English Grammar and Composition chapter 14: Letters

Part 2 Composition

Printed page 208

[blank page]

Printed page 209

14 Letter 14/1: Informal Letters

Informal communication takes place in intimate circles, usually among friends and family, and formal communication takes place among people whose relationship is formal. In informal writing and speaking, we use lot of contractions such as I’m, you’re; I’ve, I’d etc. Idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs, exclamation, repetition, tag questions and use of slangs etc, are features of informal writing and speaking. The following letter is an example of an informal letter.

1. Read the letter and examine the features of informal style in this letter.

Dear Shuvro,

It’s really, really good to be here in Sylhet. We got here on Saturday evening. The journey was HORRIBLE, the bus moved like a local bus, it stopped quite a few times to pick passengers. It was really irritating. It took twelve hours to get here! But the place we’re staying is very nice – the surroundings are beautiful. I’m having a good time with my family now, but I miss you a lot.

It’s now Tuesday afternoon and I’m sitting at a tea- garden chatting with some local boys. The weather is fantastic! It can lift your spirit.

With lots of love,

Rupom Dhaka 12/06/2025

Printed page 210

2. Now rewrite the letter changing some words and expressions to make it sound a little more formal.

3. Here is another informal letter. Read the following letter and say what aspects of the letter make it informal?

Hi Stella,

It seems hard to believe that I’ve been here in Sylhet for a whole week now. I promised to write and tell you how I was getting on-so here it goes.

When I first got here, I could not just get used to the new environment with new friends, in new school. Now, though, I’m learning to take things easy and I’m beginning to feel really at home. My first impression of the Sylheti people is that they are really, really friendly and helpful.

I’ve managed to make friends with a few girls. The countryside round the town is marvelous and very green, because it rains a lot here, but too much of rain can really be boring.

Sorry this letter is short, but you know how bad I’m at writing letters. Do write back when you’ve a spare minute. I miss you so much.

All my love,

Sumi

4. Now convert the letter into a somewhat more formal one.

5 Further tasks:

• Write a letter to your younger sister congratulating her on her success in the JSC examination.
• Write a letter to your younger brother advising him how to prepare for JSC examination.
• Write a letter to a friend inviting him to come and stay with you for a week during the school holidays.

Printed page 211

• Write a letter to your friend narrating your experience of seeing a new film.
• Write a letter to your mother informing her that you had a bad cold, but now you are good after you took some antibiotic prescribed by a physician.
• Ask a friend to join your birthday party.

Review:

All personal letters are informal letters, but the degree of informality varies; some are highly informal, some others are semi formal. The informal letters are characterised as already mentioned above, by:

1. Use of colloquial words
2. Conversational tone
3. Use of contractions
4. Use of two word verbs
5. Use of slangs (in very intimate circle}

As mentioned earlier, degree of informality varies. For example,

When writing to parents, a letter may be a little less informal in its choice of words and tone than a letter written to a very close friend. Contractions and group verbs can be used with parents and other relations who are senior to us and whom we respect, like our uncles and aunts etc. In such personal letters highly emotional words and expressions and slangs should not be used.

Printed page 212

14/2: Formal Letters

A . Read the following letter and see how a personal letter is also sometimes formal depending on the relationship. However such letters may have a conversational tone and hence, may be semi-formal.

Look at the following letter written by a son to his father.

Boys' Hostel Collegiate school Rajshahi 15 January 2025

Dear Father

I could not write to you for the last few days as I was too busy with my annual examination. As you know, our examination is over. Let me tell you that I have done well in all the papers. I hope the results will be good. However, as the new class starts from 7 January, I need to buy some new books. Please send me Tk. 2000.00 extra for the purpose. Also send money for my regular monthly expenditure for the month of January.

I hope everybody at home is fine. I phoned mum and Sumi yesterday and learnt about Rita's birthday party. May the Almighty keep you in good health! Please pray for me.

Yours, Shuvro

Printed page 213

Activity: How is the style of this letter different from the style of the preceding informal letters?

A formal letter is a letter that you write in formal situations, such as, a student writing to the Head Teacher/Principal of an educational institute for a scholarship or the waiver of the fees; a person writing an application for a job, or someone writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper; or any other kinds of business letter, such as an order or a complaint letter, etc.

In formal letters, no contraction, idioms or phrasal verbs, no colloquial or conversational style or tone is used. An objective, detached style is used in formal writings. Features of informal style mentioned above are not used in formal letters.

B. Read the following letter of complaint.

House 2, Road 2 BIHAS, Rajshahi 6205 5 December 2024

The Manager Quality Leathers 222/R.D. Market, Rajshahi

Subject: A complaint letter regarding customer service

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a leather jacket which I bought from your store 3 weeks ago. I had tried a jacket on in the shop and checked it carefully before I decided to buy it. When I went to the cash desk, however, the assistant persuaded me to take one which was already packaged and assured me that it was perfect. When I reached home and tried the jacket on, I found a large rip under the side pocket. As you will realize, I was extremely upset to discover this.

Printed page 214

The jacket was very expensive, and I only bought it from you because of your reputation for quality. In fact I always recommended your shop to friends in the past. I was shocked.

I am returning the jacket with this letter and looking forward to receiving an apology with a full refund of the cost, Tk. 2950.00.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Moinur Rashid

Note: A formal letter usually has 6 parts:

1. Writer's address and date on the top right corner

2. Recipient's designation and official address on the left side but two paces below the date in number 1.

3. The salutation Or (addressing)

4. The body

5. The subscription ( Yours truly)

6. The signature or name on the bottom right corner. However it can be given on the bottom left corner too.

This format is called a semi-block style. The letters above are examples of semi-block style.

