Formal and Informal Letters and Emails: Format, Tone and Common Types

Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked on 28 October 2026; not yet read line by line by a human editor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Editorial standards & corrections

Why letters still matter

Neither of the two current patterns we have verified names a letter. The SBI PO 2026-27 descriptive test has an email question (one out of two, 10 marks), and the IBPS CRP PO/MT-XVI paper asks for an essay and a comprehension. But descriptive patterns can change from cycle to cycle, letters are a standard descriptive task in many exams, and the formal letter is the parent of the official email, so learn the format once and adapt it. Check the current notification and the exam page on parikshasaathi.com for the tasks set this year.

The formal letter format

Indian exam guides teach the block format, with every line starting at the left margin. In order come the sender's address (in an exam, a placeholder such as 'ABC Nagar, Patna', never your real name or roll number); the date ('15 July 20XX'); the receiver's designation and address ('The Branch Manager, XYZ Bank, Main Road, Patna'); the subject line ('Subject: Request for a new cheque book'), with a reference line if you are replying to an earlier letter; the salutation ('Sir/Madam,' or 'Dear Sir/Madam,'); the body; the complimentary close ('Yours faithfully,'); and the signature block with a placeholder name ('ABC'). Many Indian students write 'To' above the receiver's address and 'Thanking you' before the close; both are common in Indian practice, so choose one form and use it consistently.

Writing the body

Keep the body to three short paragraphs. The first states the purpose in one or two sentences ('I am writing to bring to your notice ...'). The second gives the facts the reader needs in order to act: dates, the amount, a masked account number ('account ending 4321') and what you have already done. The third says exactly what you want and by when, and thanks the reader. The tone is polite, direct and impersonal: no contractions ('I am', not 'I'm'), no slang, no emotional exaggeration and no threats, even in a complaint.

Closing rules that trip students

When the salutation is impersonal ('Sir/Madam'), close with 'Yours faithfully'; when you address the reader by name ('Dear Mr Sharma'), close with 'Yours sincerely'. Only the first word of the close takes a capital letter, and the close ends with a comma. The subject line is short and specific: 'Complaint regarding failed ATM transaction' tells the reader far more than 'Complaint'.

The informal letter

Written to a friend or relative, it has the sender's address and the date at the top, then a warm salutation ('Dear Rohan,'), with no receiver's address and no subject line. The body is conversational: it opens with a greeting or a reference to the last letter, deals with the main point and ends with good wishes. Close with 'Yours lovingly', 'Your loving sister' or 'With love', followed by the name. Contractions and a personal tone are fine here, but grammar and spelling still count.

Common types

Complaint letters go to a bank manager about a wrong debit, a failed ATM withdrawal or poor service, or to a municipal officer about garbage or streetlights. Request letters ask for a new cheque book, an address or KYC update, the terms of a loan or an account statement. Letters to the editor raise a public issue such as road safety or online fraud; they begin 'Sir,' and often open with 'Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities to ...'. A letter to a bank manager may also be written for an organisation, for example a village panchayat asking for a financial literacy camp. Informal letters usually give advice: to a younger brother on using digital payments safely, or to a friend on preparing for an exam.

From letter to email

An official email keeps the letter's logic but drops the postal addresses and the date, since the email system shows the sender and the date. It has the To line, a specific subject line, a salutation ('Dear Sir/Madam,' or 'Dear Ms Rao,'), short paragraphs with the purpose first, a clear request, and a close ('Regards,' or 'Yours sincerely,') with the name and, for a bank employee, the designation and branch. Keep it shorter than a letter: the reader should know what you want after the first two lines.

Key facts

Formal letter in block format, in order: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject, salutation, body, 'Yours faithfully,', signature and name.
Sample subject line: 'Subject: Complaint regarding failed ATM transaction on 15 July 20XX'.
'Sir/Madam' or 'Dear Sir/Madam' pairs with 'Yours faithfully'; 'Dear Mr Sharma' pairs with 'Yours sincerely'.
Never write your real name, roll number or full account number in an answer: use placeholders such as ABC and XYZ, and 'account ending 4321'.
Body plan: purpose first; facts second (dates, amount, steps already taken); request and thanks third.
A letter to the editor opens 'Sir,' and often 'Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities to ...'.
Informal letter: sender's address and date, 'Dear Rohan,', no receiver's address or subject line, close 'Yours lovingly,' and the name.
SBI PO 2026-27 sets an email (one out of two, 10 marks), not a letter: To line, subject, salutation, short paragraphs, a clear request, 'Regards,' and the name.
Formal tone: no contractions, slang, emotional exaggeration or threats, even in a complaint.

Quick revision

Formal letter in block format: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject, salutation, three-paragraph body, Yours faithfully, name; Sir/Madam pairs with faithfully, a named reader with sincerely; placeholders, never your real identity; informal letter has no subject line or receiver's address; common types: complaint, request, to the editor, to a bank manager; SBI PO 2026-27 sets an email, not a letter.

All 11 lessons on Beyond the Written Exam: Descriptive Paper, Interview and Other Stages