Functional Writing (letters, notices, reports, applications)
What the domain tests
Functional Writing assesses short real-world texts for purpose, audience, format, register and accuracy. You may be asked for a formal or informal letter, a notice, a report or an application. Marks depend heavily on using the correct format for the text type.
Formats and rules
- Formal letter/application: sender’s address, date, receiver’s address, subject line, salutation (Dear Sir/Madam), body, closing (Yours faithfully), signature and name. State the purpose early and keep paragraphs short.
- Informal letter: address, date, friendly salutation, personal body, informal closing.
- Notice: institution name, the word NOTICE, date, a clear heading, body answering what, when, where, who and why, then signature and designation. Do not use a salutation.
- Report: title, byline, opening paragraph giving what/when/where, factual body in past tense and third person, and a brief conclusion.
Worked example
Task: draft a notice for an inter-school quiz.
Reasoning: the audience is students, so the notice needs a heading, event details, eligibility, date, venue, time and contact. It should avoid Dear students because a notice is displayed, not addressed as a letter. A suitable opening is: NOTICE - Inter-School Quiz - ABC Higher Secondary School will conduct... The close should carry the secretary’s designation.
Traps that cost marks
- Writing a letter when a notice is asked for, or adding a salutation to a notice.
- Omitting the date, subject line or designation.
- Using contractions and slang in formal writing.
- Writing a report in the first person (I saw...) when third person is required.
- Giving vague details such as sometime next week instead of a date and time.