A Formal Letter About Ward 7 Water
Anjali, a Class 10 student, surveyed 40 households in Ward 7 for her school project. She found that water is supplied only on alternate days for 45 minutes; 28 households report low pressure; 12 households store water in open containers; and the panchayat office says the pump has been repaired but the valve needs replacement. Her head teacher asks her to write a formal letter to the panchayat secretary requesting action. The letter must be 120–150 words, include only two survey findings, and use a respectful but firm tone. Anjali's first draft begins: 'Hey, your water supply is terrible, and nobody can live like this.' It then lists all four findings. She has 20 minutes and wants the letter to be taken seriously.
1. Which two findings should Anjali include, and why should she leave out the other two? Consider purpose, length, and audience.
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Include the alternate-day/45-minute supply and the 28 households with low pressure. These directly show that the service is inadequate and affect the largest number; they support a request for a reliable schedule and pressure. Leave out the 12 households storing water in open containers: it shifts attention to residents' habits and may sound like blame. Leave out the repaired pump: it is already addressed and uses space. The valve replacement is relevant to action, but it can be mentioned in the request rather than as a survey finding. This keeps the letter focused on two evidence points.
2. Rewrite the opening sentence in formal register. Explain two changes you made.
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I am writing on behalf of the residents of Ward 7 to bring to your attention the irregular water supply in our area. Changes: 'Hey' is removed because it is informal; 'your water supply is terrible' becomes 'irregular water supply', which is factual and not accusatory. The new sentence names the writer's role and the purpose, so the secretary knows immediately why the letter was sent. It keeps the complaint but makes a request possible.
3. Draft the closing two sentences. Make a specific request and keep the tone respectful but firm.
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We request the panchayat to replace the faulty valve and publish a clear supply schedule for Ward 7. We would be grateful for a written reply at the earliest. 'We request' is firm but polite; 'publish a clear schedule' is specific and actionable; 'would be grateful' softens the demand without weakening it.