FORMAL LETTER

Guidelines for writing a formal letter.

1. Your address should appear on the left-hand corner.
2. A horizontal line across the page separates your address from the recipients address.
3. Address of the person to whom you are writing.
-The recipients address should be below your address.
-The postcode and name of the town should be underlined.
4. Date
-The date is written on the right along the same line as the last line of the recipients address.
-The month should be spelt out (i.e. it should be in words, not numbers). It must be written in
full (do not use abbreviations such as Sept) and in capital letters.
5. Salutation/Greeting
-If you know the name of the recipient, then do use his surname (Dear Mr Tan)
-If you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, then use Dear Sir
or Madam
6. Subject heading
-The subject heading gives the reader an idea what the letter is about.
-Write the subject heading directly below the salutation and it should be underlined
7. The body of the letter
-The body of the letter refers to the contents of your letter.
-It should be divided into short and clear paragraphs.
-All paragraphs should be numbered except for the first paragraph and closing.
a. In the first paragraph, you should state the reason for writing (whether it is to inform, to
complain, to invite etc).
b. From the second paragraph onwards, you should include information that is deemed necessary,
depending on what you are writing about. The number of paragraphs depends on what you are
writing.
c. In the last paragraph, state what you expect from the recipient. This is usually in the form of an
action or response.
It is a common practice to end a formal letter with phrases such as I look forward to hearing
from you or I hope prompt action will be taken to solve this problem.A note of thanks is
usually included.
-Remember to organise the information in a clear and logical manner.
-Also, do not write lengthy paragraphs.

8. Ending
-You can end the letter by writing Yours faithfully.
-In practice, we usually use Yours sincerely, if we know the recipient but for exam purposes I
would advise you to use only Yours faithfully.
9. Signature
Do not forget to sign the letter and write your name below it in capital letters with in
brackets.

Raju a/l Lingam,

123 A, Lorong Bahagia,
Taman Sentosa,
07231 Bandar Baru Sentol,
Kelantan
_________________________________________________________________________
The President,
Bandar Baru Sentol Council,
Kompleks Utama,
07200 Bandar Baru Sentol

16 JUNE 2011

Dear Sir,
Uncollected Rubbish and Clogged Drains
I am writing this letter is to attract your attention to the above title. As the representative of the
community, I am calling to tell you that the 300 odd residents living in Taman Sentosa are
extremely unhappy about the lackadaisical attitude of the local town council towards the
uncollected rubbish and clogged drains in our area.
2.
The rubbish in our area has not been collected for more than a week. The rubbish is
supposed to be collected on alternate days but this has not been the case. The town council
workers collect the rubbish according to their own whims and fancies. The uncollected garbage
has attracted not only flies and mosquitoes but also wild dogs which had attacked the residents
on several occasions. These stray animals also scatter the rubbish and make the roads dirty and
smelly. As a result, residents have to bear the discomfort of stench from the garbage and risk
their health.
3.
We are also disappointed with the town council workers for not clearing the clogged
drains which are filled with rubbish. The drains would usually overflow when there is heavy rain
and the rubbish would then flow into the compounds of our houses. Besides, putting up with the

unbearable stench emitted from them, the residents have to spend hours cleaning their
compounds of rotten vegetables, food leftovers and other rubbish.
4.
Due to dengue outbreak recently, we are really concerned about the residents health
especially the children. Fogging service also was not done accordingly to the schedule. The
fogging authority only did their job whenever a case of dengue aroused. They even fogging the
neighbourhood late at night that caused us to leave the residents. They need to consider the
residents who have babies and also to those who need to wake up early in the morning for work.
The fogging also caused the people to have breathing problem when we were not told the exact
time of fogging.
5.
We have made numerous appeals to the Municipal Council to look into our complaints
but to no avail. We have been putting up with this predicament for more than a week. We hope
the health authorities would do something to check these health hazards.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Raju
(RAJU a/l MANIAM)

INFORMAL LETTER
Guidelines for writing a formal letter.
1. Include the writers address and date in the upper right hand corner. The date can be
written in different forms. (7th September 2009, 7 SEPTEMBER 2009 or 7.9.2009)
2. Use the most common salutation. (Dear John)
3. Indent paragraphs.
4. Include a suitable complimentary close on the right side, at the bottom of the letter. (Your
loving daughter, Yours sincerely). Do not use Regards as it is considered slightly more
formal and distant. Also, do not use Best Wishes as this is considered inappropriate.
5. Use proper punctuation. For example, a comma should be used after the salutation and
complimentary close.
6. Use capitalisation where necessary. For example, the month of the date (10 January
2009), the salutation (Dear Maria)
Under normal circumstances, it is perfectly acceptable to use informal language (e.g. stuff, jampacked) and contractions (Ill, wont) in an informal letter, but this is usually not acceptable in
the local examination system.
Lets look at some important aspects of an informal letter.
1.

