A semi-formal letter falls between a formal and an informal letter. In one of my articles, I describe a formal letter as one written for official purposes, while informal letters are written to friends. However, semi-formal letters are letters written to people who are strange or well-known. Examples include letters parents send to the school principal, letters written to teachers, family doctors, or bosses at work, etc.
You can only identify this type of letter by its features and language (ordinary speech). The language of this letter is more polite than informal letters.
Features of Semi-Formal Letter
- The writer’s address and date
- Salutation, e.g., Dear Dr. John, Dear Mrs. Olumide.
- Body of the letter
- Conclusion
- Complimentary clause
- Writer’s full name.
Writer’s address: This must appear at the top right-hand side of your letter, followed by the date.
Salutation: It comes immediately after the writer’s address. This is where you use Dear Dr Faith or Dear Mrs Gift.
Body of the letter: This is usually divided into three paragraphs: introduction, main body, and conclusion. The language used is not formal, and ordinary speech is acceptable.
Main body: This is where the message you want to convey in your letter will be, i.e., the main reason for writing the letter.
”Complimentary clause. This is where you close the letter. The usual complimentary closing is like ‘Yours sincerely.’ The format can be Yours sincerely, followed by your full name. You don’t need to put your signature in a semi-formal letter.’Complimentary clause. This is where you close the letter. The usual complimentary closing is like ‘Yours sincerely.’ The format can be Yours sincerely, followed by your full name. You don’t need to put your signature in a semi-formal letter.”Complimentary clause. This is where you close the letter. The usual complimentary closing is like ‘Yours sincerely.’ The format can be Yours sincerely, followed by your full name. You don’t need to put your signature in a semi-formal letter.’Complimentary clause. This is where you close the letter. The usual complimentary closing is like ‘Yours sincerely’. The format can be Yours sincerely, followed by your full name. You don’t need to put your signature in a semi-formal letter.
