A letter is a written message used to convey information – personal, public interest, formal rules and regulations – from one person to another through a medium. The typical form of letter, used from centuries, has been a sheet/s of paper, from pigeons to postal system the letter bearer has changed and drastically involved. The main purpose of letters was to send information, greetings and news. Letters were the primary source of communication in both personal and professional communication for many decades, before telegraph and internet services reduced their importance and usage.
Informal Letter Format
There is no better means of communicating with people at a distance than through a letter. Communication by telephone or wireless or the Internet may be faster, but it lacks permanence. The letter has a personal touch, written with love and care, a good letter fosters cordial relations with people and firms.
The body of the letter consists of different sub-headings, made for containing different information required in a letter.
- Address of the writer – is written at the top-right hand corner of the page in the tradition format or at the top left hand corner of the page in the box-type format, which is being followed nowadays. You may put a comma at the end of each line of the address and a full stop at the end of the last line, as:
25 National Park,
Lajpat Nagar,
New Delhi -110024.
- Date of the Letter – is written directly below your address. The best way to write the date is to indicate the day, month and year; example, 30th August, 2019.
- Greetings – now go to the left-hand side of the page and write the salutations. The greeting has a line to it and is followed by a comma. The form of greeting will depend on the relation in which you stand to the person to whom you are writing the letter. For example, if you’re writing a letter to your close friends, you’ll use the greetings such as Dear their name, like Dear Sara.
- The body of the letter – the opening sentence of the letter could be a response to an earlier communication, or should have a reference to the subject of the letter. Here are some useful suggestions for opening sentences:
I was delighted to hear of your success....
Do you know what has happened recently....?
How can I ever thank you for....
Thank you for your letter.....
The subject matter of the letter is also given in this part. The body of the letter must be broken up into paragraphs.
The letter should be concluded with a sentence which has some connection with the topic of the letter. The last sentence may be in the form of conveying love and respect to the family members. Given below are examples of concluding sentences, which leave a friendly impression:
Give my regards to your parents.
Please remember me to your brother.
We all miss you here.
I am looking forward to your visit.
The letter must not end abruptly but with a certain form of polite leave-taking, such as: Yours affectionately, yours sincerely, etc. The leave-taking phrase is written at the bottom of the letter on the right hand side of the page in the traditional format and on the left hand side in the box-type format.
- Signature – the name of the writer comes below the subscription. Use your first name only for this purpose in personal letters; as;
Yours Sincerely,
Rachel
Informal Letter Sample
Personal Letter Format
Write a letter to your cousin telling him/her about your visit to a zoo, describing what you saw and felt.
25 National Park,
Lajpat Nagar,
New Delhi -110024.
30th August, 2025
Dear Sara,
I am writing this letter to tell you what I’ve been up to during this summer vacation. Last Sunday, I went to a trip to the Zoo Park in Delhi with my parents, it was fun and adventurous. There were children playing in the park where there were many swings and animal statues. There are different sections for different kind of animals like a separate area for fishes, snakes and deer. There were many types of animals from which my favourite was the peacock, it was beautiful and majestic.
I enjoyed a lot there with my parents and I hope both of us can visit it together when you come to meet me. Give my regards to your parents.
Yours affectionately,
Rachel
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is Informal Letter definition?
Ans. An informal letter is a personal letter written to someone close to you, such as a friend or a family member, using a casual and friendly tone. It is different from formal letters in the way that it doesn't abide by strict rules of structure or language and allows more personal expression and emotional connection.
Q2. What are some topics for informal letter writing for class 7th?
Ans. Some topics include birthday party, vacation, recent trip, school event, new school, apologising to a friend, etc.
Q3. What are different types of letter format?
Ans. There are two major types of letter format, informal and formal.
Q4. Can we write an informal letter to the principal?
Ans. No, we cannot write an informal letter to the principal of a school. Formal letter format is used in such case, where you have to be respectful and concise, writing only important points.
Q5. What are some informal letter topics?
Ans. Some topics for an informal letter can be about sharing personal updates of your life, inviting your friends or family members to your home, congratulating your friends or family members on their success, expressing thanks, and many others.
