How to Write an Informal Letter: Format, Examples & Templates

An informal letter is a letter you write to a friend, family member or someone you know well. It uses a friendly, conversational tone and a simple structure. This guide will show you the full informal letter format, useful phrases for opening and closing, common mistakes to avoid, and 22 sample letters you can download as PDF. It is suitable for students preparing for FCE, PET, IELTS General Task 1, ZNO and EGE, and for ESL teachers who need ready-made materials for class.

What Is an Informal Letter?

An informal letter is a personal letter written to friends, family or close acquaintances in a casual, friendly tone. It uses contractions (I'm, don't, can't), phrasal verbs, and conversational language. Unlike a formal letter, it has no fixed business structure — the focus is on sharing news, asking questions or staying in touch.

You typically write an informal letter to:

• Share personal news (a trip, a new job, a party).
• Reply to a friend's letter or email.
• Invite someone, accept or decline an invitation.
• Give advice or ask for it.
• Apologise for not writing sooner.
• Practise informal writing for school or English exams (FCE, PET, IELTS General, ZNO, EGE).

Informal Letter Format: 7 Parts

An informal letter in English has seven main parts. The structure below works for school assignments, Cambridge exams (FCE, PET) and IELTS General Task 1.

1. Sender's address — top-right corner of the page (skip this in emails and in most exam letters).
2. Date — below the address. Use 15th May 2026 or 15/05/2026.
3. Greeting / Salutation — Dear Anna, / Hi Anna, / Hello Anna,. Use the first name only.
4. Introduction — a friendly opening (How are you?, Thanks for your letter) and the reason for writing.
5. Main body — 2–3 paragraphs, one topic per paragraph. Cover all the points in the task.
6. Closing remark — That's all my news for now, Write back soon, Looking forward to hearing from you.
7. Sign-off and name — Lots of love, Take care, Best wishes, followed by your first name only.

📌 Tip: In Cambridge exams (FCE, PET) and IELTS General, you usually skip the address — start directly with the greeting.

Tenses Used in Informal Letters

Present Perfect and Past Simple are the most common tenses in informal letters that share news.

• Present Perfect — for recent activities without a stated time: I've just passed my driving test!
• Past Simple — for activities that happened at a stated time in the past: Last week I went to a concert.
• Present Continuous — for actions happening now or around now: I'm staying with my grandparents.
• Future forms (will / be going to) — for plans and predictions: We're going to visit Paris next month.

Informal Letter vs Formal Letter vs Email

The table below shows the key differences between informal letters, formal letters and informal emails.

How to Start an Informal Letter

Start with a friendly greeting, then add an opening remark before you state your reason for writing.

Greetings

• Dear Anna,
• Hi Anna,
• Hello Anna,
• Hi there,

Opening remarks

• Hi, how's everything going? I've just heard that you passed all your exams. Congratulations!
• Sorry that I haven't written for ages, but I've been very busy studying. I'm writing because…
• How are you? Sorry I've taken so long to write, but I've been busy settling in. Anyway, I thought I'd drop you a line to let you know how I'm getting on here.
• How are you? I am sorry that I haven't written for a long time, but I've been really busy. Anyway, I thought I'd drop you a line to let you know that I've just passed my driving test!
• Sorry I haven't written for a while. I have been really busy studying for my exams. Only one more to go now!
• How are you? I'm great! Actually, I have some really exciting news!
• Thanks for your last letter — it was great to hear from you.

How to End an Informal Letter

End your letter in three parts: a closing remark, a friendly final comment, and a sign-off with your name.

Closing remarks

• Well, that's all my news for now. Please write back and let me know what you've been up to since I heard from you last.
• Well, that's all for now. Please write soon — I can't wait to hear what you've been up to. Take care.
• I can't wait to see you again, and don't forget to let me know if there's anything I should bring to the barbecue.
• Looking forward to seeing you and catching up on all your news.
• I'd better close now — it's getting late and I have an early start tomorrow.

