Letter & Email Writing

A letter or email has a simple order. First write the sender's address in a letter, and then the date. In an email, you do not usually write your address at the top, but you do write a clear subject line. Next, write the salutation or greeting. Use Dear Sir or Madam for a formal letter, or Dear Anna for a friendly letter. After that, write the body. The body is the main message. It should be short, clear, and split into small paragraphs. At the end, write a closing line. Formal closings can be Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully. Informal closings can be Love, Best wishes, or Take care. Then add your name or signature. • Address and date come at the top of a letter. • Email subject lines tell the reader what the email is about. • Start with a greeting, then write the main message, then close politely. • Keep each paragraph about one idea. • Always check spelling of names and dates.

The words you choose depend on who you are writing to. Formal language is used for teachers, managers, companies, or people you do not know well. Informal language is used for friends, family, and people you know well. Formal writing should sound polite and clear. Use words like request, inform, and thank you. Informal writing can sound warm and friendly. Use words like hi, thanks, and see you. Also, the closing should match the tone. Formal letters usually end with Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully. Friendly letters and emails can end with Best wishes or Love. • Formal: I am writing to ask about the job. • Informal: I wanted to ask about your trip. • Formal: Please send me the information. • Informal: Can you tell me more? • Formal language is polite and careful. • Informal language is relaxed and friendly.

Every letter or email has a purpose. Common purposes are to request something, complain about a problem, invite someone, apply for a job or course, or say thank you. Before writing, think about your purpose. This helps you choose the right words. In an email, the subject line should be short and clear. It should tell the reader the main topic, such as Invitation to My Party or Question About Homework. A good subject line helps the reader understand the email quickly. Use simple phrases to make your message clear. For a request, you can say I would like to ask for. For a complaint, you can say I am writing to report a problem. For an invitation, you can say You are invited to. For thanks, you can say Thank you for your help. • Subject: Request for information • Subject: Invitation to my birthday • I am writing to ask for help. • Thank you for your kind support. • You are invited to my house on Saturday. • I am writing to report a problem with my order.