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

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!”.

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. 

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.

A formal letter layout should look something like this:

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.