PERSONAL LETTER
Definition
Personal letter is a type of letter that contains personal matter and for personal purposes, usually from one individual to another. The personal letter usually use an informal but polite language.
Personal is sent from one individual to another such as family members, relatives and friends, and love letters. People write and send personal letters for only a small number of people to read — usually one or two. Writers can send personal letters for lots of different reasons: short memos for business strategies, love letters between long-distance sweethearts or even pen pal messages to foreign exchange students.
Starting the letter
How are you?
Hope this letter finds you...
Thank you for your last letter.
It was so good to hear from you.
Sorry for answering late
I am sorry I should have written earlier...
Haven't heard from you in a while so I thought...
I am sorry to inform you that...
Conclusion
I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
I am looking forward to hear from you soon.
My best wishes for the coming test.
See you.
I will write soon.
I will have to stop now.
I am waiting for a quick reply.
Looking forward to see you again.
Bye.
HOW TO MAKE PERSONAL LETTER
Most personal letters have four basic components and the information written in these components will differ based on the context or purpose of the letter. These components are:
The heading
The opening
The body
The closing
To make clear how to write a personal letter, below is some elements should be included when writing a personal letter. They are:
1. Date: It is the month, day and year that the letter is written on.
2. Greeting: Some times we call it “salutation”. It is the introductory phrase. It can be a phrase like:
Dear Tono, Dear My friend, Dear My Brother, etc
Body: All kinds of letter formal or informal have the letter body. This is the complete text of the letter or the subject matter content.
3. Closing: It is the farewell phrase. That is a word that precedes the signature and is followed by a comma. The phrases can be like; Yours truly, Sincerely, respectfully yours, Regards, etc.
4. Signature: This the place where you write your name and signature.
TYPES OF PERSONAL LETTER
thoughtco.com gives 3 types of personal letter:
History of Letter Writing
Until just a few decades ago, personal letters (alongside diaries and autobiographies) had been the common form of written personal communication since the 18th century. It really took off then because of mass-produced paper becoming widely available, a large rise in literacy rates, the advent of systematic message delivery, and the establishment of the postal system. However, the earliest letters date back to 500 BCE and the ancient Persians.
Letter Writing and Literature
One of the first prose collections to be called a novel, Samuel Richardson's "Pamela," from 1740, was actually in the format of personal letters, and that tome isn't the only fiction book that's taken that format in the centuries hence. The confluence of letters and books doesn't stop there, of course. In nonfiction, families compile old letters into books for future generations, and famous historical people have had their letters assembled into nonfiction works for posterity, either as a matter of record or for historical value. Take, for example, collections of love letters between presidents and their wives, such as the 1,000 letters saved between Abigail and John Adams.
Letter Writing Today
But various electronic communication innovations over the past several decades, such as email and texting, have contributed to a decline in the practice of personal letter writing. It's more uncommon to see handwritten correspondence in the mailbox than common. Instead of having pen-pals, people communicate with others around the country and world through social media outlets.
But here some commons personal letter that young people write about.
a. Family Letter
It is a letter you write to your family, to be read by them after your death or disability or your condition.
b. Pen Friend Letter
It is a letter you write to your friend or your best friend.
c. Fan Mails
Fan mails is mail sent to a public figure, especially a celebrity, by their admirers or "fans".
d.Holiday/Celebration Letter
Personal letters about holiday / celebration are a type of letters that we write to someone about holiday experience or celebration in the form of informal.
e. Farewell Letter
Farewell letter is a type of letter written for expressing goodwill during partings.
f. Get Well Letter
Get well letter is a friendly letter written to anyone close and dear whenever they are sick or injured.
g. Congratulations Letter
to formally congratulate a person or an organization for an outstanding achievement.
h. Thank You Letter
Thank you letter a letter that is used when one person/party wishes to express appreciation to another.
i. Love Letter
a way to express feelings of love in written form.
