3.1 Letter Writing and Types of Letter

Rules of Letters:

A letter is an important means of communication which could be personal or official. Letters are broadly classified into two types: Formal and Informal letter.

Formal Letter	Informal Letter
Formal letters are sent out when we need to write to various public bodies or agencies for our requirements in civic life. For example, we might have to ask for a certificate or to inform a change in our address. The formal letter has a specific format. The formal letter should be accurate and presented in an organised manner. Formal Letter Types: * Letter of inquiry * Letter of placing order * Letter of cancelling order * Complaint or reminder letter on delayed delivery * Letter of complaint – product * Letter of complaint – civic amenities * Letter of request – some facility / departments for some service * Job Application	Personal letters, (to family members, friends, birthday greetings etc.) social letters (inviting, congratulating, letter of condolence etc.)
A formal letter includes: * Sender’s address * Date * Name/designation and address of the receiver * Salutation * Subject * Body of the letter * Closing Paragraph * Complimentary close * Subscription * Sender’s Name * Designation (if applicable)	An informal letter includes: * Sender’s address * Date * Salutation * Body of the letter * Closing Paragraph * Complimentary close * Subscription * Sender’s Name
Some of the steps in writing formal letters. 1. (i) Introducing oneself if it is the first time you are writing (ii) Referring to an earlier letter if you are responding to it. 2. Stating the purpose of the letter 3. (i) Stating action/information required from the addressee (ii) Explaining action taken/supplying information 4. (i) Urging action to be taken (ii) Offering assistance in future This is the basic structure of a letter. Can be modified according to the purpose and the person to whom it is addressed.

Points to Note:

Formal Letters

Informal Letters

· Nowadays all the parts of a letter are aligned on the left. This style is called the Full-Block style.

· The date and signature are very important in letters.

· We do not use commas after every line in the address.

· Do not begin your letters with hackneyed expressions like, ‘With reference to your letter dated 10 January’. Instead, use personalised variations like, ‘I was glad to receive your letter of 10 January…’ or ‘We were happy to note from your letter that the goods have reached you safely…’

· Never end your letters with hanging participles like ‘Thanking you’ or ‘Awaiting your reply’. Instead write, ‘Thank you’ or ‘We/I await/look forward to your reply’.

· Your address (but not your name) usually goes in the top righthand corner but may go on the left too.

· The name and/or job title (if you know them) and the address of the person you are writing to goes on the left.

· To address someone whose name you do not know you can write: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Sirs, Dear Sir/Madam.

· To address someone by name, use their title and surname e.g. Dear Dr Balakrishnan.

· To end a letter, use ‘Yours sincerely’, if you have addressed the person by name; ‘Yours faithfully’, if you have begun the letter with ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Madam’, etc.

When you realize that you are a part of the society in which you live, as a civic-conscious citizen, you have to look beyond these two classifications. You may have to arouse the conscience of the people on certain issues which might affect the social, moral, political fabric of the society. Such letters can be classified as neutral letters. Example: Letters to the Editor.

Sample Informal Letter

Sender’s address	South Mount Road Kallanai, Tirunelveli Town
Date	27 November 2020
Salutation	Dear Mother,
Body of the letter	I am fine here and hope this letter finds you in good health. I am enjoying my new school and hostel life. Though sometimes I feel homesick, but your words of advice always help me overcome the feeling. I believe this school is one of the best schools and we have all the facilities. The teachers are very well-learned, affectionate and efficient. My classmates are helpful and it’s fun to be with them. Please convey my regards to dad and love to Suganya.
Subscription	Your loving daughter,
Sender’s Name	Seema

Sample formal Letter

Things	Example
Sender’s address	210, Sunrise Avenue Chennai- 600 001
Date	10 April 2025
Name/designation and address of the receiver	The Officer-in-charge, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, The Municipality, Chennai
Salutation	(i) Dear Sir/Madam (when we are writing to a total stranger whom we do not know at all). (ii) Dear Mr/Ms/Dr/Professor + Name as in: Dear Dr Sinha, (when it is a formal relationship with the addressee and the writer does not know him or her personally). (iii) Dear Sujata (when the writer knows the addressee personally and the two share a semi-formal relationship).
Subject	Subject:- Wastage of water due to a broken pipe.
Reference	Reference to previous correspondence, if any.
Body of the letter	We have observed wastage of water for the last 15 days at a construction site, near our school. It makes the whole area slippery and muddy. Mosquitoes have begun to breed there and it has become a health hazard.
Closing Paragraph	We request you to look into the matter immediately and get the pipeline repaired.
Complimentary close	Thank you,
Subscription	Yours sincerely/faithfully/truly,
Sender’s Name Designation (if applicable)	Iniyan

