english grammar application letter

Steps of Writing an Application Letter

Writing an application can be daunting. Because you have only one chance to stand out in an application since the authorized committee is not going to reread your application. Therefore, you can not take anything for granted. So, you have to know how to write an application letter. If you do not know, you can not avoid the fact that you must learn the steps of writing an application letter to get what you want.

How to Write an Application Letter in English

Traditionally, we write application letters to a company or school for academic or business purposes. And an application letter is a faucet of strategies which can help you to get your voice heard by authorities. Thus, it is a great way to show who you are as an academic or business person.

Thus, the following guide will take you through the steps of writing an application letter in English. The steps of writing an application letter below, though, mainly focuses on an academic application letter. So, if you need help in writing a job application letter, you can let us know down below.

Formal Letter or Informal Letter?

There are mainly two types of letter, namely formal and informal. We write formal letters for business purposes or to authorities such as your professors. And the formal letter follows certain rules and patterns while informal letters do not follow such patterns or rules. Therefore, they are usually written for friends and family or loved ones.

Thus, an application letter follows the set rules and patterns of a formal letter. So, it has the following parts.

• Complimentary close
• Signature line

Furthermore, a formal letter or an application letter follows the following rules.

• An application letter should be typed in fonts such as Times New Roman Arial Black.
• You should use a one-line margin on all sides for an application letter.
• Also, you should apply block paragraphing (where the block paragraphing means to start a new paragraph, you should hit “Return” twice.).
• Do not use indentation.
• You should print your application letter on a letter-size ( 8.5″ by 11”) or legal-size (8.5” x 14”) paper.
• If you are writing an email letter, you should use a common font. And avoid using strips and colors other than black and white.
• An application letter should be concise and to the point.

Steps of Writing an Application Letter in English

An academic application letter follows the same set of rules and patterns that any formal letter do. So, to learn more about the steps of Writing the Best Letter in English from Scratch, click here . However, a short illustration of writing a letter is given below.

Step 1. The Heading

The heading of a letter contains the date and the address of the receiver and the sender. Initially, write your name, your last name, your address, phone number, and your email address. Then, write down the date followed by the receiver’s name, organization or name of the academy, and address.

For Example,

Sara Ali 61 Guild Street, London SE16 7PD 079 8922 4067 [email protected]

August 7, 2019

Dr. John Green Chair, English Department Search Committee University of London WC1E 7HU

Step 2. The Salutation

The salutation is an important part of any type of letter because it shows the closeness of the relationship between the sender and the receiver of the letter. Since you are writing the application letter to your professor, you might like to choose one of the following salutations.

• Dear Dr. John Green
• Dear Sir/Madam

Step 3. The Body of Letter

After writing the salutation, it is time to write the body of your letter. But before you start, you should remember that “Time is Money”. If your application is too long or not precise enough, there is a very little chance that your reader is going to read your letter. Thus, try to write a precise and to the point letter.

The Body of your application letter has the following three parts. Also, the following illustration is for a work-study application letter.

The first part of the body of your letter addresses the prompt. It talks about the main reason behind your writing the application letter. The reason can be an admission, work and study or internship. Besides, it as to be quite short. Therefore, you have to take your time and be creative.

For example, “I am writing to apply for the position of assistant of the English professor of…”

In the second part, you have to address why you should get what you have asked for or what the prompt of your letter was. Thus, you need to showcase your qualification and skills that might help you.

In the last part of the body, you will tell your reader how this will be beneficial for you and him/her. This may simply be the opportunities that can help you both do better and achieve more.

Step 4. Closing the Letter

After you have written your letter and read it at least once, you can close it now. Like the salutation of your letter, the closing is also an indicator of your relationship. Thus, for academic purposes, you can use the followings:

• Respectfully
• Warm Regards
• Yours Sincerely
• Your Truthfully

Next, if you have typed your letter, you should leave some space and sign your letter by hand. Then, type your name under your signature and you are good to go.

• Writing the Best Letter in English from Scratch
• How to Write a Friendly Letter in English

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A cover letter.

Look at the cover letter and do the exercises to improve your writing skills. 

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to express interest in the voluntary work placement at your animal sanctuary which I saw advertised on your website.

