34+ Free Letter Templates
Searching for downloadable and professionally polished letter templates? Thank your lucky stars. A traditional and commonly used medium of communication and correspondence are letters. Their influence and use never gets old. They have surpassed the test of time. It is not a lost undertaking but is still considered as a viable aspect of society.
To help you with your search, we have here a collection of classy and well-formatted letter templates that you can freely download and use. We offer cover letters, application letters, business letters, and many more. Start scrolling down and download the templates that you need.
Free Cover Letter Templates
Resume Cover Letter Template
Professional Cover Letter
Free Resignation Letter Templates
Free Formal Resignation Letter
Free Resignation Letter Template
Free Reference Letters
Free Reference Letter Template for Employment
Free Reference Letter Template for Tenant
Free Reference Request Letter Template
Free Resume Cover Letters
Nursing Resume Cover Letter
Free Teacher Resume Cover Letter
Free Business Letter Templates
Free Printable Business Letter Format
Free General Business Letter Template
Free Formal Business Letter
Free Letters of Recommendation
Letter of Recommendation Template for College
Free Letter of Recommendation for Employment
Letters across Time
Letters provide a link among individuals and associations in society. It is defined as a written message from one party to another containing different set of information, depending on the purpose of the letter. It is a medium of communication that bring friends, families, and loved ones together ,regardless of location and distance. Furthermore, it also enriches business and professional relationships.
Letters play a key role in the realm of communication, but little do we know about its humble beginnings. Let’s take a short trip to the history of letters:
- Based on history, letters in their most ancient form were already used by various civilizations, specifically ancient Rome, Greece, India, Egypt, and China.
- Moving forward, specifically during the 17th and 18th century, letters became a way to enrich one’s critical reading and exchange of ideas.
- Before, letters were also given both scientific and religious connotations. Letters make up several parts of the Bible. There were also archives of correspondence, which was used for scientific, personal, diplomatic, and other business reasons.
- Before, letters were not solely written on papers but also in various materials including metal, lead, wax-coated tablets, animal skin, and papyrus.
- With the advent of various types of communication technology, the use of letters declined for a while, specifically during the birth of the telegraph, telex, and fax machine, respectively.
Modern-Day Letters
Nowadays, letters are still primarily used in most correspondence. The drastic change is not on the letter itself but on how it is delivered. With the development of the internet, you can now send letters via email. It is an easy and fast way of sending letters.
The term letter is mostly associated to paper-based communications which are still very relevant in employment and business transactions. As you can see from our templates, you can also check out our best business letters to serve as your reference.
Importance of Letters as a Medium of Communication
There are various reasons why letters are created and used. It is mostly used for educational, business, social, and governmental reasons. There are considered as a symbol of formality. Here are some points you need to consider:
- Business. Business letters are formal means of communication in the course of business transactions. There are set of standards and rules followed in the course of writing such letters. People come up with sales letters, business proposals, and invitations, which are addressed to clients and associates. They are mostly written to persuade someone to do something or t ask for an authorization and recommendation. Moreover, letters also can call people to action.
- Personal letters. In here, letters are used in a variety of ways. Letters are usually written to provide information or appeal to a particular person. It is a way of conveying one’s purpose in a casual yet polite manner. Letters are also great ways of preserving the integrity of confidential and sensitive information and details. Furthermore, letters enable readers to think and discern first before answering a particular request or query.
These are just some points that shows how relevant letters are. There are not just a means of communication but also for security and documentation purposes.
Free Letters of Demand Template
Free Legal Letter of Demand
Final Letter of Demand
Letter of Demand Template for Payment
Free Letter of Intent Templates
Business Letter of Intent Template
Letter of Intent for Real Estate Purchase
Free Printable Letter Template
Free Printable Cover Letter Template
Free Letter Templates for Students
Free Cover Letter Template for Mechanical Engineering Students
Business Letter for Students
Free Application Letters
Free Employment Application Letter
Account Application Letter
Free Cover Letter for Resume
Free Invitation Letters
Family Invitation Letter
Free Professional Invitation Letter
Types of Letters
Oxford Dictionary defined a letter as a message that is written down or printed on paper and usually put in an envelope and sent to somebody. It is a medium of exchange that contributes to the overall developments of the socierty. The format and content of a letter vary according to its purpose and thrust. To have a clear picture, here are some major types of letters that are widely used:
- Official letters. This type of letter follow strict rules and standards. These refer to those letters addressed or were written by person of authority such as government officials. These letters contain official information such as regulations, facts, figures, system, programs, and many more. It is written following the official decorum.
