Compose formal writing on given topics using appropriate format
FORMAL OR OFFICIAL LETTERS
They involve:
- These are letters we write to those in higher positions or offices.
They involve:
- Letters of application(letters seeking employment)
- Letters to the editors of newspapers
- Letters to the head of an institution or an organization
- Letters to the head of schools or P.T.A chairman
- Letters to District Chief Executives, District directors of education, Ministers, Members of parliament, Assemblymen and etc.
The format of a Formal Letter
NOTE: This has two addresses, a heading, signature and full name
1. Address and date of the writer
2 Address of recipient
3. Salutation
4. Title or heading
5. Introduction
6. Body
7. Conclusion
8. Subscription
- Address and date of the writer: The same as in informal letters
2. Address of the recipient
This is placed on the left hand side of the page, starting on the line after the date of the writer.
NOTE: Do not write date below the recipient’s address. The recipient is the one you are writing the letter to or the one going to receive the letter.
Do not write the name of the recipient, but rather their designations e.g
The Director of Education
The District Chief Executive
The Minister of Education
The Managing Director
The Headmistress
After that you write where the recipient is working.
Example of recipient address
The Managing Director,
Pedjam Company Ltd.
P.O. Box 98,
Accra.
3.Salutation
This is written below the address of the recipient but a line is left before writing it otherwise the salutation will form part of the date and you will loose marks for that error. Don’t forget comma after Dear Sir.
e.g. The Managing Director, The Managing Director,
Pedjam Company Ltd, Pedjam Company Ltd
P.O. Box 98, NOT X P.O Box 98,
Accra. Accra.
Dear Madam,
4. Title or Heading
The heading is usually written in capital letters and neatly underlined. It is written on the next line after the salutation. Students must read the question carefully and write the heading from the question that is bringing out the subject matter. It should be short.
e.g. CAUSES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY
5. Introduction
You should go straight to introduce what you are writing above briefly. Do not chat in the letter. Remember this is a formal letter and not an informal letter.
6. Body
This is writing about the content of the letter.
Do not use contracted forms of words like won’t, can’t, I’m etc.
Be sure of your spellings and use simple and clear expressions.
Do not use idioms. Credit is awarded for the use of formal language both in vocabulary and construction.
7.Conclusion
It should always express seriousness and hope in what you are putting across. Do not greet anybody in your conclusion. It is always polite to say thank you to end your conclusion on another line.
8. Subscription
The usual form is yours “faithfully”, followed by your signature, then your full name under your signature.
E.g.
Yours faithfully,
Signature,
Michael Frimpong.
Put the position you hold in bracket under your full name in case the question says something about post held. Yours faithfully,
Signature,
Michael Frimpong.
(Senior Prefect)
LETTERS OF APPLICATION
Samples of Introduction
- I wish to apply for the post of sales representative in your institution.
- I wish to be considered as an apprentice in your highly respected firm.
NOTE: Do not make reference to any advertisement if the question does not say anything
about it.
- If the application letter is in reply to an advertisement, here are samples of introduction
- I am writing in reply to your advertisement in the “Daily Graphic” of 3rd April for a messenger in your school.
- With reference to your advertisement in the “Ghanaian Times” of 2nd June, 2011, I wish to apply for the post of secretary in your establishment.
Samples of conclusion
- I hope that these qualifications will meet your requirements and that you will grant me an
interview
- If appointed, I shall do my best to be punctual and be diligent in my duties.
- I hope you will give me a chance to show my ability.
- I hope to hear from you soon
- I anticipate that this application will meet your favorable consideration.
SAMPLE OF AN APPLICATION LETTER
You have finished Junior High School and would like to improve your best skill. Write a letter of
application to the owner of a company for apprenticeship (B.E.C.E 1990)
Adom Junior High,
PO BOX 201,
Konongo.
20th July, 2011.
The Managing Director,
His Grace Furniture Works, PO BOX, 574,
Konongo.
Dear Sir,
APPLICATION FOR APPRENTICESHIP
I wish to be considered as an apprentice in your highly respected firm. I am a boy of sixteen years old
and a resident of Konongo.
