An informal letter is one of the types of letter writing. Before the advent of technology, Letter writing has been a means of communication between individuals far and wide. It was one of the early channels for disseminating information. Through the use of a mailbox or post office, letters were sent across far distances which was slow and sometimes risky for the person delivering the letter. The rapid growth and timely development of technology have made letter writing much easier and faster.

The use of message boxes, Chatting apps, and electronic mail like Google, Yahoo, Zoho, Microsoft Office, and so many others has made it possible to send information across within seconds. Letter writing has remained grounded in society. However, it might not be usually handwritten due to the era of technological innovations. Letter writing remains relevant.

An informal letter on its part is a form of letter writing. It is mostly referred to as personal letters. It does not regard any formalities and it is mostly written in the form of a conversation with families, friends, and relatives. It usually contains information about what is going on in the life of a family member or the sender, greetings, gossip, or gist in a casual manner. An example of an informal letter is writing a letter to your mum telling her about your first day in boarding. Another example of an informal letter is telling your friend about your new home.

Features of An Informal Letter 

In writing an informal letter, here are key elements that your informal letter should contain. 

Greetings

The manner of greeting in an informal letter is written in a way that is familiar and well-understood by both the sender and the receiver. The sender greets mostly without formalities depending on the relationship between them. For example; one ” What’s up Guy? How is your life going? Hi! Dad and Mum.

Language style

One of the freedoms of writing an informal letter is that you can express yourself the way you want. There is no restriction or specific pattern to the language you use, or the way you communicate. You could also use slang, and symbols, and express your emotions in a way your receiver understands.

Structure

There are formats or ways by which letters are being written. informal letters are written in unique formats. An informal letter contains the address, date, greetings, the body of the letter, and the conclusion.

• The address – The sender’s address in the right corner of the letter before the topic. Unlike the formal letter where two letters are required. The purpose of the address is for the receiver to know the location to send the response to the letter and to know the identity of the sender.
• Date – The date is written under the sender’s address. It can be written in the American style which is the month, date, and year. Example: March/12/2023(3/12/2023). The British style is written in this format Day, month, and year. Example: 12/March/2023(12/3/2023).
• Salutation – in an informal letter, salutations are written in the left corner, beneath the date. Both Formal and informal letters use the word ”Dear” but what comes after the dear is what determines if we are writing a formal letter or informal letter.
• Body of the letters – This is where the content of your information is well expressed. It starts with greetings, followed by the purpose of your message. In the body of the letter, there is no limit to the expression of emotions, or language. Irrelevant and relevant discussion can be discussed. The tone of the writer is tuned to what the receiver can relate to.
• Conclusion – This is the part where you conclude your letter with your goodbyes.

Signature

The signature is a way to sign out of a letter. Your name is added to the signature as well. However, it should be a name your receiver is familiar with. 

Below is a format for an Informal Letter