Do you know what is the major 10 Difference Between Formal and Informal Letter with examples? Let us first understand what is a formal letter and what does an informal letter mean?
Let us learn in detail about formal and informal letters. with examples. If you are looking to know about top difference between formal and informal letter in English then must read the complete information in this article.
| Formal Letter vs Informal Letter | ||
| Aspect | Formal Letter | Informal Letter |
| Salutation | Dear [Title] [Last Name] | Dear [First Name], |
| Opening | Example: I am writing to inquire about.. | Example: It’s been a long, How have you been? |
| Body | * Follow a professional and structured | * Can be more conversational and casual |
| * Stick only to the main point of discussion | * Can include personal stories or shared personal experiences | |
| * Avoid contractions and Use only formal language | * Use relaxed tone. | |
| Closing | Sincerely, | Best regards, |
| Signature | [Your Full Name] | [Your First Name] |
| Enclosures | (if applicable) | (not necessary) |
What is Formal Letter?
A formal letter is a letter which is written mainly for official purposes. It is always written in a very formal language. When you write a formal letter, you have to be very careful while writing as these letters are written to colleagues, authorities, seniors, dignitaries, etc. While writing a formal letter, one has to follow a particular format.
What is an Informal Letter?
Informal letter is just opposite from formal letter. Informal letter is written very casually to the friends, family, relatives, cousins, etc. You don’t need to follow a formal language. You can write a formal letter to your formal contacts also but only when you have a friendly bond with them.
Hope the concept of formal and informal letter has been cleared to you now. So its time to see the FORMAL VS INFORMAL LETTERS
Also check: Difference between economic and non-economic activities
10 Difference Between Formal and Informal Letter in Points
- We use formal language in formal letter whereas in informal letter, we use casual and friendly language.
- Another key difference between formal and informal letter is that formal letter has a fix format but informal letter does not have any fix format.
- Formal letter is always written to business professionals, organizations, employers, etc. but an informal letter is writer to your closed ones.
- A formal letter is written in passive voice whereas we use active voice while writing informal letter.
- One of the main differences between formal letter and informal letter is that we use complex and large sentences in formal letter but short and simple in informal letter.
- The main objective to write formal letter is to have a professional communication but the objective to write an informal letter is to have a personal communication
- You have to avoid any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes in a formal letter but those mistakes can be done in an informal letter.
- One of the major difference between formal and informal letter is that you have to be polite in formal letter but when you write an informal letter, there is no need to use any polite words.
- Formal letter must be straight to the point unlike informal letter.
- The last but not the least difference between formal and informal letter is that formal letters are mainly written in the 3rd person while informal letters can be written in 1st, 2nd and 3rd person.
Format of Formal Letter
Below picture shows the format of formal letter in English. You can use this format of formal letter in your school board exams or any competitive exam. This formal letter format is very important for you. Check out all important difference between formal and informal letter format. Here we are sharing formal letter examples.
Formal Letter Template)
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Your Email Address]
[Today’s Date]
[Recipient’s Name]
[Recipient’s Job Title]
[Company’s Name]
[Company’s Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
[Opening Paragraph: Introduce yourself and state the purpose of the letter.]
[Body: Provide detailed information, explanations, or reasons for writing the letter. Break this into paragraphs for clarity.]
[Closing Paragraph: Summarize the main points of the letter and state any necessary action or response required from the recipient.]
[Complimentary Closing],
[Your Full Name]
[Your Job Title (if applicable)]
[Your Company Name (if applicable)]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
Formal Letter Sample
Director of Human Resources
ABC Corporation
479 Business Avenue
Corporate Ville, USA 63421
Dear Mr. Jackson,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am writing to show my interest for Marketing Manager Position at ABC Corporation, as published on your company’s website. I have Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and 5 years of hands-on experience in digital marketing tactics and strategies, I am assured in my ability to contribute efficiently to your marketing team.
Throughout my tenure at ABC Solutions, I effectively led a team that improved our client’s online presence by 60% within three months. My skills in social media marketing has allowed me to advance ground-breaking and result-oriented campaigns.