Types of Letters with Samples

1. Letter To Editor – Mostly considered as a formal type of letter.

Main body of the letter

* Introductory paragraph – stating the problem

* 2^nd paragraph – stating the causes of the problem (at least two)

* 3^rd paragraph – stating the effects (at least two)

* 4^th paragraph – suggestions or remedial measures (at least two)

* Concluding paragraph – the benefits and need for resolving the problem (each paragraph can be of just two or three sentences)

Some useful expressions

* Through the esteemed columns of your daily/ newspaper, I wish to bring to your kind notice ____

* In my opinion

* This is a very shocking/ disturbing use of ____

Example of Letter to Editor:

You are Raja. You are upset about the bad influence of TV channels on the young children. You decide to write a letter to the editor of a leading newspaper suggesting measures to upgrade the standard. Write this formal letter in about 100-120 words.

2, Sundar Court

Egmore

Chennai

27 November 20_ _

The Editor

The Hindu

ABC Road

Chennai – 600002

Sir

Sub. : Negative influence of TV channels

Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper, I wish to bring about a public awareness on the negative influence of TV channels on young children.

Children spend the evening watching channels that instigate only negative thoughts in their minds.

They are unwilling to go out and play in the fresh air. These depictions spoil their minds and negate their character.

Television is an effective social media and a powerful tool for communication; it should telecast more and more value-based programmes that would impress the children.

I humbly request you to publish this letter so that television channels improve their standard of telecast.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Raja

2. Letter of Enquiry

A letter of enquiry is a formal letter, written to get more details / information about something. In this letter the word limit should not exceed 200 words. It is used to enquire and get details to purchase an item, to know about a course for study, a place for a trip, etc. It must include sender’s details.

Mr. Srinath lost his bag in an overcrowded train. He had already lodged a complaint in the Police Station. The following is the letter of enquiry about the status of his lost certificates.

Srinath B,

No.24, I cross, Pon Nagar,

Chengalpattu-10.

bsrinath16@gmail.com

25 Jan 2025

The Commissioner of Railway Police,

A-2 Police station, D-Nagar,

Chengalpattu-02.

Respected Madam,

Subject: Enquiry on the status of earlier complaint.

I am a graduate seeking employment, residing in the above mentioned address. I lost my certificates on 15th January 2025, while I was returning home in a local train from Chengalpattu. As the train was overcrowded, I placed my bag on the rack above. When I was about to get off, I noticed that my bag was missing. I was helpless and filed a complaint with the Railway Police. I have given all the details in the complaint letter on the same day. So far I have not received any further response. I request you to take immediate action in this regard.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Srinath B.

3. Letter of Job Application

It is also known as a cover letter. A job application document sent with your resume to provide additional information about your skills and experience. The letter of application is intended to provide detailed information on why you are a qualified candidate for the job you are applying for. Effective application letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and highlight your most relevant skills or experiences.

Format of a Letter of Application

Sender	Name Address City, State, PIN Code Phone Number Email Address Date
Employer	Name Title Company Address City, State, PIN Code
Salutation	Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,
Body of the Application	The body of your application letter enables the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow up. See below for a paragraph-by-paragraph division of the body of the letter.
First Paragraph	The first paragraph of your letter should include information on the purpose of writing. Mention the job you are applying for and where you found the job listing. You might conclude by briefly saying why you think you are an ideal candidate for the job.
Second Paragraph	The next section of your application letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. It can be a single paragraph, or you can break it up into a couple of paragraphs. If the section gets lengthy, you may use bullet points to break up the text. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it. Specify how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. In this portion of the letter, make your case strong for your candidacy. Use specific examples, wherever possible.
Final Paragraph	Conclude your application letter by thanking the employer in advance for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow up.
Complimentary Close	Sincerely, Sd/- Signature (NAME)

The following is a sample covering letter by Ms. Vijaya, an aspiring HR person who has applied for an opening in an IT firm.

Vijaya

1, Gandhi Road,

Nehru Nagar, Chennai.

10.06.2018

ABC Logistics & Co, AMBIT IT park,

Chennai.

Dear Mr. Aravindh,

Sub. : Application for HR executive in your firm – Reg.

This is regarding your advertisement for the job of Human Resources Executive listed on your website. My interest in this position stems from my belief that I have the right combination of relevant staffing experience, communication skills, and high levels of organization that will be needed for the position.

I feel my strongest abilities are:

Increasing employee retention by rigorously maintaining a positive work environment
Developing targeted outreach recruitment programs to recruit the best talent and meet all departmental hiring requirement
Creating user-friendly application forms and questionnaires to be used by the organization during staff recruitment and interviewing.

I consider myself to be a dedicated and dependable individual who possesses excellent verbal and written communication skills. I feel that a relationship with your company would be mutually beneficial, as my educational background, HR experience, and qualifications would make me a perfect fit for your Human Resources position, and would also allow me to refine my skills in a new working environment.

