Reading an Application Letter

Before writing your application letter, you should read an effective sample. In this lesson, you'll first read a sample announcement. Then you'll read one applicant's response. As you read the sample application letter, consider how the writer put ideas together and how you might use some of the strategies in your own writing.

Reading an Announcement

Read a sample announcement.

Read the following announcement about a summer camp. The writer of the sample letter that follows it responds to the opportunity presented in the announcement.

Sample Announcement

Reading an Application Letter

An application letter follows the structure of a traditional business letter. It includes six main parts:

The heading identifies the writer's return address and date of writing.
The inside address gives the reader's name and mailing address.
The salutation is the greeting given to the reader.
The body is the main part of the letter. It contains three parts: (1) the opening part states why you are writing, (2) the middle part gives readers the details they need, and (3) the closing part focuses on what should happen next.
The closing is a polite word or phrase to end the message.
The signature includes a handwritten signature followed by the typed name.

In the sample letter that follows, the writer expresses his interest in a summer camp that is described in the announcement. Note the six parts.

Sample Application Letter

Heading

23100 Altoona Street
Apartment #415
Houston, TX 77001
March 14, 2017

Inside Address

Ms. Benita Mendez-Curry
New Adventures Wilderness Camp
1500 Highway 2900, Suite B
Austin, TX 78745

Salutation

Dear Ms. Mendez-Curry:

I would like to apply for a place at the New Adventures Wilderness Camp this summer. I read in your brochure that your camp is for city kids from Texas who would like to learn about nature.

Body

I meet the requirements for your camp. I am in the eighth grade at Memorial Middle School. I have lived in Houston all my life with my mother and three sisters. I love the city, but I have never spent time in the country. I also am doing well in school. My favorite subject is science. I won third place in the science fair at our school this winter.

I think that summer camp would really be a great experience for me. I think my interest in science would help me. I know that I would learn a lot and make new friends.

Please consider me for your camp. Thank you for reading this letter. I hope to hear from you soon.

Closing

Sincerely,

Micah Jones

Signature

Micah Jones

Respond to the application letter.

Answer these questions about the letter. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.

Who is the writer of the letter? Who is the receiver?
The writer is Micah Jones. The receiver is Ms. Benita Mendez-Curry.
What does the writer want to do?
The writer wants to go to summer camp to learn more about nature.
What does the writer tell you about himself?
He explains that he is a city kid who has never spent time in the country. He is interested in science. He won third place in a science fair and gets good grades.
If you received the letter, would you consider the writer for the camp? Why or why not?
(Answers will vary.) Yes, I would consider the writer for the camp. He meets the qualifications and sounds very interested.
What tone does the writer use in the letter? Choose one of these: (1) angry and impatient; (2) humorous and light; (3) polite and serious.
Polite and serious
Write one or two sentences from the letter that show this tone.
(Answers will vary.) I would like to apply for a place at the New Adventures Wilderness Camp this summer. Please consider me for your camp. Thank you for reading this letter.