Formal letters & reports
What formal letters & reports means
This skill teaches you how to write formal letters and reports in the correct style, layout and tone. It matters because clear formal writing helps you communicate properly in school tasks, applications and other official situations.
What you will practise
- Choose the correct opening and closing for a formal letter
- Use a polite, objective tone throughout the writing
- Arrange addresses, dates, salutation and ending in the right order
- Write clear report points with facts, not opinions
- Match the closing to whether the recipient is named or unnamed
Before you start
You should already be comfortable with sentence structure, punctuation and paragraphing. It also helps to know how to write complete sentences and simple descriptive or factual statements.
Not confident yet? Work through The argumentative essay first.
Worked example
One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.
If a formal letter begins “Dear Sir,” it should end with:
- Yours sincerely,
- Yours faithfully,
- Cheers,
- Your friend,
Working: When the name is unknown (Dear Sir/Madam) the correct closing is “Yours faithfully”.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using a casual tone. Keep the language polite, factual and professional.
- Mixing up closings. Use Yours faithfully when the name is unknown.
- Using Yours faithfully for named recipients. Use Yours sincerely when you know the person's name.
- Adding personal feelings in a report. Stick to facts, observations and clear details.
Curriculum and exam alignment
This topic usually comes up in SHS English work on formal writing, where learners practise letters and reports as part of composition skills. It also supports preparation for WASSCE by building accurate conventions for formal responses.
Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.
Related skills
Other SHS Essay & Formal Writing skills in English, at the same point in the course.
Other English topics
Related study guides
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Exams that assess formal letters & reports
Senior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the English topics that appear on it.
How this page was produced
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Practise formal letters & reports
6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.