Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
We write 'SUBJECT' - in a formal letter ______
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → To draw attention to the letter
The subject line of a formal letter states in a few words what the letter is about. Placed just before the salutation, it draws the reader's attention to the letter and its main point at once, so the matter can be understood and handled quickly.
Example: The subject line read: "Request for issue of a library card".
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: To mention the date of writing — Incorrect. The date has its own place near the top of the letter, below the sender's address.
Option 2: To draw the attention of the authorities — Incorrect. A formal letter may go to an editor, a company or a school as well as to the authorities; the subject line points the reader to the matter of the letter, whoever the reader is.
Option 4: To make it look impressive — Incorrect. The subject line has a practical purpose, clarity, not decoration.