Checkpoint 6 · Paper 1 writing (non-fiction)

Informal and Formal Letters

How to write informal and formal letters for Checkpoint 6 Paper 1: layout, greetings and sign-offs, paragraph plan, useful phrases and two strong samples.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 6 English (Cambridge Primary 0058)

1. What is a letter, and where does it appear?

A letter is a piece of writing to one reader (a person or an organisation) that is sent by post. Every letter has a clear layout: a greeting at the start, a sign-off at the end and, depending on the type, an address and a date at the top. There are two kinds of letter, and the first job in the exam is to decide which one the task needs.

	Informal letter	Formal letter
Who is it to?	Someone you know well: a friend, a cousin, a grandparent, a pen friend.	Someone you do not know well, or someone in charge: a headteacher, a manager, a council, a company.
Purpose (why you write)	To share news, say thank you, invite, give advice, describe a trip or an event.	To ask for something, complain, suggest an idea, give your opinion on a problem.
Tone (register)	Warm and chatty. Short forms (I'm, can't, we'll) and a little humour are fine.	Polite and serious. Full forms (I am, cannot), no slang, no jokes, no emojis.
Greeting	Dear Salma, / Hi Salma,	Dear Mrs Fawzy, (name known) / Dear Sir or Madam, (name not known)
Sign-off	Love, / Best wishes, / Your friend, + first name only on the next line	Yours sincerely, (name known) / Yours faithfully, (name not known) + full name on the next line

Where letters sit in the exam

Letters belong to Paper 1 (Non-fiction). The paper lasts 1 hour: Section A Reading (25 marks) and Section B Writing (25 marks). About 30 minutes is suggested for the writing.
A letter can be named in the task ("Write a letter to your headteacher…"). A persuasive letter is one of the non-fiction text types that can be set, but nobody can predict which text type will come in a given exam.
G.A.A.P. golden rule: only write a letter if the task names a letter. If the task names an article or gives no format at all, do not add a greeting, an address or a sign-off.

2. How a letter is marked (out of 25)

Your letter is marked with the same five categories as every Checkpoint writing task. The table shows what the examiner looks for, in simple words, and what that means for a letter.

Category (official name)	Marks	What the bands ask for (in simple words)	What it means for this genre
Creation of texts	5	Low: little link to the task. Middle: relevant ideas, some of them explained. Top: every point in the task is covered and developed, the tone suits the reader all the way through, and the writing keeps the reader interested.	Answer every point in the task with details. Keep one tone from "Dear…" to the sign-off. Show that you know your reader (a grandparent's garden, a headteacher's busy timetable).
Vocabulary and language	3	Low: simple words, often repeated. Middle: some well-chosen words that suit the text type. Top: precise, interesting words chosen for their effect on the reader.	Informal: lively, natural words (thrilled, I couldn't stop grinning). Formal: polite, exact words (I would be grateful, responsibility, consider).
Structure of texts (the teacher's older name: Text structure)	7	Low: few or no paragraphs. Middle: paragraphs in a sensible order with simple links. Top: well-organised paragraphs that link smoothly, a strong opening and ending, and the correct layout for the text type.	The correct layout (address, date, greeting, sign-off), one point per paragraph, an opening that says why you are writing and an ending that asks for a reply or an action.
Grammar and punctuation (the teacher's older name: Sentence structure, punctuation and grammar)	7	Low: mostly simple sentences with many errors. Middle: some variety, mostly correct verbs and full stops. Top: a range of sentence types used for effect, correct verb tenses and a range of punctuation used correctly.	Mix simple, compound and complex sentences. Use commas after openers (When the judges called our names,…), apostrophes in short forms (informal) and one or two other marks used correctly (a colon, brackets, a pair of dashes).
Word structure (spelling)	3	Low: many common words spelt wrongly. Middle: most common words correct. Top: nearly all words correct, including longer, ambitious words.	Check letter words: sincerely, faithfully, grateful, received, believe, because, February, Wednesday.

