CORRESPODENCE
CORRESPODENCE
Introduction
Letter writing or correspondence is an umbrella word to denote communication between persons, a person and an organisation(s),communication between two bodies or organisation(s), or communication between an organisation and an individual, and so on. Basically it refers to the letters we receive as well as the ones we send to persons or organisations. Letters or correspondence vary from formal, semi-formal and informal letters. Each of them has unique features and occasions of use.
The Formal Letter
A formal letter is one which is written where the relationship between the writer and the receiver is shown to be impersonal. The tone of such a letter is usually very polite, written for official or formal purposes. The writer does not risk familiarity by compromising the convention. Even when the recipient is well known to the writer, the basic rules and conventions for writing such a letter must be observed. A nephew writing an official letter to an uncle who is a governor of a state, requesting for a road to be tarred will address the chief executive formally and follow all the conventions of writing a formal letter. To stick to formality, for instance, abbreviations and colloquial expressions must be avoided.
Formal letters include: letter of application for a job, protest letters, letters of request, letters of complaints, letter to editors, letters of recommendation etc. One distinguishing feature of a formal letter is that it must carry two addresses: those of the sender and the recipient. The modern method prescribes the indented, modified or fully blocked styles.
Structure of a Formal Letter
The following conventional methods need to be followed in the writing of a
formal letter:
1. Originator’s address at the right hand corner.
2. Date of origination also at the right hand corner, immediately under
the address
3. The recipient’s designation and address at the left hand corner
immediately after the date
4. Salutation e.g. Dear Sir,
5. The title of the letter
6. The message or body of the letter
7. Complimentary close e.g. Yours faithfully,
8. Signature of the originator
9. The originator’s name
10. Designation under the originator’s name (if need be), e.g. Managing
Director.
Format for Writing Addresses
Two acceptable formats now in use in the structuring of addresses for letters are the block form and the indented form. Let us consider an example of the block format
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Federal University of Technology, Owerri,
Imo State.
5th April, 2016.
The Commissioner of Police,
Police Headquarters,
State Secretariat,
Owerri, Imo state.
Take note of the pattern of punctuating the addresses. Addresses can also go without punctuation. E.g.
4 Eni Njoku Street
Ikenegbu Lay Out
Owerri
Imo State
April 4, 2016
It is now outdated to write names of originators on top of the addresses at the right hand corner e.g.
*Nelson Uche Ibekwe
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Federal University of Technology Owerri
Example of indented address
Department of Project Management Technology
Federal University of Technology Owerri
Imo State
August 4, 2016
This is because the name of the originator forms part of the complimentary close, hence serves no purpose in the address. A formal or business letter is a serious correspondence and can only admit what is necessary. All irrelevancies should be avoided.
Salutation
Any of these could serve as the salutation in a formal letter: Dear Sir, Sir, Dear Madam, Madam. When one is not sure of the gender of the receiver of the letter, Dear Sir, or Sir is more appropriate.
Furthermore, in a business letter, salutations such as Dear Chief…,
Professor…, etc. are acceptable. Note that the salutation should not be
indented from the margin, and there should be a coma after it.
Title or Subject Heading
Every formal letter should have a title or subject heading that gives the receiver an idea about the content of the letter. Ensure that the title of your letter is not ambiguous or wordy. A title is meant to be catchy and in phrase form. Avoid including unnecessary articles E.g.
A REQUEST FOR A PERMISSION TO TRAVEL
The two articles in this title are redundant and unnecessary. It is better as:
REQUEST FOR PERMISSION TO TRAVEL
All the letters of the title of your letter could be written in upper case as the example above. You can also make use of upper case only in initial letters. This applies to only content words. Structural words such as articles and prepositions, unless where they begin the title, should be written in lower case, e.g.
Request for Permission to Travel.
Body of the Letter
The first thing to note about the body of any letter is that the ideas must be orderly presented, using paragraphs. Proper organisation of ideas is an important index in assessing good writings. Again, the language should be strictly formal in terms of choice of words and the
tone of the letter. Slang, colloquialism, contracted forms, expressions that require indirect or relative interpretations such as figures of speech and idioms should be avoided. Remember the letter is for formal or business relationship and you will not be there when it would be read. Let your language be direct and precise.
Complimentary Close
Formal letters close with Yours faithfully. However, where the salutation includes the name of the recipient, for instance, Dear Professor Ibe, the complimentary close could be Yours
sincerely or Sincerely yours or Yours truly. There should be a comma after the complimentary close. The writer’s signature comes immediately after, followed by the full name of the writer. The name may appear in surname first order or beginning with the first name. In surname first order, there should be a comma after the surname name. E.g
Yours faithfully,
Amadi, Felicia Ngozi
OR
Yours faithfully,
Felicia Ngozi Amadi
SAMPLES OF FORMAL LETTERS
Sample (i)
4 Eni Njoku Street,
Ikenegbu Lay Out,
Owerri,
Imo State.
