11 Plus Letter Writing: Formal or Informal Letter?

Once children understand that the audience changes the writing, letter questions become much easier to plan.

A letter to a friend shouldn’t sound like a letter to a headteacher. The subject might be exactly the same, but the greeting, layout, tone, vocabulary and sign-off will change.

In this guide, I’m comparing the two side by side. I’ll also give children a paragraph plan for each one. I like to teach transactional writing through paragraphs because it gives children something concrete to hold on to when they’re working against the clock. The number of paragraphs isn’t set in stone. It has to fit the question, the time available and what the child needs to say.

What Is the Difference Between a Formal and Informal Letter?

A formal letter is written to someone we don’t know well, or to someone in an official position. A child might be asked to write to a headteacher, a council, a company or the editor of a newspaper.

An informal letter is written to someone we know well, such as a friend or relative. It can sound much more relaxed and personal.

	Formal letter	Informal letter
Audience	A headteacher, council, company or other official reader	A friend or relative
Purpose	To request, complain, explain, persuade or give information	To share news, describe an experience, invite, thank or ask
Greeting	‘Dear Mrs Patel,’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’	‘Dear Sam,’ or ‘Hi Maya,’
Tone	Polite, clear and respectful	Warm, relaxed and personal
Sign-off	‘Yours sincerely,’ or ‘Yours faithfully,’	‘Best wishes,’, ‘Love from,’ or another ending that suits the relationship

Start by Reading the Whole Question

Before a child starts writing, they need to read every word of the question. I would ask them to underline:

• who they’re writing to
• why they’re writing
• what information they must include
• whether the question asks for a formal or informal letter

The word ‘letter’ doesn’t tell them enough on its own. A letter to a friend about a new school club will be very different from a letter to the headteacher asking for that club to be introduced.

This links closely to my guide on why audience matters in 11 Plus writing. The child needs to picture the person who will read the letter before choosing the tone.

What Are the Greeting and Sign-Off Called?

The greeting at the beginning is sometimes called the salutation. That’s the ‘Dear Mrs Patel,’ part.

The ending is usually called the sign-off. Its more formal name is the complimentary close, but children don’t need to use that term in an exam. They do need to match the sign-off to the greeting.

Which Greeting and Sign-Off Should a Child Use?

If the child knows the person’s name, they can begin with ‘Dear Mrs Patel,’ and end with ‘Yours sincerely,’.

If they don’t know the name, they can begin with ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’ and end with ‘Yours faithfully,’.

For a friend, they might write ‘Dear Sam,’ and finish with ‘Best wishes,’ or ‘Love from,’. The ending should suit the relationship. A letter to a close friend can be affectionate, while a letter to a classmate might be friendly without being quite so personal.

Where Do the Addresses and Date Go?

For a traditional formal letter in an 11 Plus task, I would usually teach this layout:

• the writer’s address in the top right-hand corner
• the date underneath the writer’s address
• the recipient’s name, role and address on the left
• the greeting underneath

A child can use a made-up address if the question doesn’t provide one. They don’t need to spend time inventing a long address. A few clear lines will show that they understand the layout.

In an informal letter, the writer’s address and date can still go at the top right. The friend’s address would normally go on the envelope, not inside the letter.

If the question gives a layout or tells the child where the letter will appear, they should follow those instructions. Reading the whole question matters more than applying a memorised template.

Does a Formal Letter Have to Sound Stuffy?

No. Formal writing should be polite and respectful, but it should still sound natural.

A child doesn’t need to fill every sentence with long words. They need to make their point clearly, explain it and give relevant reasons or examples. In a very formal letter, I would keep contractions to a minimum. However, the writing shouldn’t become awkward just because the child is trying to sound formal.

An informal letter can use contractions, chatty comments and direct questions more freely. It might include ‘I’m’, ‘you’ll’ and ‘don’t’, just as we would use them when writing naturally to someone we know.

How Many Paragraphs Should a Formal Letter Have?

When a child is writing under timed conditions, a four-paragraph plan can work well for a formal letter. I would teach it like this:

1. Explain why you’re writing. State the main point straight away.
2. Give the first reason or explain what has happened. Add a clear example or piece of information.
3. Explain why it matters. Add another reason, describe the effect or answer a possible objection.
4. Say what you would like to happen. Finish politely and make the request clear.