THE DIFFERENCE
Formal Letters
- Formal letters follow fixed pattern of styles
- Formal letters are mostly used in working environments like offices
- The language of the letter in formal letters is by and large impersonal or work related
- Formal letters can have informal tone whilst writing under certain circumstances
- Informal words like ‘Gonna’, ‘Wanna’, ‘Dude’, ‘Bro’ etc. cannot be used in formal letters
- A lot of care is taken to write the appropriate Salutations in formal letters
- Length of the letter is very important and it shouldn’t be too long
- Closing or Complimentary gestures vary in formal letters
- Letter Head is a conventional practice in formal letters
Informal Letters
- Informal letters have varied patterns of styles
- Informal letters have very limited usage in working environments
- The language of the letter in informal letters is by and large personal or related to social aspects
- Informal letters do not have a formal tone as they are meant to express emotions and social communication
- Informal letters are not restricted in language. Slang words and non conventional terminology is acceptable in these letters
- 2-3 types of salutations are acceptable for informal letters as there is not much need of formality
- Length of the informal letters varies depending upon the subject matter
- Closing or Complimentary gestures don’t vary as much in informal letters
- Letter Head is not a conventional practice in informal letters
THE PURPOSES OF LETTER
The most common purposes for which letters are written divide them into:
Academic Letters – Letters concerned with academic affairs of various academic institutions or pertaining to academics under various capacities are known as academic letters.
Some of the types of academic letters
Announcement Letter
Application Letter
Leave Letter
Recommendation Letter
Business Letters – Letters written for purpose related to business and its’ relative processes are known as business letters.
Some of the types of business letters
Acceptance Letter
Acknowledgement Letter
Adjustment Letter
Request Letter
Resolution Letter
Sales Letter
Personal Letters – Letters written for sharing personal information, views, opinions etc. are known as personal letters. They are akin to Informal Letters.
Some of the types of personal letters
Cancellation Letter
Condolence Letter
Farewell Letter
Friendly Letter
Get Well Letter
Holiday Letter
Love Letter
Reference Letters - Letters written by an authoritative person for an acquaintance, to introduce the acquaintance to the concerned for employment, admission and/or other objectives. These letters are similar to formal letters.
Some of the types of reference letters
Adoption Reference Letter
Business Reference Letter
Character Reference Letter
Employer Reference Letter / Job Reference Letter
Scholarship Reference Letter
Teacher Reference Letter
EXAMPLE
Example of a Friendly Letter
123 West 54th Street
Anytown, USA 902341
August 10, 20XX
Hello Jason,
All the best to you and your family for the holiday season. How is life in the big city? I must say, I am really envious of all of the great music festivals that have been coming to Anytown lately. All that seems to come to Thistown are unknown folk festivals and the Blue Man Group.
I heard rumors that you might have gotten a big promotion? Okay, it wasn’t just a rumor – your grandma Ruth told me. What a lovely lady, I swear she makes the best baked apple ice cream this side of the Shrewsbury. She and my mom still meet weekly for coffee, she loves to talk about her grandson the bigtime money manager. You know, you are really lucky to have gotten out of this town and made something of yourself. You should be proud. You were always the smart one in our group.
Did you hear that Margie Patrick is marrying Fester Adams? I honestly thought that you and Margie would end up married after prom. But, Fester Adams.. I think that was a surprise to everyone. The folks around town speculate that she is marrying him for his family inheritance now that Old Man Adams has found his way into a nursing home and incapable of managing the family wealth. I don’t believe that for a second though, Margie never seemed to be the materialistic type.
As for me, I am still working away at the shop. Sales are down this year, and we’ve had to lay a few people off, but I suspect that things will turn around soon. We just put to market a new product that will soon be on the shelves of a pretty big store – I can’t wait. It is going to be so BIG! Who knows, maybe one day I might be able to join you in the big city when we are on every shelf at Target.
Are you coming home for the big town reunion? I hear they plan to have a town wide potato sack race. It should be pretty fun. Anyways, my friend, I hope you are well. Stay in tough.
Your pal,
Andy
Sources:
http://bse.kemendikbud.go.id
www.jagoanbahasainggris.com
http://englishadmin.com/
https://www.thoughtco.com/personal-letter-composition-1691499
greatedu.co.id
https://suciidedee.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/materi-personal-letter/
https://targetstudy.com/letters/
