書信是人們在日常生活、學習、工作和公務活動中應用最為廣泛的有一定慣用格式的應用文，是個人與個人之間、個人與組織之間、組織與組織之間交流思想感情、傳遞意見要求、傳播信息的書面形式。
同其它類應用文一樣，書信具有實用性強、格式固定、使用廣泛等特點。
由於文化背景與習俗的不同，英文書信與中文書信在書寫格式上有較大差異，需特別注意。
書信的寫法應注意三大部分。
一、信封的格式
在信封正面的中間略偏右的地方寫收信人的地址，注意要先寫收信人的姓名，再從小到大寫上收信人的地址，寄信人的地址則按從小到大的順序寫在信封的左上角，或者是寫在信封的背面。
二、書信的格式
書信分為正式信件(公務性信件和商務性信件)和非正式信件(家人、朋友之間的信件)兩種。
三、正文的寫法
1、信頭(Heading)：信頭是指寫信人的地址及日期，位於信箋的右上方，距信紙的頂頭約一英寸。順序是先寫地址，後寫日期。地址由小寫到大，即門牌號→街名→城市→省份→國名，由小到大的順序書寫。如“江西省萬載縣康樂鎮田下路159號”，英文寫法是：159 Tianxia Road, Kangle Town, Wanzai County, Jiangxi Province;日期可按“日—月—年”的.順序或“月—日—年”的順序寫。
2、信內地址(Inside Address)：它是指收信人的姓名和地址，寫在信箋的左上方，稍低於信頭一至二行，在稱呼語上方。順序是先寫收信人姓名，後寫職務，再寫地址(由小到大)。商業往來信件及公函必須寫信頭和信內地址。但親友、熟人之間的信可不寫信內地址，信頭處只寫發信日期。
3、稱呼(Greeting)：收信人的稱呼，寫在信紙的左邊，低於信內地址。
4、書信的正文(Body)：是寫信者所要説的話，正文信的內容，從左向右橫寫，低於稱呼語，常在縮進四、五個字母處起筆。寫信與寫文章一樣，要分段寫，每段有一箇中心思想，內容要表達清楚，語言要簡單明瞭，態度要誠懇禮貌。給親友的信還應親切熱情。考試時必須把規定的內容寫清楚。正文結束時，還可寫一兩句表達心願的話，如：Best wishes to you /Remember me to your family /Hoping to hear from you soon等。
5、結束語(Closing)：發信人表示自己對收信人的一種客套稱呼，寫在書信正文結尾下面低兩行的位置上。一般它均從正中或偏右處寫起。結束語的第一個字母必須大寫，後面須加上逗號。收信人與寫信人之間是朋友關係時常用：Yours,/Yours ever,/Ever yours,/Always(Sincerely) yours, 等等。
6、簽名(Signature)：發信人自己的姓名，寫在結束語的下面一行。可與結束語齊頭或略向右靠一點兒。
No. 28 Middle School
Yangzhou
April 8, 2005
Dear Mr President Bush,
I am a student from China. All my classmates and I are caring about the war between your country and Iraq.
So far, the war has lasted about ten days. During these days, about two hundred thousand soldiers from your country and Britain have kept attacking Iraq. Many houses have been destroyed. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the war. What’s worse, the children in Iraq couldn’t go to school like the children in your country and all of us. They even have no food to eat.
Mr President Bush, will you please stop the war at once? Let the people in Iraq live a quiet life and let the children go back to their schools, will you?
Love,
Li Lei
中考英語書信作文模板二：
Dear David,
I'm glad you'll come to Beijing to learn Chinese. Chinese is very useful, and many foreigners are learning it now. It's difficult for you because it's quite different from English. You have to remember as many Chinese words as possible. It's also important to do some reading and writing. You can watch TV and listen to the radio to practise your listening. Do your best to talk with people in Chinese. You can learn Chinese not only from books but also from people around you. If you have any questions, please ask me. I'm sure you'll learn Chinese well.
Hope to see you soon in Beijing.
Yours,
Wang Ming
文萃咖