Organisation

>

Paragraph 1 include formalities; give reason for writing the letter.

>

Paragraph 2 onwards depends on the reason for writing the letter. If your reason is to
tell the recipient about your holiday, then you will include details of the holiday.

>

The last paragraph you can give a reason why you have to stop writing such as:
I am sorry I have to stop here because it is getting late.
I am sorry I have to stop here because
I have to stop now because

2.

Some useful expressions on how to begin an informal letter

>

I was pleasantly surprised to hear from you.

>

Thank you for your letter. I was pleased to hear that you are in good
health.

>

It was really nice hearing from you. I am glad that you like your new school.

>

I hope this letter finds you in the pink (of health).

>

Thank you for the lovely birthday card.

3.

Some useful expressions on how to end an informal letter

>

I promise to write to you soon.

>

I hope you will reply soon.

>

Give my best wishes to your parents.

>

I am looking forward to seeing you.

>

I look forward to hearing from you.

>

Do write and tell me how you are progressing.

4.
>

Remember when you write an informal letter:

Do not use slang words.

> Do not use words which are in a language other than English. This means you cannot write
Dear Abah, or Dear Amma even if that is how you address your parents.
> Do not sign off with Love and Kisses. Keep that for your personal letters.

No. 34, Street of Fame,

Taman Bukit Bintang,,

67500 Ipoh,
Perak
14 January 2011
Dear John,
How are you? Im sorry to hear that your cousin had dengue fever. This problem seems to
have become very serious all of sudden. We always feel that the problem is not our concern until
someone close to us is affected.
My neighbours daughter who was in Standard 6 last year could not sit for UPSR
examination because she was down with dengue fever on the eve of the exam. Fortunately, the
authorities gave her an exemption so she is now in Form One. There were also a few students
taking the examination in the hospital.
According to the news, students made up nearly 30 per cent of the 1 500 suspected cases
over the first three weeks of the year. About 53 per cent of 621 confirmed cases last year
comprised children and youth under the age of 24. These statistics are quite worrying. This has
prompted the health ministry to increase checks on aedes breeding grounds in school and public
areas. The construction sites are largely to blamed. The problem is made worse by the rainy
season. The stagnating water attract the mosquitoes to lay egg and breeding on the areas.
The authorities have taken various steps to control the situation. Fogging has been carried
out in many public areas and most of the housing estates. Contractors at the construction sites
have been instructed to take appropriate actions and warned to clean up. They could be fined up
to RM 3 000 for breeding aedes mosquitoes. Lot of campaigns through the television, radio and
newspapers were taken to make people aware of the issue and take precaution rather than cure
them.
Before the long holidays for the Chinese New Year, schools all over Malaysia carried out
a clean-up campaign of the school compound. The residents association in my housing are also
organised a family day clean-up of the housing estate. There were huge piles of rubbish
especially old tyres and containers littered by the hawkers near the might market site.
The situation in Malaysia has improved since the end of January. There have been no
reports of new cases of dengue. So, dont worry. You can bring your family for a holiday here in
June. Im looking forward to seeing them again.
Send my regard to your mom and dad. Do take care.
Yours sincerely,
Harun Din

REPORT

General guidelines to remember when writing a report:

Address it to the person concerned.

Use the points given in a systematic manner use transition markers to enable your
audience to follow the flow of your thoughts.

Elaborate on your points with examples or illustrations.

Conclude your report in an appropriate manner.

Maintain a formal yet pleasant/polite tone.

