Formal Letter
Begin with a formal salutation with the word
Introduction “Dear,” along with recipient’s respective
title. Write “sir or madam,” when the recipient
is unknown. Introduce yourself or the writer
and their relation to the issue to give some
background about the reason for writing.
Issue Continue by introducing the issue with more
context to expand upon the reason for writing
and why it is of importance
Elaborate on the issue by providing further
Elaboration details along with why it concerns the
writer and it’s future implications if not
solved
Request a response and include a
Conclusion complimentary close with the phrase “Yours
sincerely” if the recipient is known or
“Yours faithfully” if the recipient isn’t
known.
Formal Letter
It is important to maintain a formal
register throughout the letter and to
avoid contractions or informal
language. The letter should also be
concise while keeping in mind the
recipient’s position and its relevance
to the main issue being discussed in
order to keep it in the word count of
250-350 and to not spend too much time.
02
Informal
Letter
Structure and Details
Informal Letter
Begin with a salutation with the word “Dear,” along
Introduction with recipient’s name. Honorifics such as Mr. and
Mrs. should be avoided unless necessary to add
authenticity. To give some natural context, include
some small talk so that the recipient’s background
and the writer’s connection to them is clear.
Issue Continue to the main focus of the letter while
easing into the topic with a phrase similar to
“speaking of which…” in order to avoid abrupt
shifts in the flow of the writing.
Elaborate on the topic by providing further
Elaboration context along with any past experiences
which may relate to the topic to provide
information in a casual and seamless manner
Request a response and include a
Conclusion complimentary close with a phrase that
shows the writer’s relation to the
recipient such as “Your friend,” to make
the ending more genuine.
Informal Letter
Although the writing should be informal,
it is important to maintain an appropriate
register without the use of vulgar
language or too many unrelated topics
outside of the small talk segment. It is
also important to adhere to the main focus
to avoid getting sidetracked from the
topic of the letter in order to keep in
the word count of 250-350 and to not spend
too much time.
03
Examples
Some examples of formal and
informal letter writing
Formal Letter Example
Dear Editor,
I am writing to you, as a resident of the town, about an extreme sports incident that has been reported in
my area. Last Saturday evening on my jog around the neighborhood, I saw a few rock climbers practicing their
skills on the nearby cliff. When I then went home, I heard the news about an incident in which the climbers
loosened heavily weathered rock and caused it to fall. This severely injured themselves and the group of
spectators watching from below.
Upon further investigation after some of the survivors recovered, it was found out that a part of the cliff
had fallen in large pieces which caused the climbers to lose their grip and the group watching to be injured by
the falling debris. The climbers were fatally wounded, but all of the others involved suffered injuries that were
not as serious.
After hearing about this deeply saddening news, I created a petition calling for the sport to be banned in
my local area for being too dangerous, and I need as many signatures as possible to ensure that such as event does
not occur again. Extreme sports such as rock climbing pose dangerous threats to those involved and do not provide
any significant benefit apart from an adrenaline rush. This also puts people in the surrounding area in danger
which should be prevented. I and many others believe that safety should always come first in such situations and
would like to invite people to sign this petition by raising awareness by means of an article in the local
newspaper.
I look forward to getting a response from you soon.
Yours faithfully,
Jacob West
Informal Letter Example
Dear David,
Hello! I hope that you are doing well. As you might’ve heard, I am currently taking a break from work and am enjoying
life on the Hawaiian Island of Kawai. The weather here is great compared to the gloomy climate over there in Detroit, and it is
very calming and relaxing on the beaches. Hopefully, work hasn’t been too tough on you recently with the boss assigning extra
work because of the falling company profits. I guess I have to find out when I come back since I left for Hawaii as soon as that
started.
Speaking of which, it has been 2 days since I arrived and everything is just marvelous. As for my first impressions, I
was completely at peace knowing that any form of digital communication was impossible. Along with this, there were a few things
that occasionally disturbed the quiet mood like the Helicopters and tour boats, but I have gotten used to them. There is also
this place called the Atomic Clock Cafe that had internet, but I have resisted the urge to go there and check my email even if
it made me uncomfortable whenever I walked past it. As for what I have been doing, I have been relaxing at a secluded cove and
visiting many different beaches while taking in the wonderful scenery. I plan to continue doing this for the rest of my trip
here while also visiting the many different parts of the island, listening to the calming sounds of the waves.
Although it is somewhat difficult to cope without family and electronic devices, I have managed it. The moon’s light
shining off of the black sand, the shadows of the mango trees, the piles of driftwood, and the soothing sounds of the ocean all
gave me confidence and put my mind at ease. This is also the reason why I believe you should come and experience this here
first-hand because it will be an opportunity for you to step back and enjoy life. There is only a small amount of time left
since Kauai is being spoiled by outside influence and the disturbances I mentioned previously will only get worse as time goes
on. I urge you to plan a trip here whenever you get the chance.
I look forward to seeing you soon as a new person and tell the others at work that I said hello.
Your friend,
Andrew Leonard
Thank You!
