Correspondence and addresses – Guidelines and resources

The article Business letters: Letterhead explains the characteristics of a letterhead, the heading that appears at the top of a business letter.

The article Business letters: Return address explains when and how to use a return address in a letter. It includes the following sections:

• How to format the return address
• Where to place the return address
  • No letterhead
  • Letterhead without a return address

The article Business letters: Date explains the placement and format of the date in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• Where to place the date
  • Date after a letterhead
  • Date after a return address
• How to format the date

The article Business letters: Addressee or delivery notation explains when and how to use notations such as Personal or By courier. It includes the following sections:

• When to use an addressee or delivery notation
  • Addressee notation
  • Delivery notation
• How to format an addressee or delivery notation
• Where to place an addressee or delivery notation

The article Business letters: Reference line explains the format and placement of the reference line, which makes it easier to file and locate correspondence. It includes the following sections:

• Purpose of reference line
• Format for reference line
• Placement of reference line
• Alternative to reference line

The article Business letters: Inside address explains the placement and format of the receiver’s address in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• Information included in the inside address
• Titles before or after the receiver’s name
  • Courtesy titles
  • Formal titles
• Mail addressed in care of another person
• Inside address in a letter to two or more receivers
  • Receivers residing at the same address
  • Receivers working in the same organization
• Inside address in a letter to an organization

The article Business letters: Attention line explains the format and placement of the attention line in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• When to use an attention line
• How to format the attention line
• Where to place the attention line

The article Business letters: Salutation explains the placement and format of the salutation in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• Where to place the salutation
• How to format the salutation
• What to do in special cases
  • When you don’t know the receiver’s gender identity or courtesy title
  • When you don’t know the receiver’s name
  • When you’re writing to a group
• What salutations to use in letters to persons of rank

The article Business letters: Subject line explains the format and placement of the subject line in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• When to use a subject line
• How to format the subject line
• Where to place the subject line

The article Business letters: Body of the letter discusses the length and format of the body paragraphs in a business letter and explains how to organize the message. It includes the following sections:

• Content of the body
  • Introductory paragraph
  • Middle paragraph(s)
  • Concluding paragraph
• Questions related to formatting
  • Margins
  • Line spacing
  • Font
  • Multiple pages

The article Business letters: Complimentary close explains the placement and format of the complimentary close in a business letter and provides examples of complimentary closes for different levels of formality. It includes the following sections:

• Where to place the complimentary close
• How to capitalize and punctuate the complimentary close
• How to choose the right complimentary close

The article Business letters: Signature block explains the placement and format of the signature block in a business letter. It includes the following sections:

• Where to place the signature block
• How to format the signature block
• When to use a courtesy title in the signature block
• How to sign a letter on behalf of someone else
  • Method 1: Sign your own name
  • Method 2: Sign the sender’s name
• How to set up two signature blocks

The article Business letters: Reference initials explains when and how to add reference initials at the end of a business letter.

The article Business letters: Enclosure notation explains how to use the notations “Enclosure” and “Attachment” to show that one or more items are being sent along with the letter. It includes the following sections:

• Purpose of the enclosure notation
• Placement of the enclosure notation
• Single enclosure
• Multiple enclosures
• List of enclosures

The article Business letters: Copy notation explains how to use a copy notation to show that one or more persons will receive a copy of the letter. It includes the following sections:

• When to use a copy notation
• Where to place a copy notation
• How to format a copy notation

The article Business letters: Continuation page heading explains how to format the heading for the second page of a business letter (and any subsequent pages). It includes the following sections:

• When to use a continuation page heading
• What to include in the continuation page heading
• Where to place the continuation page heading
  • Continuation page heading in full block style
  • Continuation page heading in modified block style
• How to carry over body text onto another page

The article Envelope: Arrangement of elements explains the format and placement of addresses and notations on an envelope. It contains the following sections:

• Receiver’s name and address
• Return address (sender’s address)
• Addressee and delivery notations

The article Business messages: Direct approach explains how to organize a message that will have a positive or neutral impact on the receiver. It includes the following sections:

• Contexts in which to use the direct approach
• Main idea
• Details
• Goodwill close
• Example of a message using the direct approach

The article Business messages: Indirect approach explains how to organize a message that is likely to have a negative impact on the receiver. It includes the following sections:

• Contexts in which to use the indirect approach
• Neutral opening
• Explanation
• Bad news
• Goodwill close with alternative solution
• Example of a bad news message using the indirect approach

The article Addresses: Addresses in letters or other documents gives detailed formatting guidelines for an address that appears in a letter, a form or another document intended for delivery within Canada. It contains the following sections:

• Contexts in which these addressing guidelines apply: addresses in letters or other documents
• Order of elements in an address appearing in a letter or other document
• Guidelines for formatting an address appearing in a letter or other document

The article Addresses: Addresses on envelopes and parcels explains how to format an address on an envelope or parcel intended for delivery within Canada and discusses the rules that apply to each element of the address. It contains the following sections:

• Recommended format for addresses on envelopes and parcels
• Contexts in which these guidelines apply: addresses on envelopes and parcels
• Order of elements in an address on an envelope or parcel
• Guidelines for formatting an address on an envelope or parcel

The article Addresses: Translating Canadian addresses discusses the points to consider and the guidelines that apply when you’re translating a Canadian address in a letter or other document or on an envelope or parcel. It contains the following sections:

• Points to consider
• Guidelines for specific elements in an address
• Examples of complete addresses

The article Addresses: International addresses explains how to format an address on Canadian mail being sent to destinations outside of Canada. It contains the following sections:

• Background information on international addresses
• Elements of an international address
• Mail going to the United States (U.S.)
• Mail going to countries other than Canada and the U.S.

The article Business letters: Letter styles explains the differences between three letter styles used in business correspondence in English. It contains the following sections:

• Full block style
• Modified block style
• Semi-block style

The model letter shows a standard letter containing several elements, with a description of each element. The letter is in full block style.

The model envelope shows a standard envelope containing several elements, with a description of each element.