WRITING LETTERS
One of the three formats that you might be asked to write in for in Directed writing Question 1
is a letter. This may be an informal letter, to a friend or relative, or a formal one.
You will be given the intended audience for your letter and the reason why you are writing in
the task instructions. The points to be included in your letter should be derived from what you
have read in the given text, and your writing marks will come from your ability to vary your
writing to suit the purpose, audience and form of the task, as well as how you structure your
response.
FORMAL LETTERS
• A Formal letter is usually written for official reasons
• It is also known as a business letter
• It is written in a formal language with a specific structure and layout.
Formal letters are written to
• Make a complaint,
• Question a decision,
• Making a travel reservation
• Apply for a job/employment etc.
Conventions of Writing a Formal Letters
Layout
• Begin with your address in the top-right corner of the page.
• Do not include your name in the address, as this will come at the end of the letter.
• Skip a line then write the date - the date is not part of the address.
• Below this, on the left hand side of the page, write the name and address of the person that
you are writing to(the recipient of the letter)
Beginning the letter
Salutation
• Address your letter to Dear + the name or job title of the person you have been asked to write
to. (Dear Ms Brown, or Dear Brian Smith) or
• You can choose to use first name and surname, or title and surname.
• If you don't know the name of the person you are writing to, use: ‘Dear Sir/Madam,’
The body of the letter
Paragraph 1: Why are you writing?
After the salutation, skip a line then begin the introductory paragraph.
Your opening sentence should clearly state why you are writing the letter (get to the point
straight away).
Give the general aim (e.g. to complain, apply, request, disagree) and the relevant information
only.
Also, give an indication of what you are responding to e.g. a recent holiday or a letter in last
week’s newspaper, or a job advertisement in a newspaper or website.
You could begin as follows:
‘I would like to apply for the position of ...’
‘I am writing to complain about the poor service we received at ...’
How you choose to start your formal letter is very important
Paragraph 2: Details of the situation
• Give previous history of the event/issue or your background or experience.
• Say what happened exactly if making a complaint, or focus directly on the text you are
arguing with.
• Include specific data such as names, dates, facts and details.
Paragraph 3: Further development
• Give further support to your claim or request.
• In a job application, include specific details about why you are an ideal candidate for the
role.
• In a letter of complaint, include a summary of what has happened to prompt your complaint,
giving names names, locations and dates, if necessary.
• Make sure that each point you make is given a separate paragraph.
Ending the letter
Before you sign off and end your letter, make sure that you provide a clear course of action for
the reader. Say what you wish to happen next.
Making a complaint
Make it clear that you need a reply or expect to receive some compensation as soon as possible.
Suggest, firmly but politely, what may happen if you do not receive a response to a complaint.
Applying for a job
End on a positive note and say that you are looking forward to hearing from them, or being
invited for an interview.
Signing off
Signing off will depend on how you started your letter. If you used someone’s name, end with
- Yours sincerely. If you didn't use their name, you used Sir/Madam instead, so end with - Yours
faithfully,
Tone and purpose
Your letter, like the opening sentence, needs to be precise and to the point. Tone, or the way
your letter sounds, is very important and finding the right tone can sometimes be difficult. You
may need to be firm, but polite. In a formal letter, the aim is to sound ‘businesslike’. Avoid any
language that seems casual or chatty.
INFORMAL LETTERS
Informal letters are written to people we know well, such as friends or family member. They are
usually written for personal communication—sharing news, asking how someone is, to share
your ideas and opinions as advice or just catching up.
CONVENTIONS OF INFORMAL LETTERS
LAYOUT
Greeting/Salutation
• Start with “Dear” and use the first name of the person you are writing for example: ‘Dear
Roshni’ or ‘Hi Sarah’
• Start with a warm and friendly opening, such as:
“It was good to hear from you,” or “Sorry I have not replied sooner; I have been so busy revising for
my exams.”
Body Paragraphs
This is where you tell your recipient the reason for writing your letter.
(The reason will be given to you in the task instructions/bullet points)
Use the bullet points in the task to structure your letter
• Paragraphs should be clear and well sequenced, using appropriate connectives.
• Use topic sentences to begin each paragraph, and then develop each point appropriately
and in detail
• Deal with one idea/argument in each paragraph.
• You may share your feelings and personal thoughts.
Example
You won't believe the hotels they put us in! One was super noisy, and the food was a joke – we basically
lived on tiny sandwiches. It was so bad it was almost funny. We ended up just exploring on our own
and found this amazing little cafe by the sea.
Closing Paragraph:
In concluding your letter, you may ask them a question to encourage a reply or mention when
you will see them next.
Examples
• Anyway, that is my news for now.
• What have you been up to?
• Let's catch up properly soon!
Sign-off
In your sign-off/valediction, use a warm closing.
• Examples: Best wishes, Cheers, Talk soon, Lots of love,
• This should be followed by your name. Just sign with your first name.
• Example: Alex
•
Example
Best wishes,
Alex
LANGUAGE
The language of formal letters
• Is natural, friendly, and personal style.
• It should sound like you are speaking to the recipient directly.
• You can use contractions (like I'm, don't, it's).
• The tone should be light and conversational.
• The language is usually informal.
• However, spelling should be accurate, with a variety of sentences and punctuation for effect.
Always write with your intended audience in mind. Address them directly throughout your
writing, mention their specific concerns and ensure you develop your points in a convincing
way.