THE INFORMAL WRITING SECTION

How to Write Informal Letters in English (with example)

In this section, you will learn how to write informal letters in English with the help of sample opening and closing sentences and a sample letter. By the time you're finished, you will know how to properly format the address, date, and signature of an informal letter, as well as what to write in between your greeting and signature.

The first thing we need to know is the difference between informal and formal letters?

An Informal Letter is a letter that is written in a personal fashion. You can write them to relatives or friends, but also to anyone with whom you have a non-professional relationship, although this doesn't exclude business partners or workers with whom you're friendly. There are different ways to carry out this type of letter depending on which country you're in. 

Please check the following elements:

·         Address

·         Date

·         Opening

·         Body

·         Closing

·         Signature

Format of an Informal Letter

How do you start an Informal Letter?

• Address

Your personal address should be the first thing you write on your letter. It should be located at the top right corner of the page, since you do not always know if someone has your address if they want to reply. Remember also to fill in your country of residence if you are sending the letter abroad.

Format

·         Number and street name

·         City, state and postal code

·         Country

Example

1000 S. Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90015

United States

• Date

The date is usually located below your own address. The most common way to write the date includes the month, day and year. Sometimes, only the month and day are sufficient. In English, the names of months are always capitalized, but there are some differences in formatting between American English and British English. See the table below for examples of each.

Format	British English	American English
A	22nd November 2011	November 22nd, 2011
B	22 November 2011	November 22, 2011
C	22/11/2011	11/22/2011

A informal letter can be written in nearly any way you choose, but there are a few organizational guidelines you can follow if you are unsure of what to write or how to format your letter. The perfect informal letter consists of three sections:

1.    Opening

2.    Body text

3.    Closing

There is one final part of an informal letter that doesn't need listed here: the signature, which consists of no more than a farewell remark and your name. Learn about each of the three main parts of an informal letter below.

• Opening

The first step is addressing your reader. But how do you address someone in English?

This is fairly straightforward and is usually not as important as it would be with a business or formal letter. There are still a few things that you should know in terms of addressing someone properly in an informal latter.

First, British English does not employ the use of a period after abbreviated titles, but American English does.

·         Mr Johnson (British English)

·         Mr. Johnson (American English)

Secondly, if you are sending a letter to a married woman, the correct abbreviation is "Mrs," and if you are sending an letter to a non-married woman, the correct abbreviation is "Ms."

·         Mrs. Johnson is the wife of Mr. Johnson

·         Ms. Johnson and her fiancé will be married this summer

Choosing whether or not to use a title depends on how well you know the person to which the letter is addressed. If you are on very friendly terms, simply use their first name. The way in which you greet your reader is up to you. The examples below showcase some common greetings.

·         Dear Richard,

·         Richard,

·         Hi Richard,

Be sure to never forget the comma after the name.

Examples of Opening Sentences

Finally, you've reached the part of the letter where you begin to write. Here, let your imagination run free. If you need some ideas to get started, some sample opening sentences are included below. Your opening should be casual and not as stiff as it would be if you were writing a professional or formal letter.

·         How are you?

·         How have you been?

·         How is life treating you?

·         How are the kids?

·         I hope you are doing well.

·         I hope you, Mike, and the kids are having a great time in (location).

• Body

The contents of your letter should be written in a personal and friendly tone. However, it's important to adjust your use of language to the person you are writing to. A good way of assessing how you should write is to think about how you would interact with the person you are writing to in real life. Also, keep in mind that the people of England and America are fond of exchanging social niceties.

For example, they like asking a few polite questions "How are you?" or "How was your holiday?" In general, they are not as direct as most Europeans.

Subjects to Include in the Body

·         State your reason for writing

·         Expand on what you mentioned in the first paragraph

·         Ask about the person you are writing to

·         Make some concluding remarks

·         Invite the person to write back

• Closing

The closing is where you summarize your letter and say goodbye to the reader. The examples below offer some ideas of what to write in the closing section of your informal letter.

