[Body of the letter]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Part 3 · Letter, memo or email
Which one, and how a memo is laid out
A letter usually goes outside the organization and is a record the reader may keep. A memo stays inside and skips the greeting and the close. Email does routine work in either direction.
Who reads it
- Business letter
- Usually someone outside your organization: a customer, a supplier, another office.
- Memo
- People inside your organization.
- Either, inside or outside.
Heading
- Business letter
- Your address, the date and the reader’s full name, title and address.
- Memo
- TO, FROM, DATE and SUBJECT lines.
- To, Cc and a specific Subject line; the date is added for you.
Greeting
- Business letter
- Dear Mr. Okafor: with a colon.
- Memo
- None: the TO line says who it is for.
- A short greeting with the reader’s name, such as Dear Ms. Lee,
Body
- Business letter
- Single-spaced, a blank line between paragraphs, no indents.
- Memo
- The same, with short headings and lists where they help.
- Short paragraphs, the point in the first lines, standard spelling and capitals.
Sign-off
- Business letter
- A close such as Sincerely, four blank lines, your signature, typed name and title.
- Memo
- None: the FROM line names the writer.
- A close such as Regards, your name, and a signature block with your title and phone.
Length
- Business letter
- As short as the request allows; usually one page.
- Memo
- Usually a page or two.
- As short as the message allows.
Use it for
- Business letter
- A formal record the reader may keep on file: a request, a complaint, a confirmation, a notice.
- Memo
- A decision, a policy, a meeting agenda, a short report or proposal for coworkers.
- Routine questions and replies, sending a document, quick coordination.
MEMORANDUM
- TO:
- Front desk and scheduling staff
- FROM:
- Dana Whitfield, Front Desk Coordinator
- DATE:
- October 15, 2026
- SUBJECT:
- New patient check-in procedure from November 2
From Monday, November 2, every patient will check in at the kiosk before coming to the desk. This memo explains the new steps and what changes for each of us.
Morning check-in lines have run past fifteen minutes since the two new providers started in September.
I have set up the kiosk and written a one-page script for the desk; both are attached.
(Not needed in a one-page memo.)
Patients confirm their details at the kiosk. The desk then checks insurance cards only for new patients and for anyone the kiosk flags. Scheduling keeps its current steps.
Please read the script before Friday’s huddle, where we will walk through it together. Questions are welcome at any time before then.
Attached: Kiosk check-in script; Check-in times, September to October
The heading
TO:
The readers’ names and job titles, spelled correctly.
FROM:
Your name and job title.
DATE:
The complete, current date.
SUBJECT:
Specific and short: what the memo is about, set off in some way, such as bold.
The segments
Opening
Why you are writing: the purpose, in a short paragraph.
Context
The event or background the reader needs: a few sentences, only what is needed.
Task
What you are doing about it, or what you were asked to do.
Summary
Only for a memo longer than a page: the key points or recommendations, in brief.
Discussion
The longest part: the facts and reasons, most important first, general to specific.
Closing
A courteous ending that says what action you want and how it helps the reader.
Attachments
Lists, tables or charts go at the end; refer to them in the memo and add a line below the closing.
Memo rules
- Single-spaced and left-aligned, a blank line between paragraphs, no indents.
- Usually a page or two.
- No Dear line and no close: the TO and FROM lines do that work.
- Short, specific headings and lists where they help the reader find things.
- Rough proportions: the heading about an eighth of the memo; opening, context and task a quarter; summary and discussion half; closing and attachments an eighth.
Sign-offs, most formal first
Capitalize the first word only, and put a comma after the close when the salutation took a colon. Then four blank lines, your signature, and your typed name.
Respectfully,
The most formal of the usual closes: a reader senior to you, or a formal request.
Yours truly,
Traditional and formal.
Sincerely,
The standard close for a business letter; safe for any reader.
Sincerely yours,
A little warmer than Sincerely, still formal.
Cordially,
Polite and slightly old-fashioned; fine for an invitation or an announcement.
Best regards,
Friendly but professional, for a reader you have dealt with before.
Kind regards,
Warm and polite; common in business email too.
Regards,
Short and neutral; a plain close for routine letters and email.
Thank you,
When the letter asks the reader for something, or thanks them.
Part 4 · Fax cover sheet and envelope
The fax cover sheet and the envelope
A fax cover sheet is a memo heading plus the numbers and the page count the receiver needs. The envelope has three fixed zones. Both layouts are drawn here, and a blank cover sheet prints free.
FAX
- To
- From
- Fax
- Phone
- Date
- Pages
- Re
- Comments
- Urgent
- For review
- Please comment
- Please reply
This fax is intended only for the person named above and may contain private information. If you received it in error, please call the sender and do not copy or share it.
What each field is for
To
The person the fax is for, and their company or department.
From
Your name and company.
Fax
The number you are sending to.
Phone
Your phone number, so the receiver can call if a page is missing.
Date
The date, and the time if it matters.
Pages
The total number of pages, cover sheet included, so the receiver can tell that nothing is missing. If your sheet counts only the pages that follow, it should say so.
Re
The subject, as on a memo.
Comments
A line or two: what is attached and what you want done with it.
Check boxes and the note at the bottom
Urgent, for review, please comment, please reply: tick what you want done. The line at the bottom asks anyone who gets the fax by mistake to call you and not pass it on. These are office custom rather than a published rule; your workplace may have its own sheet.