I would like to thank you for your time and attention, and I hope to have the chance to discuss the opening with you in person.

Yours faithfully

Vijaya (signature)

VIJAYA (Name in capital letters)

4. Letter ordering things. Ms. Deepa an NGO writes a letter to the wholesale book shop dealer, placing order for 100 copies of medium size English Oxford Dictionary.

Ms. Deepa,

NGO (Nallam Trust),

Nagappattinam District.

13 April 2025

The Proprietor,

NIZHAL BOOK SHOP,

Chennai – 600 001.

Sir / Madam,

Subject: Order for English Oxford Dictionaries – Reg.

On reading the discount provided by your shop in the advertisement of yesterday’s newspaper, I would like to place an order for 100 copies of medium sized English Oxford Dictionary in your shop. I need the copies within a week. So, let me know the estimation for the bulk order placed, as early as possible.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Deepa.B

5. Letter of complaint. After receiving the order, Deepa finds that some of the dictionaries are damaged. So, she writes the following letter of complaint.

Ms. Deepa,

NGO (Nallam Trust),

Nagappattinam District.

20 April 2025

The Proprietor,

NIZHAL BOOK SHOP,

Chennai – 600 001.

Sir / Madam,

Subject: Complaint about damaged dictionaries – Reg.

On receiving the order of 100 copies of English Oxford Dictionary from your shop, I found that around 25 copies of them were damaged. In some copies the pages are missing and in some more copies the pages are not in order. So, duly accept my complaint and replace the damaged copies. Kindly check the returned copies and replace them accordingly.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Deepa.B

6. You are one of the volunteers (divers) of the team that rescued the trapped boys in Tham Luang cave. You feel elated on receiving the following letter of appreciation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok.

Sample Informal Letter:

Sender’s address:

15, Beach Road

Kanyakumari

Date:

Salutation: Dear Rosy,

Body of the letter:

How are you? I am fine. I couldn’t write earlier, because I was very busy.

I like my new home. It is a lovely house. I have a big bedroom looking over the garden. I helped Mummy paint the bedroom walls yesterday. We chose a pretty yellow.

A boy called Sundar lives next door. He likes animals not just like we do but even more. He says he is going to be a Vet when he grows up.

I am still thinking about being a writer. Do you want me to send the story I am writing. It is all about Ooty – the Queen of Hill Stations.

Write soon. I am looking forward to hear all your news.

Subscription : Yours lovingly

Signature : Mangai

Other Forms of Communication:

E-mail

An electronic mail or email is used to send letters or messages using the internet. More plainly, e-mail is a message that may contain text, files, images, or other attachments sent through a network to a specified individual or group of individuals. An email is usually considered more informal than a letter, but we can also use it to send a formal letter or a letter of complaint.

CC: The full form of CC is Carbon Copy. Email addresses of other people who have been sent a copy of the email. The recipients of the email can see all of the email contacts to whom the copies have been sent.

BCC: The full form of BCC is Blind Carbon Copy. Email addresses of other people who have been sent blind carbon copies of the email. The recipients of the email do not know that the same email has been sent to another email address in BCC.

Sample Mail:

Things to consider in an E-Mail

Things	Examples
Greetings	Dear + name; Hi + name; Hi; Hello + name; Hello; To whom this may concern
Opening sentences	Following our recent telephonic conversation, I’m attaching … Please find the attached documents you… With regard to … As we agreed at our meeting … In response/reply to …
Closing sentences	I look forward to hearing from you… Please don’t hesitate to contact me… Thank you in advance… I await receipt of…
Finish with:	Sincerely, Best Regards/Regards Best wishes

Message Writing:

A Message is an informal means of communication. The receiver of the message has to sift through the given message and pick out the most vital bits of information. Then, he/she should be able to reproduce that information in order to convey it to the person for whom it is intended.

Format of Messages:

* Date:

* Time:

* Name of person to whom the message is directed

* Body of the message

* Name of the writer

Points to remember

* Only the most important details should be written.

* No new information should be added.

* Grammatically correct sentences should be used.

* Indirect or reported speech should be used.

* The message should be presented within a box.

* The word limit for a message is 50 words (only the words in the body of the notice are counted).

Example Message – Riya, a student of class ten, is instructed by her teacher to convey to her classmates about the English Literary club competitions which are to be held on 10.04.2025 in a nearby Government school.

MESSAGE

04 April 2025

Dear Friends

Our teacher has asked me to inform all of you about the English Literary club competitions to be held on 10^th of April at the nearby Government Higher Secondary School. Kindly get permission from your parents to attend the event. If you wish to participate in the competitions contact me at the earliest.

Srikanth