I am eighteen years old and in my final year at secondary school, due to sit my A levels next summer. I am planning on taking a degree in veterinary science at university and have received two conditional offers. As you will see from my CV, I have always shown an interest in working with animals and have relevant experience from voluntary work which I carried out at a local dogs' home. In this position I had sole responsibility for taking care of some dogs' daily needs, such as feeding, cleaning and exercise. In addition to this, I regularly spend time on my uncle's farm throughout the year and usually help him take care of the animals. This hands-on experience has reinforced my decision to seek a career working with animals. Both the dogs' home and my uncle would be willing to provide references.

I am hard-working, punctual and willing to help out with any kind of job at the sanctuary. My decision to undertake a degree in veterinary science confirms my interest in and commitment to the field. I am certain that experience working at your animal sanctuary will provide an invaluable insight into working with animals and a unique opportunity to acquire a range of skills and expertise.

I hope I have shown that I am an ideal candidate for this position and please find attached my CV.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Emily Jones

Top Tips for writing

Begin and end the letter appropriately.

Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam with no name – Closing: Yours faithfully Beginning: Dear Mr / Mrs / Ms + surname – Closing: Yours sincerely

Give a clear reason for writing.

I am writing with regard to … / to enquire about … / to apply for … / to express interest in ...

Use linking words to join similar ideas into paragraphs.

In addition to this, ... 

Include a summary comment near the end of your letter.

I hope you will find this information useful. I would be very grateful for your assistance in this matter.

Close your letter with a set phrase.

Check your understanding: true, false or not given

Check your writing: gap fill, check your writing: multiple selection, worksheets and downloads.

Do students at your school do work experience? What company or organisation would you like to do work experience in? What do you think are the main advantages of work experience?

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Application Letter: Definition, Types and How to write it

We are all familiar with writing the application of leave of absence at least once in our lives. If you can’t relate, there are countless other times application letters are written. It can be for a job, asking for permission to host a football competition on the school grounds, asking for a transfer certificate after your dad gets posted somewhere else, etc. Here, I will tell you how you will write a general application letter.

What is an Application Letter?

If you’ve been following, the letter you write when you request for something, ask permission for something or apply for something, is an application letter. It is usually a one-page letter. It can be written for domestic or professional purposes. It can also accompany documents sometimes, like job application letters. So to say, application letters encompass more than cover letters; they can be an inquiry and a request letter too.

Types of Application Letters:

Following this thread, application letters can be classified into 3 broad groups . They include:

• Job Application Letter ( sample )
• Academic Application Letter ( sample )
• Personal Application Letter

Examples of job application letters include:

See cover letters

Examples of academic application letters include:

• Application letter seeking permission
• Scholarship application letter
• Application for leave of absence/in advance
• Application for a seat in the hostel
• Application for a testimonial, etc.

Examples of personal application letters include:

• Loan application letter
• Rental application letter
• Application letter for a deduction of fine
• Application withdrawal letter
• Internship application letter
• Transfer application letter
• Application letter for a travel grant, etc.

Note that these personal letters can be written person-to-person or person-to-business.

Steps on How to Write An Application Letter:

Like any other basic letter writing, the application letter starts with planning. Plan on the content, enquire about the recipient, think through about the details to include, keep things simple and short, and et voilà!

Let’s break things down.

Suppose you are writing an application to your college professor for the retake of your Microeconomics exam. Here’s how you draft your piece:

• Start with the date.
• Include the name of the professor, his post, department, and name of the university. Your professor can be an external or internal faculty. If he is an external faculty, mention this and the name of your university. If not, you still should include it to make things more precise. Add his contact information.
• Follow this up with the date. Proceed to the subject line, here, application for the retake on an exam is the subject.
• In the first paragraph, introduce yourself. Mention your name, batch, and program, followed by the course name. Now state why you are writing, which is to apply for the retake of your Microeconomics exam.
• Next paragraph should mention the reasons for you to skip the exam. Make sure they are valid grounds. If you had been sick, attach prescriptions or documents from the appointment. If you had been away for personal issues, give brief details of the event.
• In the closing paragraph, ask him/her to excuse you on these grounds and to retake your exam and say how it will be beneficial to you.
• Close with your details. Don’t forget to add your contact information like the mailing ID here.

Tips to Remember:

• Take care of the readability and white space in your letter.
• Make sure your pints connect with each other. Don’t include irrelevant information since an application is to be concise by format.
• Take care of grammatical and spelling errors.
• Be sure of the dates you are writing in the letter.

Related Contents

• Appreciation Letter: Definition, Types, and How To Write it
• Proposal Letter : Definition and how to write it

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