(Here’s an Audiovisual Lecture on Informal Letter Writing in WASSCE: https://youtu.be/PuVLRyXGSYk)
Understand What an Informal Letter Is
To write an interesting informal letter, you need to first understand what an informal letter is and to whom you’re likely to write an informal letter. An informal letter is the type of letter you write to someone with whom you share a personal relationship. This explains why it is called a personal letter, or a friendly letter. Examples of informal letters include letters to your relatives (father, mother, brother, sister, etc.), letters to your friends or classmates, letters to your pen friend (a friend of yours living in another country), letters to your lover (e.g. your husband, wife, or fiancé), and so forth.
Understand the Features an Informal Letter
Another important point to note in writing an informal letter is its features. The features of an informal letter are as follows:
- Writer’s address and date.
- Salutation.
- Content of the letter: A. Introduction, B. Body of the letter, and C. Conclusion.
- Subscription or Closing greeting.
- Writer’s name (first name only).
Identify the Purpose of the Letter
The next step is to find out the purpose of the letter. This will help you to know the exact content of your letter. Let’s use a past WAEC question on informal letter writing as an example: Your brother who is in the third year in another school has written to confide in you that he is about to stop schooling and go into business. Write a letter to him advising him against his decision (WASSCE June, 2020). Here, the purpose of the letter is to advise your brother against the decision to stop schooling and go into business. Having identified the purpose, you will be able to create an outline (the points you jot down – the exact things you’re going to say in your letter).
Use Appropriate Address and Opening
In an informal letter, you need to write only the writer’s address and date, and then go straight to the salutation. You can use any of the following openings depending on whom you are writing to: Dear Jane/Sister/Brother/Father/Mother; Yours sincerely/ever/affectionately… Or Your brother/son/daughter/… If you’re writing to a friend of yours, it’s better to use the person’s first name, e.g. Dear Mark (instead of Dear Friend).
Start Your Letter with an Appropriate Introduction (Paragraph 1).
In writing the introductory paragraph of an informal letter, you have two options: you can go straight to the purpose of the letter, or you begin by asking the recipient about their well being. If you choose the latter option, the following expressions can be appropriate: How are you doing?/ I hope you and your family are all well/ It’s been quite long since we were last in touch/ How have the family been?/ How are your studies going?/ I hope you are all well, and so forth. If you’re replying to a previous letter, you can write: Thank you for your recent letter/I was glad to hear from you recently, etc.
Create an Outline
You need to plan your letter by creating an outline. An outline is a list of the key points you will discuss. If you’re writing a letter to advise your brother against the decision to stop schooling and go into business, for example, you can jot down the following points: 1. Action offensive to parents 2. Education necessary for business. 3. Education a requirement for occupying a political office. These are the key points you’re going to discuss in the body of your letter. The three key points you’ve jotted down can be discussed in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4.
Organize the Body of Your Letter into Paragraphs
The body of your letter should be organized into paragraphs 2,3,4… as the case may be. Discuss one key point in each paragraph. You can start each paragraph with a topic sentence, and then use two or three other sentences to support the point you’ve raised. The use of appropriate connectors is an essential prerequisite for achieving coherence in all types of writing. However, there are types of connectors that are appropriate to informal writing, as opposed to formal writing. You can consider using some of these: to start with, well, by the way, anyway, actually, to tell you the truth, etc.
Write an Impressive Conclusion
In the last paragraph, you can make the appropriate call for action, or re-emphasize the key points already discussed. It’s important to ensure that you use informal expressions to end your informal letter. For example, you can humorously indicate why you’re bringing the letter to an end: “I guess it’s time I got on with the laundry I’ve been doing./ Anyway, I must go and get on with my studies!” You can also indicate some necessary future actions: By the way, don’t forget to send me Uncle Sam’s phone number./ Anyway, don’t forget to give me a call when you finally decide what you’re going to do.”
Write the Appropriate Subscription and Name
Write your first name after the appropriate closing greeting. Examples: Yours sincerely + first name only. You may use any other acceptable informal subscription, such as Yours ever, Yours affectionately, etc. Make sure you put a comma after the subscription, and then write your first name on the next line. Use a full stop after your name to mark the end of the letter.
Use the Appropriate Language and Tone
You need to use informal language to reflect the degree of familiarity existing between you and the person you are writing to. The use of contractions, for example, is quite appropriate (e.g. “I won’t be able to visit you this weekend”, ” I’m really sorry but I can’t help it”, To tell you the truth, I don’t really support your plan to stop schooling because it’s going to worsen Mum’s high BP”, etc.). You can show enthusiasm by using intensifiers (e.g. “He is an absolute nightmare”, “We had a fantastic time at the picnic,” “I really enjoyed the trip,” etc.) The use of idiomatic expressions is another way of showing how close you are to the addressee (e.g. “It’s been ages since we heard from each other”). You can make your letter conversational by using question forms (e.g. “How are you preparing for the upcoming exam?” “How are your studies going?” When are you going to return home?” etc.).
You can also check out an audiovisual lecture on How to Write a High-scoring Essay in Your WAEC English Exams: https://youtu.be/Z9AqetXxkRA
The following eBooks will give you further insight into other areas of language proficiency, such as grammatical structures, essay writing – letter writing, article writing, speech writing, report writing, story writing – comprehension, summary writing, vowel and consonant sounds, and so forth:
- Good Success in English: A Study Package or Good Success in English: A Study Package for Effective English Learning
- Good Success English Handbook
About the Author
Benjamin Abugu is a university graduate with a flair for content writing. He is an English teacher with over twelve years experience, a published author of many books (both paperback and eBook editions), a blogger and Youtuber.
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