Letter Writing - Lesson 005

PAUSE4ENGLUSH

Lesson 005

Topic: Letter Writing

There are main forms of letter writing

These are Formal and Informal

But, we also have Semi Formal

What is a Formal letter?

A Forma Letter is a Letter written to special person's,  positions, your teacher, your headteacher, assemblyman, member of parliament, president, etc.

What do we look for in a Formal Letter?

Features of a Formal Letter.
1. 2 Address
2. Date
3. Title
4. Official Salutation
5. Polite Introduction
6. Body
7. Conclusion
8. Subscription
9. Signature
10. Full name

Here are Some Additional Features.

1. No conversational messages.
2. No contracted forms of words.
3. Direct approach
4. No unnecessary deviations

But, what are contracted forms of words?

Contracted forms of words are short form of words.

Example
Cannot - can't
Do not - Don't

We don't also use conversational language in Formal letter

Conversational languages means language we use every day.

ADDRESS
Writing the address

Free and Slanted Address:

Kammy Basic School
  Post Office Box 10
     Accra

Slanted and Free Address

Kammy Basic School,
   Post Office Box 10,
       Accra.


Block and Free Address

Kammy Basic School
Post Office Box 10
Accra

Block and Puntuated Address

Kammy Basic School,
Post Office Box 10,
Accra.
To write the Recipient's Address, begin with the Position, then the Address.

E.g. 1

The Headteacher,
Poano R/C J.H.S,
P.O.Box 1264,
Tema.

E.g. 2
Assemblyman,
Poano Electoral Area,
Post Office Box 5,
Tema.

E.g. 3

Honourable Member of Parliament,
Poano  West Constituency,
Post Office Box 76,
Tema.

Things to Note About the Address:
1. The Sender's Address should be written at the top right - hand corner of the paper.

2. The Recipient Address should be written at the Left Hand Side of the Paper after the Date.

DATE
Writing the Date.
The date comes immediately after the address.

Remember this: the Date is not part of the Address.

Ways of Writing the Date:

E.g. 1

12th January, 2020.

E.g. 2

January 12, 2020.

E.g. 3

12 - 01 - 2020. OR 12/01/2020.

NB. The last example is however discouraged...

Remember this: Numbers do not take Superscript of Letters. So  avoid it.

SALUTATION
This is an Official Letter so the Salutation should also be Official. Dear Sir, Dear Madam, etc.

TITLE

We usually get the Title from the question or the problem we want the authority to hear.
For example:
1. PERMISSION TO ABSENT MYSELF FROM SCHOOL.

2. Permission To Absent Myself From School

3. APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A TEACHER.

NB. Remember to underline your address.


BODY
The Next Part is the Body
This the part where you tell the Recipient why you are writing the letter.

In this section remember  to be Concise, Logical and Comprehensible. Remember to avoid Cliche, Jargons, Contracted forms of words,  Convensational language, etc.
State clearly why the Recipient should listen to you.

CONCLUSION
The Conclusion section is the next.
Conclude your letter with the in a polite way and seek for further attention and prompt response.

Subscription Section
Use formal subscription techniques in this section.
For example: Yours faithfully,
Yours sincerely,

Signature Section.

Sign the letter to make it officially.

Name Section.

Write your full name immediately after the Subscription.
E.g.
Amadu Sulley.


Hello, this is the end of today's lesson.
Call or Whatsapp: 233244299706.

Facebook: @AminuWrites
                    @Pause4English

Telegram: Pause4English