Letter Writing, Format, Types of Letters, Tips, Examples (2024)

Letter Writing Format: Letter Writing is a type of written message conveyed from one person to the other either written by hand or printed on paper. The art of letter writing has been through ages and is considered to be the traditional way of communicating one thoughts and it has taken a backseat due to the emergence of E-mails, SMS, and other means of communication have become the norm.

Letter Writing

Letter writing is still used for a lot of our communication, especially in official communication. Letters are still an important means of communication, whether it’s a cover letter for a job, a bank reminder, or a college acceptance letter. So it is necessary to understand letter writing. Here in this article, we will learn how to practice wonderful letter writing.

Letter Writing Format

Letter Writing has been deemed as one of the most useful forms of communication and is used for various reasons. There are various kinds of letters, each of which has its own form and style. Here are the general guidelines for letter writing:

  1. Sender’s address: To start, write the sender’s complete address in the upper left-hand corner, including your entire name, street address, city, state, and pin code.
  2. Dateline: The Date should be specified by skipping a line.
  3. Recipient’s address: Place the recipient’s entire address after skipping a line. The firm name, the recipient’s name and title, and the postal address must all be included in a letter.
  4. Greeting/Salutation: To put the welcome, skip one more line. This is called a salutation. In a formal letter, you should write “Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. Last Name:” After the greeting, the colon mark should be used in informal letters, whereas informal ones demand a comma.
  5. Body of letter: After skipping a line you should start the body of the letter. Separate your thoughts into different paragraphs in the body of your letter so that your letter writing is presentable. Leave a blank line between paragraphs
  6. Subscription: To incorporate a subscription, skip one of your final lines. “Sincerely,” “Yours faithfully,” “Regards,” or something similar can be used as a closure. Whether the letter is official or casual, a comma should always follow the word or phrase you choose to close it.
  7. Signature text: After Skip three lines (where your handwritten signature will be inserted) and input your entire name. On the next line of a formal letter, you should also add your job title.

Different Types of Letters

Letters can be classified into two main types according to the purpose of the letter.

Formal Letters- Also known as Business Letters, include Letters of Application, Letters to Higher Authorities, and Letters to Newspapers.

Informal Letters- Also known as Social Letters, include Friendly Letters and Notes of Invitations.

Formal Letter Informal Letter
It is written for professional or business purposesIt is usually drafted for personal purposes
A completely formal writing tone is usedThe Casual and emotional writing style is common in this type of letter writing
It should be precise and to the pointInformal letters can be lengthy
Examples- Clients, colleges, etc.Examples- Relatives, Friends, etc.

Tips to Remember for Letter Writing

Good Letter writing must ensure that you pass the right information to people. For every letter, the method changes. But there are a few things you must remember while letter writing-

  • Identify the type of letter you are writing.
  • The Introduction and conclusion should be properly written.
  • Establish the intention of the letter.
  • Be very conscious of the language you use. The language can change as per the letter.
  • The length of the letter should be optimal means not too long or too short.

Letter Writing Examples

Sample 1: Informal Letters

Topic- Letter to a friend in reply to her about planning a get-together

16/65, Civil Lines

Sierra road,

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)

226001

20/08/2022

Dearest Priya,

I was happy to see your letter, and I loved your idea. I have been wanting to spend some time with you for a long time, and I think both of us can finally make time to plan and make it happen. I also do have a list of plans I would like to do at our get-together. Let me know what you think about it. And I am sure we can chat together non-stop. I cannot wait to come and join you. I will make sure that I meet you next weekend. See you soon.

Love,

Neha

Topic- Letter to a friend informing her participation in a case study as part of a School assignment

A 43/ Pocket A

Sukhdev Vihar

New Delhi 110025

11/11/2022

Dear Devika,

How are you? I hope you are in good health and keeping safe. How are Uncle and Aunty? I hope they are keeping healthy too. My History teacher in the school has assigned me the prestigious job of working and researching a case study. It will be credited for my final result! I wanted to tell you that I have chosen you as my case study and would love to write about you and know you even more since you are my best friend.

The entire study will involve me coming over to your house for two to three days consecutively and understanding your habits, and what affects you the most, both negatively and positively. It will be an engaging and exciting communication to share with you. I hope you don’t mind me selecting you as my case study and are looking forward to it just as much as I am.

Please give my love to Geetika didi.

Yours faithfully,

Divya

Sample 2: Formal Letters

Topic- Letter of Application

Old Gate

Mumbai, 400047

20th September 2022

The Principal

Taurina High School

Mumbai 500043

Subject: Application for the post of Biology Teacher

Dear Sir,

I am applying for the position of Biology Teacher in your organization with reference to the advertisem*nt in The Indian Express dated 18/04/2018. I have great interest in this position and would highly appreciate it if you could consider my application. I have completed my Post Graduation in Biology and have experience working as a High School Biology Teacher for two years.

In my teaching experience, I have come across various challenging situations with kids and parents, and I have learned to handle all of them well. I have enjoyed connecting with the children and being a part of their growth and development as considerate and intelligent individuals. I have attached my resume and experience certificate for your kind perusal and hope to hear from you in this regard.

