A good letter of recommendation says who you are, how you know the person, and then proves your opinion with two or three specific examples of what they did. It ends with a clear recommendation and your contact details. Most letters are around one page. The examples are what make a letter useful: "She is hardworking" tells the reader nothing, "She rebuilt our volunteer schedule in two weeks and cut no-shows in half" tells them a lot.
Structure of a recommendation letter
| Part | What goes in |
|---|---|
| Header | Your name, title, organization, contact details and the date; the recipient if you know them |
| Greeting | "Dear [Name]" if you know who reads it, otherwise "Dear Selection Committee" or "Dear Hiring Manager" |
| Opening | Who you recommend, for what, and a one-sentence verdict |
| Relationship | How you know the person, in which role and for how long |
| Evidence | Two or three specific examples: situation, what they did, the result |
| Comparison | How they compare to others you have worked with or taught, if you can say it honestly |
| Fit | Why they suit this job, program or scholarship |
| Closing | A clear recommendation and an offer to answer questions |
| Signature | Name, title, organization, email, phone |
The UNC Writing Center's advice for recommenders covers the same ground: describe your relationship with the applicant, include numbers and comparisons with others, and explain why the applicant is a good fit.
How to write it, step by step
- Read the requirements. What is the letter for, who reads it, is there a word limit, a form or an upload link, and when is the deadline?
- Collect material. Ask the person for their resume, the job or program description and two or three things they would like you to mention.
- Pick your examples. Choose moments you saw yourself. Numbers help: how many, how much, how fast.
- Write the verdict first. One sentence you can put in the opening: "I recommend Alex without reservation for..."
- Fill the structure from the table above, one paragraph per example.
- Tailor the fit paragraph to this specific job or program.
- Check the facts: name spelling, dates, titles, the program's name. Then sign it.
Letter of recommendation template
Copy this into Word, Google Docs or an email and replace everything in square brackets.
[Your name]
[Your title], [Organization]
[Email] | [Phone]
[Month Day, Year]
[Recipient name or "Selection Committee"]
[Organization or program]
Dear [Name / Selection Committee],
I am writing to recommend [Full name] for [job title / program / scholarship]. [One-sentence verdict, for example: "In [number] years of supervising [role], Alex is one of the most reliable people I have worked with."]
I have known [First name] since [month, year] as [his / her / their] [your role, e.g. manager, teacher, coach] at [organization], where [First name] worked as [role].
[Example 1: the situation, what [First name] did, and the result.]
[Example 2: the situation, what [First name] did, and the result.]
[Optional example 3, or a sentence on how [First name] compares with others you have worked with in a similar role.]
[Why [First name] fits this job or program in particular.]
I recommend [First name] [without reservation / highly] for [job / program]. Please contact me at [email] or [phone] if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your title], [Organization]
Letter of recommendation sample
We wrote this sample ourselves. The people and the organization are made up.
Dana Lopez
Volunteer Coordinator, Riverside Food Bank
dana.lopez@example.org | (555) 010-2233
September 25, 2026
Admissions Committee
Master of Public Administration Program
Dear Admissions Committee,
I am writing to recommend Alex Kim for your Master of Public Administration program. In six years of coordinating volunteers, I have rarely worked with someone who combines Alex's organization with Alex's care for people.
I have known Alex since March 2024, when Alex joined the Riverside Food Bank as a weekend volunteer. Since January 2025, Alex has led our Saturday distribution team of about 20 volunteers.
When our scheduling system failed last spring, Alex built a new sign-up process within two weeks, including text reminders. Missed shifts dropped from about one in five to one in ten, and we have kept the process since.
Last winter, a family arrived at a Saturday distribution without the documents our partner agency required. Alex stayed calm, found the one form the family could fill in on the spot, and made sure they did not leave empty-handed. That is typical of how Alex solves problems: quickly, within the rules, and with respect for the people involved.
Of the more than 150 volunteers I have supervised, Alex is among the three I would trust to run a distribution day alone.
Your program's focus on community services fits the work Alex already does. I recommend Alex without reservation. Please contact me at the email or phone number above if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dana Lopez
Volunteer Coordinator, Riverside Food Bank
What to avoid
From the UNC Writing Center's list of don'ts for recommenders:
- Generalizations: "Don't rely on generalizations, clichés, or platitudes." Every adjective needs an example.
- A copy of the resume: "Don't simply summarize the applicant's CV or resume." The reader already has it.
- Lukewarm praise: "Don't offer tepid praise or left-handed compliments." A hedged sentence reads like a warning.
- Too much about you: one sentence on your role is enough; the letter is about the applicant.
If you cannot write a positive and detailed letter, say so. The UNC Writing Center: "it is okay to decline!" If you are a teacher in the US, the same page notes that sharing protected student information, such as grades, needs the student's written consent under FERPA.
Email asking for a letter of recommendation
If you need the letter, this is how to ask. Ask early, and make it easy to say yes.
Subject: Request for a letter of recommendation: [program / job], due [date]
Dear [Name],
I am applying for [program / job] at [organization], and I would be grateful if you could write a letter of recommendation for me.
I am asking you because [specific reason, e.g. "you supervised my work on the volunteer schedule in 2025"].
The letter is due on [date]. It should be [uploaded through a link the program will email you / sent to email address / other].
To make it easier, I have attached my resume, the [program / job] description and a few points you might mention:
- [Point 1]
- [Point 2]
- [Point 3]
If you are not able to write it, I completely understand.
Thank you for considering it.
Best regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]
Speak what you saw, get a structured draft with Retexta
Retexta is a cloud voice to text and AI writing app for Android. The hard part of a recommendation letter is not the format, it is remembering and phrasing the examples. Talking about them is often easier than typing.
- Open Retexta and tap New task.
- Tap More templates, then Something else.
- Describe the task, for example: "Write a formal letter of recommendation for Alex Kim for a Master of Public Administration program, about one page, with my examples as the evidence."
- Add your input: tap Record audio and talk about the person as if a friend asked you: how you know them, what they did, what happened as a result.
- Retexta transcribes on its servers and writes the draft. If the letter goes out by email, you can also start with Write a message and the message type Email.
- Read it as the person who will sign it: keep only what you actually saw and would stand behind, and check every name, date and number. Retexta marks results with "AI-generated. Check important details."
Something else and Write a message are part of Retexta Pro. Retexta is free to try: new users get a few free Pro results to view in the app. Copying, sharing, exporting and screenshots need Retexta Pro or credits, and so does everything after the free results.
What to say into the phone
"I've known Alex since March 2024, first as a weekend volunteer, since January 2025 leading the Saturday team, about 20 people. Last spring our scheduling broke down and Alex built a new sign-up with text reminders in two weeks, no-shows went from about one in five to one in ten." Specific, with numbers: that is the raw material a strong letter needs.
Keep reading
For the layout of formal letters in general, see our guide on how to write a letter to a government agency. If you send the letter or the request by email, how to dictate an email on Android shows the fastest way. More about the app: Retexta, voice to text for Android.
Sources
Checked by FLAME Apps on September 25, 2026.
- The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Letters of Recommendation: what to include, typical length, what to avoid, declining, FERPA note.
- Retexta: goal names ("Something else", "Write a message", "More templates"), message types and plans as shown in the app (release 2026.1.23) and on its Google Play listing.
- Template, sample and email: written by FLAME Apps for this page.