Examples of Closing Sentences

·         I am looking forward to seeing you.

·         I can't wait to see you soon.

·         I can't wait to hear from you.

·         I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

·         I hope to hear from you soon.

·         See you soon.

·         Send my love to...

·         I hope you are doing well.

·         Give my regards to...

• Signature

In terms of signing off, the choice is yours and you have a lot of freedom here. Below are some commonly used sign-offs that maintain a friendly, informal tone. After you've chosen one that fits the overall tone of your letter, simply sign your name.

Examples of Signatures

·         Best wishes,

·         Best,

·         Kindly,

·         Kind regards,

·         Best regards,

·         Lots of love,

·         Love,

•       P.S. 

There is something called P.S. (post script) in Spanish we know it as POST DATA, and this feature is a characteristic perfectly allowed in writing informal letters, so if you forgot something important to mention in the body of your letter, this is the momento of doing so.

Example of an Informal Letter

ACTIVITY: WRITE AN INFORMAL LETTER AND MAIL IT BY TRADITIONAL MAILING SERVICE, THE INFORMAL LETTER IS FOR YOUR ENGLISH TEACHER AND THE REST OF THE INFORMATION I KNOW YOU NEED IS IN THE NEXT LINK!!!

• I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOUR LETTER

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A   POSTCARD

HOW TO ADRESS A POSTCARD PROPERLY

A post card is usually used whether you’re traveling or looking for a wonderful note to express life’s joy, sending a postcard to a friend or loved one is a sweet gesture. Although social media has made it quite easy to share your adventures, you can still embrace the classic charm and warmth of sharing your whereabouts by postcard. You have two options when deciding on how to send your post card. You can buy a postcard from a local shop while on vacation or you can use your own photos from traveling to create and send out custom postcards when you return. If you’d like to share a photo of your loved ones during your travels, we suggest the second option so your postcard is unique and original.

now, LET'S GO STEP BY STEP!!!

Sending a postcard offers your family and friends a one-of-a-kind glimpse into your trip or destination. In order to make your postcard special, you should ensure that your card is addressed properly so you can avoid any mishaps.

1. Use the back of the postcard to address the recipient. Since the front of your postcard will have a photo, always refer to the back side of a post card to address your post card. Flip your post card photo side down to get started.
2. Write the recipient’s address on the right hand side of the postcard. The back of a postcard is split into two sections, the right side being the destination for addressing the card’s recipient. Most postcards will have three lines in place for you to write the address in.
3. Address the person you’re sending your card to on the left hand side of the postcard. Since most postcards are usually sent to a close friend or family member, you can address the recipient with affection such as “Dear Uncle John” or “My dearest friend Lisa”. Post cards should be casual and fun. However, if your relationship with the recipient is formal, use standard titles to be safe such as “Dear Mr. John Doe” or “Dear Ms. Jane Doe”.
4. Write the date. Always add the date that you’re sending the postcard in the top right hand corner of the left side of the card. If you’re sending the postcards as holiday cards, you can write in your message when the original photo was taken so recipients know that the photo is from a prior trip.
5. Write your handwritten message. Use the blank space on the left hand side of the postcard to write your sentiments, learnings, and anything else you want to share about your travels. It is always ideal to share your favorite memory or discovery from your trip so your message feels exclusive. The recipient will want to hear about anything special you encountered or learned during your adventure. You can write about people you met, foods that you tasted for the first time, a new activity that you tried out, or attractions you visited.
6. Sign your postcard. Use a closing to bid your friend or loved one farewell. You can use closings such as “See you soon!”, “Wish you were here,” or “Hugs from (destination)”.
7. Don’t forget to add a stamp. Before sending off your postcard, don’t forget to add a stamp! Your stamp goes in the upper right corner of the postcard near the recipient’s mailing address. Be sure to add the right amount of postage so your card arrives, especially if you’re using international postage.
8. Use First Class Mail if possible. If you’re only mailing off a few postcards, you should send your postcards off using First Class Mail, which will help ensure your card arrives even if the mailing address is incorrect. If your address book isn’t up to date, this is a good way to send your postcards since the post office will forward your card to the recipient’s most recent address listed in their system.