Three marking rules you must know

Wrong text type = heavy penalty. If the task asks for a letter and you write something else, Creation of texts is capped at 1 mark and Structure of texts is capped too (at 3, or 2 if the content is also off-task).
Length: 20 words or fewer scores 0, and 21–60 words can score no more than 7 out of 25. A full answer is several developed paragraphs.
Your plan is not marked. Plan quickly, then spend your time on the writing itself.

3. Features of letters

Learn the layout features first. They are the easiest marks to protect. Then learn the language features, which make your letter sound right for its reader.

Feature	Informal letter: example	Formal letter: example
Your address (top right, each part on its own line)	24 Al-Nakheel Street / Palm Gardens / Cairo (you may leave it out for a close friend)	Always included. Your name does NOT go in the address.
Date (under your address)	12 March 2026	5 February 2026 (British style: day, month, year)
The reader's name and address (left side, under the date)	Not used.	Mrs Nadia Fawzy / Headteacher / Green Valley International School / Palm Gardens
Greeting on its own line, with a comma	Dear Grandpa, / Hi Salma,	Dear Mrs Fawzy, / Dear Sir or Madam,
Opening paragraph	How are you? + ask about the reader + say sorry for not writing for a long time + give the reason.	Say why you are writing in the first sentence: I am writing to ask…
Body paragraphs	One task point in each paragraph: news, feelings, plans.	One task point in each paragraph: reasons, details, suggestions.
Closing paragraph	Ask them to write back and send your love to the family.	Ask politely for action and say thank you: I look forward to hearing from you.
Sign-off on one line with a comma, your name on the next line	Love, / Youssef	Yours sincerely, / Laila Hassan
Language	Short forms, questions to the reader, exclamations, friendly words (Guess what?).	Full forms, polite requests (I would be grateful if…), formal linking words (Furthermore, However, In addition).

The sincerely / faithfully rule

Dear Sir or Madam, (you do not know the name) → Yours faithfully,
Dear Mr Hamdy, / Dear Mrs Fawzy, (you know the name) → Yours sincerely,
Memory trick: Sir and sincerely never go together.
In British English we usually write Mr, Mrs and Dr without a full stop, and we use the family name: Dear Mrs Fawzy, not Dear Mrs Nadia.
Capital Y in Yours, a small letter in sincerely and faithfully, and a comma after the sign-off.

4. How to structure a letter

Both kinds of letter use the same skeleton. Only the tone and the content change. Most tasks give you three points to cover: give each point its own body paragraph and you will never forget one.

Part	Informal letter: what to write	Formal letter: what to write
Top	Your address and the date (top right).	Your address and the date (top right). The reader's name, job and address (left).
Greeting	Dear Salma, (on one line)	Dear Mrs Fawzy, / Dear Sir or Madam, (on one line)
Paragraph 1: opening	How are you? Ask about their health or family. Say sorry for not writing for a long time and give the reason. Say why you are writing now.	Who you are (if needed) and why you are writing, in one or two sentences.
Paragraph 2: task point 1	First piece of news, with details and feelings.	The problem or the idea, with clear reasons.
Paragraph 3: task point 2	Second piece of news or a description.	More details: examples, a fact, how it would work.
Paragraph 4: task point 3	Invitation, advice or a plan.	Your suggestion or request, and why it would help.
Paragraph 5: conclusion	Ask them to reply and send regards to the family.	Polite request for action, thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
Sign-off	Love, (on one line) / first name (next line)	Yours sincerely, or Yours faithfully, (on one line) / full name (next line)

Read the task and underline who the reader is. This tells you formal or informal.
Number the task points 1, 2, 3. Each one becomes a body paragraph.
Write the layout first (address, date, greeting) so you cannot forget it.
Write the opening paragraph, then one paragraph per task point. Add at least two details to each point.
Finish with the conclusion and the correct sign-off. Then check that your greeting and sign-off match.

5. How to start and how to end

Informal openings

How are you? I hope you and the family are well.
How is your new school? I hope you have made lots of friends already.
I'm so sorry I haven't written for ages; our exams took over my whole life.
Sorry for the late reply! Things have been really busy here because of the school play.
Guess what? I have some brilliant news, and you're the first person I wanted to tell.