I attended Adom Junior high school, a very good school at Konongo from 2009 to 2011,after I had completed my primary education at Kings preparatory also at Konongo. I have just completed my final
examination, Basic Education Certificate Examination and awaiting results. While I was in Junior High School. I performed very well in Pre-technical Skills and Mathematics
and I received an award in these subjects during our recent Speech and Prize-giving Day. My reason for applying for this job in your company is to ensure that I improve upon my Technical Skills before going for further studies in the Senior High School [SHS]. I hope to offer a Technical programme in wood works at the SHS therefore getting practical programme from your esteemed company will help me
very well for my studies in future.
I therefore attach a copy of my testimonial from my headmaster, Mr. K. Tamamoo who has agreed give your company any information about my life while in school. It is my hope that you will give me the opportunity to show my ability.
Yours faithfully,
Signature
Daniel Antwi.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the editor are meant to be published in the news papers c.g. “Daily Graphic”, Ghanaian Times
Junior Graphic, “Chronicles” etc.
ADDRESS-The Editor’s address usually takes this form.
The Editor,
“Ghanaian Times,”
P.O. Box 335,
Accra.
Introduction
Some examples are;
-Kindly allow me some space in your widely read newspaper to make a few comments on..
-I would be grateful if you could allow me some space in your newspaper to air my news on armed robbery in Ghana.
Conclusion
Some examples are;
-If serious attention is not taken to address this issue, it will have a devastating effect on us all.
It is time we took serious measures to address this issue before things get out of hand.
SAMPLE OF A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Write a letter to the editor of one of your national newspapers complaining about water shortage
your area.
Adenta Junior High School,
P.O BOX 25,
Adenta.
1st March, 2011.
The Editor,
Ghanaian Times,
PO BOX 101.
Dear Sir,
SHORTAGE OF WATER AT ADENTA
I wish to express my views through this letter on the above caption. For some time now, the residents of Adenta have been grapping with the problem of water shortage. It has become very difficult for them to get water. The people who are hard hit are workers and school children.
Every worker and school children have to move from one place to the other in search of water thus
reducing working and instructional hours.
Apart from the above problem, it is also expensive to buy water. A bucket of water is sold at forty Ghana pesewas and one can imagine the number of buckets that one needs for a household. Besides, the price of a polytank for storing water has shot up because of the increasing demands for them.
People who discharge water into these polytanks at homes also charge exorbitant fees. Thope the various stakeholders will take the necessary actions to save this before it gets out of hand.
Yours faithfully,
Signature K Kwabena Affadu.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF INTRODUCTIONS TO FORMAL LETTERS
Other introductions may take the following forms depending on who you are writing the letter to and the nature of the question.
i. I wish to draw your attention to the perennial shortage of water at Adenta.
ii. I wish to bring to your kind attention why I have been absent from school for the past three weeks.
iii. I write to bring to your notice three ways in which sanitation can be improved in our electoral area.
iv I write to invite you to the inauguration of our youth club which comes off on Saturday 3.00 pm,
15th, January, 2011 at……………
V. May you please permit me to absent myself from school today.
three weeks.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF CONCLUSIONS TO FORMAL LETTERS.
This also depends on who you are writing the letter to and the nature of the question.
I hope you will bring the matter before the authorities, and that they will take the necessary action to solve this problem.
It is my belief that if these suggestions are taken seriously, it will solve the problem of water shortage
in our area
I am appealing to you to use your good office to assist the school to get a library.
OTHER SAMPLES OF FORMAL LETTERS
As the senior prefect of your school, write a letter to your District Chief Executive, telling him three problems which worry the people of your school. (B.E.C.E 1993)
Kings Junior High School,
P.O.BOX. 442,
Dome.
20th April, 2011.
The District Chief Executive,
Dome District Assembly,
Dome.
Dear Sir,
PROBLEMS WORRYING THE PEOPLE OF MY SCHOOL
I write to inform you about three main problems worrying the pupils of my school for some years
now.
The first one is the use of the school toilet by some residents especially, those living closer to the school. Though the toilet is always locked, people jump over the wall, break the door and ease themselves. Others also ease themselves at the entrance, the corridor and around. The corridors of the classrooms are also not left out.
