Letter Writing
Types of Letters include:
• Informal letters—These are letters written to close associates.
• Formal letters — These are:
• Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints,
asking for and giving information, placing orders and sending replies).
• Letters to the Editor (giving suggestions on an issue).
• Application for job.
Important points to remember while drafting letters:
• Write the letter in full block format (i.e., to the left).
• State your reason for writing in the first paragraph and stay on track.
• Always include specifics that will help ease the recipient’s task. For instance, if
you are writing to a bank, mention your account number.
• If you refer to other correspondence, quote date of the letter(s), reference
numbers, file numbers, order numbers, cheque number with date. Include
copies, whenever possible.
• Gently and respectfully direct the recipient’s course of action.
• It may be strongly worded, but always be courteous and use polite language and
pleasant tone.
• Self-introduction should be avoided.
• Informal expressions, greetings or contracted forms of words should not be used.
• The language should be simple, straight forward and to the point.
• Leave a line/additional space between paragraphs since no indentation is
followed.
• Open punctuation to be followed (no punctuation marks to be used).
• Do not mix up the old format and the new format.
• In letters to the Editor:
o Do not ask the editor to solve the problems.
• In the letter to the Editor:
o Use ‘Yours faithfully’, ‘Yours truly’ or ‘Yours sincerely’, as the
complimentary.
Question 1.
SAF Public School, Chandigarh is planning to take a group of 40 senior students to
Shimla on an excursion during the summer vacation. Mr. Mohan Das, the teacher-in-
charge of ‘Excursions & Field Trips’, writes a letter to Tours & Travels, Chandigarh
asking them to organize the tour. Write this letter giving details of preference such as
dates of journey, transport, accommodation, etc.
Answer:
SAF Public School
Chandigarh
18th April, 20xx
The Manager
JJ Tours & Travels
Sector 40-C
Chandigarh
Subject: To organise an excursion to Shimla for 40 students
Sir
We are a group of 40 senior students and 5 teachers who are planning a five-day
excursion to Shimla during our summer vacations.
We would like your travel company to organise this trip for us. Our preferred dates for
this trip are between the 20th and 30th of May. We would like to travel by the toy train
to Shimla and rely upon your company’s expertise to book decent accommodation for us
on a twin-sharing basis in a hotel on the main Mall Road. The cost of the trip should not
exceed Rs.8,000 per student with boarding and lodging.
I would appreciate a fast response from your end giving us the details and an itinerary
for our trip.
Looking forward to your early response
Yours sincerely
Mohan Das
Question 2.
You are Navneet of 65, P.H. Road, Mangalore. Recently you bought a mobile phone from
‘The Phone Point’, 83, Mount Road, Mangalore. The phone instrument developed a
problem within a month of purchase. Write a letter to the dealer giving details of the
nature of the problem and asking him/her to rectify the defect or replace the set.
Answer:
65, P.H. Road
Mangalore
17th January, 20xx
The Phone Point
83, Mount Road
Mangalore
Subject: Rectify/Replace Defective Mobile Phone
Sir
I had purchased a mobile phone Samzing A-53 from your reputed showroom vide Bill
No. 4020 on 22nd December.
I was using it to my satisfaction since I bought it but for the past few days I have noticed
that I now need to charge my phone after every 4-5 hours, unlike earlier when I used to
charge my phone after almost 24 hours. Despite the fact that I am using the phone for
the same duration as before the battery life has reduced drastically.
It is my request to you to rectify this defect with the battery, or replace the handset that
comes with a one-year warranty. The Phone Point enjoys a good reputation and
goodwill, so I expect you to look into the matter at the earliest so as to enable me to use
my mobile phone as conveniently as I was using it before.
Yours sincerely
Navneet
Question 3.
You are jolly of Class XII. You are interested in pursuing a course in visual
communication. You have seen an advertisement issued by the National Institute of
Communication, Pune, offering courses in Media and Communication. Write a letter to
the Director seeking information about their courses, fee structure, placement
opportunities, etc.
Answer:
D-4020 ABC Lane
XYZ City
14th April, 20xx
The Director
National Institute of Communication
Circular Path, Pune
Subject: Seeking information about the Course in Visual Communication
Sir,
This is in response to your advertisement in ‘The Daily’ dated 12th April, 20xx regarding
courses offered by your institute in Media and Communication. I have just appeared for
my class XII examination and am interested in pursuing a course in Visual
Communication. As very little information is available about this course, I would be
extremely grateful if you could send me detailed information about it so as to enable me
to move on to the next step and try to seek admission in your reputed institute. Please
forward the following details at the earliest:
1. Procedure for Admission
2. Duration of the Course
3. Eligibility Criteria
4. Course fee (instalment for each term)
5. Placement opportunities available after course completion
6. Any other relevant information related to this course
I am extremely keen to join the above- mentioned course and would be obliged if you
mail me a Prospectus for the same in the self- addressed stamped envelope enclosed
herewith.
Awaiting your early response
Yours sincerely
Jolly
Question 4.
Write a letter to the Manager, Furniture World, Chennai, complaining about the poor
quality of office furniture you recently purchased from them. Give details of the nature
of complaint, date of purchase, details of an invoice, etc. and seek immediate repair/
replacement. You are Mr. S.Reddy, Principal, P.S. Public School, Chennai.
