There are mainly two types of letters: formal letters and informal letters. Formal letters are letters written for official use, such as to a school principal, or a company; informal letters are letters written to friends and relatives in a friendly manner. There are many other kinds of letters under these two categories, including complaint letters, invitation letters, thank-you letters, and application letters.
What Are Letters and Why Do We Write Them?
A letter is a piece of writing that is sent from one person to another. Letters were used for news, seeking assistance, or expressing gratitude even before the invention of phones and emails. Learning letter types are still useful to help children develop good writing and communication skills today. Letters help children to structure their ideas, use appropriate language and follow a correct structure, which are also valuable skills for school exams.
Different Types of Letters
There are basically two categories of letters: Formal and Informal. Here's a simple table to understand the difference:
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Type of Letter
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Who Writes It To
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Language Used
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Example
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Formal Letter
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Officials, teachers, companies
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Polite, respectful
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Letter to Principal
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Informal Letter
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Friends, family, relatives
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Casual, friendly
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Letter to a cousin
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The first step to understanding different kinds of letters and what style to use in which situation is knowing this basic difference.
Formal Letters – Types of Letter Styles
Formal letters are used for serious and official purposes and are structured. Here are the common styles of letters that are used in formal writing:
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Formal Letter Type
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Purpose
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Letter of Complaint
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To report a problem (e.g., faulty product)
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Letter of Application
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To apply for a job, school, or leave
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Letter of Inquiry
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To ask for information
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Letter of Request
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To ask for permission or help
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Business Letter
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For official company communication
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Here are some of the first letter types that kids are taught in school, as they help them develop discipline in writing.
Informal Letters – Everyday Writing
Informal letters are easier and more enjoyable to write because it is easier to talk to someone close to you. There are various types of letters in this category such as:
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Letters to friends about a holiday
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Letters to grandparents sharing school news
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Thank-you letters to relatives for gifts
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Invitation letters for a birthday party
There are no hard rules so children can use simple warm words and maintain good grammar.
Various Types of Letters Used in School
Students are frequently required to write multiple types of letters in school to develop writing skills for exams. The most popular ones with easy examples:
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Letter Type
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Example Situation
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Leave Application
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Writing to the class teacher for sick leave
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Letter to Editor
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Writing about cleanliness in the neighbourhood
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Letter of Complaint
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Writing about a broken street light
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Invitation Letter
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Inviting classmates to a school function
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Thank You Letter
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Thanking a teacher for their help
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By practicing these letter types examples regularly, children can confidently take the English examination.
All Types of Letter Formats
All letters (formal or informal) have a standard format. There are a few basic types of letter format elements:
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Part of Letter
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Formal Letter
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Informal Letter
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Sender's Address
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Top left/right
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Top left/right
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Date
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Below address
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Below address
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Salutation
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"Dear Sir/Madam"
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"Dear Grandma"
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Body
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3 clear paragraphs
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Free-flowing
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Closing
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"Yours faithfully"
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"With love"
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Signature
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Full name
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First name
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Children will find it simple to write any letter correctly if they learn this table by heart.
Types of Letters Examples
These are some examples of short types of letters:
ABC School — a student may write a request for a day off of school for illness, indicating the date, the reason for the illness, a polite request for approval, and then "Yours obediently" and their name.
A short, happy note to a friend about a fun weekend trip could be written using simple and friendly words for informal writing.
Different Forms of Letters in the Digital Age
In addition to paper letters, there are various other types of letters today that are available in digital format, including formal digital applications and emails. The medium has changed but the structure of formal and informal writing has changed very little — that is why it is still relevant for students to have some understanding of traditional letter formats.
How to Practice Letter Writing at Home
The best way to learn types of letters is by practicing regularly. Children learn the format, tone and vocabulary of solving guided worksheets better when they have sample answers to read along with. Many parents and teachers prefer to use the Best English workbook for class 4 and the Best English workbook for class 5 for structured practice, as it contains step-by-step letter writing practice and grammar practice.
It can be very useful for slightly older students who are preparing for board-pattern exams to have a Best CBSE English worksheet book for Class 6, which typically contains some practice questions for formal and informal letters and sample answers as a reference for self-checking. Students and teachers widely use workbooks from reputed educational publishers such as Oswaal Books for such practice as it follows the latest pattern of syllabus as per CBSE.
Read More - Formal Letter Topics for Students (Classes 6–10): Formats, Samples, and Examples
Summary
There are two general categories of letters: Formal Letters and Informal Letters.There are two main types of letters: formal letters and informal letters. Formal letters, such as a complaint letter or an application letter, have a specific structure, whereas informal letters to friends and family are more informal. Students learn about the various types of letters, their structure and format and practice these with examples so that they can write clearly and confidently — skills that are relevant in school exams and everyday life.
