A Letter to Editor

 Study the general layout of the formal letters carefully.

 We are talking of the block format which has no indentation or punctuation.
 Each paragraph/point begins on the left hand side margin.
 There is gap after each block.

Points:-
A Letter to the Editor may be written to the editor of a newspaper or a magazine. It is written
to highlight a social issue or problem. It can also be written in order to get it published in the
said medium.
As it is a formal letter, the format has to be followed strictly.
Only formal language can be used i.e. abbreviations and slang language should be avoided.
The format of a letter to the editor of a Newspaper is as follows –
1. Sender’s address: The address and contact details of the sender are written here. Include
an email and phone number, if required or if mentioned in the question. Top left-hand comer.
Omit punctuation marks.
2. Date: The date is written below the sender’s address after Leaving one space or line. These
days marks of punctuation are not used. You may write

17 March 20XX March 17, 20XX 17th March 20XX.

3. Receiving Editor’s address: The address of the recipient of the mail i.e. the editor is written
here. . The Name and Designation of the addressee is written on the left hand side, two lines
below the line of date.

4. Subject of the letter: The main purpose of the letterforms the subject. It must be written in
one line. It must convey the matter for which the letter is written.
5. Salutation (Sir / Respected sir / Madam), . The usual form of salutation is ‘Sir’ or ‘Dear Sir’
for individuals, ‘Sirs’ or ‘Dear Sirs’ for firms or companies. In America, they write ‘gentlemen’
instead of Dear Sirs’. Use ‘Madam’ while addressing a lady.

In case the addressee is personally known to the writer, names are also used as :

Dear Mr Gupta

Dear Miss Sapna

Dear Mrs. Sood

6. Body: This is the most important part of the letter. Mention specific business only. Fluency
and accuracy in presentation of well organised relevant ideas is essential.

It is easier and simple to say—

 I wish to say……………
 I want to say………………

[Note. I have the honour to state……………..is obsolete and is no longer used.] 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 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 : . Written on the left hand side a couple of lines below the last line
of the body of the letter. The usual complimentary endings are :

Yours faithfully

Yours truly

However, if the name of a person is used in the salutation, the complimentary close can be
‘Yours sincerely’.

8. Sender’s name, signature, and designation (if any) : . A formal letter requires your lull
signature with the name and designation coming just below it. The ‘signature’ is put just
below the complimentary close.
Example 1. You are Radha G, a member of NGO AWAAZ. Write a letter to the
editor of a national daily for a public movement to clean the Yamuna river. (You
must introduce yourself, describe how the people are to be blamed for polluting
the river and suggest the need for installing water treatment plant to clean the
river).
Answer:-

33, Jal Vihar

Wazirabad, New Delhi – 33

17 February 2021

The Editor
Hindustan Times
New Delhi

Subject: Need for people’s movement for the clean Yamuna

Dear Editor
I am Radha G, member of NGO AWAAZ. I am writing to you in order to highlight
the deteriorating condition of the river Yamuna.
The city of Delhi is getting contaminated water from the river Yamuna. The
residents are to be blamed for this. They pollute the river with garbage, sewage,
and filth. The river water is full of bacteria, plastic, chemicals, and other waste
materials. It is unfit for consumption.
The people have been demanding a Water Treatment Plant. The authorities have
not yet responded to the repeated requests.
I request you to highlight the problem in your newspaper and arouse public
interest. We all need to get together in order to get the plant set up in the area.
Thank You
Yours sincerely
Radha G
(Member AWAAZ)
Example 2. Gandhinagar is a thickly populated locality inhabited mainly by
working-class people. Unfortunately, there is no Amul milk booth in the locality.
Write a letter in 100 - 120 words to the editor of a local daily drawing the
attention of the authorities to the problem faced by the people, requesting them
to open a milk booth. You are Sham / Shobha, 4, Gandhinagar, Mumbai.
Answer:-

4, Gandhinagar
Mumbai.

15th March 2021

The Editor
Hindustan News
Mumbai

Subject: Absence of Amul milk booth in Gandhinagar

Respected Sir / Madam

I am Shobha, a resident of Gandhinagar. I am writing to you in order to raise the
issue of the absence of an Amul milk booth in my locality.
Gandhinagar has a huge population that comprises daily wagers. Still, the area
does not have an Amul milk booth. The residents face many problems as they
have to walk upto 10 kilometers every morning to get their daily stock of milk and
milk products. This has also led to black marketing. The people of the area are
getting harassed.
As the situation is serious, I request you to highlight it through your newspaper so
that the Amul authorities are sensitized towards it and do the needful.
Thank You
Yours sincerely
Shobha.
Example 3. Though there is a movement like ‘Sarvashiksha Abhiyan’ and enrolling of
underprivileged children in schools, there are still many children, like the one in the
picture, who do not go to school, rather have never seen a school. It is indeed
disturbing. You decide to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your
views and the steps to be taken. Take ideas from the MCB unit ‘Education’. Write the
letter in about 120 words.
Answer:
87 A Saket Colony Agra