Sign-offs

• Lots of love,
• Take care,
• Best wishes,
• All the best,
• See you soon,
• Yours,

Useful Phrases for Informal Letters

Below are ready-made phrases for the most common functions in informal letters — thanking, sharing news, asking for help, giving advice and replying to invitations. Use them as building blocks when you write your own letter.

Thanking and apologising

• Many thanks for your last letter.
• Thanks a lot for the letter.
• It's so good to hear from you — it's been ages since we saw each other.
• I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, I have been really busy…
• I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write to you, I have been really busy…

Reacting to your friend's news

• That's great news about the (house / job / wedding), I'm so happy for you.
• I'm glad to hear about the (house / job / baby), I always knew you would do it one day.
• The (new house / job / course) sounds brilliant, how are you settling in?
• I was sorry to hear about…
• I can imagine how you must feel.

Giving news

• That reminds me, …
• By the way, …
• You'll never guess what happened to me last week…
• Guess what — …
• Anyway, I wanted to tell you that…

Asking for information or help

• Could you tell me…?
• Please let me know if…
• I was wondering whether…
• Do you have any idea…?
• Any tips would be really helpful.

Giving advice

• You asked about… Well, the best thing to do is + infinitive.
• My advice would be + infinitive.
• If I were you, I would + infinitive.
• You should probably + infinitive.
• About the…, I would recommend + gerund / noun.
• Have you thought about + gerund?

Making an invitation

• I'm having a party and was wondering if you'd like to come.
• You'd be more than welcome to come and stay some time. How about the 15th of June?
• Do you fancy coming over for the weekend?
• It would be great if you could join us.

Accepting or declining an invitation

• I'd love to come and stay with you, thanks for the invitation.
• That sounds brilliant — count me in!
• I'd love to accept your invitation but I have an exam that week. What a shame! Perhaps another time.
• Thanks so much for asking, but unfortunately I won't be able to make it.

22 Informal Letter Examples by Topic

Below are 22 sample informal letters in English, grouped by topic. Each example includes a short preview — click Download this letter to read the full letter and save it as PDF or Word.

Letters about holidays and travel

Useful for FCE Writing Part 2, IELTS General Task 1 and school topics about holidays, trips and tourism.

Sample 1 — Holiday plans (summer vacation)

Sample letter (e-mail) to a friend about holiday plans:

Dear Amy,

How are you? I'm very happy because school is almost over! This time next week I will be staying with my grandparents at their cottage by Crystal Lake.

I heard on the weather forecast that it will probably be very hot summer so I will be swimming every day. My grandfather promised me that we will go fishing in the lake. I can't wait!

Do you have any plans for the summer? Why don't you ask...

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Sample 2 — Summer vacation in France

Letter to a friend describing a summer vacation:

Dear Philip,

I am just writing to tell you what a marvelous holiday we had. We went on a camping holiday to the South of France and the weather was wonderful.

The tent we stayed in was very comfortable. It had a cooker, a fridge and a TV. We were in the heart of the French countryside and some of the views were great. The campsite itself was impressive. It was...

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Sample 3 — Trip to Antarctica

Letter to a friend describing an unusual trip:

Dear Claire,

Thank you a lot for your last letter. It was a nice surprise to hear from you. I'm sorry I haven't written to you earlier but I had to organise some things concerning my trip.

As you probably remember I've always wanted to visit some unusual places. And now, at last, off I went! But you'd never guess where I've chosen to spend my holiday. It's Antarctica! You would...

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Sample 4 — Holiday in Portugal

Letter to a friend about a beach holiday:

Hi Marvin,

I'm writing this letter from Portugal. I am on holiday here with my family and we having a great time.

Right now, I am lying on the beach. My little brother is playing on the sand with his toys and my mother is watching him. My dad is swimming in the sea.

I just love it here. We get...

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Sample 5 — Camping holiday

Letter to a friend about a camping holiday on the Isle of Skye:

Hi Susan,

How are you? I hope the summer job is going well. Have you decided where to go on holiday? That skiing break sounds the best, doesn't it?

Anyway, we're camping here on the Isle of Skye. We're staying on a campsite in the middle of nowhere. We've been here for five days, but it feels longer. It's rained every single...

