Writing Letters
Letters follow a format that depends on the audience, with formal letters using polite, precise language.
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Letters follow a format that depends on the audience, with formal letters using polite, precise language.
- Formal letters use Dear Sir or Madam and Yours faithfully
- Informal letters are friendly
- Include date and address
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Writing Letters?
Within English, which covers grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, poetry, drama and the skills for clear communication, this topic explains Writing Letters. English topics help you read closely and write with purpose, so each one here explains a skill and shows how it works in a model text.
Check that you can explain Writing Letters in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Writing Letters helps you read texts more closely and write with more control, which earns marks in both reading and writing papers.
Writing Letters in detail
Letters follow conventions depending on their type. Formal letters, such as to a company or newspaper, have the sender's address at the top right, the date, the recipient's address on the left, a greeting (Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Mr Smith), a clear purpose in the opening paragraph, organised paragraphs, a polite closing (Yours faithfully if you do not know the name and Yours sincerely if you do) and your signature.
Informal letters to friends use a casual tone with more personal content and a friendly sign-off. Keep to the point in formal letters, use formal vocabulary and avoid contractions. Letters should be properly structured and fit the audience and purpose.
How the interactive helps you understand Writing Letters
Click a step, or use the Previous and Next buttons, to move through the sequence one stage at a time. Auto-play moves on for you.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Writing Letters.
Real-life uses and examples
- Spot Writing Letters when you read a poem, story or speech, then explain the effect it creates.
- Use Writing Letters to make your own writing more precise and vivid.
- Support a point about Writing Letters with a short, accurate quotation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Naming a technique without explaining its effect on the reader.
- Quoting a long passage instead of picking a short, precise phrase.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Writing Letters
What is Writing Letters?
Letters follow a format that depends on the audience, with formal letters using polite, precise language.
What are the most important points about Writing Letters?
The main points are: Formal letters use Dear Sir or Madam and Yours faithfully; Informal letters are friendly; Include date and address.
Why is Writing Letters useful?
Understanding Writing Letters helps you read texts more closely and write with more control, which earns marks in both reading and writing papers.
How can I practise Writing Letters?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Writing Letters?
Related topics in English include Writing Speeches, Planning and Drafting, Standard English and Dialects.