Answer:
P.S. Public School
Chennai
7th March, 20xx
The Manager
Furniture World
Chennai
Subject: Letter of Complaint against poor quality of office furniture
Sir,
We had purchased office furniture from your prestigious showroom on 17th January
vide Invoice No. FWC/2051.
I am sorry to say that most of these items sent by you are of poor quality and very non-
durable. Not even two months have passed and the chairs are already creaking as the
springs used in them are of inferior quality. The wood on the tables too has started
chipping off at different places. Four of the seven wooden almirahs are defective as their
handles are loose and they are not even stable. It is most disgusting that a reputed shop
like yours has been unable to maintain the quality of its products.
I would request you to have this faulty lot replaced by a new one, with the best quality
at the earliest and would appreciate if you initiated action in this matter fast.
Yours sincerely
S. Reddy
(Principal)
Question 5.
You are Indu, a student of Class XII living at 131, Hans Apartments, Agra. You are
interested in pursuing a course in journalism. Write a letter in response to an
advertisement issued by the Asian Institute of journalism, Delhi in a national daily,
seeking information about suitable courses, eligibility, fee structure and placement
opportunities.
Answer:
131, Hans Apartment
Agra
14th April, 20xx
The administrative Officer
Asian Institute of journalism
Delhi
Subject: Seeking information about Course in journalism
Sir,
This is in reference to your advertisement in ‘The Times of India’ dated 12th April, 20xx.
I have just appeared for my Class XII examination and am now interested in pursuing
course journalism from your reputed institute. I would like to get complete information
about the Degree Courses journalism, especially including the following details:
1. Procedure for Admission
2. Duration of Course
3. Criteria for Admission
4. Fee structure (instalment for each term)
5. Placement opportunities available after course completion
I am very keen to pursue the journalism Course from your esteemed institute and would
be obliged if you could mail a prospectus in the self-addressed stamped envelope that I
have enclosed along with this letter.
Awaiting an early response from your end
Yours sincerely
Indu
Question 6.
Dog owners walking their dogs along the colony streets is a common sight. These pets
relieve themselves on the pavements and dirty them. It is unseemly and unhygienic.
Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner of your city highlighting the situation and
suggesting measures to keep the pavements clean. You are jyoti/Parmesh, 15 Mall Road,
Delhi.
Answer:
15 Mall Road, Delhi
18th April, 20xx
The Municipal Commissioner
Municipal Corporation
Delhi
Subject: Pet Dogs making city unclean and unhygienic
Sir,
I wish to bring to your notice a matter which concerns each and every one of us who
lives in this city and is anxious about keeping it clean and hygienic.
Dog owners, walking their dogs in the streets and parks have been a common sight.
These pet dogs relieve themselves along the streets, pavements and in the parks and
thus make them dirty and unhygienic.
Urgent measures need to be taken up to prohibit this practise so that we can keep our
city clean. Heavy fines should be levied on these dog owners who take their pet dogs for
relieving on the streets and parks. Certain open areas should be specified where these
pet dogs can relieve themselves. People in countries like USA, UK etc. also keep pet dogs
but ensure that they relieve themselves without contaminating their cities. So dog
lovers in our country should also be made to adhere to certain rules to keep our city
clean and hygienic.
I hope you will look into this matter urgently and seriously to ensure the cleanliness of
our city.
Yours sincerely
Jyoti
Question 7.
A new advertising firm, Prime Ads Ltd., 2 Tolstoy Marg, Kolkata, needs office space at a
prime location in Delhi. Write a letter to the Manager offering first floor of your building
on rent. Give details of the premises, terms and conditions etc. You are Paramjit Singh,
Manager Planwell Builders, Nehru Place, New Delhi. (Comptt. All India 2009)
Answer:
Planwell Builders
Nehru Place
New Delhi
25th Feb., 20xx
The Manager
Prime Ads Ltd.
2, Tolstoy Marg
Kolkata
Subject: Office space in Delhi available
Sir
We got to know through your advertisement on the internet that you are looking for
office space for your new advertising firm at a prime location in Delhi.
We, at Planwell Builders have a place that will be most suitable for your office at Karol
Bagh in West Delhi. It is barely 2 kms from the Metro Station, in a prime commercial
area and has three spacious interconnected rooms. We are willing to sign a registered
extendable lease for two years at a rent of? 75,000 per month. We will require a deposit
of three lakhs (refundable) and three months rent in advance.
If these terms and conditions suit you we would be happy to sign an agreement with
you at the earliest.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Paramjit Singh
Manager
Question 8.
Write a letter to the Station Master, Anand, informing him about the loss of your
suitcase which you realized only on alighting at Anand. You travelled by Navjivan
Express from Chennai to Anand. You are Priya/Prasad of 12, Kasturi Bai Street,
Chennai-20.
Answer:
12, Kasturi Bai Street
Chennai 20
18th April, 20xx
The Station Master
Anand
Subject: Reporting loss of Suitcase
Sir
I boarded the Navjivan Express from Chennai to Anand on 16th April, 20xx. On alighting
at Anand I realized that I had lost my suitcase on board the train.
I do not recall where exactly I misplaced it but I am sure I had boarded the train from
Chennai with my suitcase. It is a grey coloured V.I.P. trolley and has a sticker with my
name and address on it. I would be grateful for your cooperation in helping me to find
my suitcase as it contains some very important documents, besides my clothes and
toiletries.
I do realise the inconvenience I am putting you through but I would appreciate prompt
action from your end.
Hoping to hear from you soon
Yours sincerely
Prasad
