Lately, the habit of writing and sending letters is being lost, and is gradually being replaced by other means such as e-mail or through applications such as WhatsApp.

However, knowing how to write a letter is essential, since even today it can be required in different areas or by people or in situations where we do not have access to this type of technology, or even as a method of getting a message across to someone in a way that today some might even consider original as it is no longer so common.

Therefore, throughout this article I present the 9 parts of a letter , which although they are really simple must be taken into account in order to write them correctly.

The letter, missive or epistle

A letter, epistle or missive is conceived as a type of written document through which a subject or entity called the sender transmits a message to an addressee . This document can be produced for various purposes and to very different types of recipients, both individuals and specific organizations and groups.

In the past, the process of drawing up and sending a letter to the addressee required paper and ink in order to write it, an envelope containing it and concealing its contents from the eyes of others so that only the addressee could know its contents and a more or less long period of time during which the document was transported from the hands of the sender to the addressee, generally through the use of the postal services. However, today the process has been greatly simplified by the use of the Internet .

The 9 parts we can find in a letter

While the means may have changed, the basic structure of the card has not changed much over time. We can find a total of 9 parts in its elaboration, which can be increased if we write new information in the form of a postscript (usually located at the bottom left, below the signature).

1. Letterhead or sender information

Letterhead means the sender’s or issuer’s own information of the letter in question. The identity of the sender, his address and possible contact information such as telephone number and e-mail address are the main data that must appear in this section.

The letterhead is usually located in one of the corners at the top of the document, usually in the upper left corner.

2. Recipient or information about the recipient

In this section you write the information concerning the person to whom the letter is addressed . In this way the recipient of the document can check whether or not he or she is the addressee of the letter.

The name of the recipient and his or her address are the main questions that should appear. In the case of writing to a specific person within an organization, it is also necessary to mention the position of the person in question and the company or group to which he or she belongs.

It is usually placed in a position below the letterhead, although in this case it is usually placed on the right .

3. Place and date from which the letter is sent

Another important element of the letter, which is usually located on the right side of the sheet, below the recipient. The date indicates the time when the letter was written, which can be important if we consider that the time when the letter is received can vary greatly depending on the circumstances.

4. Heading or greeting

This is a small line in which you greet and which will introduce the content of the letter and which in turn will mark the tone and level of formality that you intend to print to the message in question.

5. Introduction

In this section we already go into the matter of the message. The introduction aims first of all to be a way of initiating contact while establishing the main idea of why the document in question is being written.

6. Body

After the introduction, throughout the body of the letter we establish and go deeper into the reasons that led us to send the letter, transmitting the information that we really want to convey to the recipient. This is also the longest part of the letter .

7. Conclusion

Once the bulk of the message has been transmitted and as a way of indicating that writing is being completed, a short paragraph is written that either summarizes the content and/or general objective of the letter or establishes a way of making contact. This is a paragraph that should be short and not add new information to the above.

8. Farewell

This part of the letter is a way of ending it in a polite way and without haste, indicating that with it the document is terminated. It is the counterpart of the header, and is also a short phrase that indicates the level of formality of the message.

9. Signature or name

Located at the end of the letter and usually in one of the lower corners (usually the lower right corner is used), the signature ends the letter while establishing the authenticity of the sender’s identity. Your name and title can also be added in the case of an official letter.