Letter writing is the exchange of written or printed messages. Distinctions are commonly drawn between personal letters (sent between family members, friends, or acquaintances) and business letters (formal exchanges with businesses or government organizations).
What are the characteristics of personal letters?
Personal letters are normally broken into five pieces, often known as friendly letters and social notes.
- The Heading. This includes the address, line by line, with the last line being the date.
- The Greeting. The greeting always ends with a comma.
- The body. Also known as the main text.
- The complimentary close.
- The signature line.
What are the five important steps to writing a letter?
How to Write a Letter in 5 Easy Steps
- The Heading: This includes your address and the date.
- The Salutation: This is the “hello” part of your letter and is also known as the greeting.
- The Body: Here is where you express thoughts and ideas.
- Step 4: The Closing: This is the “goodbye” part of the letter.
What Is an Informal Letter?
Informal letters are personal letters that are written to let your friends or family know about what is going on in your life and to convey your regards. An informal letter is usually written to a family member, a close acquaintance, or a friend. The language used in an informal letter is casual and personal.
What Can You Write about in an Informal Letter?
You can literally write about anything you feel or think you want to convey. Informal letters can be written to inform your dear one about your success in a competition, about a movie you watched recently, about the trip that you would be going on, etc. It can also be to enquire about their well-being, to invite them to go along with you on a trip, to congratulate them on their new job, to convey your regards, etc. You can be as personal as you want when writing an informal letter.
How to Write an Informal Letter?
Like any letter, there is a format for writing an informal letter in English. Unlike a formal letter, an informal letter does not need to state something specific. It can be written in an easy, conversational style. They are like a friendly chat, so they can include a variety of topics. It can have all that you want to tell your dear one about. You can use colloquial expressions, unlike formal letters. There are a few easy guidelines that you can follow to be able to write impressive informal letters.
- Address and Date:
If you are thinking about how to start writing an informal letter, here is what you should know. To get your informal letter format right, you have to begin with the sender’s address. The address is written on the left-hand side of the paper. You must write the complete address so that the receiver can write back to you. So, see to it that you give the correct address along with the pin code. In case you are writing to someone in a different country, make sure you include your country in the address. For example,29, NBC Garden Coimbatore, India – 641053This is followed by the date. Writing the date is important as it would help the receiver know when exactly you had written the letter. You can write the date in either of the following formats:
For example,
15/11/2021 or 15th November 2021 or November 15, 2021
- Forms of Greeting/Salutation:
In informal letters to friends and family, you can address them by their names prefixed by qualifying terms such as Dear, My dear, Dearest, etc. You can also address them by their pet names (Eg: Dearest Rosy, Dear Andy, My dear Sweety…) or by their relationship with you (Dear Uncle, Dearest Grandma, My dear Cousin…). If you are writing to an ordinary friend who is older than you are, or of superior rank, it is respectful to use prefixes such as Mr, Mrs, Ms, etc. For example, Dear Mr. Reddy. - Introduction and Body of the Letter:
The words you use determine the nature of your letter. You can start your informal letter with an introduction to set the tone of the matter that is going to be discussed. You can begin by enquiring about the health and well-being of the recipient. For instance, I hope this letter of mine finds you in the pink of health. You can then explain the reason behind the letter and provide the details as elaborately as you wish to, unlike formal letters. A letter can be more like a friendly chat than an essay. You can write in a very casual and personal tone. If you are writing to an older person, do not use disrespectful terms or sentences. - Conclusion:
End the informal letter on a friendly note. Use words in such a way that the recipient feels like they have had a wonderful time chatting with you. See to that you make sure you let them know that you would be awaiting their response to your letter. - Forms of Subscription/Signature:
You can use the following in informal letters to relatives and near friends: Yours affectionately, Yours lovingly, Your loving friend, With love, etc., followed by your name (mostly your first name). If you are writing to a close acquaintance whom you have addressed as Dear Mr, Mrs, etc., you can use Yours sincerely, Kind regards, etc.
Informal Letter Format Samples
Let us now look at some examples of informal letter formats to help you understand better.
Informal Letter Format 1 – Letter to your cousin enquiring about her first visit to Ethiopia
34, Park Avenue
Mumbai – 400023
24th September 2021
Dearest Maria,
I was so glad to hear from my mother that you are back home after the trip. Hope you had a safe and enjoyable trip. I have been waiting to hear all about the trip from you.
Since this was the first time you have been to a foreign land, I guess every little bit of the trip was as exciting as you expected it to be. I have heard from my friends residing there that the place is extremely beautiful and that the people there are very endearing. However, I was worried when I knew that there were a few bomb blasts during your stay there. Hope all of you there were safe. I hope everything else was fine except for this.
I had spoken to your mother earlier, and she told me that you would be coming home after two weeks. I saw your pictures on Instagram as well. I can’t wait to meet you and hear all your stories. Waiting eagerly for your reply.
Your loving cousin,
Sarah
Informal Letter Format 2 – Letter to a friend about arranging a get-together
BB Street,
Allahabad – 211005
12/02/2020
Dear Saira,
Hope you are keeping well, and everyone at home is keeping safe and healthy. It has been a long time since all of us met, so I was thinking we could all meet up. I have planned to have a get-together next month. I would love to discuss more it.
All of us could meet on Friday evening and stay over the weekend at a resort in Munnar. The climate in Munnar is great and it will be a good stress reliever. We could also go around the tourist spots if everyone is interested. If you are ready, we could talk to the others also. I will visit you next weekend to discuss more on this more.
Awaiting your reply and hoping to meet you soon.
Love,
Sana
