Both formal and informal letters have four basic elements – the salutation, introduction, body text and conclusion with signature.
Salutation
Begin your letter with Dear followed by the name of the person you are writing to.
In an informal letter, write the first name of the person after Dear. Example: Dear Anu,
In a more formal letter, you can address the recipient by title and surname. Example: Dear Mr Gupta
When you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use the salutation Dear Sir or Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam
You can also use both the first name and the surname when writing to strangers. Example: Dear Aditi Menon
Do not use a title like Mr or Ms with the first name.
In formal and semi-formal letters, put a colon or nothing at all after the name. In informal letters, put a comma after the name.
You do not have to write any address.
Introduction
In the introduction briefly explain the reason why you are writing. So, for example, if you are writing to complain about poor customer service, you can start the letter with a sentence like: I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with…
Body
The task prompt will usually have three bullet points. The body of the letter is where you have to address those points. Make sure that your letter gives all the information you are required to provide. Write concisely. Use advanced vocabulary to demonstrate your strong writing skills.
In formal and semi-formal letters, include a formal conclusion like:
Thank you for your support / consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Closing and signature
The content of the closing depends upon who you are writing to.
If you start the letter with Dear Sir or Madam, you will usually finish it with Yours faithfully followed by a comma.
Formal letters that begin with the name of the person usually end with Yours Sincerely followed by a comma.
In informal letters, you can use closing expressions like Regards / Best regards / Kind regards / Warm regards / All the best / Cheers
Informal letter sample
A friend of yours is going on holiday and has asked you to recommend a destination. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
- recommend a good place that you have visited before for a holiday
- say where you went and where you stayed
- say what you can do there and what the food was like
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses. Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Chris,
Dear Chris,
I was delighted to find your letter in my mailbox. It has been a long time since we last spoke but I am glad to hear that you and your family are doing well.
So, you have got a couple of days off in the first week of June. Why don’t you plan a trip to Mumbai? I frequently visit this city and never get tired of it.
Mumbai is a crowded city. It is a business capital but there are plenty of tourist attractions too. You can start the trip by visiting the Gateway of India. It is a famous landmark in Mumbai. While you are there, you should also enjoy a boat side in the Arabian Sea. As you have a couple of days to spend, I will very much recommend visiting the Elephanta Caves. The Caves are a collection of rock cut temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. They are on the Elephanta Island. It takes about 1 and half hours to reach there by boat. There are a lot of things to see and explore and you should be prepared to spend 5 or 6 hours on the island. In the evening you can walk around the Marine Drive. The next day you can visit other attractions like temples, museums, parks and zoos.
I have several friends and relatives in Mumbai, so when I visit I usually stay with them. You can stay in a three star or four star hotel in the heart of the city. They are not very expensive and offer quality service.
I know you are a foodie. That is another reason to visit this city. Mumbai is famous for its street food. There are plenty of stalls all around the city where they sell local delicacies like vadapav, pani poori, paav bhaji and samosa. Trust me – they taste like heaven. So don’t forget to grab your share while you are there.
I would have loved to meet you during this holiday, but unfortunately I will be away on a business trip for the whole of June.
Hopefully we will be able to meet another time.
Warn Regards
Anil
