English Notes – Letter Writing
How to Write an Informal Letter
and a Formal Letter
English Notes – Grade 9 / Freshman
1. Informal Letter
An informal letter is written to friends, family, relatives, or people you know well. The tone is friendly, personal,
and conversational.
Structure / Format
1. Sender’s address (optional; often omitted or just the place)
2. Date
3. Salutation / Greeting – Dear + first name (Dear Sarah, / Hi Tom, / My dear brother,)
4. Body
• Opening paragraph: warm greeting + reason for writing
• Middle paragraph(s): main news, questions, feelings, details
• Closing paragraph: good wishes, request for reply, final thoughts
5. Complimentary close – Love, / Lots of love, / Best wishes, / Take care, / Yours, / Warm regards,
6. Signature – First name or nickname only
Language Features
• Contractions are allowed (I’m, don’t, can’t, we’ve)
• Everyday vocabulary and idioms
• Personal pronouns and emotional language
• Questions and exclamations are common
• Can be quite long and chatty
Sample Layout
12 Park Street
Cape Town
28 October 2026
Dear Emma,
It was so good to hear from you last week! I’ve been meaning to write...
[body of the letter]
Looking forward to seeing you in December.
Love,
Sophie
2. Formal Letter
A formal letter is written for official or professional purposes (job applications, complaints, requests to
companies/schools/government, business correspondence). The tone is polite, respectful, and impersonal.
Structure / Format
1. Sender’s full address (top right or left)
2. Date (written in full: 28 October 2026)
3. Recipient’s name and address (left side)
4. Salutation
• Dear Sir/Madam, (when name unknown)
• Dear Mr Smith, / Dear Ms Patel, / Dear Dr Jones, (when name known)
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How to Write an Informal Letter
and a Formal Letter
English Notes – Grade 9 / Freshman
1. Informal Letter
An informal letter is written to friends, family, relatives, or people you know well. The tone is friendly, personal,
and conversational.
Structure / Format
1. Sender’s address (optional; often omitted or just the place)
2. Date
3. Salutation / Greeting – Dear + first name (Dear Sarah, / Hi Tom, / My dear brother,)
4. Body
• Opening paragraph: warm greeting + reason for writing
• Middle paragraph(s): main news, questions, feelings, details
• Closing paragraph: good wishes, request for reply, final thoughts
5. Complimentary close – Love, / Lots of love, / Best wishes, / Take care, / Yours, / Warm regards,
6. Signature – First name or nickname only
Language Features
• Contractions are allowed (I’m, don’t, can’t, we’ve)
• Everyday vocabulary and idioms
• Personal pronouns and emotional language
• Questions and exclamations are common
• Can be quite long and chatty
Sample Layout
12 Park Street
Cape Town
28 October 2026
Dear Emma,
It was so good to hear from you last week! I’ve been meaning to write...
[body of the letter]
Looking forward to seeing you in December.
Love,
Sophie
2. Formal Letter
A formal letter is written for official or professional purposes (job applications, complaints, requests to
companies/schools/government, business correspondence). The tone is polite, respectful, and impersonal.
Structure / Format
1. Sender’s full address (top right or left)
2. Date (written in full: 28 October 2026)
3. Recipient’s name and address (left side)
4. Salutation
• Dear Sir/Madam, (when name unknown)
• Dear Mr Smith, / Dear Ms Patel, / Dear Dr Jones, (when name known)
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