Yours faithfully,

Asha Singh

Topic– Letter to the Editor about a road that needs repair

Ravi Dutt

Sector-2, IT Road

Kapoorthala

Lucknow- 226001

Date- 27/08/2022

The Editor

The Hindu

Lucknow

Subject: Repair of the road in Sector-2 IT Road

Sir,

I would like to bring to your notice that the people in and around Sector-2, IT Road, Kapoorthala have been facing difficulties in traveling back and forth because of the bad condition of the roads there. We have appealed to the Municipality, but there has not been any development on the issue so far. As private appeals to their office have had no effect, perhaps a little publicity will do no harm. For the last month, the roads in Kapoothala have been almost impassable.

The surface is badly broken up by the heavy rains, and on a dark night, it is positively dangerous for motors or carriages to pass that way. Moreover, there are heaps of road metal on both sides of the road, which leaves very little room in the middle. The residents of the area have been inconvenienced in this way for weeks. The situation is becoming worse. There have been multiple accidents happening due to this condition. I request you to highlight the seriousness of the matter in your newspaper so that the road may be put in thorough repair without further delay.

Thanking You

Yours sincerely,

GANESH

(Resident)

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Letter Writing, Format, Types of Letters, Tips, Examples (2024)

FAQs

What is letter writing give its types and tips of writing? ›

Important Tips For Good Letter Writing

Opening and closing of letters must be in the correct manner. Formal letters must open and close in a professional manner while informal letters can be directly addressed to the person with greetings. Even closing the letters is significant.

What are the different types of letters give examples? ›

Different Types of Letters

Informal Letters, also known as Social Letters, include Friendly Letters and Notes of Invitations. Formal Letters, also known as Business Letters, include Letters of Application, Letters to Higher Authorities, and Letters to Newspapers.

What are the 4 basic letter formats? ›

Formal letters usually follow one of four formats: indented, full block, modified block and semi-block. Formal types of letters can include: Invitation. Job or school application.

What are the 7 main parts in writing a letter? ›

Parts of a Business Letter
  • The Heading. The heading contains the return address with the date on the last line. ...
  • Recipient's Address. This is the address you are sending your letter to. ...
  • The Salutation. ...
  • The Body. ...
  • The Complimentary Close. ...
  • The Signature Line. ...
  • Enclosures.

What are the 7 types of letters and examples? ›

Types of letters in English
  • Formal letter. It is a type of letter that follows a certain pattern and formality. ...
  • Informal Letter. ...
  • Business letter. ...
  • Official letter. ...
  • Social Charter. ...
  • Circular letter. ...
  • Employment letters.
Jul 25, 2022

What are the three types of letters explain with examples? ›

he three major types of letters which are commonly used:
  • Formal Letter – The formal letter follows a certain formality and pattern. ...
  • Informal Letter- Informal letters are also called personal letters. ...
  • Semi-formal Letter – The semi-formal letter follows the same pattern as the formal letter.

How do you write different types of letters? ›

Informal letters can be addressed to the person's name or any informal greeting as the writer wishes. Even when closing the letter, it must be kept in mind what type of letter is being written. Formal letters end respectfully and impersonally, whereas informal letters may end with a more personal touch.

What are the three most common letter styles? ›

There are three main styles of business letter: block, modified block, and semi-block styles. Each is written in much the same way, including the same information, but the layout varies slightly for each one. Dear Name: In this type of modified block letter, all the paragraphs line up at the left margin.

What is the best letter format? ›

Here are some points to consider while formatting the letter:
  • Block or indent. In the block format, all elements of the letter are left-aligned. ...
  • Font. Use a professional font such as Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Helvetica, etc. ...
  • Margins. A one-inch margin on all four sides of the page is the standard. ...
  • Spacing.
Jun 6, 2023

What is the common letter format? ›

The most common layout of a business letter is known as block format. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs. Another widely utilized format is known as modified block format.

What are 3 types of formal writing? ›

Formal writing includes business writing, formal letters, and academic writing.

How many types of official letters are there? ›

Enquiry letter: You write an enquiry letter when you want to learn more about a product, service or event. Order letter: Order letters are for placing orders for new goods or services from a company. Acceptance letter: Acceptance letters are for confirming acceptance of a job, a resignation or an honour.

What are the two types of letters? ›

In general there are two types of letters: formal, that are written to convey official business and information and informal, which are personal letters to communicate with friends and family.

What type of writing is letter writing? ›

A letter is a written message that can be handwritten or printed on paper. It is usually sent to the recipient via mail or post in an envelope, although this is not a requirement as such. Any such message that is transferred via post is a letter, a written conversation between two parties.

What are the 3 types of letter writing? ›

he three major types of letters which are commonly used:
  • Formal Letter – The formal letter follows a certain formality and pattern. ...
  • Informal Letter- Informal letters are also called personal letters. ...
  • Semi-formal Letter – The semi-formal letter follows the same pattern as the formal letter.

What are the 5 parts of writing a letter? ›

There are five required parts of a letter and one optional part. The five include a heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature.

What is letter writing and why it is important? ›

Letter writing is an essential skill. Despite the prevalence of emails and text messages, everyone has to write letters at some point. Letters of complaint, job applications, thank you letters, letters requesting changes or making suggestions — the list goes on and on.

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