Letter Writing

for CSEC
Presented by Kenisha Ram
 What is a letter?
● A letter is a written correspondence between two persons or a person
and a company or between two companies.

● Letters can be formal or informal.

● Informal letters are also known as friendly letters. Whereas, formal

letters are also known as business letters.
Why write letters?
 Why write letters?
01 02
To request Job acceptance

03 04 05
To seek To invite people
To detail events
financial aid
 01
Letter Formats
The Fully Blocked Layout
 02
Types of letters
for csec
 General Principles of
Letter Writing

Clarity Conciseness Courtesy

Ensure that all content is All irrelevant and
clearly expressed and that uninteresting details which
there is no ambiguity. interfere with effective
communication must be
excluded.
In all letters, be polite and
courteous in tone. Avoid
abusive language.
Types of letters
for csec
1. Letter of Complaint
2. Letter of Enquiry
3. Letter of Request
4. Letter to the Editor
5. Letter of Apology*
6. Application/Cover Letter*

*Haven’t seen these ones in a while

 03
Letter of
complaint
 What is a letter of complaint?
● A letter of complaint is written to deal with a problem situation
when other attempts have failed to rectify the situation.

● It is a formal written document in which an individual expresses

dissatisfaction or grievances about a product, service, or situation
to a person or organization responsible for addressing the issue.
Format of A Letter of Complaint
● Sender’s Address: The sender’s address is usually put on the top left
hand corner of the page.

● Date: The sender’s address is followed by the date below it. Write this
in expanded form. Eg. 26 August 2009 or August 26, 2009.

● Receiver’s Address: After the date, put the address of the person who
is to receive your letter.
Example:
Format of A Letter of Complaint
● Salutations: Greet the person you are addressing the letter to. Since it
is a formal letter, address the recipient as ‘Sir’ or ‘Madame’. If you
don’t know their name, write ‘To whom it may concern’.

● Subject: The purpose of writing the letter in one line. Underline the
subject. The subject is optional for these types of letters.

Eg. Subject: Complaint Regarding the Receipt of a Wrong Set of Textbooks

Format of A Letter of Complaint
● Body: 3 paragraphs for the body or 2 if the letter is brief.

Introductory paragraph: Describe what is wrong with the product or describe the
issues/problems. Give the date of purchase and place of purchase, if applicable.

Body paragraph(s): Explain how you would like to resolve the problem.

Concluding paragraph: Explain that you look forward to receiving a reply with a
resolution. Set a date or time limit in which to receive the reply. Give a phone
number or email where you can be reached.
Format of A Letter of Complaint
● Closing: Add an appropriate and polite closing. Eg. “Respectfully”,
“Sincerely”, “Best regards”, “Kind regards” followed by your name.
 Please Note
● All letters of complaint should be expressed clearly in a formal tone.

● The complaint and all the inconvenience suffered by the complainant

should be clearly and logically stated.

● If you make allegations, they must be supported with proof or evidence. If

the nature of the complaint needs settlement through compensation,
indicate the cost, in your letter.
 Please Note
● Be authoritative. Don’t ramble.

● Do not abbreviate addresses, names, and other words.

● Don’t wake up and choose violence. Do NOT be hostile!

● Do NOT use abusive language, insults or threats!

Language Structure for
Letters of Complaint
 Introductory
Statements
I am writing because/ on account of/ on the subject of…
I am writing to indicate/ to inform you about…
I am afraid that I am compelled to…
 Expressing the
Complaint
I must complain about/ object to/ record my dissatisfaction...
I can no longer put up with/ tolerate/ bear…
I find it distressing/ most disappointing/ appalling that…
I feel something ought to be said/done about…
Sample Letter of Complaint
04
Letter of
Request
 What is a letter of request?
● A letter of request is a formal document written to ask for something, typically a
favor, permission, information, or assistance.

● It usually includes details about what is being requested, the reasons behind
the request, any relevant background information, and sometimes a statement
of appreciation or acknowledgment of potential inconveniences caused by the
request.
 Note
● The heading format is the same as the letter of complaint.

● Don’t be abusive or hostile.

● Ensure that your request is easily understood by the reader.

 Tips for the body
● Body: 3 paragraphs for the body or 2 if the letter is brief.