25th October 20 xx

The Editor
The Times of India
New Delhi

Subject: Educating the Underprivileged

Sir
Through the columns of your reputed newspaper, I wish to draw your attention
towards the movement ‘Sarvashiksha Abhiyan’ which aims at providing knowledge to
all children. Even the act RTE-Right to Education also ensures education for all children
between the age of four to fourteen. But these movements and acts do not show
themselves implemented anywhere especially in the underprivileged class. There are
still many children who do not go to school. They either work as a domestic labour or
work in factories, dhabas, etc. It is disturbing to note that our government’s plans are
not bearing any fruits. It is all because of lack of awareness towards these kinds of
movements.
We all need the help of print media as well as electronic media to spread messages of
awareness to the masses. The underprivileged children must be made to realize that
they have the right to get education. So, they must go to school. The foremost thing is
to discourage child-labour so as to give these children a bright future. I hope you will
pay attention to this noble cause and publish it in your newspaper.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely

Siddharth Singh
Example 4. Your grandfather is very upset about the rising prices and keeps thinking of
his olden times when things were very cheap. You are convinced that inflation has
made life difficult for common man. Write a letter in 100-120 words to the editor of a
national daily describing the difficulties faced by poor families.

Answer:
679 Kaveri Vihar – New Delhi

14th July 20xx

The Editor The Times of India New Delhi

Subject: Rising Prices

Sir
I wish to draw your attention towards the inflation which has made life difficult for
common man. It was not so in earlier times when things were very cheap and were
within the reach of almost everyone. But the sharp rise in prices of all commodities has
made it difficult for a common man to make both his ends meet He cannot bear even
the daily expenses of his family. This is giving rise to disappointments and dejections in
their life. Corruption is also on the rise, so as to avoid financial crisis, people are turning
towards bribery which is the root cause of all evils. The society is taking a bad turn only
because of inflation.
It is high time that the concerned authorities should wake up to this social cause and
try to put reins to the rising price so that people can lead a comfortable and peaceful
life.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely

Sahil
Example 5. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily, expressing your opinion and
views on the increased human dependence on technology. Right from a small child to
an adult, or even an old man, everyone wants gadgets only-cell phone, I-pod, laptop,
etc. This also has a negative effect on social relationships. Using your own ideas and the
unit, ‘Science’, write the letter in 100-120 words.
Answer:
230 C.O.D. Colony
New Delhi

15th May, 20 xx

The Editor
The Times of India
New Delhi
Subject: Human Dependence on Technology

Sir
Through this letter of mine, I wish to draw the attention of everyone towards the
increased dependence of humans on technology. We use internet for any type of
information which we find only a click away. Everyone, whether a child or an adult,
wants gadgets like cell phones, I-pod, laptop, etc. No doubt, technology is a boon to
mankind and has a great future ahead. But in my opinion, we should not depend on it
as excess of everything is bad. It is making everyone lazy. On the other hand, cyber
crimes are also growing. The key word for this is caution.
We must make judicious use of technology and should not totally depend on it. We
must believe in natural and simple living.
I hope you will publish this letter in your newspaper for better future of human beings.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely

Sambhav Jain
Example 6. Kush read the following article in The Economic Times :

An Urban Farm in an Urban Jungle

Can you create functional, green spaces in a crowded city like Mumbai ? ‘Fresh and
Local’ is an initiative to transform underused spaces into productive, community areas
through urban farming. It aims to inspire city residents to make the most use of the
spaces that surround them to grow fruits, herbs and vegetables. Not only can urban
farming improve the environment, but also the health of the city residents.
Kush decides to write a letter to the Editor of a National Daily to raise public awareness
about using the space around them for productive community areas. Use your ideas
and ideas from the unit ‘Environment’ to write the letter in about 120-150 words.
Answer:
18 Model Town
Mumbai

14th May, 20 xx .

The Editor
The Times of India
Mumbai

Subject: Steps to Improve Environment

Sir
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the
general public towards the underused spaces in crowded cities like Mumbai. These
spaces can be best used by taking some initiative to make them green. We can grow
fruits, vegetables and herbs which will help in the improvement of environment as well
as the health of the City residents. Urban farming should not be taken as a Herculean
task. It is only a matter of effort taken to’transform these areas/spaces into productive,
community area. Thus, people will be able to breathe and live in pollution free
environment which is good for the health. Conservation of soil and more of greenery
will be an added advantage.
I hope, people will become aware of these underused spaces and take some action
after reading this letter of mine.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely
Kush