Lahore Grammar School

55 Main Gulberg
Lahore

Saturday 12th November 2022

Dear Zahra
I hope this letter finds you in the best of health. We have been having a pretty stressful time at school what with all the
activities and keeping abreast with the curriculum, it has been hard keeping track of everything. I am sure it must be
challenging; I remember what it was like last year.

I devised a method of introducing informal letter writing to my students by writing them a letter. In each letter I included
a personal touch, like a joke, or a nickname that I had given them, or a question about whether they had completed
their homework. I used different coloured pens, again just to make it interesting. I also wrote what a wonderful time I
was having teaching them.

Then I went to the next paragraph and mentioned how I loved watching movies and reading books and baking. So, in
some letters I included a recipe, or my favourite food (ice cream) or my favourite book, (To Kill a Mockingbird) or my
favourite author (David Baldacci and Jeffery Archer and Rachel Abbott and Lee Childs and the list goes on because you
can’t have just one favourite author) or my favourite movie (too many to mention but how I love Korean Dramas (Prison
Playbook) and Japanese marital art films (The Seven Samurai).

Then in the third paragraph I explained that this was the basic format of an informal letter. They need to make note of
the address and the date (not actually essential for CIE) and the salutations (the beginning and the ending; should be
interesting – don’t use the typical ‘how are you doing’ instead start with “It was good hearing from you…” or “Sorry for
not replying sooner. I have been busy…”). Also see how I have left a line between each paragraph; it makes it easier to
keep track of the points they have to include in their letter. They should also take note of the style of language, that it is
informal, causal and friendly. I can include a joke and some personal details, but always make it interesting and include
personal anecdotes; use plenty of adjectives and verbs and relay your thoughts and emotions.

I would also mention what the question would look like:

The examiner would set the scene. For example; you received a gift for your birthday from your cousin. Write a letter to
him/her

 thanking them for the gift

 how you are looking forward to the next family gathering
 what they would like for their upcoming birthday.

In the final paragraph just mention some tips like

 take care of spelling, punctuation and grammar

 do not use abbreviation or slang (no: ‘bruh’, ‘mate’, or ‘ttyl’, or ‘yo’, please) it is a letter, not a text!
 Write a paragraph for each bullet point
 Use time phrases such as ‘shortly after that/later/that afternoon/after dinner
 Keep to the word limit

I would end with a ‘looking forward to hearing from you soon’.

You can also include a P.S.

I would put the letter in an envelope print this stamp

or or or

cut it out and paste onto envelope and address the envelope and then gave it to Qudsia and she would deliver it five
mintues after lesson had started.

Homework would be to reply to my letter.

Also; Zahra there was a message from Ayesha about penpals to students of Palestine – would be a good idea to look into
that