April 4, 2016.
The Registrar,
University of Lagos,
Lagos.
Dear Sir,
APPLICATION FOR RESULT TRANSCRIPT
I wish to apply for the transcript of my M.Sc result, to enable me pursue a doctoral programme at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. I graduated from the Department of Accountancy in 2010 and went ahead to obtain M.Sc. degree from the same department in 2012. My matriculation numbers are 2006172546 and 2010176218 respectively. I have attached copies of my receipts of the payments during the M.Sc programme. I shall be grateful if the transcript is forwarded to:
The Dean
School of Post graduate Studies,
Federal University of Technology, Owerri,
Imo State.
Thank you for your usual kind considerations.
Yours faithfully,
Abanimo Akaranye.
Sample (ii)
44 Zlk Avenue,
Uwani,
Enugu.
7th September, 2016.
The Editor,
Daily Sun Newspaper,
2 Coscharis Street,
Kirikiri Industrial Layout,
Apapa-Lagos.
Dear Sir,
APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF A PROOF READER.
In response to your advertisement in the Daily Sun Newspaper of 4th August, 2016, I wish to apply for the post of a Proof Reader in your publishing company. I hold a B.A (Hons.) degree in English Language (Second Class Upper Division) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. While in the University, I edited the students’ departmental magazine, The Muse, and also did my Industrial attachment with The Guardian Newspapers, Lagos.
If I am given the opportunity, I shall do my best to contribute in maintaining the high standard and reputation which your newspaper has established. Attached are photocopies of my credentials and curriculum vitae for your perusal and consideration.
I look forward to positive consideration of my application.
Yours faithfully,
(signature)
Dennis Ibe.
SEMI-FORMAL LETTER
The weight of language of a semi-formal letter gravitates between the formal letter and the informal. While familiarity and condescending tones (as in informal letter) are absent, mood control, politeness, courtesy, and deference to the recipient (as in formal letter) are expected. A letter on personal subjects to an uncle, your former school principal, your lecturer, an individual of good standing in your community are examples of semi-formal letter.
FEATURES OF A SEMI-FORMAL LETTER.
a. The writer’s address at the right hand corner.
b. The date at the end of the writers address.
c. Salutation.
d. The body.
e. The Conclusion.
f. The complimentary Close.
A Sample of a Semi-formal Letter
Department of English Language,
Faculty of Arts,
University of Benin,
P.M.B 1234,
Benin, Edo State.
4th April, 2
Dear Mr. Abu,
My name is Ngozika Eze, the class prefect you personally appointed in our final year in 2004. I gained admission into the University of Benin where I am currently pursuing a degree course in English Language.
I write this letter to express my profound gratitude for the counseling which we received from you, which also contributed to my securing university admission immediately after our secondary school education. I am also aware that you would be fascinated by my choice of a course which you exhibited so much passion in teaching. You really motivated us, and I remain indebted to you for all these. Kindly relay my appreciation to other teachers in our great school. I eagerly look forward to a day I would visit the school. May you remain blessed.
Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Ngozi Eze
Note that this letter has both the tone and language features of a formal letter. However, it cannot be said to be formal because it has only one address (the writer’s address), there is no subject heading, and no provision for signature.
INFORMAL LETTER
These are letters written to relations, friends and close pals. In an informal letter, intimacies are shared. Therefore, slang, abbreviation and colloquial expressions can be accommodated in such a letter.
A Sample of Informal Letter
2 Ekene Street,
GRA Benin Phase 11
Benin
5th June, 2016.
Dear Ekene,
I write this letter to tell you how it has been since you left for UNILAG, and myself, for UNIBEN. To have realised that we could stay for months without seeing each other makes me believe that no condition is permanent. But I am optimistic that you are doing great in Lagos.
Boy, it has not been easy for your guy here, especially with some newly introduced courses for us. You remember I never took arts subjects seriously while we were in the secondary school. So having to do compulsory courses in English language, government and Igbo as General Studies (GS) courses is really a problem. To make it worse, one is expected to do weekly assignments on them, in addition to the reports on lab activities which one does every Friday.
In any case, I thank God for the admission because I can’t imagine what could have been our fate by now. I know you are doing good with Lagos campus life. Please take it easy and always remember our target, first class and nothing less. My regards to your friends.
Your good friend,
Uzo
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