Addressing the envelope
Return address
DANA WHITFIELD
910 HARBOR AVE
DAYTON OH 45402
Delivery address
MR DANIEL OKAFOR
NORTHWIND OFFICE SUPPLY
2200 COMMERCE DR
COLUMBUS OH 43215
Return address
Top-left corner
Postage
Upper-right corner
Delivery address
Bottom center of the envelope
Each address, line by line
- Full name or company name
- Apartment or suite number
- Full street address
- City, two-letter state and ZIP+4 Code
Printing tips
- Print in capital letters.
- Leave out commas and periods.
- Use the two-letter state abbreviation (the list below).
- Include the ZIP+4 Code when you know it.
- By hand, use a pen or permanent marker.
Two-letter state abbreviations
The 50 states, the District of Columbia, the territories and the military addresses, as the postal service abbreviates them.
States
- AlabamaAL
- AlaskaAK
- ArizonaAZ
- ArkansasAR
- CaliforniaCA
- ColoradoCO
- ConnecticutCT
- DelawareDE
- FloridaFL
- GeorgiaGA
- HawaiiHI
- IdahoID
- IllinoisIL
- IndianaIN
- IowaIA
- KansasKS
- KentuckyKY
- LouisianaLA
- MaineME
- MarylandMD
- MassachusettsMA
- MichiganMI
- MinnesotaMN
- MississippiMS
- MissouriMO
- MontanaMT
- NebraskaNE
- NevadaNV
- New HampshireNH
- New JerseyNJ
- New MexicoNM
- New YorkNY
- North CarolinaNC
- North DakotaND
- OhioOH
- OklahomaOK
- OregonOR
- PennsylvaniaPA
- Rhode IslandRI
- South CarolinaSC
- South DakotaSD
- TennesseeTN
- TexasTX
- UtahUT
- VermontVT
- VirginiaVA
- WashingtonWA
- West VirginiaWV
- WisconsinWI
- WyomingWY
District
- District of ColumbiaDC
Territories and freely associated states
- American SamoaAS
- GuamGU
- Northern Mariana IslandsMP
- Puerto RicoPR
- Virgin IslandsVI
- Federated States of MicronesiaFM
- Marshall IslandsMH
- PalauPW
Military
- Armed Forces Americas (except Canada)AA
- Armed Forces Europe, the Middle East and CanadaAE
- Armed Forces PacificAP
Part 5 · Practice questions
Ten practice questions
One question at a time, each answer explained. Your score is free and needs no sign-up.
Question 1 of 10
Which punctuation follows the salutation of a business letter?
Bonus
Printable templates and twenty phrases
Locked until you enter your email in the box above
Block letter template
Every part on a labelled line, with the spacing built in, to fill in by hand or keep beside your screen.
Memo template
The four heading lines and ruled space for each segment.
Plus ten openings and ten closings for the first and last paragraphs, to copy one at a time or print as one sheet. Everything above this box stays free: the labelled letter, the builder, the memo, the fax cover sheet, the envelope layout and the practice questions.
Sources
Where the rules come from
Everything here is written in our own words from these public sources. Your workplace or program may have its own house style; follow it over these rules.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the Basic Business Letter (parts, spacing, salutation and close, the three formats)
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Sample Letters (what each body paragraph does; block, modified block and semi-block samples)
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Memos, Audience and Purpose
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Parts of a Memo
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Memo Format
- Purdue Online Writing Lab: Email Etiquette
- United States Postal Service: How to Send a Letter or Postcard (where the addresses and postage go, line order, printing tips)
- United States Postal Service, Publication 28, Appendix B: two-letter state and possession abbreviations
More free tools: the skills finder, which turns what you have done into skills you can name.
Questions
Common questions
Every part of the letter starts at the left margin: your address, the date, the reader’s address, the salutation, the body, the close and your name. It is single-spaced with one blank line between parts and between paragraphs, no paragraph indents, and four blank lines between the close and your typed name for the signature. It is the most common business letter format and the one the builder on this page uses by default.
For most purposes, yes. A formal letter to a company, an office, a landlord or a school uses the same layout: your address and the date, the reader’s name and address, a salutation with a colon, a short body that says what you need, and a close with four blank lines for your signature. Start the builder from Request or Complaint and change the wording to fit.
A colon in a business letter: Dear Ms. Lee: with the same name and title you used in the inside address. The comma belongs to personal letters and email. Because the salutation takes a colon, the close takes a comma: Sincerely, with only the first word capitalized.
A letter usually goes to someone outside your organization and is a record they may keep, so it carries both addresses, a salutation and a signed close. A memo stays inside the organization: its TO, FROM, DATE and SUBJECT lines replace the addresses, the greeting and the signature, and it runs a page or two, single-spaced and left-aligned, often with short headings and lists.
No. Everything you type stays in your browser until you leave the page; nothing is sent anywhere or stored. Copy the text into your own document or print the letter before you close the tab. The only thing you can send from this page is the email address for the bonus, if you choose to enter it.
Yes. The labelled letter, the builder, the memo, fax cover sheet and envelope layouts, the blank cover sheet to print, the state list and the practice questions need no sign-up. An email unlocks the bonus: two printable templates (block letter and memo) and twenty openings and closings, which open on this page right away and stay open on this browser.