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Sample 6 — Visiting Scotland

Letter to a friend about a holiday in Scotland:

Dear Jane,

We're staying at a hotel in Scotland. The weather has been great — really hot and sunny. We've been very lucky so far.

Everyone here says that it usually rains in September. We've done a lot of fascinating things. We've climbed mountains, and we've sailed across one of the lakes. You know that Scotland is famous for its lakes. The best known of them is Loch Ness where according to the...

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Sample 7 — Visiting London

Letter to a friend about visiting London:

Dear Jane,

Thanks for your letter. I'm sorry I haven't written for so long, but I've been really busy with my exams. Now, it's all over and I'm having a short rest in London with my family.

London is wonderful! We are staying in a hotel not far from the centre so we are able to walk around London almost all day long. It's amazing because London is a 24-hour city. We've already seen most of the famous sights. Yesterday we visited the Tower of London and enjoyed the legends told by the...

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Sample 8 — Visiting Sydney

Letter to a friend about visiting Sydney:

Dear Andrew,

Well, here we are in Sydney! The weather is fantastic! We are staying in a 4-star hotel by the Circular Quay. The view is amazing and the service is great. We have access to great pubs, restaurants and shopping down at the Rocks.

The restaurants are great! There is a mix similar to what we see in the US (Italian, Chinese, Thai and American). The only difference in the food is the Australian specialties such as crocodile, wallaby, ostrich and kangaroo. Tipping is not...

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Sample 9 — Visiting California

Letter to a friend about visiting California:

Dear Helen,

How are you? Hope you are OK. Well, here I am in California and my dream has finally come true.

We are staying in a small hotel in San Francisco. It's a great city full of picturesque houses. The symbol of the city is the Golden Gate Bridge that stretches across the mouth of San Francisco Bay. The scenery from the bridge is wonderful, and I've already taken some great photos.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Los Angeles. I look...

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Letters about family and friends

For B1–B2 level, FCE Writing Part 2 and school topics about personal life, parties and family events.

Sample 10 — Birthday party

Letter to a friend about a fancy dress birthday party:

Hi Susan!

How was your birthday? Mine was great! We had a fancy dress party this year and I invited all my close friends.

I wore a funny orange clown suit and curly green hair. Everyone laughed as I walked around the room with my huge red plastic shoes. All my friends looked great too! My best friend Diane amazed us all with her fairy costume. She wore shiny silver wings and carried a long plastic wand.

The party was a lot of fun. We listened to cool...

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Sample 11 — Organising a surprise party

Letter to a friend about preparing a surprise party:

Dear Jessica,

How are things? I'm sorry that I haven't sent you an email but I've been really busy lately.

For the last two days, I have been organising a surprise party for my best friend, Sally. I have already decorated the house with balloons and coloured lights. I still have so many things to do but luckily, Sophie and Pat have been helping with the preparations.

So far, Sophie has invited all our friends and Pat has...

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Sample 12 — Your own birthday traditions

Letter to aunt about family birthday traditions:

Dear Aunt Susan,

Thank you very much for your letter. It was interesting to learn about your family traditions.

My birthday is on April 19th. It is spring time, and we usually go to the countryside to have a picnic. We play different games, make a fire and enjoy our time. On my last birthday we didn't go anywhere. My parents prepared a surprise party to me. When I came home from school, the house was...

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Sample 13 — Friend's problems with parents

Letter to a friend giving support about family conflicts:

Dear Adam,

Thanks a lot for your letter. It was nice to hear from you. In your letter you told me that your parents disapprove of your girlfriend.

Well, it happens very often. The parent and child have different beliefs on who is right and who is wrong. The parent believes that they are right, but the child thinks that they are wrong.

Fortunately, I don't have any conflicts with...

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Letters giving advice

Excellent practice for FCE Writing and IELTS General Task 1 — giving advice is one of the most common informal task types.

Sample 14 — Advice about staying healthy

Letter to a friend with advice on how to keep fit:

Dear Pat,

Thanks for the letter. You should write more often! Anyway, how are things? I hope everything is OK at school.

It's great that you've started to take care of your health! As for keeping fit, I'd say that above all you need patience! Keeping fit is something you should do regularly and try and keep it up over a long time. If you don't, it won't have any effect.