11 Things To Write About In Your Postcard

If you’re looking for inspiration for what to write in your post card, you can reflect on your trip to make your post card more interesting. Your post card recipient will want to read about something exciting or fun that you’ve experienced. You can also include travel tips that are specific to your adventure and give the recipient exclusive insights on your trip.

• Share what you did that day.
• Share a local idiom or saying with a translation.
• Share a new tradition that you’ve learned.
• Write down a recipe and share in your card.
• Mention the weather.
• Draw a doodle of your travel.
• Write down something you’ve learned.
• Write a fun fact about the city you’re visiting.
• Explain the story behind your post card photo.
• Share holiday sayings if you’re sending post cards during the holiday season.
• If you’ve moved recently, share that you have a new address in your postcard.

• Do You Have To Put A Return Address On A Postcard?

Answer: A return address is not required on your postcard but if the post office cannot deliver your postcard, they won’t be able to return it to you without a return address. If you do choose to write a return address on your postcard, you should write the return address in the upper left-hand corner of your post card.

ACTIVITY: 

THIS TIME YOU WILL HAVE TO BUY, GET OR MAKE A POSTCARD FROM A PLACE IN WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN AND SEND IT TO A FRIEND, RELATIVE OR PERSON YOU KNOW BY TRADITIONAL MAILING SERVICE, PLEASE , BEFORE YOU MAIL IT, SEND A NICE PICTURE OF IT TO MY PERSONAL MAIL ADDRESS SO I GET TO VERIFY YOUR ACTIVITY.

EXAMPLES OF POSTCARDS

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😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
DID YOU UNDERSTAND THIS IDEA???
WELL, IT IS JUST A MESSAGE, INFORMAL, HILARIOUS AND INFORMATIVE... LET'S WORK ON ...

M E S S A G E S

FIRST OF ALL, TWO QUESTIONS..

DO YOU THINK THAT MESSAGES ARE JUST FOR HOME USE?    

DID YOU KNOW THAT MANY COMPANIES REQUIRE TO TAKE MESSAGES AS A COMPETENCE? A SIMPLE ACTION AS TAKING A MESSAGE!!!

What is a competency standard?

Competency standards are descriptions of the skills and knowledge required to perform a task or activity at the level of a required standard.

Competency standards for the tourism and hospitality industries have been developed to cover all the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work in the following occupational areas:

• Housekeeping 
• Food Production 
• Food and Beverage Service 
• Front Office 
• Travel Agencies 
• Tour Operations

In all of these areas you will have to demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral inputs, follow these simple steps and you will get your messages in the best way!!!




COMMON MESSAGES

1. Write a concise, clear message from oral input 
2. Use clear handwriting 
3. Include all necessary information 
4. Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader 
5. Use correct spelling of names and addresses

: 

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  SHORT INSTRUCTIONAL MESSAGES  

1. Structure a message into a logical set of instructions 
2. Ensure instructions are clear and unambiguous 
3. Use polite forms when requesting someone to carry out a set of instructions

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SHORT MESSAGES OF APPRECIATION, APOLOGY AND EXPLANATION OF ABSENCE 

1. Write a short message of thanks and apology to develop and maintain good working relationships 
2. Write a short message explaining a temporary absence 
3. Use appropriate expressions to start and finish the message 
4. Use accurate grammar and vocabulary to express ideas

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THE NEXT IMAGES SHOW YOU SOME MESSAGES AND THE  FORM THEY WERE WRITTEN.
ALSO CHECK THE HANDWRITING AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN A MESSAGE.

ACTIVITY

Write a short message. 

In the message you should include: 

1. Who you are 
2. Who you are writing the message to
3. What the message is 
4. A time that you want the activity to happen or be completed by 
5. Thank you. 
6. When you have finished, you should give the note to your teacher by image or in person.