Your school recently organised a Leadership Camp for all presidents and secretaries of the
various clubs in your school. You are the Editor of the School Magazine. You, too, attended
the camp and you have been asked to write a report for the school magazine. In your
report, include the following information:
Place: Perimbun Resort, Cheras
Date: 27-29th July
Participants: Presidents and secretaries of various clubs in school
Organised by: Co-curricular Unit
Objectives of the camp:

to instil leadership qualities

to improve teamwork

Facilitators: Youth leaders from local university

Activities: Day 1

Briefing by facilitators

Setting up tents

Group activities

Day 2

Morning exercise

Survival skills

Night hike

Day 3

Feedback session

To : SMK Setia School Magazine

Title : Integrated Leadership Camp
The weekend of 27-29th July this year will forever be etched in the minds of the 50 participants
who attended the Integrated Leadership Camp organised by the Co-curricular Unit of SMK Setia.
The two-day two night camp, held at Perimbun Resort, Cheras, some 20 miles away from the
city centre, was a compulsory activity for all presidents and secretaries of the various clubs in
school.
The objectives of the camp were to instil leadership qualities and improve teamwork
among participants. Although the students were accompanied by several teachers, all activities
were conducted by youth leaders from a local university. Most of the students, who are in Form
Four this year, were very excited throughout the 45-minute journey to the campsite.
Upon arrival, they were immediately whisked off to the seminar room where they were
given a briefing on the rules and regulations at the campsite by the facilitators. Then, they were
put into groups of five and asked to erect their own tents. Luckily for my group, we had the
President of the Scouts Club with us. In no time, he had instructed us on how to put up the tent.
Unfortunately, some of the other groups were struggling with their tents and seeing their dismal
efforts some of us decided to help them. Apparently, this was the first test of our teamwork skills
and fortunately, many of us passed with flying colours.

After dinner, we had a group dynamics activity, where we had to come up with names,
logos and jingles for our groups. Well, with names like the Flying Potters and Forever
Dumbledores, and jingles ranging from pop rock to jazz, the students of SMK Setia proved that
they are indeed a creative lot.
The second day of the camp started off with an early morning exercise session at 5.30am.
The two energetic facilitators, Tim and Ashraf, took us through a rigorous exercise routine. Many
of us who barely exercise knew what to expect over the next few days ? muscle cramps. After the
one-hour aerobic session, we jogged through Perimbun town, which was a pale shadow of its
daytime hustle and bustle.
The early morning exercise was invigorating and refreshing. We had enough time for a
quick shower and breakfast, before we took part in more group activities. These activities were
physically and mentally challenging. One of the activities was basic survival skills. We had to
start our own fires with only two matchsticks and cook lunch for the group members. Using
water from the slightly muddy stream nearby, we had to cook not only rice but also fish and
vegetables. As no soap was made available to us, we learnt to wash the cooking utensils using
ash.
Later in the afternoon, we had activities like flying fox and abseiling. Through these
activities, we learnt to trust each other and to give moral support when it is most needed. The
highlight of the camp was a night hike in the surrounding jungle. The facilitators led us deep into
the jungle and made us sit all by ourselves. The half hour spent alone was aimed at making us
brave and resilient. Though many of us were initially hesitant and sceptical about this activity, it
was indeed an insightful experience. On the final morning, we had a hearty breakfast, which was
followed by a feedback session.
During this session, we were given the opportunity to voice our feelings and opinions
regarding the camp. Many of the participants gave constructive feedback on what the camp had
taught them. We learnt about the importance of teamwork, consideration, tolerance and
understanding. Most importantly, we learnt that good leadership is responsible leadership.
Prepared by,
Ly Ly Tan
Ly Ly Tan
Editor of SMK Setia School Magazine

SPEECH/TALK

When writing your speech, you should remember to:

address your audience

state the purpose of the speech

use all the points given

end your speech appropriately

Sample Question :
You are the head prefect in your school. At the beginning of the new school term, you have been
asked to remind students about the school regulations. Write out your speech using the notes
below:-

ATTIRE:School uniform

-neat
-wear white shoes and socks
Hair
-boys - short
-girls - short or long - long hair must be tied up
Nails
-short
Make up-is not allowed in school!
CONDUCT:-No loitering
-No jewellery
-Be punctual
-Pay attention in class

-No handphones
-No smoking
-Respect teachers
-No playing truant

When writing the speech, remember to;

include all the points given
elaborate on the points
set out your speech correctly
write in paragraph
Sample answer + explanation on the framework (Pay attention to how the points are
elaborated)
Sample Answer
Good morning to our principal, teachers and
fellow students. Welcome to the new school term. I
am Nuzul Fikrie Ahmad, the head prefect of SMK
Raja Muda. This morning, I would like to refresh
your memory about our school regulations especially
regarding attire and conduct.