Printed page 215

C. There is also a full-block style in which all the parts are left aligned. Here is a request letter written in the block style:

Ocean Building 20 Lake Circus Road Dhaka- 1000 10 November 2024

The Manager Fashion Garments 5 Gulshan DIT Market Dhaka

Dear Sir or Madam

I saw the advertisement of your Fall and Winter collections in yesterday's newspaper The Timely News and would like to buy a jacket.

Please send me your latest catalogue showing winter jackets. I am interested in purchasing a leather jacket preferably brown colour costing between Tk. 1000 to Tk. 1500.

Your sending this catalogue by 25 November will be appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

(Ahmed Jamal )

Notice that the first part of a formal letter usually states the reason for writing. Some useful phrases are:

I saw your advertisement in ------ and would like to --------

I am writing to you about--------

With reference to your letter/ advertisement ------

Thank you for your letter of ---------

Printed page 216

The middle part of a formal letter usually explains the situation in detail.

The ending part should normally include some polite remark. Some common remarks include:

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanking you,

I would be grateful/thankful if you would -----

D. Read the following letter of application for free studentship.

25 January 2025

The Head Teacher Pabna Zilla School

Subject: Application for full free studentship

Dear Sir

I have the honour to state that I am a student of class IX in your school. I have been in this school since class III. A notice has been posted on the school notice board inviting application for a special scholarship. I would like to apply for one of the scholarships.

In this connection, I would like to inform you that I stood first in all the classes so far. I also regularly take part in school debate and extempore speech competitions, and have won prizes a number of times. My father is a small government employee who manages a large family of six members. Four of us are studying at different levels. It is almost impossible for my father to manage all the family expenses including our educational expenses.

Printed page 217

I would be very grateful if you kindly grant me one of the scholarships for free studentship.

Yours obediently,

Mohammad Samiul Haque. Class IX (Science) Roll no: 01

In this formal letter of application to the Head Teacher, all the parts of the letter are left aligned, and thus it follows the block style.

Activity 1

Answer the following questions:

a. Where do you put your address when you write a formal letter?

b. Where do you put your name?

c. Where do you put the date?

d. Where do you write the recipient's designation and address?

e. What do you write in the subscription?

f. What do you write in the salutation?

Printed page 218

E . Here’s another type of formal letter, a letter to the editor of a daily newspaper for publishing a report. See the following example.

15 March 2025

The Editor The Daily Star Dhaka

Subject: Request for publishing a brief report on Victory Day celebration

Dear Sir

I send herewith a report on the celebration of Victory Day this year in our school. I would appreciate if you kindly publish it in your highly esteemed daily.

Yours truly,

Labib Sajjad

(On behalf of the students of Rajshahi Collegiate School)

Activity 1

Write an order letter to the manager of Fashion Garments (use the details in Letter no. C above) to buy a leather jacket. You can use the following hints:

Thank you for -------- Please send by parcel/courier post the following items: ---- One brown -----, catalogue number ------, price ---------- One black -------, catalogue number ------, price ------ Total price ----------- I shall appreciate ------------ these goods by 20 December 2025 A cheque for Tk ------- is enclosed

Printed page 219

Activity 2

Write a letter to the Deputy Commissioner asking permission to publish a literary journal of your school.

Activity 3

Write an application to the District Education Officer inviting him to join a seminar on the Importance of Learning English in your school.

Activity 4

You need a seat in your school hostel. Apply to the Head Teacher of the school.

• Write an application to the chairman of your Union Council/Municipality for the installation of a tube-well in your locality.

Write a letter to the manager of a bookshop to order a copy of the latest edition of the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. Mention how you are going to make the payment.

14/3: Report Writing

A . A Report on the celebration of Victory Day at Rajshahi Collegiate School

Rajshahi Collegiate School observed the Victory Day 2025 in a befitting manner this year. All the students and teachers gathered in the school ground at 7:30 a.m. The day wore a festive look. Each of the students held a national flag. With a big banner, the teachers and students took out a rally that marched towards the Central Shahid Minar. They sang songs of the liberation war and placed floral wreaths in the pedestal of the Shahid Minar. Hundreds of other organizations also went to the Shahid Minar. About 5000 students of the school joined the programme. Various competitions were held in our school. Throughout the day there were cultural activities of different types. We also commemorated the war martyrs by offering prayers.

Printed page 220

14/4: Formal and Informal English

A . Read the following dialogue. Guess the relationship between the two speakers by using their style and tone of speaking. Is the style formal or informal? Show clues in support of your decision.

Robin : Say, Rumi, how are you doing?

Rumi : Robin!, Hey, how are you?

Robin : Not bad. Where are you going?

Rumi : Over to Runu's. How about you?

Robin : I just got off work. Boy, I'm so hungry!

Rumi : Where are you working now?

Robin : Janata Bank. It's a real pain. But I guess I shouldn't complain. Lots of guys are out of work these days.

Rumi : Yeah, that's the truth. Well, I better let you go get some supper.

Robin : Yeah. It was great seeing you again. May be we could get together sometime.

Rumi : Sounds good. I'll give you a call.

Robin : OK, Great. Well I'll be seeing you.

Rumi : OK, Robin. Enjoy your meal.

Robin : Thanks. Bye.

Rumi : Bye.

Printed page 221