CBSE Class 12 English Letter Writing Notes Set A

Questions for practice:

Q.1.-Water is very precious. Some scientists even go to the extent of saying that the Third World War may be fought on the issue of water. Write a speech in 150-200 words expressing your views to be delivered in the morning assembly in your school.

Q.2.-“To use the latest technology the right way, is in the hands of the youth today.” Write a speech 150-200 words discouraging the misuse of technological products like cell phones, computers etc and highlighting the need to use them to promote harmony and goodwill in the society.

Q.3.-“Our Good Earth”, an environmental awareness magazine has launched a marathon 'Clean Your City’ campaign. As an active participant write a speech to be read out in the morning assembly urging students to participate in the campaign in 150-200 words.

Q.4.-As a concerned citizen, you are worried about the harmful effects of the insanitary conditions in your town. Write a short speech on the necessity of sanitation, to be given at the morning assembly in your school.

5. LETTER WRITING 

The most common form of written communication is the letter. Letters should have a format that goes with the latest conventions.

Letter types include

• Informal Letters-These are letters written to close associates.

• Formal Letters include-

(a) business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints, asking for and giving information, placing orders and sending replies;

(b) Letters to the editor (giving suggestions on an issue);

(c) Application for a job.

Content-4 marks

• Relevant ideas to be presented in a coherent way.

• Use connectors appropriately, indent the paragraphs.

• There should be minimum three paragraphs.

Expression-4 marks.

• Grammatical accuracy, spellings-2 Marks.

• Coherence, relevance of ideas and style- 2 Marks. 

Important points to remember while drafting letters:

• Write the letter in the full block format (i.e. to the left)

• State your reason for writing in the first paragraph and stay on track.

• Always include specifics that will help ease the recipient’s task. For instance, if you are writing to a bank, mention your account number.

• If you refer to other correspondence, quote date of the letter/s reference numbers, file numbers, order numbers, cheque number with date. Include copies whenever possible.

• Gently and respectfully direct the recipient’s course of action.

• It may be strongly worded but always be courteous and use polite language and pleasant tone.

• Self introduction should be avoided.

• Informal expressions, greetings or contracted forms of words should not be used.

• The language should be simple, straight forward and to the point.

• Leave a line/ additional space between paragraphs since no indentation is followed.

• Open punctuation to be followed. ( No punctuation marks to be used)

• Do not mix up the old format and new format.

• In letters to the editor – Do not ask the editor to solve the problems.

• In job application letters Curriculum-vitae (CV) /Bio-data/ Resume/ should be written. It should not be included in the body of the letter but after the complimentary close as enclosure.

• In the Letter to the Editor use ‘yours truly’ as the complimentary close.

Sample Letters

You are Sidhi/ Sanjay of U-03 G Block Kasturi Nagar Mysore-37.Write a letter to the Director NGO Bird Links Society, Bangalore expressing your concern about the decrease in the number of the birds in Delhi.
House No- U/03

G Blo

Sir

Complaint about the desert cooler

Refer Cash Memo No DC-98765 dated 17.4.2011

I wish to bring it to your notice that I purchased a ‘Cooler Home’ desert cooler from you on 17 April, 2011 (Vide Cash Memo No DC-98765, dated 17.04.2011). The cooler did function well in the beginning for one and a half months and then it has started giving problems. The problems are - water leakage, heavy noise while working and high consumption of power.

I, therefore, request you to get the set repaired by a technician. In case it is irreparable, kindly replace it with a new one as it carries a warranty period of three years.

Yours faithfully

Suresh

Sample Letter No- 3

You are Isha/Ishan, the secretary of the Students’ Forum of Sahrudaya Vidyalaya, Indranagar. You have planned an excursion to Jog falls during the summer vacation. Write a letter to the General Manager, Southern Railway, for reservation of a bogie for 60 students from Bangalore to Shimoga and back, supplying all necessary information.

Secretary

Sahrudaya Vidyalaya

Indranagar.

01 Mar 2012

The General Manager

Southern Railways

Bangalore

Request for the reservation of a Bogie for 60 students

Sir

A group of 60 students of class XI of this school has planned to visit Jog Falls during the summer vacation. They will be accompanied by three teachers and two attendants. They plan to leave Bangalore on 15th May by Jeevan Express and return by the same train from Shimoga on 25th May.

Kindly confirm whether a bogie can be reserved for the above mentioned dates. We would also like to know the estimated fare so that we can make necessary arrangements at our end.

The List of the members of the tour party is enclosed in the prescribed proforma. We request you to send the detail at the earliest to enable us to plan in advance.

Yours faithfully

Isha

Secretary

 Please refer to the link below for CBSE Class 12 English - Letter Writing