All about Letter Writing

Have you ever wondered how people used to correspond with each other when there were no cell phones or emails? Well, the oldest way by which people used to communicate was by writing letters to one another. So, apart from being a part of the English syllabus, letter writing has been an integral part of communication throughout history. 

Letter writing is an integral part of the English language, and through the practice of letter writing, students are taught how to correspond in a formal way. So, to know all about letter writing, you must go through this article. This article includes the various types of letters and how one can write them.

Types of Letters

Letters can be mainly divided into two types, i.e., the formal letter and informal letter.

• Formal letter – The term ‘formal’ is used when something is done according to etiquette that’s suitable for official or conventional matters. Formal letters are those letters that are written for official purposes. And while writing such letters, one has to maintain some specific rules and format. 
• Informal letter – Unlike formal letters, informal letters are generally written to family members and friends. In informal letters, the sender can talk about their personal feelings and keep the tone of the letter casual/friendly.

How to Write an Informal Letter

Do you want to write a letter to your friend? You might think that in the age of social media platforms, who writes letters to their friends? But, writing a letter allows one to convey their personal feelings in a more intimate way. So, if you are wondering how to write a letter to a friend, here are things that you must keep in mind while writing a letter to your friend. 

• Address – The letter should start by including the address of the sender (the person who’s writing the letter) in the left-hand corner. This will help the receiver to correspond in future.
• Date – Following the address is the date. Writing the correct date will help to keep a record as well as use it as a reference whenever needed.
• Greetings -. Endearment words like ‘dear’, ‘beloved’ etc., are generally used as a greeting while composing informal letters. 
• Body – The body of the letter is the central part of the entire letter. As it includes the purpose of writing the letter, add details about the purpose and the concluding statements. 
• Signature and closing – Once the letter has been composed, close it off by closing phrases like ‘with love’, ‘yours lovingly’, ‘regards’ etc., and add the signature and name at the bottom.

Informal letters can be written as a thank you letter to your grandparents for their gift on your birthday, or you can write a letter asking about their health and whereabouts. The subjects of letter writing to a friend might include inviting them to your birthday party or asking them to stay at your place during holidays or letting them know about some recent events in your life.