Formal letter

By Huma Essa
 General Tips:

• Whenever you’re about to answer a directed writing task keep these questions in mind:
• Who are you and who is the audience?
• This decides the tone, vocabulary and register of your writing.
• Why are you writing?
• This is the purpose.
• What are you writing?
• This determines the type and format of your writing.
• For every question, you will be required to elaborate and explain the three bullet points given. 
 What is a formal letter
• Usually written to people you don’t know.
• Written to:
1. Complain
2. Apply for job
3. Report something
4. Reply to a formal letter you received.
 Style/ Language
• Not personal
• Need to give information in the shortest, clearest way possible.
• Use language that is business-like but clear.
 Structure of the formal letter
• Like every piece of writing, it has a beginning, middle and end.
• In formal letter,;
• Beginning= Introduction
• Middle= Main body
• Ending= Conclusion
• You must make five separate paragraphs: an introductory paragraph, three
paragraphs explaining the bullet points and a concluding paragraph. 
Format of formal letter
 Salutation
• Two ways to greet someone you do not know.
1. Dear Sir/ Madam
2. Dear name of the recipient ( if the name has been given to you)
3. Dear Editor ( in case of newspaper editor)
 Introduction
• Important part of the letter
• Only 1 para long (3-5 sentences)
• Needs to set the tone of the letter
• Lets the reader know why are you writing the letter Introducee your reason for
writing, not yourself!!
• The person you are writing the letter to is not you friend, so keep the time formal!
• Do not ask him how he is or that you are pleased to be writing the letter to him.
• [Note: An introductory paragraph can me merged with the first bullet point.]
 Main Body
• Can consist of two to three paragraphs.
• Give details according to the set guidelines and scenario given in paper.
• Cover the initial guidelines.
• For this part you need to preplan what to write.
• Do not exaggerate.
 Conclusion
• What solutions will you happy with to resolve the situation.
• What advice can be given.
• It usually covers the third guideline.
• Write ending statements such as, ‘ Hoping to get a positive response’.
 Valediction
• Yours sincerely
• Yours faithfully
• Yours truly
• Yours obediently
• Your signature and full name
 Some points to take care of

• Never use contractions

• Always write full forms of the words
• Never write informal expressions like: “How’re you doing?” etc.
• Never write expressions like: “Yesterday morning”, “Last night”, when asked for the
exact date or time.
• In the introductory paragraph, do not exchange pleasantries and do not be overly
frank.
Sample of formal letter