Virtual School. Information Technology. Lesson 4.

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Letter writing Writing a letter is a very common task in word processing. Start a new file which you can use as your letter template. A template is a basic framework which you can use again and again to avoid typing out the same thing, such as the address, many times. Write your address, using a return for each new line. Don't forget the post code and date. If your word processor has an "insert date" function, use that. Don't worry about your address being on the left hand side - we'll change that in a moment. On another line write "Dear Sir" then add several returns and write "Yours faithfully". Your page should now look like this:  1 High Street Cambourne Cambridgeshire CB3 1AH 1st October 2006 Dear Sir,   Yours faithfully Select the address and choose "Align right" from the edit menu if available. The address should now move over to the right hand side of the page like this:  1 High Street Cambourne Cambridgeshire CB3 1AH 1st October 2006 Dear Sir,   Yours faithfully This is the easy way to move your address to the right hand side. It aligns the address straight on the right edge. Sometimes however, such as when some of the lines of the address are very short and others are very long, it is better to use the tab key. Set a tab to a point a little to the right of the middle of the page and add a tab key before each line of the address. The lines of the address will now be on the right of the page but lined up straight by their first letter like this: 1 High Street Cambourne Cambridgeshire CB3 1AH 1st October 2006 Dear Sir,   Yours faithfully When you've finished this and are happy with the position of your text, save the file. You should be able to save it as a "stationery" or "template" file format. This means it cannot be written over by mistake. Now make a copy of this template file and you are ready to write your letter. You can change the words if you wish - from "Dear Sir" to "Dear Granny" and "Yours faithfully" to "Yours sincerely" and you can add whatever you wish in the body of the letter. Be sure to save this new file with a different name from the name you chose for your template. Suggested letters to write: to a local shop or business asking for a weekend job and explaining how good you are at word processing to a relative thanking them for a present and explaining that you're spending your time learning to word process to an outdoor pursuits centre asking what activities they offer and what accommodation they have for you and a friend When you've finished the letters, print them off and look at them on paper. Do they look like professional well designed letters? It's easy to write something on a computer which looks wrong on paper. Ask the opinions of other people. Do they have suggestions for improving the appearance of the letters? Is the font (the type style) readable, the right size, and suitable for a letter? Is there a suitable amount of space around the letter's edge? Should the type style of the address be different from the type style of the rest of the letter? Do some research by looking at other people's letter heads. Experiment with different type styles and sizes. You may decide to have several different letterheads for different occasions - friends, jobs, family .... TOP