Formal openings

I am writing to ask whether our school could…
I am writing on behalf of the pupils in Year 6B to suggest…
I am writing to complain about…
My name is Laila Hassan, and I am a pupil in Year 6B. I am writing because…

Informal endings

Please write back soon and tell me all your news.
I can't wait to see you in the summer!
Give my love to Auntie Mona and the twins.
Anyway, I'd better go now. Mum is calling me for dinner.
Love, / Best wishes, / Your friend, / Lots of love, (then your first name on the next line)

Formal endings

I would be very grateful if you could consider this suggestion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely, / Yours faithfully, (then your full name on the next line)

6. Useful phrases and strong vocabulary

Sharing news (informal)

You won't believe what happened last week!
The best part was when…
I was so nervous that my hands were shaking.
By the way, did I tell you that…?

Inviting and suggesting (informal)

Why don't you come and stay with us in the holiday?
How about visiting the museum together?
It would mean the world to me if you could come.

Giving reasons and details (formal)

There are several reasons why this idea would help our school.
Firstly, … Furthermore, … Finally, …
For example, … / As a result, …
Many pupils feel that…

Polite requests (formal)

I would be grateful if you could…
Would it be possible to…?
We would be happy to help by…

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
thrilled	very happy and excited (informal letters)
delighted	very pleased (works in both kinds of letter)
unforgettable	so good that you will always remember it
nervous	worried before something important
proud	happy because you or someone else did something well
miss (someone)	feel sad because they are far away
request	to ask for something politely (formal)
suggest / suggestion	to give an idea / an idea you give
grateful	thankful (I would be grateful if…)
responsibility	a job or duty you are trusted to do
concern	a worry about a problem (formal)
improve	make something better
benefit	something good that you get from something
consider	think carefully about (formal)
on behalf of	speaking for a group (on behalf of my class)

7. Timing in the exam

Time (Writing section, about 30 minutes)	What to do
0–5 min	G.A.A.P.: underline the Genre, the Audience, every point in the Area of content, and the Purpose. Write a short plan (one line per paragraph).
5–25 min	Write. Write for about 20 minutes: 4–6 paragraphs, about 250–350 words.
25–30 min	Check: layout, every task point covered, full stops and capital letters, commas, apostrophes, spelling of key words.

8. Strong sample 1: informal letter

Informal letter: news for Grandpa273 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: Your class has won a prize in a school competition. Write a letter to a grandparent who lives in another city. In your letter you should: • describe the competition and what you did • explain how you felt when you won • invite your grandparent to the prize-giving ceremony.

24 Al-Nakheel Street

Palm Gardens

Cairo

12 March 2026

Dear Grandpa,

How are you? I hope you and Grandma are well and that your knee is feeling better. I'm sorry I haven't written for so long; our science fair took up every minute of my free time. Now it's over, and I have some amazing news for you.

Guess what? Our group won first prize! We built a model of a water pump that works with sunlight (we made it from plastic bottles, a tiny motor and an old solar panel from Uncle Sameh's garage). For three weeks, Ziad, Hana and I stayed in the science lab after school, testing it again and again. Twice the motor stopped working, and once the whole model crashed onto the floor. I nearly gave up, but Ziad kept saying, 'Real engineers never quit!'

When the judges called our names, my heart was pounding like a drum. I couldn't stop smiling, and my hands were shaking so much that I almost dropped the trophy. It was the proudest moment of my life – even prouder than the day you taught me to swim.

Here's the best part: there is a prize-giving ceremony on Thursday 2 April, and every winner can invite one special guest. I would love that guest to be you. You always told me that one day I would build something useful, and you were right! Mum says you can stay with us for the weekend, so we could visit the Science Museum together on Friday.

Please write back soon and tell me that you can come. Give Grandma a big hug from me.