First of all, start gently. Begin by walking — you can walk to school, use the stairs (not the lift) and then go for longer walks in the park. Then you should think...

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Sample 15 — Advice about career choice and parents

Letter to a friend about parents' influence on career decisions:

Dear Helen,

Thanks a lot for your letter. I was happy to hear from you.

In your letter you asked me if my parents influence my career choice. We all take time to 'find our feet'. Parents will often say things such as "pick a course you think you'll like" or "why don't you apply for this job". Though it may seem they're doing the right thing in terms of steering their children in the right direction, parents also need to understand that we all need space and time to discover what we truly want...

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Letters about studies and learning

Topics around university life, language learning and distance education — common in school writing tasks and Cambridge exams.

Sample 16 — Starting university

Letter to a friend about starting university and studying maths:

Dear Mike,

How are you? Thank you for your letter of 10th June. I am sorry for not having written to you earlier, but I have had a lot of things to do.

You know it was a very hard year for me. I spent my time getting ready for my exams and I was doing well in practically all subjects. After passing the exams I was enrolled to the University. The whole course of study is four years. My major subject is mathematics. I am really good at it and do Maths whenever I have a chance. I take...

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Sample 17 — Learning languages in England

Letter to a friend about going to study English abroad:

Dear John,

Thanks for your letter. I'm sorry that I haven't written for so long, but I've been really busy.

I've got some good news! I've manage to persuade my parents to let me spend a year in England learning the language. I'll be studying at King's School. So I hope we'll be able to meet and to talk when I am there.

But I must admit that now I am getting a bit worried because everything is so different there. I wonder if I'll be able to adapt to living with a host family. What...

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Sample 18 — Distance learning

Letter to a friend about online and distance education:

Dear David,

Thanks a lot for your letter. I was so glad to hear from you.

In your letter you asked me if distance learning is popular in my country. Well, more than seven million students are enrolled in distance learning programs. The statistics speak for themselves. There are lots of benefits of online learning. Firstly, students can combine their job and studies. Secondly, you can simultaneously...

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Letters about daily life

Everyday topics — describing your home, hobbies, TV preferences and big life changes.

Sample 19 — A new house

Letter to a friend describing a new home:

Dear Robert,

I'm writing to tell you about our new house. It's lovely! It's the nicest house I have ever seen. It's much bigger than our last one but also more expensive. The house looks very modern. There are many rooms with large windows and wooden floors.

I finally have a room that I don't have to share with my younger brother. My bedroom is on the second floor and I have a great view.

The best thing about this house...

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Sample 20 — Theatres in your town

Letter to a friend describing local theatres:

Dear Mary,

How nice of you to write me about your last visit to the theatre.

I'd like to tell you about theatres in my town. There are two theatres in our town. One theatre is the professional one, and the other one is amateur. As for me, I'm a theatre-goer. I try to go there twice a month.

The performances are different. To my mind, some...

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Sample 21 — Favourite TV programme

Letter to a friend about a favourite TV series:

Dear Paul,

How are you? I'm fine though I'm very busy these days. I'm getting ready for my final exams at school. Thank you for your letter. It was interesting to learn more about American television.

In your letter you asked me about my favourite TV programme. The series "The Code of Honour" is one of the few that I attempt to regularly tune into each week. A friend of mine talked me into...

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Sample 22 — Moving abroad

Letter to a friend about moving abroad and selling things:

Dear Gary,

Hope you are doing well.

I'm doing fine, though my life is quite hectic at the moment because, as you know, I am moving abroad and there is so much to do! There are a few things that I can't take with me because they are too big so I am seeing if any of my friends would be interested in buying them. One of the things I do not want to take with me is my television, and I thought you might like to buy it off me for a cheap price.

It's a 32" flat screen TV, and it's a Phillips model. It has a USB...

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Informal Letters for English Exams

Informal letter writing is part of several major English exams. The format is the same, but each exam has its own word count, marking criteria and common topics. Below is what you need to know for the most popular ones.