Secondly, there is no lighting in and around the school premises. Pupils are willing to come and study at the school at night but this has prevented them from coming. Teaching of I.C.T practical is also impossible yet we are to write final examination with our counterparts.
Thirdly, the population of the school has increased and the textbooks and reading materials available
are no longer enough to help in both teaching and learning.
There is no doubt that all these problems have affected and is affecting academic performances. We are therefore counting on your help and support to make these problems a thing of the past.
Yours faithfully,
Signature
Reuben Asamanyuah. ( ) (School Prefect)
Write a letter to your Assemblyman or woman suggesting three ways in which you can help improve sanitation in your area. (BECE 2006)
Sege Junior High School,
P.O. BOX 146,
Sege-Ada.
10th July 2011.
The Assemblywoman,
Sege-Electoral Area,
Dear Madam,
HOW TO IMPROVE SANITATION AT SEGE
I write to bring to your notice three ways in which sanitation can be improved in Sege. Among the sanitation problems in the area are poor toilet facilities, indiscriminate refuse disposal and poor drainage.
The recent flood that hit the district has brought the need to pay serious attention to sanitation
in the area.
In the light of this I would like to suggest three ways in which sanitation can be improved in the area To begin with, it is necessary for your office to partner the District Assembly to ensure that adequate toilet facilities are provided at the right places in the area to stop people from defecating in nearby bushes and in uncompleted buildings.
Also, there is the need for more gutters to be constructed along major and minor streets in the town te direct both flood water and waste water from our homes to its proper destination. Furthermore, it is important to work with the unit committee members to check the indiscriminat
refuse disposal at wrong places and also provide enough of these refuse disposal. It is my hope that you would consider these suggestions that I have put across to help improve the sanitation in Sege.
Yours faithfully,
Signature.
Your class will like to visit a very important and interesting place. As the class prefect, write a letter to the one in charge of the place and give three reasons why you want to visit the place.
Victory Junior High School,
P.O. BOX 760,
Madina-Accra,
29th February, 2011.
The Officer in Chief,
Songhor Salt Project,
Sege-Ada
Dear Sir,
PERMISSION TO VISIT SONGHOR SALT PROJECT
I write on behalf of students of Victory Junior High School, form three, to seek permission to visit your factory on 20th March 2011.
We are a class of forty-two students coming with our social studies teacher, who will lead us discuss and learn the production of iodated salt.
We would like to embark on this excursion because it will help us know other places apart from
Accra, and also learn about the production of iodated salt. Secondly we are aware salt is mined by collecting it from the ground. We are being told that some is
sent to the factory where it is iodated. It will be therefore interesting to see how it is done.
Thirdly is, this trip will give us the opportunity to see how salt is also mined through labour thus how it is collected from the ground, and if possible, take a few moments to take part in the mining We would therefore appreciate it very much if you could grant us permission to visit this interesting
place as we have heard.
Yours faithfully,
Signature,
Hubert Akussah.
(Class prefect)
Your class teacher has punished you for something you did not do. Write a letter to your headmistress explaining why you have been punished unfairly.
Peace Junior High School,
P.O.BOX 99,
Kumasi.
21st April, 2011.
The Headmistress,
Peace Junior High School,
Kumasi.
Dear Madam,
UNFAIR PUNISHMENT
I write to draw your attention to an unfair punishment that was meted out to me by my class teacher Mr. Dadson.
It was, Monday 17th April, 2011 around 9: 10 am whiles waiting for the science teacher.
As a result of the teacher’s absence, David Amankwa my classmate started singing one of these hip life songs whiles others were drumming on their desks to the music.
I stood up and asked him to keep quiet since he was disturbing those of us who were busily glancing through our notes in preparation for the science class test.
In the course of my asking him to keep quict, Mr Dadson appeared and the whole class became quiet cemetery. I was surprised as I turned to see Mr. Dadson standing by the window.
He asked me to wait outside for punishment since I was disturbing the class. I tried to explain things to him but he turned a deaf ear to my explanation and punished me.
He made me tidy the refuse dump and burn the rubbish.
I did this punishment against my will and even whiles doing it, some of my classmates made fun of me. I am therefore appealing to you to investigate the matter to ensure Justice is done.
Yours faithfully,
Signature
Mabel Abbey.