Ohio University College of Business Communication Standards

Block Letter Style with Open Punctuation (CoB standard)
March 25, 2003 line 13 (2”) or 1 blank line below letterhead
2 to 10 blank lines
Mr. C. G. Everett, President
Visual Design, Inc.
2000 Coast Highway
Santa Barbara, CA 90909-9898
1 blank line
Dear Mr. Everett
1 blank line
SUBJECT: BLOCK LETTER STYLE
1 blank line
This letter illustrates the block letter style, the accepted letter style for use by students in the College of
Business. All typed lines begin at the left margin. The date is usually placed two inches from the top edge of
the paper or two lines (one blank line) below the last line of the letterhead, whichever position is lower. Please
notice that the letter is single-spaced with a blank line between each paragraph.
1 blank line
This letter also displays “open punctuation.” No colon follows the salutation, and no comma follows the
complimentary close. While this style is efficient and thus has been accepted by the CoB as its standard, many
people remain unfamiliar with this punctuation style and consider it to be “incomplete.” The alternative style is
entitled “mixed punctuation.” Mixed punctuation includes a colon after the salutation and a comma after the
complimentary close. Take note that while a comma following the salutation is perfectly correct in informal,
personal communication, it is improper to use a comma within business communication. Open punctuation
dictates no punctuation at all following the salutation; mixed punctuation requires a colon.
If a subject line is to be included, it appears two lines below the salutation in all capital letters. The word
“SUBJECT” is optional. Most readers will identify this statement in this position as the subject without the
label. The complimentary close appears two lines below the end of the last paragraph. Three blank lines are
used to provide space for the written signature followed by the typed name of the sender with typed title
following on the next line. Both lines of this signature block are typed at the left margin in the block format.
Reference initials follow two lines below the title. Format of the reference initials may vary, but current
adaptation uses only lower case initials of the keyboardist. If writers key their own correspondence, no
reference initials are used. This option is becoming more widely used as more writers key their own work.
When an enclosure or attachment accompanies a letter, a notation to that effect appears two lines below the
reference initials. This notation may be spelled out (Enclosure or Attachment), or it may be abbreviated (Enc.,
Att.). The number of enclosures may be indicated, and specific enclosures may be identified (Enclosure: May
5, 2001 Adjusted Invoice).
Sincerely
Catherine Smart
Account Manager
jsr
Enclosure
3 blank lines
1 blank line
1 blank line
2-6