Revision - Formal Letter Writing & SAQs

• ENGLISH
• Secondary Education

ELOS

Differentiate between a formal and an informal letter.

Recall and recapitulate the main elements and format of the formal letter.

Identify and give a proper beginning and closing for a formal letter.

Write a formal letter in the correct format.

Attempt short answer questions related to prose. 

What type of letter would you write to the principal of your school?

1. Formal
2. Informal

Differentiate between a formal and an informal letter

• A formal letter, as the name suggests, is usually written for official reasons. The content here is strictly formal with a specific structure and format.

• An informal letter is a personal letter you may write to a friend or a relative to ask for something or communicate with him/her .

FORMAL LETTER

First Paragraph of a Formal letter

The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make an inquiry, complain, request etc. 

Few possible lines of a formal letter:​

• Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I want to draw your and our readers kind attention towards the___________.
  
• I am writing to inform you about ...
  
• I am writing to ask/inquire about ...
  
• I would like to apply for the position of ...’
  
• ‘I am writing to complain about the poor service we received at ...’​

Main body or Second paragraph of a formal letter

The paragraph in the middle is the soul of the letter and should contain all the relevant information. 

Formal letters should not be very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organizing it in a precise and logical manner rather than expanding too much.

Ending a formal letter

Before you end your letter, make sure that you provide a clear course of action for the reader.

• Making a complaint? Make it clear that you need a reply.
  
• Applying for a job? End on a positive note and say that you are looking forward to hearing from them.
  
• Sign off with ‘Yours sincerely'.

A formal letter for your reference

Tips of writing a formal letter

• Make sure you double check for grammatical accuracy and spellings. They carry marks.
  
• Leave adequate number of lines between paragraphs to make it look neat.
  
• Underlining the main points is very important. But it is advised to do it after finishing your letter. Use a pencil and scale for underlining.
  
• Presentation is very important.
  
• Read a lot of letters to get an idea.
  

In the introduction of a formal letter, you must

1. give your name and address
2. state the reason for writing the letter
3. ask the reader to keep in touch

Where does the date go in a letter?
(top left, top right, the back of the letter, bottom write)

We must begin a formal letter with...

1. receiver's address
2. date
3. sender's address
4. subject

Which of the following is correct about the writer's address?

1. The writer's address is at the top left corner of the page.
2. The writer's address is at the top right corner of the pag
3. The writer's address is in the middle of the page.
4. None of the above

Read the prompt and choose which type of letter you will write...
Write a letter about a terrible experience you had at the local clinic.

1. Letter of thanks
2. Letter of request
3. Letter of complaint
4. Letter of invitation

FORMAL LETTER WRITING

You are Bharat/Bharti of Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi. You are deeply saddened by the attacks on elderly persons who live alone. Write a letter to the editor of ‘The New India News’ with 100-120 words making people aware of the authorities to guarantee that such attacks do not occur.

Revision_SAQs 

Answer the given questions in your notebook in 30-50 words.

1. Tenali Raman did not attend the court for the next ten days. Where was he? What was he doing? Why?

2. Do you think breaking in was necessary? How do you think the colt felt about the process?

Why did Mary beg police personnel to eat the lamb? What was her intention behind this?

Now I can:
Differentiate between a formal and an informal letter
Recall and recapitulate the main elements and format of formal letter
Identify and give a proper beginning and closing for the formal letter
Write a formal letter in the correct format
Attempt short answer questions related to prose.

1. Strongly Agree
2. Agree
3. Need help

Revise the grammar topic – Modals and be ready for the next session.