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Formal Letter Writing Practice

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Formal Letter Writing Practice

Read each question carefully. For the writing tasks, use formal language, clear paragraphs and accurate punctuation. Suggested answers are provided for open-ended tasks; other suitable responses may also be correct.

Recognising formal language

1.Which greeting is the most suitable when writing to an organisation and you do not know the reader’s name?

Hey, how’s it going?
Dear Sir or Madam,
Hi team!
To whom it may concern, mate

2.Select all the conventions that are generally appropriate in a formal letter.

Use capital letters for names and places.
Use full stops to end statements.
Use a comma after a greeting such as “Dear Ms Patel,”.
Add several exclamation marks to show strong feelings.
Use text-message abbreviations to save space.

3.What is the main reason to divide a formal letter into paragraphs?

To separate related ideas so the reader can follow them easily
To make the letter appear more complicated
To ensure every paragraph has the same number of sentences
To avoid using linking words

4.Select the three linking expressions that could appropriately connect ideas in a formal letter.

In addition
However
As a result
Anyway
You know

5.Match each part of a formal letter with its main purpose.

Opening paragraph
Development paragraphs
Final paragraph
Sign-off

States the requested action or next step
Introduces the reason for writing
Closes the letter politely
Gives relevant details and supporting information

Revising an informal message

A student wants to write to the school’s administration about a missing scooter. The message below is informal and frustrated. Use its basic facts, but choose calm, precise language for a formal letter. “hi, my scooter disappeared from the bike rack on monday after class. nobody’s helping and this is so unfair!! can you sort it out asap?”

6.Write a suitable formal greeting for a letter to the school principal when you do not know their name.

7.Rewrite this message detail as a complete, formal sentence: “my scooter disappeared from the bike rack on monday after class”

8.Choose the most appropriate closing for a formal letter when the recipient’s name is unknown.

Cheers
Yours faithfully
See you soon
Thanks heaps

Planning and composing

9.Plan three paragraphs for a formal letter to the school principal about the missing scooter. Write one main idea for each: an introduction, details of the incident and a request for action.

10.Complete each sentence with a suitable formal linking word or phrase. I am writing to report that my scooter is missing. __________, I would appreciate help finding out what happened. I left it at the bike rack after classes on Monday. __________, I have not been able to locate it. I have checked with the office. __________, could someone please advise me about the next steps?

11.Write a complete formal letter to the school principal about the missing scooter described above. Include a greeting, an opening explaining your purpose, relevant details, a polite request, a suitable sign-off and your name as the sender. Keep the tone respectful.