Love,

Youssef

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5: all three task points are covered and developed: the competition and the work (paragraph 2), feelings (paragraph 3), the invitation with date and plans (paragraph 4). The writer clearly knows his reader (Grandma, the swimming memory, Grandpa's words), so the tone is warm and personal all the way through.
Vocabulary 3/3: lively, precise words for a family letter: crashed, pounding like a drum (a simile), proudest moment, special guest, never quit.
Structure 7/7: correct informal layout (address and date top right, Dear Grandpa, on its own line, Love, on its own line and the first name only on the next line). The opening follows the taught order: How are you? → asking about his health → sorry for not writing + the reason. One task point per paragraph, and a closing that asks for a reply.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7: simple sentences for effect (Guess what?), compound and complex sentences (When the judges called our names, my heart…). A semicolon joining two related sentences (…for so long; our science fair…), brackets for extra information, a single dash for emphasis (– even prouder…), a colon for explanation (Here's the best part: …), and direct speech punctuated correctly.
Spelling 3/3: longer words spelt correctly (competition, ceremony, engineers, trophy, Thursday, museum, garage).
Exam note: in your answer, write each line of the address on its own line in the top-right corner, with the date underneath.

9. Strong sample 2: formal letter

Formal letter: an idea for the headteacher276 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: There is an empty piece of land at your school. Write a letter to your headteacher, Mrs Nadia Fawzy, suggesting that it should become a school vegetable garden. In your letter you should: • explain why a garden would be a good idea • describe how the garden could be organised • say how pupils and parents could help.

24 Al-Nakheel Street

Palm Gardens

Cairo

5 February 2026

Mrs Nadia Fawzy

Headteacher

Green Valley International School

Palm Gardens

Dear Mrs Fawzy,

I am writing on behalf of the pupils in Year 6B to suggest that the empty land behind the sports hall could become a school vegetable garden.

At the moment, that land is covered in dry weeds and broken chairs. A garden would turn it into a useful outdoor classroom. In science, we learn how plants grow, but very few of us have ever planted a seed ourselves. Growing tomatoes, mint and beans would make our lessons real. Furthermore, children who grow vegetables are often more willing to eat them, so the garden could help everyone to eat more healthily.

We have thought carefully about how the garden could be organised. Each class from Year 3 to Year 6 could look after one raised bed for a term. Year 6 would make a weekly rota, so the plants would be watered every morning before lessons begin.

Many people have already offered to help. Mr Hamdy, our science teacher, has kindly agreed to guide us, and several parents have promised to donate soil, seeds and tools. As a result, the garden would cost the school very little. The vegetables could even be sold at the summer fair to raise money for charity.

I would be very grateful if you could consider our idea. Our class would be happy to present a full plan to you at a time that suits you. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Laila Hassan (Year 6B)

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5: every task point has its own developed paragraph: why (paragraph 2), how it is organised (paragraph 3), who can help (paragraph 4). The tone is polite and respectful from start to finish, and the writer thinks about the headteacher's worries (cost, organisation).
Vocabulary 3/3: precise, formal words: on behalf of, outdoor classroom, organised, rota, donate, consider, grateful.
Structure 7/7: full formal layout (sender's address and date top right, the reader's name, job and school on the left, Dear Mrs Fawzy, → Yours sincerely, because the name is known, full name on the next line). The purpose is stated in the first sentence, each paragraph opens with a clear topic sentence, and formal linking words join the ideas (At the moment, Furthermore, As a result).
Grammar & punctuation 7/7: full forms only (I am, would), a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences (Many people have already offered to help. / I would be very grateful if you could consider our idea.), correct conditionals with could and would and a pair of commas for extra information (Mr Hamdy, our science teacher, has…).
Spelling 3/3: grateful, organised, vegetables, sincerely, February, healthily, charity, all correct.

10. Common mistakes

Mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
Writing "Hi, Salma" or putting How are you? on the same line as the greeting	The greeting is a layout feature; it must stand alone.	Hi Salma, (no comma after Hi) on one line. How are you? starts the next paragraph.
"Love Youssef" on one line, or the full name in an informal letter	Wrong sign-off layout.	Love, (comma) on one line, then Youssef on the next line.
Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours sincerely,	The sign-off does not match the greeting.	Dear Sir or Madam, → Yours faithfully, / Dear Mrs Fawzy, → Yours sincerely,
Short forms and slang in a formal letter (I'm, gonna, cool)	The tone is wrong for the reader, so Creation of texts drops.	I am, going to, excellent.
Forgetting one task point	Creation of texts cannot reach the top band.	Number the points and tick them off as you write.
One giant paragraph	Structure of texts stays low.	One task point = one paragraph.
Writing your name in the address	It is not part of a British address.	Your name goes only after the sign-off.

