Letter Writing
Activity
Have ever received a hand written personal letter. How did you feel
to receive the letter. Here are some initial questions for you to
answer:
What was in your mind as you read the letter?
Did you keep the letter to read again?
Did you share your letter with anyone?
Did you write back?
Letter Writing
Letter writing is a significant channel of written correspondence
between two individuals or groups who are geographically distant
from one another.
If you’re writing a letter, ask yourself:
Who am I writing to?
Why am I writing?
What do I need to tell them?
What do I want them to do?
Major Types of Letter
Formal Letter Informal Letter
A formal letter is defined as a letter written An informal letter is a personal letter, which
for a professional setting that follows certain is written in a friendly manner to someone
guidelines and formats. It usually adheres to we are familiar with. This letter is mainly
conventional standards and utilizes a used for personal communication.
ceremonious choice of language that is
appropriate for official correspondence.
The recipient and purpose should be well-identified.
Comparison Chart
Formal Letter Informal Letter
A formal letter is a letter, scripted in the formal talk, in the stated format, A letter written in a friendly way, to someone you known with, is
for official purpose. called an informal letter.
Format
Written in prescribed format only. No prescribed format.
Objective
Professional Communication Personal Communication
Contractions and Abbreviations
Avoided Used
Written in
A formal letter writes in the First person - Business letters, third person –
First person, second or third person.
some others.
Written to
Business, college/institute, employer, organizations, etc. Friends, family, acquaintances, etc.
Sentences
Long and complex Short and simple
Size
Concise Large or short
Formal Letters
Recommendation Letter
Offer Letter Cover Letter
Letter to Editor Resignation Letter
Informal Letters
Welcome/ Farewell
Letter
Letter of Thanks Letter of Apology
Letter of Letter of Invitation
Congratulation
Format of a Letter
Date Body
Complimentary Close Sender’s Detail
Salutation Receiver's Detail
Subject
Format of a Letter
1: Sender’s Address 4: Subject
2: Date 5: Salutation
3: Recipient’s Address 6: Body
7: Complimentary Conclusion
Inside Address
Mr. - for a male
Mrs. - for a married female
Miss - used to refer to an unmarried woman when her marital status is
unknown or unimportant.
Ms. - an honorific used to refer to any woman, regardless of marital status.
Dr. - for a person with the status of a doctor
Punctuation
In British English, the greeting is always followed by a comma:
Dear Ali, or
Dear Mr. Ashar,
In American usage, only a personal letter takes a comma here, while a business letter takes a colon:
Dear Ali, but
Dear Mr. Ashar:
If you are writing to a firm or an institution, and you have no name, you may use the greeting.
Dear Sir/Madam.
The closing always takes a comma:
Yours lovingly, or Yours sincerely,
Example of Block
Format
The entire letter is left justified and single
spaced except for a double space between
paragraphs.
The date and the inside address should be
separated by 2 blank spaces.
Every other component between the
salutation and the complimentary close
should receive 1 full blank space of
separation.
Finally, there should be 3 spaces between the
complimentary close and the signature
block.
Example of Modified Block Format
In modified block format, the
sender’s detail, date,
complimentary closing, and
signature are aligned to the right.
Example of Semi-block/Simplified Format
Semi-block format is very similar to
modified block format.
The main difference between this
type of correspondence and others is
that the first line of each paragraph
is indented.
Activity
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You live in a room in a college which you share with another student.
However, there are many problems with this arrangement and you find it very
difficult to work.
Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In the letter:
describe the situation
explain your problems and why it is difficult to work
say what kind of accommodation you would prefer
Write at least 150 words.
Activity
Do you fancy another challenge?
Read this amazing story from Newsround.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52277760
Write a letter to Captain Thomas Moore congratulating him on his
incredible fundraising efforts.
Make sure to include all the key features of a formal letter!
Contact Info for LTE
https://www.dawn.com/newspaper/letters
Letters for publication should be sent to
[email protected]https://tribune.com.pk/opinion/letters
Letters for publication should be sent to [email protected]
https://www.nation.com.pk/letters
Letters for publication should be sent through https://www.nation.com.pk/write-for-us
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/author/letters/
You can send your letters at: [email protected]
https://dailytimes.com.pk/letters/
Ali Kazam Waheed
Letters for publication should be sent to [email protected]
