They are also known as Informal Letters and are exchanged between friends, relatives and are more informative, reflecting the mood of the writer. The tone of the letter reveals the feelings and emotions of the writer.
Contents
Seven Parts of a Personal letter:-
1. Address of the writer:
It is written on the right hand corner of the page. At the end of every line, there is a comma and a full stop at the end of the address. There is no punctuation mark after the PIN code.
2. Date:
The date is written below the sender’s address with a full stop at the end. Some ways of writing the dare are:
| 8th November 2013 (or) November 8, 2013 |
| 08-11-2013 (or) 08.11.2013 (or) 8-5-2013 (or) 8.5.2013 |
However, the first two forms are preferable because, in a few countries, the last two forms are understood as November eighth.
3. Salutation:
The following salutations or greetings may be used according to the person to whom the letter is addressed. A comma should be placed after the salutation or greeting.
| To friends » | Dear Jems, (Avoid the full name if short name could be used) |
|---|---|
| My dear Sarah, (not dear friend Jems or Dear friend) | |
| To Parents » | My dear father, (not Dear Father) |
| My dear mother, (not Dear Mother) | |
| To relatives » | My dear uncle, |
| My dear aunt, |
4. Body or Message:
This is the most important part of the letter. A good personal letter is supposed to be simple and pleasant. The tone should be personal, and the details appealing. Informal style is appropriate in a personal letter.
Personal letters convey news about family matters- incident in your place of work, study, public places etc. These small detials of day-to-day matters are vividly descibed in the personal letters and give a realistic touch and make them lively. Letters of invitation, condolence, sympathy, thanks and acknowledgement are some of the types of personal letters.
5. Subscription:
This means the closing of the letter or the end of the letter. The most common forms of closing a personal letter are as follows:
| To friends » | Yours sincerely, Yours affectionately, |
|---|---|
| To relatives » | Yours lovingly, your loving son, Your loving niece, |
Note: there is no apostrophe in yours. Use a comma after the subscription.
6. Signature:
A personal letter should be signed as he may be recognized.
| eg. » | David (Not David Antony Raj) |
|---|
7. Address on the envelope:
To address is written on the envelope.
Example of Personal Letter
Write a letter to your father requesting him to permit you to join the college excursion.
| KRSS College, New Delhi, 23-01-2014 |
My dear father,
I am studying very well. Our college professors have arranged for an excursion to Agra during the first week of March. I wish to participate in the excursion. I request you to permit me to join the excursion. Please convey my wishes to mother and sister.
| Your loving son, Akmal. |