Mastering Informal Letter Writing

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo
• Leerjaar 3

 Informal Letter Writing

Learning Objective

At the end of these lessons, you will be able to write an effective informal letter using appropriate language and structure.

What do you already know about informal letter writing?
Have you written a letter?
Who might you write to?

Definition of Informal Letter

An informal letter is a personal letter written to someone you know well, such as a friend, family member, or colleague.

Format of an Informal Letter

An informal letter includes :

• the sender's address, 
• date, 
• greeting, 
• body, 
• closing,
•  and signature. 
• It is less structured than a formal letter.

Language and Tone

Informal letters use conversational language, contractions, and a friendly tone. 

Emojis and informal language can also be used, depending on the relationship with the recipient.

Greeting and Closing

Common greetings include

'Dear [Name]' 

'Hi [Name],' 

while closings can be

 'Love,' 

'Best regards,' 

or 'Yours truly.'

Practice Exercise: Writing a Letter to a Friend

Write an informal letter to a friend telling them about your recent vacation. 

Include details about 

1. the destination, 
2. activities, 
3. your overall experience.

Interactive Activity: Peer Feedback

Pair up with a classmate and exchange the informal letters you have written.

 Provide constructive feedback on each other's letters.

What was good? What cna be better? What would you do?

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.