How to Write a Letter (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A)

Revision Note

Deb Orrock

Written by: Deb Orrock

Reviewed by: Kate Lee

Question 6 or 7 will ask you to write for a specific purpose and in a specific format. It is important to use the correct conventions of the format and directly focus your writing to its purpose, as the mark scheme rewards adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences. 

This means: 

  • The tone (the sound of the writer’s “voice”) is appropriate and convincing 

  • The register (vocabulary and phrasing) is appropriately formal or informal, and suitable for the purpose

  • The style of the writing (sentence structure and overall structure) is dynamic and effective 

While it is more common to be given a formal letter in the task, the following guides will detail how to structure your response in the style of two different types of letter:

  • Informal letter

  • Formal letter

  • Structuring your letter

Informal letter

An informal letter will be written to someone you know well, such as a friend or a relative. You may be asked to offer your ideas and opinions as advice, or to weigh up the pros and cons of something. It is important to remember that, although you are writing to a relative or friend, this is an exam and you are not actually writing a letter to that person. Therefore, do not use abbreviations or slang, such as “OMG!”.

Informal letter

In an informal letter you should:

  • Start with “Dear” and use the first name of the person you are writing to

  • Include a warm and friendly opening, such as:

    • “It was good to hear from you”, or “Sorry I have not replied sooner; I have been so busy revising for my exams.”

  • Tell them why you are writing the letter:

    • The reason will be given to you in the task instructions

  • Write clear and well sequenced paragraphs, using appropriate connectives

  • Use topic sentences to begin each paragraph, and then develop that point appropriately and in detail

  • Try not to include multiple, different arguments in one paragraph

  • Use the bullet points in the task to structure your letter

  • Sign off your letter more informally:

    • Try “Best wishes,” or “Hope to see you soon.”

The level of informality in this style of letter comes from keeping your tone light and adding personal details. However, you still need to use accurate spelling, with a variety of sentences and punctuation used for effect. 

Examiner Tip

Always write with your intended audience in mind. Address them directly throughout your writing, mention their specific concerns and ensure you develop your points in a way which would convince your specific reader. 

Formal letter

A formal letter will be written to somebody in authority, such as a headteacher, a manager of a company or the editor of a newspaper. The purpose of your letter could be to argue, put forward your point of view, or to inform or advise. There are some typical conventions of a formal letter that you can use, but be careful not to spend too much time on irrelevant formatting details. The Edexcel mark scheme makes clear that you do not have to include postal addresses.

Formal letter

Writing a formal letter you should:

  • Include a date

  • Use the correct salutation:

    • If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, then use “Dear Sir/Madam”

    • You can use “Dear Editor” if writing in response to an article or letter seen in a newspaper or magazine

  • Use the correct sign-off:

    • If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use “Yours faithfully,” at the end

    • If you are given the name of the person, then start with “Dear [name]” and end with “Yours sincerely,”

  • State in your introduction what you are writing about, why you are writing and what your opinion is:

    • Make this relevant to the purpose of the task

    • Instead of using “I am writing because…”, use the wording of the task instructions

    • For example: “I am writing to give my opinion about…”

  • Write clear and well sequenced paragraphs, using appropriate connectives

  • Use topic sentences to begin each paragraph, and then develop that point appropriately and in detail

  • Try not to include multiple, different arguments in one paragraph

A formal letter layout should look something like this:

An example of how to layout a formal letter
Letter layout example

Examiner Tip

While writing in the correct form as instructed is important in this question, you only need to adhere to the basic conventions of a letter, article or speech. Spending too much time on perfecting the layout of the letter, or making up an address for the top of the letter, only detracts from your writing and will not gain you any extra marks. Remember, it is more important that you adapt your style, language and tone to suit the intended audience and purpose, and that you construct a well-structured and coherent piece of writing, than waste time on the layout of your response.

Structuring your letter

This is a longer writing question, and you should allocate 45 minutes to complete it. Spend about 5 minutes planning your answer, 35 minutes writing and 5 minutes at the end to re-read to check for any obvious errors.

Once you are sure of the form you should write in, and you have considered your audience and the tone you wish to adopt, you should plan the content of your response. It is up to you whether you choose to argue for or against the statement, as long as you plan your argument, develop it thoroughly and sustain it throughout. 

To plan a range of points which will support your point of view, you can:

  • Mind-map or write a list of points and techniques to use:

    • It can also be helpful to number your ideas to structure your answer in a specific order

    • The examiner is not grading you on how much you know about the given topic, as it is impossible to predict what subject matter will be on the paper. You are marked on your ability to construct a convincing argument 

  • Your letter should be structured into 5 or 6 paragraphs:

    • Remember, each paragraph does not have to be the same length

    • Better answers vary the lengths of their paragraphs for effect

    • Develop separate ideas or points in each paragraph 

    • Avoid repeating the same idea throughout your letter

For example:

  1. Directly address the reader or audience:

    1. Introduce your argument - what you are writing about, why you are writing and what your opinion is

    2. Consider your use of pronouns, e.g., “you” or “we” 

  2. Offer a fact or some research to support your opinion:

    1. This will add credibility and prove you are knowledgeable about the topic

  3. Engage the reader on a personal level using a counter-argument:

    1. This suggests you understand your reader and have already considered their concerns

  4. Provide an anecdote to offer an example which proves your argument:

    1. This builds rapport with your reader by engaging with them on a personal level 

  5. Offer more research or studies:

    1. This can be in the form of statistics, a witness statement, poll, or quote from an expert

  6. End your letter with an emotive plea or solution to the issue:

    1. Use emotive language to engage your reader

    2. Ending your letter on a single sentence, perhaps using a triplet, is an effective conclusion

  7. Sign off your letter in the correct way

Rеmеmbеr that to produce an effective response, you should aim to develop your points carefully in each paragraph, using language features and techniques to highlight ideas and emphasise your points.

Please see our Letter Model Answer revision note page for an example of a full-mark IGCSE letter.

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Deb Orrock

Author: Deb Orrock

Expertise: English Content Creator

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

Kate Lee

Author: Kate Lee

Expertise: English and Languages Lead

Kate has over 12 years of teaching experience as a Head of English and as a private tutor. Having also worked at the exam board AQA and in educational publishing, she's been writing educational resources to support learners in their exams throughout her career. She's passionate about helping students achieve their potential by developing their literacy and exam skills.