That doesn’t mean every formal letter must have four paragraphs. If the question gives three points to cover, the child may need a paragraph for each point as well as an opening and ending. If time is short, four relevant paragraphs are better than six that repeat the same ideas.

How Many Paragraphs Should an Informal Letter Have?

A four-paragraph plan can help here too:

1. Open warmly and explain why you’re writing.
2. Share the main news. Explain what happened or what is being planned.
3. Add the details that matter to this friend. Include thoughts, feelings, questions or a small anecdote if it fits.
4. Bring the letter to a natural end. Mention what happens next, ask for a reply or say when you hope to see them.

Again, this is a plan rather than a rule. The child should decide what each paragraph needs to do before they start writing.

The Same Topic Written in Two Different Ways

Imagine that the school is considering a new lunchtime reading club.

Formal task: Write a letter to your headteacher explaining why the school should start a lunchtime reading club.

Informal task: Write a letter to a friend telling them about the possible reading club and asking them to join you.

Formal letter to the headteacher

Informal letter to a friend

Dear Mrs Patel, I am writing to suggest that our school starts a lunchtime reading club. It would give pupils a quiet place to read, talk about books and discover authors they may not have tried before. Many pupils enjoy reading but find it difficult to visit the library after school. A lunchtime club would make it easier for them to take part. The club could also help pupils to share recommendations and become more confident readers. Some pupils may prefer to spend lunchtime outdoors, but the club could run once a week so that it offers a choice without replacing other activities. I hope you will consider starting the club. Perhaps pupils could complete a short survey to show whether they would take part. Thank you for considering my suggestion. Yours sincerely, Alex Morgan

Dear Sam, Hope you’re well. Guess what! The school might start a reading club at lunchtime, and I really hope you’ll join me. The idea is that we’ll have a quiet place to read and talk about books. It might run once a week, so we could still do other things on the remaining days. I’d love you to come with me. We could choose books together, swap recommendations and finally have somewhere quiet to read on rainy days. What sort of books do you think we should suggest? I’m going to put our names down if it happens, so let me know what you think. Write back soon! Best wishes, Alex

The subject is the same, but the audience changes almost everything. Each letter now follows the four-paragraph plan:

1. Paragraph 1 explains why the writer is writing. The formal letter states the suggestion straight away. The informal letter opens warmly and speaks directly to the friend.
2. Paragraph 2 develops the main point. The formal letter gives the first reason and a clear piece of information. The informal letter shares the main news and explains what is being planned.
3. Paragraph 3 adds the detail that matters. The formal letter explains another benefit and answers a possible objection. The informal letter makes the idea personal and asks the friend a direct question.
4. Paragraph 4 brings the letter to a natural end. The formal letter makes a clear request and finishes politely. The informal letter explains what happens next and asks for a reply.

What Should Go in the Opening Paragraph?

In a formal letter, the reader should quickly understand why the child is writing. They might begin with ‘I am writing to request...’, ‘I am writing to explain...’ or ‘I am writing because...’.

In an informal letter, the opening can sound warmer. The child might ask how the friend is, refer to an earlier letter or go straight into the news. It still needs a clear reason for writing.

Common Letter-Writing Mistakes

• using the same tone for a friend and a headteacher
• forgetting to match ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Yours faithfully’ to the greeting
• putting the friend’s address inside an informal letter instead of on the envelope
• spending too much time drawing stamps, envelopes or decorative borders
• forgetting one of the points listed in the question
• writing one very long block instead of using paragraphs
• making the formal letter so stiff that it no longer sounds natural

Children are being marked on the writing, so they don’t need to draw an envelope or make the page look like real stationery unless the question specifically asks them to. Their time is better spent planning, writing and checking.

A Quick Letter-Writing Checklist

• Who will read the letter?
• Why am I writing?
• Have I included every point from the question?
• Does the greeting suit the reader?
• Does my tone suit the audience and purpose?
• Does each paragraph have a job?
• Have I used the right sign-off?
• Have I checked my punctuation and spelling?

If your child is still unsure how audience changes a piece of writing, read 11 Plus Writing: Why Audience Matters. You may also find my guides to 11 Plus writing genres and reports and newspaper reports helpful.

If your child needs more structured help with 11 Plus writing, find out more about my 11 Plus Creative Writing Course.