Formal Letters
-Anjoe Paul-
TGT English
Features of a formal letter
Formal letters are written
in a formal style and
maintain a polite,
standardized language.
There is a certain format
for writing formal letters.
They are usually written
for official purposes like
to the authorities, to the editors of newspapers
or magazines, to the organizations etc
Parts of a formal letter
Sender’s address
01
Date
02
Receiver’s address
03
Subject
04
Salutation
05
Body of the letter
06
Subscription and Leave taking
07
It is the full address of the sender who writes the letter. It is written at the top left hand corner of the page with each part in a separate line.
Sender’s Address
C-105, Janak Puri
New Delhi
110011
It is the date on which the letter was composed. It is written below the sender’s address. It follows a particular format:
09th July, 2025 - Numbers (Day) - Letters, (Month)- Numbers (Year)
Date
It is the address of the person who receives the letter. it is written after addressing the official along with his designation and remaining part of the address.
Receiver’s address
The Editor
The New Indian Express
Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai-600 058
It briefly expresses the main content of the letter. It must be straight-forward and to-the-point.
Subject
Sub: Lack of cleanliness in the locality reg.
It is the part where we express the greeting to the receiver.
Salutation
Sir/Madam or Respected Sir/Madam
It is the heart of a formal letter. The matter of the letter is given in detail in the body of the letter. It includes:
1. Introductory sentence.
2. Detailed description of the matter.
3. Concluding sentence or part.
Body of the letter
It is the courteous way to conclude the letter. It includes sender’s signature, name and designation.
Subscription and Leave taking
Thanking you
Yours sincerely/faithfully
Name
s/d
1. The roads in your locality have developed big potholes after the
rains and have not been repaired. Despite several complaint letters
to the civic authorities, the problem is still unresolved.
Write a letter to the editor of a local daily, in about 120 words,
expressing your concern at the situation and suggesting measures
to resolve the problem and drawing attention of the concerned
authorities. You are Maasumi/Mausan of 17, Crown Apartments,
Harsh Vihar, Akash Nagar.
Sample Question
17, Crown Apartment
Harsh Vihar Akash Nagar
27th February 2024
The Editor,
The Daily News
Akash Nagar
Subject: Potholes in the road causing several problems reg.
Dear Sir
Through the columns of your esteemed daily I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the bad condition of the roads after the rains. Big potholes have developed in the roads making the purpose of the road, a failure. Travelling by this road has become increasingly difficult. Moreover, things get even worse during the rainy season when potholes are not visible due to the poor drainage system and the area becomes heavily accident prone. The residents are facing a lot of inconvenience due to the road condition.
On behalf of the residents of Akash Nagar, I humbly request you to pass on this information to the concerned authorities and use the influence of your esteemed organization in getting the work done. I hope that you will consider our request and take proper action.
Yours faithfully
Maasumi
Home Assignment
The household water supply in your locality is muddy and not fit for drinking. Despite several complaint letters to the civic authorities, the problem is still unresolved. Write a letter to the editor of a local daily, in about 120 words, expressing your concern at the situation and suggesting measures to resolve the problem and drawing attention of the concern authorities.
You are Somil/Soumya of 769, Silver Apartments Ajitha Vihar Karampeeth.
Thank You