A letter of condolence should be written promptly as soon as you hear the news and before shock of it has worn off. Put down simply and truthfully what you think and feel at that moment. Remember that the three most essential qualities of a good condolence letter are tact, sincerity and brevity.
Dear Miss Smith,
Please accept my very deepest sympathy on the death of your father. I can well appreciate what a great loss this must be to you.
Sincerely yours,
Irena Levina.
Letters of Introduction
Note that a letter of introduction is offered, not requested. Make it a point never to write a letter of introduction unless you know both persons intimately and well. Write the letter briefly and to the point. The letter should give the name of the person being introduced, the reason or purpose for the introduction, and any other information that is relevant or important. A letter of introduction may either be handed to the person for whom it is written, to be presented personally, or it may be sent through the mail. If it is to be delivered personally, the envelope should be left unsealed. However a second and private letter may be written and sent by mail, giving more information about the person who is on the way with a letter of introduction.
For example: to be presented in person.
Dear Mr. Cool,
The bearer ofthis letter, Mr. Kirill Levin, is a friend of mine who is visiting your city on business.
Anything you can do to help him will be a kindness much appreciated by him and, I need hardly to say, by me.
Yours sincerely,
Nikolay Zotov.
Official letter
Dear Mr. Bright,
A mutual friend, Mr. George Splint, has advised me to get in touch with you.
I am working on a thesis on English history of the seventeenth century. As you are an expert on this period I would be most grateful if we could meet.
I should be very glad if you would have dinner with me at the Kensington Garden Hotel at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27th.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Resin.