SECTION B: WRITING AND GRAMMAR 30 Marks

For writing tasks there will be internal choice

III. Formal letter of complaint / inquiry / placing order / letter to editor in about 100-
120 words. The questions will be thematically based on the prescribed books. 5
marks

IV. Analytical paragraph

FORMAL LETTERS
Formal Letters have a variety of purposes. Formal Letters are written to:
• Ask for/give information
• Apply for a job
• Make inquiries
• Register complaints about inadequate goods or services
• Place orders/send appropriate replies
• Apologize for behaviour
• Solicit new customers for grievances
• Persuade others
• Make an appeal for help
• Send a recommendation

IMPORTANT POINTS
• The formal letter is written in formal language. Try to avoid starting with 'I'.
Keep sentence short and to the point. Do not use contractions.
• End with a short sentence that anticipates the response of the addressee.
• The tone in formal letter is polite and impersonal.
• Be brief and to the point.
• Be clear and specific; state the purpose clearly and concisely.
• Be positive and polite even if you are writing a complaint.

Business letters These include:

(i) Letters of enquiry/asking for information
(ii) Replying to enquiry/giving information
(iii) Placing orders and sending replies
(iv) Cancelling orders
A business letter is the basic means of communication between two companies. It is
a document typically sent externally to those outside a company, but is also sent
internally to those within a company.
A business letter should be written whenever you need a permanent record that you
have sent the information requested for, because business letters are generally sent
to other professionals.

A formal salutation and closing must be added.

IMPORTANT POINTS
 • Begin by clearly stating the purpose of writing
• give relevant details
• make a request for appropriate action
• be positive and polite - even if you are making a complaint
• use polite language and a pleasant tone
• Quote reference numbers, order number, cheque/demand draft number, file
numbers, etc.
• convey message briefly and in a straightforward manner

Official Letters These include:

i. Letters of complaint
ii. Making inquiries
iii. Making requests/appeals

Official letters are written to various public or civil servants who generally head their
respective departments, sections, branches or zones.
Important points.

Letters to the Editors

These letters give suggestions/create awareness on an issue of public interest or an
issue already raised in an article/write-up/published letter.
Important Points
• Begin with reference to the recent development/event/issue
• Give details of the topic bringing out cause-effect relationship
• Offer suggestions/solutions
• Do not ask the editor to solve the problem as he can only voice your views
and
ideas.
1. Sender’s address: The address and contact details of the sender are written here.
2. Date: The date is written below the sender’s address after leaving space or line. 
3. Receiving Editor’s address: The address of the recipient of the mail i.e. the editor
is written here. 
4. Subject of the letter: The main purpose of the letter forms the subject. It must be
written in one line. It must convey the matter for which the letter is written. 
5. Salutation (Sir / Madam) 
6. Body: The matter of the letter is written here. It is divided into 3 paragraphs as
follows - 
Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself and the purpose of writing the letter in brief. 
Paragraph 2: Give a detail of the matter. 
Paragraph 3: Conclude by mentioning what you expect from the editor. (For
example, you may want him to highlight the issue in his newspaper / magazine). 
7. Complimentary Closing (Yours truly/sincerely)
8. Sender’s name, signature and designation(if any)
 COMMON FEATURES OF FORMAL LETTERS

(a) LETTERS OF ENQUIRY/ASKING FOR INFORMATION

Sample Letter (Letter of Enquiry)

You are Sahil/Suhani , the Sports Secretary of your school. Write a letter to Globe
Enterprises, New Delhi, a leading firm dealing in sports goods, requesting them to
supply their trade catalogue. You may mention the items you intend to buy and ask
for a discount on the catalogue prices

Answer: 
ABN School
Mathura

18 April 20XX

The Manager
Messrs Globe Enterprises
F-4, Greater Kailash-II
New Delhi

Subject : ______________________.

Sir

This is with reference to your advertisement in ‘ The Times of India’ dated 10 April
2020. We wish to buy sports material in bulk for various games and sports for our
school for the new academic session beginning w.e.f. 1st July.

We are interested in cricket bats and balls, hockey sticks, goalkeeper’s full kit,
footballs, volleyballs, basket balls, table tennis balls and bats etc. We also need
items for uniform namely, sports T-shirts, shorts and vests of different sizes.
Your firm has been mentioned to us as one of the best dealers in sports goods.
It would be helpful if you could mail/post your catalogue together with quotations for
large quantities. Please do mention the time required to effect delivery and the terms
of payment.

I hope you will facilitate business by quoting the lowest possible rates. I am confident
that you will patronise us by giving some discount also. Please mention the rate of
discount on the catalogue prices.
____________

Sahil/Suhani
(Sports Secretary)