11. Checklist before you hand in

I chose the right type: informal (someone I know) or formal (someone in charge or a stranger).
My address and the date are top right. In a formal letter, the reader's name and address are on the left.
My greeting is on its own line with a comma.
My opening paragraph does the right job (informal: How are you? + sorry + reason / formal: I am writing to…).
Every task point has its own paragraph with at least two details.
My tone stays the same from the greeting to the sign-off.
My sign-off is on its own line with a comma, and my name is on the next line (first name for informal, full name for formal).
I checked full stops, capital letters, apostrophes and the spelling of sincerely / faithfully.

كيف تحصل على الدرجة الكاملة في الخطاب

اقرأ السؤال وحدِّد: هل الخطاب لشخص تعرفه (Informal) أم لمدير أو جهة رسمية (Formal)؟
اكتب التحية في سطر مستقل وبعدها فاصلة، مثل: Dear Salma, ولا تضع فاصلة بعد كلمة Hi.
في الخطاب غير الرسمي ابدأ بـ How are you? واسأل عن أحوال القارئ، ثم اعتذر لأنك لم تكتب منذ مدة طويلة واذكر السبب.
اكتب فقرة مستقلة لكل نقطة في السؤال، وأضف تفاصيل، فجملة واحدة لا تكفي.
في الختام اكتب Love, في سطر، واسمك الأول فقط في السطر التالي. وفي الخطاب الرسمي: Dear Sir or Madam مع Yours faithfully، والاسم المعروف مع Yours sincerely.

12. Practice tasks

Task A (informal): Your best friend has moved to a new school in Alexandria. Write a letter to your friend. You should: • tell them some news from your class • ask about their new school • suggest a plan for the next holiday. Write a quick plan.
Show answer
Layout: address + date top right, Dear Karim, on one line. P1: How are you? Is Alexandria fun? Sorry for not writing sooner (football tournament every afternoon). P2: class news (new science teacher, the class trip to the Fayoum desert, a funny moment). P3: questions (new friends, teachers, is the school bigger than ours?). P4: holiday plan (stay with us for a week, cycling in the park, a football match). P5: write back soon, regards to your parents. Sign-off: Your friend, / Omar. Words to use: hilarious, unforgettable, I can't wait. Punctuation: brackets for extra information, a colon before an explanation.
Task B (formal): The swings in your local park are broken. Write a letter to the park manager (you do not know his or her name). You should: • describe the problem • explain why it matters to children • suggest what should be done. Which greeting and sign-off will you use? What goes in each paragraph?
Show answer
Greeting: Dear Sir or Madam, → sign-off: Yours faithfully, then full name. P1: I am writing to complain about the broken swings in … Park. P2: the problem (two swings have snapped chains, one seat is cracked, it has been like this for a month). P3: why it matters (younger children could be hurt, families have stopped coming, the park is the only play area nearby). P4: suggestion (repair the swings, check the playground every month, put up a sign until it is safe). P5: I would be grateful if you could… Thank you… I look forward to hearing from you.
Correct the layout: "Hi, Laila how are you? … Love Youssef Hassan."
Show answer
Hi Laila, (no comma after Hi, a comma after the name) on its own line. How are you? begins the next line. Ending: Love, on its own line with a comma, then Youssef on the next line (first name only in an informal letter).
A pupil writes: "Dear Sir or Madam, I'm writing cos the library is always closed and it's sooo unfair!!! Yours sincerely, Karim." Give four corrections.
Show answer
1) I'm → I am and cos → because (formal tone). 2) sooo unfair!!! → very disappointing. (one full stop, no slang). 3) Yours sincerely → Yours faithfully, because the greeting is Dear Sir or Madam. 4) Karim → full name (Karim Adel) on the line below the sign-off.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction