Writing and Informal Letter

SUB:ENGLISH TOPIC: INFORMAL LETTER WRITINGIntroduction to Informal Letter Format * Informal letter may be written to your friends, parents, relatives and to anybody who are close to you. * This type of letter does not demand for any dashing words to impress the recipient. * Informal letter is written to communicate feelings, facts or desires to someone. * Mark social and religious occasions-birthday etc. * In order to assure that the recipient receives the message correctly a format is needed for an informal letter. * Though it is not rigid as a formal letter, it is essential to follow a particular format in writing an informal letter. Sender's addressDateSalutation[The salutation part written with the name of the recipient is essential to make it clear to whom it is addressed. For example if writing to a friend one can write: dear (name of the friend) instead of dear friend]Body of the Letter:[The body of the informal letter will contain the message to be conveyed . This can be written in 1 or 2 paragraphs.]Introductory para: The first paragraph may be an introduction where you enquire the recipient’s whereabouts.Second and third paragraph: may contain the actual message and the message to be conveyed should be clearly written. Concluding para:The conclusion should include conveying regards to family membersSign off [Finally it is signing off the letter. It is always ended with the name of the sender. It is usually ended with:]Your loving friend/Yours lovinglyYour loving son/ daughter/With loveYour loving sister/brother/The sender's name and signature. |
SAMPLE OF INFORMAL LETTER You have recently visited the G.R.S. Water Park. Write a letter to your friend describing your experience in the Water Park. 8, Govindappa RoadBangaloreApril 22nd 2011Dear PQRHi! Hope everything is fine at your end. With your exams just completed, I'm sure you're feeling on top of the world! How did you fare in the exams? Last week we had gone on a school picnic to G.R.S. Water Park, Mysore. I am so thrilled with it that I would like to share my experiences with you.Previously I had been to Appu Ghar in Delhi and Crazy Waters in Bangalore but this was certainly an experience! The entertainment park is huge and beautifully maintained. There were the usual rides like the Tora Tora, the Dashing cars and the Roller Coasters. After much hesitation and many persuasions, I sat on the Giant wheel and when it went up I was literally on top of the world! Of course, then came the exciting part, the Water Games. The first was the Splash Train where a small train goes on a narrow track and midway you are caught in a shower of water! Next were the water slides. Excited cries ran in the air as everybody held on tightly to the sides of the tubes and went down the water slides plunging into a pool of water. There were a couple of anxious moments when Geeta fell off the tube into the pool and resurfaced gasping for breath! We ate a hearty lunch at the Poolside Restaurant after which we headed back to the pools!It was really a thrilling experience. You should make a trip to Bangalore and we can experience it together. Give my regards to your parents and love to your sister. Yours lovinglyXYZ | |

MARKING SCHEME OF INFORMAL LETTER WRITING Skill Assessed: Knowledge and Understanding-------------------------2 mks Application--------------------------------------------------3 mks Communication-------------------------------------------3 mks 8 mks FORMAT: * Writer’s address-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1/2 mk * Date---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1/2 mk * Salutation---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1/2 mk * Subscription------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1/2 mkTHE BODY: * Introductory statement(if well written)----------------------------------------------------- 1 mk * Factual details: Information or news the writer wishes to share with the receiver--- 1 mk * Originality and writing skill: how imaginative and creative the child has seen------ 1/2mk * Language skills(use of good vocabulary/grammar/idiomatic expression-------------2 mks * Coherence i.e if a fluent thought process is visible as the matter progresses from one Paragraph to another………points well organized and linked---------------------------1mk * Complimentary close/ concluding statement-----------------------------------------------1/2mk |

INFORMAL LETTER RUBRIC
Skill assessed: knowledge/understanding/application/communication Criteria | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |

Sentences (communication) | All sentences are complete, well-constructed and of varied structure. | Almost all sentences are complete and well-constructed (no fragments, no run-ons). | Most sentences are complete and well-constructed with few errors | Many sentences fragment or run-on sentences. | Capitalization and Punctuation (Application) | Extensive use of key vocabulary indicates control of topic ideas. Writer makes no errors in capitalization and punctuation. | Uses some key vocabulary and other words/phrases related to the topic (to a large extent) with few minor errors. Writer makes 1-2 errors in capitalization and punctuation. | Glimpses of key vocabulary and other words/ phrases related to the topic (to a fair extent) Writer makes 3-4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. | *Little or no use of key vocabulary / words/ phrases on the topic(to a very minimal extent) Writer makes more than 4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. | Ideas (communication) | Ideas were expressed in a clear and organized fashion . It was easy to figure out what the letter was about. | Ideas were expressed in a pretty clear manner, but the organization could have been better. | Ideas were somewhat organized, but were not very clear. It took more than one reading to figure out what the letter was about. | The letter seemed to be a collection of unrelated sentences. It was very difficult to figure out what the letter was about. | Format (knowledge/understanding) | Complies with all the requirements for a friendly letter. | Complies with almost all the requirements for a friendly letter. | Complies with several of the requirements for a friendly letter. | Complies with less than 75% of the requirements for a friendly letter. |