- Employment letters. These refer to letters that are written for employment purposes such as application letters, reference letters, and letters of recommendation. The employment sector widely make use of letters in most of their transactions either electronic letters or the paper-based ones.
- Social letters. In here, the letter is written for a particular social occasion, event, or celebration. Examples of these are invitation letters, congratulation letters, and many more. It is personal in nature.
- Report letters. This letter is prepared in the form of a report or investigation. It is used to send to the addressee pertinent updates, assessment, or evaluation of a certain undertaking. An example of this letter is a sales report.
- Complaint letters. In any organization, there is a corresponding feedback mechanism. The complaint letter forms part of such mechanism. It is inevitable in a business transaction that there are mistakes and errors which can result to customer or client complaints. These are written in order to notify and put into record the business of such accident or mistake.
These are just some of the basic types of letter. There are still more. In drafting your letter, you must take into account its type and purpose so the standards in writing should match the type.
A Variety of Letter Templates
As what you can you, there are a variety of free letter templates provided to you. Let’s examine some of them:
- Cover letter. They are used to accompany a package, report or other merchandise. They provide a brief information about a certain subject matte of the letter. They are generally short and brief. They are used to describe what is enclosed, attached, the reason for sending and many more.
- Resignation letter. This are used by employees who are to convey their intention to resign to his or her employment. It is usually sent to the immediate manager giving him notice and letting him know when will be his last day of employment.
- Recommendation letter. Some employers ask for this type of letter. It is a letter that contains the favorable recommendation and reference of the employee’s previous employer. It describes the sender’s relationship with his or her previous company.
- Application letter. This is used for the job applicant to highlight his or her relevant qualifications and skills. It is a letter that conveys his intention to apply to a certain company.
Checkout our list of templates for more specific examples.
Free Complaint Letter Templates
Formal Complaint Letter
Free Employee Complaint Letter Template
Free Employment Offer Letters
Temporary Employment Offer Letter
Standard Employment Offer Letter
Job Employement Offer Letter
Free Formal Letter Templates
Formal Letter Format
Free Formal Resignation Letter
Free Formal Business Letter
How to Write a Formal Letter
In the age of information technology, writing a simple letter is still considered as a basic and essential skill. You’ll be needing letters in pursuing you business, school, and personal relationships. Here are some points to note in writing a formal letter:
- Are you writing a formal or informal letter? It is essential that you know what kind of letter you are writing. Formal letters are those letters that are addressed to persons with professional capacity or authority. Letters that are addressed to the government and business are formal letters.
- Your address and the current date must be written on the top left side of the paper. It is imperative that you write the full date. Don’t forget to check beforehand if the address is correct. If you’re writing a business letter, you can make use of the company letterhead.
- Provide the name and address of the recipient. In doing this, you have to skip two lines and then you can start writing the name and address of the addressee.
- Write a salutation. In here, you need to skip a line and then greet the recipient with “Dear” or other similar salutation.
- Write the body or content of your letter. Based on research, formal letters must begin with a clear statement of purpose. Ensure that the letter is brief and concise. Formal letters should not be too verbose. Keep it short and professional.
- Provide a complimentary close. This refers to an ending note. The ending note is important because it establishes a connection with the recipient. Examples of such are “Sincerely yours, “Kind regards,” and many more.
These are just some basic points to remember in writing a formal letter. To have a clear view of the application of such, you can check out our formal letter formats.
Handwritten Letters vs. Emails
Because of the advancements in science and technology, emails are also used to write and deliver letters. Here are some points to remember about them:
- Handwritten. A handwritten letter is considered to be personal in nature. It is best in conveying personal emotions and feelings. It is also cheap and cost effective. But they are not advisable if there are numerous recipients.
- Emails. They are favored by many because they are sent and received within seconds. Distance is also not an issue when it comes to emails. In terms of storage, they are also easy to record and monitor.
In the end of the day, the choice is yours. You can choose either way as along as it suits your needs. You can also check out our client email letter templates.