Explanation
Paragraph 1 INTRODUCTION
1) Greet the audience.
e.g: Good morning / afternoon / evening
to

boys and girls..

our principal, teachers and fellow

students (at an official school
function)

Mr Chairman, ladies and

gentlemen (at an official
function or society meeting)

Yang Berhormat, Tan Sri Najib

Abdul Rahman, ladies and
gentlemen (if there is a
distinguished guest)

2) Introduce yourself to the audience(your name, position held, department

attached to)
e.g: I am Dr Fiqry Nasir from Assunta
Hospital in Petaling Jaya.
3) Introduce topic
e.g: I am here to present a talk on the
topic Body Fitness.

4) Purpose of speech
e.g: The purpose of my talk today is to
make you realize the importance looking
after your food intake and how your
health can be maintained through
exercising.
To create a good impression, always be Paragraph 2,3,4,5 BODY
dressed neatly in your school uniform complete
with white shoes and white socks. Dont forget to
Main points and their elaboration
wear your school badge and name tag.
(facts, figures, examples)
Your hair should be short and neatly
combed. Boys should
always
keep
their
hair short. Girls are allowed to keep long hair but it
should always be neatly combed and tied. No one is
allowed to wear jewellery. If you do, then your
jewellery will be confiscated. In addition,
you cannot use make-up. Your nails should always
be kept short. Remember, no nail polish is allowed.

Elaborate 1 point in 1 paragraph

or combine a few relevant points
and elaborate in 1 paragraph

Regarding
your conduct,
always
be punctual. Respect your teacher and pay
attention in class. Remember, no loitering around
and playing truant. If you dont comply with the
school rules,you will have to face the music.
Last term, several students were suspended or
expelled from school for fighting, smoking and other
serious offences. Handphones are banned. If you
bring handphones, they will be confiscated.

These regulations are meant to create a Paragraph 6: Conclusion

positive image and environment for the school. There
are, of course, some black sheep who will break the
The speakers hope
regulations. Do not be influenced by them. Instead,
set a good example for others.
Thank the audience. e.g:Thank
you very much for your kind
Thank you.
attention.

ARTICLE
You are concerned over the implications and long-term health effects of the haze. Write an article
to the local newspaper expressing your concern based on all the notes below.

the reasons behind the haze

role of government and society
steps that can be taken
give relevant examples of:
health complications
measures
roles of government and individuals
When writing the article you should remember:
to lay out the letter carefully
to use paragraphs
that you letter is to the press

Haze: A Danger to Health

The haze is a constant phenomenon faced by Malaysia and her neighbouring countries.
The haze is basically pollution of atmosphere, which is clogged with pollutants and other
substances from forest fires.
The haze is a direct effect of forest fire in Kalimantan and other parts of Indonesia due to
slash and burn method of farming. The Indonesian authorities appear to have no power to control
farmers from practising such methods. The haze is further worsened by open burning practised
by most Malaysians. Open-field burning of rice straw by the rice planters and open burning of
dried leaves and garbage done by the public are a few examples that done by Malaysian. Many
are ignorant of the health effects of open burning.
During the haze, hospitals and clinic often report a dramatic increase in respiratory
problems, lung infections and asthma attack. The Air Pollution Index (API) usually indicates the
hazardous and dangerous levels of pollution during this period. The haze has long-term side
effects. Prolonged inhalation of polluted air will result in serious lung infection which
particularly affects the elderly.
The government must play its role to reduce the haze treat. It has to cooperate with the
Indonesian authorities to stamp out forest fires. The culprits must be brought to justice, either
through healthy fine or prison sentence. Constant vigilance would ensure the perpetrators do not
repeat their offence.
The government should also raise the public awareness of the dangers of forest fire.
Continuous campaign of the cause, solutions and steps-need-to-be-taken to reduce the haze need
to be promoted through all types of social media like television, radio, newspaper and even via
internet. The authorities should also provide assistance to farmers and introduce more
sophisticated forest clearing methods.
In Malaysia, strict laws must be imposed to penalise those who practise open burning.
On-going campaigns on the dangers of open burning should be intensified. Individuals too have
a role to play. They must participate in every campaign and stop burning. Students can advise
their parents not to practice open burning.

Every individual has to remember that we do not own the world, but instead we lent it
from our future generations. We must protect our world so that our grandchildren woulh have a
healthy earth to live.
Ahmad Harun bin Hashim
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan