Informal Letter Format, Examples| Informal Letter Writing Topics

Informal Letter Writing for Class 6 to 8: Format, Topics, Examples, Marking Scheme and Solved Questions

Informal letter format

Informal Letters

What are Informal Letters?
How to Write an Informal Letter?
Marking Scheme of question on Informal letter
Informal Letter Example – Sample of Informal Letter
Difference between Formal letter and Informal letter
Questions on Informal Letter
Informal letter FAQs

What are Informal Letters?

“Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company”

– Lord Byron

What is an Informal Letter?

An informal letter, also referred to as a friendly letter, is a personal letter written to friends or relatives. It is written in a personal fashion. You can write it to anyone with whom you have a non-professional relationship, although this doesn’t exclude business partners or workers whom you’re friendly with either.

There are fewer formatting rules for informal letters than there are for business or formal letters. An informal letter can be used for some reasons like conveying messages, news, giving advice, congratulating the recipient, requesting information, asking questions, etc.

It is a personal letter, written to whom you are familiar with, like friends, siblings, parents, or any other closed one. While writing an informal letter, one can afford to be friendly, and make use of personal or emotional tone. See CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus for 2023-24

Informal Letter Format

What is the format for informal letter?

There is no set format for informal letters. But there is a general pattern, some conventions that people usually follow. We will be looking at this pattern and certain tips on how to write effective and attractive informal letters. These can act as guidelines when you are drafting a letter; they are not hard and fast rules. Let us begin

Address
The first thing to write is your address, i.e. the address of the writer (basically, the sender’s address). We usually write the address on the left-hand side of the page at the very top. The address should be accurate and complete.

Even when writing to close friends or relatives the address must be written, so they can reply back to the letter with ease. If the recipient of the letter is in another country, do not forget to write your country as well in the address.

Date

Next just below the address we write the date. This allows the reader to have a reference as to when the informal letter was written. He can then relate better to the contents of the letter. The date, preferably, should be in expanded form.

Greeting

Now since you know the person you are writing to, the greeting can be informal as well. If it is a friend or someone close to your age you can greet them by their first name, like “Dear Alex”.
If you are writing to your relatives like your mother/father/aunt/uncle etc, you may greet them as such, for example, “Dear Mom”. And if you are writing to an elder person, someone you respect greatly you can address them as Mr or Mrs. Like say for example you were writing a congratulatory letter to your teacher, it can be addressed as “Dear Mrs. Alex”.

How do you start an informal letter? - Introductory Paragraph

And now we begin writing the actual letter. The introductory paragraph sets the tone for the whole letter. You might begin by asking the recipient about their well being. Or you may say that you hope the letter finds them in good health and great spirits. The opening of informal letters should be casual and comforting. It must not be formal and direct as in business letters.

Body of the Letter

The letter overall should maintain a friendly tone. But you have to adjust the language and the wordings according to who you are writing to. With a friend, you can afford to be very casual and flippant even. But if you are writing to an elder relative, you must be extremely respectful and considerate.

One way to determine the tonality of your letter is to remember how you talk to the person in a conversation. And then apply the same syntax and sentiments to the letter.

Informal Letter Format - Conclusion

In the conclusive paragraph sum up the reason for writing the letter, i.e. summarize the letter. Say a meaningful and affectionate goodbye to the reader. And do not forget to invite the reader to write back or reply to your letter. It shows an intention to keep the conversation going.

There is no one way to sign off informal letters. Since they do not follow a strict format, you may sign off as you please. Some commonly used phrases are

Lots of Love
Best,
Best Wishes,
Kind Regards,
Kindly,

Pick the one that best suits the occasion and then simply signs your name below the greeting.

Marking Scheme of the question on Informal letter

Format 1. sender's address, 2. date, 3. receiver's address, 4. subject/heading, 5. salutation, 6. Complimentary close.	01 mark
Content	03 marks
Expression grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling coherence and relevance of ideas and style	O2 marks: 1 1
Total	06 marks

How to Write Informal Letter?

Make sure you double-check for grammatical accuracy and spellings. They carry marks.
Leave an adequate number of lines between paragraphs to make it look neat.
Underlining the main points is very important. But it is advised to do it after finishing your exam. Use a pencil and scale for underlining.
The presentation is very important.
Read a lot of letters to get an idea.

Informal Letter Topics

Below is a list of a few important Informal letter writing topics-

Inviting a friend
Advising a friend
Apologizing to a friend
Thanking a friend for spending the holiday together
Reminding a friend
Congratulating a friend
Requesting for help
Admitting a mistake

Informal Letter Examples - Sample Write a Letter

informal letter example

Difference between Formal letter and Informal letter

Formal Letter And Informal Letter - The formal letter is written for business or professional purposes with a specific objective in mind. It uses simple language, which is easy to read and interpret. On the contrary, informal letters are written to friends and relatives for personal communication and require a casual or emotional tone.

The size of a formal letter should be concise; that does not include irrelevant matters. In contrast, the informal letter can be lengthier.

Formal letters are used for writing letters to business contacts, i.e. partners, suppliers, customers, clients, etc. , college or institute, employer, professionals, etc. As against this, we write informal letters to friends, relatives, acquaintances, etc.

Questions on Informal Letter (Examples) based on Previous years Question papers

Sample Questions on Informal Letter Writing

LETTER TO A FRIEND EXAMPLES

Question 1: Write a letter to your friend congratulating him/her on his/her success in class 12 board exam.

Answer:

B-32, sector-11

Rohini

New Delhi-110034

January 10, 2023

Dear Muskan

My happiness knew no bounds when I got to know that you have topped your school and achieved your dream. I felt so pleased that I wish I were there to congratulate you personally.

The result has proved that hard work, determination, and perseverance bring good results. You were so laborious and passionate about it. I know you were very nervous too, but I was always very confident that you would come out with flying colors. I apologize that I couldn’t even attend the celebration party despite my wishes.

Hope to see you soon. Please be encouraged and continue your hard work. Your future is very bright. My parents and elder sister have sent lots of love and heartiest congratulations.

With lots of love and best wishes.

Yours lovingly

Shefali

Question 2: You are Aakriti/ Abhinav. Write a letter to your friend describing your boarding school in about 120-150 words.

Answer:

B-32, sector-11

Rohini

New Delhi-110085

March 15, 2023

Dear Muskan

How have you been? I hope my letter finds you in best of health and spirits. It has been almost a month since I transferred to the boarding school. I am very happy in my new school. The classes and dormitories are very spacious. There are well equipped science laboratories and a library with a great collection of books. The school has amazing sports facilities such as swimming pool, horse riding track and archery range.

I believe my life here will be interesting and enjoyable. Although I have made many new friends, I still miss you and the other friends. Please, pay my regards to your parents.

Yours sincerely

Aakriti/ Abhinav

Question 3: Write a letter to your friend Rudra inviting him to spend the summer vacation at your place in Mumbai. You are Sakshi/ Saksham. Do not exceed 120-150 words.

Answer:

129, Navyug Apartments

Pitampura

Delhi-110034

March 01, 2023

Dear Rudra

It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. Where have you been? I hope this letter finds you in the best of your health.

As summers are approaching, I was thinking if we could spend the summer break together at my place in Mumbai. I will introduce you to all my friends and close relatives. I will give you a city tour as well. We will spend some quality time in the afternoons near the sea shore. To add cherry on the cake, the weather here is very pleasant during those days due to sea winds.

I am excited even at the thought of you and I spending the summer together after so long. I have to tell you a lot of things and expect the same from you. Give my regards to Aunty and uncle!

Hope to see you soon.

Yours lovingly

Sakshi/Saksham

Question 4: Write a letter to your friend who just met with an accident informing him about his speedy recovery in a consoling tone in about 120-150 words. You are Manvi/Manav.

Answer:

129, Navyug Apartments

Pitampura

Delhi-110034

March 01, 2023

Dear Rudra

I hope this letter finds you in the best of spirits. When I visited last week, you seemed a little bit depressed.

Come on boy, you should thank God for giving you a fresh lease of life. Everything is going to be fine very soon. I even talked to your doctor this morning and he told me that you are out of danger now.

You will have to remain in the hospital for a few more days but that is not something you should be concerned about. Your family and friends are there for you.

Don’t forget that life is a mixture of joys and sorrows. By the way, all of us have decided to celebrate your recovery as soon as you come home you will be throwing a party the day you come back home from the hospital. Hope to see you soon. My parents and younger sister have sent you lots of love and wishes.

Wish you a speedy recovery!

Yours truly

Manvi/Manav

Question 5: You are Sara/Sid. Write a letter to your friend congratulating him for his new job offer in about 120-150 words. He just graduated from college.

Answer:

B-101

Regency apartments

New Bombay

28 December 2023

Dear Vishnu

I just heard that you have received a new job. I couldn’t be happier for you. Congratulations!

I know it is not easy to get a good job in this troubled job market. It is particularly tough for a fresh graduate with hardly any work experience. The resourcefulness you displayed in your job search is commendable. You have inspired me and a lot others that “Where there is a will, there is definitely a way.” You have made us all proud, Vishnu!

I am quite confident that your knowledge of computer and artistic skills will make you a great graphics designer. I expect to hear great news coming from your direction in the coming years. May you fulfil all your dreams.

Best wishes.

Yours truly

Sara/ Sid

Question 6: Write a letter to your friend appreciating his book that he wrote in Bangalore while pursuing his writing career. You are Robert/Robina. Word limit: 120-150 words.

Answer:

B-101

Regency apartments

New Bombay

1 January 2023

Dear Vishnu

How has life been treating you? I am writing you this letter to tell you how proud I am of you. I read your novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well done!

The speech and the flow in which it is written is commendable. I really liked your choice of words. I know that most of your books are inspired from actual life experiences, and this book clearly demonstrates how committed and hard-working you’ve been. It is doing absolute justice to what you’ve gone through and how well you have handled it.

My friend, since you left for Bangalore to pursue your writing career, we have drifted apart, unfortunately. I hope we can start a correspondence here and meet soon one day.

Hope you fulfill your dreams. Remember, sky's the limit.

Yours lovingly

Robert/ Robina

Informal letter FAQs

1. Define an informal letter.
A1. An informal letter is a type of letter written in a personal or non-professional fashion to convey our feelings to the receiver.

2. To whom can one write an informal letter?
A2. Informal letter is written to people close to us like our family members and friends.

3. What can be the purpose of writing an informal letter?
A3. The main purpose of writing an informal letter is to convey our feelings.

4. Give 5 topics of informal letters.
A4. 5 topics of informal letters are as follows:

To give a good or bad news
To congratulate someone on receiving good news or to offer condolences in case of bad news
To give advice
To invite someone to a function or party
To tell about a vacation or trip

5. What are the steps to write an informal letter?
A5. The steps to write an informal letter are as follows:
First read the question carefully.
Find out what points or information is needed to be written in the answer.
Write your points in rough.
Remember to adher to the word limit.
Follow the format of informal letter

6. Should we mention the subject in an informal letter?
A6. No, there is no need to mention the subject in an informal letter.

7. What are the different types of informal letters?
A7. The different types of informal letters are as follows -
1. Informal letter to relative, parents, children or siblings

For advice
For well-being
For informing about holiday trip

2. Informal letter to friend
3. Informal invitation
4. Informal reply

8. What is the basic difference between formal and informal letters?
A8. The main difference between formal and informal letters is the tone of the letter. Formal letters are written in a brief, concise, professional tone whereas informal letters are written in a personal, emotional and non-professional tone. This is so because an informal letter is written for official or business purposes while an informal letter is written to family or friends.

9. Give different ways to start an informal letter.
A9. The different ways to start an informal letter are as follows:

By asking about the well-being of the receiver.
By being hopeful that the letter reaches them in good spirits.
By saying that you miss the company of the recipient.

10. Can I write an informal letter to invite my friend for vacation?
A10. Yes, you can write an informal letter to invite your friend to your place for vacations.

Also See :

1. Letter to the editor

2. Letter to the Government

3. Letter to the police

4. Application for School/College leaving Certificate

9. Application letter for job

10. Letter to the Bank manager

11. Invitation letter