Letter

Letters

Letters are addressed to individuals or organisations. The type of letter that you'd write your friend is very different from the audience for the cover letter to a job application.

Formal letters

Formal letters, as you would write for a job application should use a formal tone.
If you don't know the specific person that you're writing to, then using a formal mode of address (Dear Sir/Madam) and signing off (Yours faithfully) is a good idea.
You should use formal language and avoid colloquial language.

More informal letters

If you are writing to someone you know well, you can be less formal, but letters are usually more formal than text messages.
You could use an informal mode of address and start the letter with Dear Paul, or Dear Peter, or Dear Mr. Evans.
You could sign off with Best Wishes, or All the best.
A letter to someone you know will be less formal.
However, using varied sentence lengths and different DAFORESTER techniques can show your skills to an examiner.

Features of a letter

The correct use of two addresses.
The date that you're writing the letter.
Awareness of audience - a formal/informal mode of address (e.g. ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Hi Mum’).
Paragraphs that flow well into each other.
A logical structure.
An appropriate sign off.

Formal and informal sign offs

Formal: If you start with ‘Dear Sir’, end with ‘Yours faithfully’.
Formal: If you start with ‘Dear Mrs. Dale’ (i.e. their surname), end with ‘Yours sincerely’.
Informal: This depends on your audience. If you start with ‘Hi Mum’, you could end with ‘See you soon’ or 'Lots of love'.

1Key Terms

1.1Key Terms

1.1.1Key Terms - Nouns, Verbs & Sentences

1.1.2Key Terms - Sentence and Clause Types

1.1.3Key Terms - Words, Sounds & Language

1.1.4Key Terms - Types of Language

1.1.5Key Terms - Images, Symbols & Mood

1.1.6Key Terms - Mood & Feelings

1.1.7Key Terms - Other Techniques

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Key Terms

2Language Devices

2.1Language Devices

2.1.1Metaphors

2.1.2Similes

2.1.3Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning

2.1.4Personification

2.1.5Pathetic Fallacy

2.1.6Puns & Oxymorons

2.1.7Hyperbole & Emotive Language

2.1.8Alliteration

2.1.9Sibilance

2.1.10Onomatopoeia

2.1.11Recap: Language Devices

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Language Devices

3Writing Structure

3.1Writing Structure

3.1.1Narrators

3.1.2Paragraphs

3.1.3Tense

3.1.4Present vs Past vs Future Tense

3.1.5Foreshadowing

3.1.6Structure

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Structure

4Section B: Reading & Writing

5Section C: Writing

5.1Writing Task

5.1.1Discursive Writing

5.1.2Narrative Writing

5.1.3Descriptive Writing

5.1.4End of Topic Test - Writing Task

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