💬 Informal Letter & Email Writing — the format

Write to someone you know, sounding like a person rather than an institution.

Writing for: A friend or relative. They know you, so explaining background at length reads oddly.

Which are you writing?

Length: Usually 150–300 words depending on the paper.

Audience: A friend or relative

The format, in order

1
Greeting
'Dear Ana' or 'Hi Ana'. For an email, a subject line first if the task implies one.
Subject: My trip to the coast
2
Opening
Warm, brief, and referring to them — not a weather report.
Thanks for your last message — I've been meaning to reply all week.
3
Main content
Cover every bullet in the task, but conversationally. Anecdote beats summary.
4
Closing
Look forward, ask a question back, or invite a reply.
5
Sign-off
'Love', 'Best wishes', 'See you soon' — then your first name only.

What the marks are for

Content

✓Every bullet in the task addressed
✓A genuine sense of a relationship between writer and reader
✓Detail and anecdote rather than bare statement
✓Questions or invitations that keep the exchange going

Language

✓Consistently informal register — contractions are correct here
✓Natural idiom used accurately
✓Varied sentence openings
✓Tone sustained from greeting to sign-off

What loses marks

✗Slipping into formal register — 'I am writing to inform you' to a friend
✗Signing off 'Yours faithfully' on an informal letter
✗Missing one of the task bullets because the chatty tone took over
✗Including a full postal address, which an informal email does not need
✗Writing a narrative essay with a greeting attached

Phrases that work

Guess what happened last week…
You'll never believe…
Anyway, enough about me —
Let me know what you think.
Write back soon and tell me all about…

Before you hand it in

0 / 8

Greeting uses a first name
Opening refers to the reader, not the weather
Every task bullet covered
Contractions used — formal register here is an error
At least one question back to the reader
Sign-off is informal and followed by first name only
No formal phrases like 'I am writing to inform you'
Within the word count

Command words cheat sheet

Study notes on the Learning Portal

Where this is examined

· Cambridge IGCSE ESL (0510) — writing
· Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (0500)
· Edexcel International GCSE English Language (4EA1)
· Cambridge O Level English Language (1123)

Word counts, paper numbers and mark allocations are set by the syllabus for your session and change between series. Always check your current syllabus and your teacher's guidance before relying on a length or a mark split given here.

Other writing formats

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