Cambridge B2 First (FCE) — Informal Letter or Email

In Cambridge B2 First (FCE) Writing Part 2, you can choose to write an informal letter or email. Word count: 140–190 words. The task usually asks you to reply to a friend, give advice, share news or describe an experience. Use contractions, phrasal verbs and friendly vocabulary. Cover every bullet point in the question — missing one costs you marks under the Content criterion.

Useful for FCE: Samples 10, 14, 19, 22 above are written in the typical FCE register.

Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET) — Informal Letter or Email

In B1 Preliminary the informal letter or email is about 100 words. The marking focuses on a simple clear structure, accurate basic grammar (past simple, present perfect, future forms) and answering all parts of the question. Avoid complex linking words — and, but, so, because are enough at this level.

IELTS General Training Task 1 — Informal Letter

In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you may need to write an informal letter to a friend or family member. Minimum word count: 150 words, recommended time: 20 minutes. The most common task types are giving advice, replying to an invitation and sharing news. Always include all three bullet points from the task — each missing point lowers your Task Achievement score.

Useful for IELTS General: Samples 14 and 15 above demonstrate the "giving advice" task type.

ZNO and EGE — Informal Letter

The Ukrainian ZNO (now НМТ) and Russian EGE English exams include an informal letter section. Standard requirements: 100–140 words, the 7-part format with address and date in the top-right corner, and answers to all questions asked in the stimulus letter. The closing usually includes a request to write back (Write back soon, Looking forward to hearing from you).

Common Mistakes in Informal Letters

Below are the most common mistakes that students make in informal letter writing — and how to fix them.

1. Using formal phrases. ❌ I am writing to inform you that… → ✅ I'm writing to tell you that…
2. No contractions. ❌ I do not have time → ✅ I don't have time.
3. Wrong sign-off. ❌ Yours sincerely → ✅ Take care / Lots of love.
4. Full name signature. ❌ John Smith → ✅ John (first name only).
5. No paragraphs. One long block of text — split into 3–4 short paragraphs by topic.
6. Forgetting to answer the question. Check the task — every bullet point must be covered.
7. Heavy slang or text-speak. ❌ OMG u r gonna love it → ✅ You're going to love it!
8. Repeating the same opening. Vary How are you? with Hope you're well, Thanks for your letter, etc.
9. No closing question. Ask something — it makes the letter feel like a real conversation.
10. Forgetting the comma in the greeting. ✅ Dear Anna, (always a comma after the name).

Tips for ESL Teachers: Teaching Informal Letter Writing

If you are an ESL or EFL teacher preparing a lesson on informal letters, here is a simple lesson plan structure that works for B1–B2 classes.

Suggested 45-minute lesson plan

1. Warm-up (5 min). Ask: "When did you last write a letter? Who do you write to most — by email, message or letter?"
2. Lead-in (5 min). Show two short texts — one formal, one informal — and ask students to spot the differences. The comparison table in the section above works well projected on the board.
3. Presentation (10 min). Use the 7-part format above. Project the structure and explain each part with examples.
4. Controlled practice (10 min). Hand out a jumbled letter — students put the parts in order.
5. Guided practice (10 min). Students work in pairs to write the opening and closing of a letter to a friend who has moved abroad.
6. Free practice / homework (5 min). Set one of the 22 sample topics above as a writing homework.

Classroom activities

• Letter chain. Each student writes the first paragraph of a letter, then passes it on. The next student adds a paragraph, and so on. Great for B1 classes.
• Find the mistakes. Give a "wrong" letter full of formal phrases and ask students to rewrite it informally.
• Speed letter. Set a 10-minute timer for a complete 100-word letter on a given topic.
• Real reply. Use one of the 22 sample letters above as a stimulus — students write a reply in pairs.
• Phrase auction. Print useful phrases mixed with incorrect ones. Teams "buy" phrases they think are correct.

Differentiation by level

• A2. Use Samples 4, 10 and 19 — simple present and past tenses, short paragraphs.
• B1. Use Samples 11, 12, 17 — present perfect and travel vocabulary.
• B2. Use Samples 14, 15, 18 — advice-giving structures and abstract topics.