Informal Letter Format
An informal letter is a letter that one writes to friends and relatives. Writing a letter is a skill that is losing its charm with time. But it is very important to know how to write an informal letter. Informal letters are written to close acquaintances of the sender or writer. Before the telephonic conversations and Chatting applications, it was informal letters that kept people in touch. Informal letters were mainly used for personal communications, mainly to someone whom the sender knows well.
Format of an Informal Letter (Pointers)
- Address of the sender
- Date
- Greetings
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
- Signature
Informal Letter Format
Here is the template of the informal letter. While writing an informal letter the format below can be referred to:
| Address of the sender in 2-3 lines Date Dear friend or name or the relative referring to Asking about the well-how of the receiver and expressing your well-being. Here the sender can write the details. The body of an informal letter can be as long as possible, unlike informal letters. There are no limitations while writing an informal letter. In the last paragraph do with the elders, and kids in the receiver’s family and wish for their well-being. The sender can also mention the words like “Waiting for your reply or response” Now comes the ending of the letter. One can use words like “Warm regards” while concluding an informal letter. Here the sender can either write his name or sign it. |
Examples of Informal Letter Format
The examples make the understanding better. Some the example of types of informal letters are-
Example1: Informal Letter format to Your friend Enquiring about Her First Visit to Paris
| 34, Balrampuri Ahmedabad, 27th November, 2022 Dearest Urvi, I was so glad to hear from my mother that you are back home after such a long trip. Hope you had a safe and enjoyable trip. I have been waiting to hear all about the trip from you. Since this was the first time you have been to a foreign land, I guess every little bit of the trip was as exciting as you expected it to be. I have heard from my friends residing there that the place is extremely beautiful and that the people there are very endearing. However, I was worried when I knew that there were a few bomb blasts during your stay there. Hope all of you there were safe. I hope everything else was fine except for this. I had spoken to your mother earlier, and she told me that you would be coming home after two weeks. I saw your pictures on Instagram as well. I can’t wait to meet you and hear all your stories. Waiting eagerly for your reply. Your loving cousin, A lot |
Example2: Informal letter to a friend encouraging him to choose a career ahead in the field of tourism
| Stella Maris Convent School, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 27th November 2022, Dear Richa, I hope you are doing well and enjoying your summer vacation. It is a well-deserved break for you after all the hard work you did in your class 12 Board Exam. It must feel good to just relax at home and play cricket with your friends. I really enjoyed visiting your place last week. Your mother is a wonderful cook and I keep raving about her cooking to my family all the time. When I visited you, there were a few discussions about what vocation you would like to choose since the board exams are over. Yesterday, I came across an interesting article in a newspaper which can help you make up your mind. The article was about tourism. I know, you have a passion for traveling, meeting new people, and discovering new places. So, thought that a career in tourism would be perfect for you. You should also do a certificate course with a travel agency. After completing any of these courses you could work for the government or any private firm or you could even start yours. Your loving, Farheen |
Example3: Informal letter expressing your feeling of love and admiration towards your father.
| D-8 Amar Colony Indira Nagar Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 27th May 2022 Dear father, I received such a nice gift from you on my birthday. My joy knew no bounds. This book gives me a lot of knowledge and vocabulary. Although a good number of my friends and relatives attended the birthday party. Yet I missed you all the time. My friends and relatives gifted me many things but your gift of a dictionary are unique in many aspects. This gift is a great source of joy for me. It will help me to cultivate the habit of reading good books. I shall preserve and treasure it throughout my life. Yours Lovingly, Pragya Pandey |
Major Differences between a formal and informal letter
Here are some of the differences between a formal and an informal letter that must be understood well before beginning the writing.
| S.No. | Basis | Formal Letter | Informal letter |
| 1 | Length | Short and crisp | Very detailed and long |
| 2 | Greeting | Sir, ma’am, name of the company | Friend, name of the receiver |
| 3 | Address | Address of both sender and receiver | Only the address of the sender is mentioned |
| 4 | Body | To the point with proper references | No such prescribed limitations |
| 5 | Subject | The proper subject should be there | No need for subject |
| 6 | Conclusion | Expressing gratitude | Wishing every acquaintance with respect |
| 7 | Signature | The logo or seal of the sender must be there | The only name will do the job |
| 8 | Written to | OrganizInformalations and formal institutions | Close acquaintances |
| 9 | Replaced by | The formal letters are replaced by E-mails or PDFs | Informal letters are now replaced by phone calls, video calls, or chatting applications. |
Some examples of Signatures in an informal letter
- With Love
- Lots of Love
- Best Wishes
- Kind Regards
- Warm Regards
Points to remember while writing an informal letter
- In the beginning, do mention it if the letter is a response to a previous letter.
- When writing an informal letter make sure to mention the sender’s address at the beginning of the letter
- Do not write a subject in an informal letter as they are to know about the well-being of the receiver or for sharing joys and sorrows and not for a particular purpose.
- Do wish the elders and state love for the children in the family
- Always ask and share yours doing well in life.
- The last paragraph of the body does express that the receiver’s response is important and awaited.
- Frame the sentences well so that there is no place for misunderstanding.
- If writing some confidential information or something that needs proof keep a copy of the same.
Check Formal Letter Writing, Format & Samples