http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/WritingLetters/dwnkg/post.htm#293899Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:57:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:293899Grammar Geek0http://www.englishforums.com/English/WritingLetters/dwnkg/post.htm#293899http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-293899.xmlYes, we use formal letters - on paper - in the business world every day. And yes, the format of the letter is important to convey the "business-like" tone of the letter. In fact, important letters to customers aren't supposed to go out without being run past me or one of my colleagues to check the grammar and the format and such things to ensure it represents a professional image. I would say that handwritten letters are reserved for thank you notes and letters of sympathy. You may use e-mail for letters of congratulations, but a handwritten one is still nice too. I would never send a business letter that was hand written. As more people use e-mail for more purposes, the "formal e-mail" is probably being use more often. And as with...http://www.englishforums.com/English/WritingLetters/dwnkg/post.htmMon, 23 Feb 2009 12:57:11 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:293800Anonymous1http://www.englishforums.com/English/WritingLetters/dwnkg/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-293800.xmlHi everybody! We were discussing writing formal letters in my English class and since I'm not a native speaker these forms (e.g.: starting your letter with Dear Sir or Madam or To whom it may concern and ending it with Yours faithfully) sound odd to me. That's why I'd like to know to what extent are such forms used in today English because nowadays we mainly use e-mails that differ from "written formal letters". So, in what cases woud you handwrite or print and send you letter by regular mail, would you use "standard formal" forms? Do you have to consider all the formal forms when writing e-mails as well? Thanks for your answers. Regards!