Who Is Reading
Before you write a formal letter, picture the person who will open it. They are at a desk with forty other letters, and they will give yours about twenty seconds before deciding what to do with it.
That single fact explains most of the rules. The subject line exists so they can sort it. The short first paragraph exists so they can see whether it is for them. The specific request exists so they can act without writing back to ask what you meant.
Formal writing is not about sounding important. It is about being easy to answer.
This week's exercise
Write a subject line and opening sentence for a letter asking your school for a copy of your results.
Vocabulary
Tap to flipformal
following official conventions
Tap to flipsubject line
the one-line statement of what a message is about
Tap to flipsort
to put into the right group
Tap to flipspecific
exact, clearly defined
Tap to flipact
to do something about it
Quick check
How long will a reader typically spend deciding what to do with your letter?
What is formal writing really about?