Introductory paragraph: Introduce yourself and state briefly the purpose of your
letter. If you have had any previous interaction with the recipient of your letter, the
opening paragraph is a good place to remind them of the nature or your
association of the contact you’ve had in the past.

It is important to establish a connection with the recipient.

 Tips for the body
Body paragraph(s): Provide additional context, information and more
specific details about your request. Explain exactly what you are asking
for and make a case for why your request should be granted.

Be thorough but brief. Get to the point when you explain why your request
should be taken into consideration.

Be specific and straightforward. There should be no doubt as to what you

want. Eg. “I’d like to respectfully request an opportunity to resubmit this
paper.”
 Tips for the body
Concluding paragraph: Make your recipient aware of any time constraints
you may face and express your gratitude for their consideration of your
request.

Conclude your letter by giving your contact details like your full name,
mailing address, email and/or phone number. Ask the reader to contact
you if there are any queries or concerns about the request you have asked
for.
 Tips for the body
Closing: An appropriate and respectful closing like “Kind regards”,
“Regards”, “Sincerely”, “Best Regards”.
Sample Letter of
Request
05
Letter of
Enquiry
 What is a letter of enquiry?
● A letter of enquiry, also known as an inquiry letter, is a formal written
communication used to seek information, clarification, or assistance from
an individual, organization, or company.

● It typically includes details about what information is being sought and

why, as well as any relevant background information.
 Tips
● The heading section is the same as the other letters.

● Body: 3 paragraphs for the body or 2 if the letter is brief.

Introductory paragraph: Introduce yourself and state briefly the purpose of your
letter.
 Tips for the body
Body paragraph(s): Provide additional context, information and more
specific details about what information you are enquiring about. Explain
exactly what you are asking about.

Be specific and straightforward. There should be no doubt as to what you

want to enquire about. Eg. “I would like information about the types of
vacation packages available for my department.”
 Tips for the body
Conclusion: Thank the recipient for their attention to your enquiry and
express appreciation in advance for any assistance they can provide.

Include your contact information for further communication.

Closing: An appropriate and respectful closing like “Kind regards”,

“Regards”, “Sincerely”, “Best Regards”.
LET’S PRACTICE!
January 2024 paper 2
Section B
Sample Letter of
Enquiry
06
Informative
letters
 What is an informative letter?
● An informative letter is a type of communication that aims to provide
information or updates on a particular topic or subject.

● It contains details, factual information explanations or instructions related

to the topic.
 Format
● Typically the same as the other types of letters.

● Headings(sender’s information, recipient’s information, date, salutation) are the same.

● Introductory paragraph: States the purpose of the letter and provides context where necessary.

● Body paragraphs: Main content of the letter where detailed information, updates, explanations or
instructions are provided.

● Concluding paragraph: Express gratitude, summarize key points or provide additional instructions
if needed.
 Let’s practice!
January 2018 Paper 2
Section B
Sample Informative
Letter
Sample Informative
Letter
07
Letter to the
Editor
 What is a letter to the Editor?
● A letter to the editor is a formal letter that expresses one's concern over
particular issues or to highlight core issues in society.

● It is used to:
-Express strong opinions regarding an issue
-Influence the general populace or officials to take action with regards to an
issue.
-Stimulate the news media to highlight a particular issue.
 Format
The letter to the editor should be in a business letter format. This includes:
● Sender’s address
● Receiver’s address
● Salutation
● Subject line
● Body
● Closure

Note: This letter needs a subject line, unlike the other types of letters we have
covered where a subject line was optional. The subject line should properly
summarize what your letter is addressing.
 NOTE
● The letter to the editor is a form of argumentative or persuasive essay.

● The structure is similar to a or argumentative persuasive essay.

● Recall: Persuasion attempts to convince the readers to agree with the

author’s ideas.
Structure of a
Letter to the
Editor
 Please see Persuasive and
Argumentative Essay Writing
Powerpoint for an in-depth
approach for Structuring
paragraphs
 Body paragraphs
● Use three points in support of your position.

● Arrange them in accordance of importance and use evidence to

support your points!
 Conclusion
● Remember to restate your thesis statement.

● Provide recommendations if necessary or required.

● End strong with a call to action.

 LET’S PRACTICE!

Prompt: “Students should not be allowed to use cellular

phones in schools.”

Write a letter to the editor giving your views on this

statement.
Sample Letter to the
Editor
Sample Letter to the
Editor