Writing: Letter, Notice, Paragraph and Short Composition
Writing tasks are marked on format, content and language, roughly in that order. A well-written paragraph in the wrong format still loses format marks, so learn the skeleton of each task first.
Formats
Formal letter: sender's address → date → receiver's designation and address → Sir/Madam → subject line → three short paragraphs (purpose, details, action needed) → Yours faithfully → name. Informal letter: address → date → Dear … → body → Yours affectionately → your name. Contractions are acceptable here, not in a formal letter. Notice: name of the institution → the word NOTICE → date → heading → body of about five lines covering what, when, where, who and whom to contact → name and designation. Box it and stay inside the word limit. Paragraph: topic sentence → supporting sentences with one example → concluding sentence.
Worked example: notice. GOVT. HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, TIRUCHI - NOTICE - 12 August 20XX - INTER-HOUSE QUIZ - The Literary Club will hold an inter-house quiz on 25 August at 10 a.m. in the assembly hall. Teams of three may register with the class teacher by 20 August. Attendance for participants is compulsory. - Secretary, Literary Club. Reasoning: the five Ws are covered in five lines, the audience (students) is named, and two dates appear - the issue date and the event date.
Traps
- A notice without an issue date or a signature line.
- Yours faithfully after a person's name (Dear Sir → faithfully; Dear Mr Rao → Yours sincerely).
- Exceeding the word limit or writing a letter as one solid block.
- Slang and contractions in a formal letter.