I am attaching my resume for your reference. I am passionate about the chance for discussing how my experiences and skills align with the needs of your organization. Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to the opportunity of discussing this exciting opening with you.
Please feel free to contact me at (765) 555-3456 or through email at [email protected] for scheduling a suitable meeting time.
Sincerely,
Reya Doe
Senior Marketing Professional
ABC Corporation
(765) 555-3456
[email protected]
Format of Informal Letter
Check out the informal letter template. You can use the same format of informal letter while writing your board or any government exams. Here we are sharing informal letter examples.
Informal Letter Template
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Recipient’s Name]
[Recipient’s Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
[Opening: Start your letter with a friendly greeting. Use casual salutations like Dear [Name], or Hi [Name].
[Paragraph 1: Start by asking about the recipient’s well-being or repeating an old conversation. Share a small personal detail or memory to make the letter more engaging.]
[Paragraph 2: Share your update and any personal use. You can use informal words.]
[Paragraph 3: Express your interest in other person life. Ask about their future plans and what are they doing nowadays]
[Closing: Now you can use a friendly closing like “Best regards,” “Warmest wishes,” or “Looking forward to hearing from you soon.” Sign your name here if the letter is handwritten.]
[Your Name]
Informal Letter Sample
The major Difference between formal and informal letter writing is the writing format. Above we have shared the format and example of formal letter and below we are sharing informal letter sample which you can use to write any informal letter to your friend, family, cousins or any loved ones.
245 Main Street
Your City, State, ZIP Code
Your Email Address
Your Phone Number
[Today’s Date]
Dear [Your Friend’s Name],
I hope this letter finds you in in good health. It’s been so long since we last caught up, and I thought I should take a moment to write you a letter.
I just had the chance to visit the mountains with my cousins. The landscape was wonderful, and we had the most astonishing time hiking and discovering nature tracks. Recall how we got lost on that track for a while? It was quite a venture!
I heard from Harry that you’ve started your own business of photography and that is really a fantastic news! Your talent behind the lens has always astonished me, and I’m not at all astonished that you’re standing for yourself. Let’s not wait so long before our next chat. How about we plan a coffee date next weekend? I’d love to hear more about your photography business and share more about my new job. Drop me a text or an email, and we can work out the details.
Take care and looking forward to meet you super soon!
Best Regards,
[Your Name]
After looking into both formal and informal letter format, you can easily get the major difference between formal and informal letter
Formal vs Informal Letter Purpose:
Formal Letter: Formal letters are used with a purpose of official and professional communication. They are mostly used for writing complaints, job applications, inquiries, business correspondence, and sending formal invitations.
Informal Letter: Informal letters are commonly used with a purpose for personal communication. They are basically used for writing to family, friends or family members.
Formal vs Informal Letter Tone and Language:
Formal Letter: Formal letters are always written in a very professional and polite manner. The language used is respectful and formal. No rude words can be used while writing formal letters.
Informal Letter: Informal letters can be written in a casual and friendly language or tone. The language used while writing informal letter is very normal and day to use words. No need to write tiles or headings.
Closing differences between formal and informal letter:
Formal Letter: We use formal words like faithfully” or “Sincerely” in the end of a formal letter. Also writing writer’s name and signature is mandatory.
Informal Letter: Informal letters always close with personal closing words like “Best wishes,” “Love,” or we can simply write the writer’s first name.
Hope you liked reading these top 10 differences between formal and informal letter with examples. In Conclusion, the major differences between formal and informal letters are in their tone, purpose, content, structure, and language. In simple words Formal letters are used for professional communication with a strict format, while informal letters are for personal communication with a casual style. Hope you will not get the clear understanding about formal vs informal letter.
Conclusion
In this Article we have shared format of formal letter and format of Informal letter. Here you will get detailed explanation about Differences Between Formal and Informal Letter.
Formal vs Informal Letter? If you have this question on your mind then you should read the information written in this article.
