English LanguageICSE Class 8 · Chapter 4

ICSE Class 8 Letter Writing: Formal and Informal Letters with Models

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

ICSE Class 8 letter writing covers formal letters (to a principal, editor or official) and informal letters (to family and friends) in the prescribed format. A formal letter has the sender's address, date, receiver's address, 'Dear Sir/Madam', a purposeful body and 'Yours faithfully'; an informal one has your address, date, a warm greeting and a personal closing.

What Letter Writing is about

The CISCE English curriculum for Class VIII asks you to write letters, formal and informal, using the prescribed format. CISCE sets no Class VIII paper, so your school sets the letter question, but the format you learn now is the one used in ICSE Classes IX and X, where the letter is Question 2 of English Paper 1.

CISCE has published suggested formats for ICSE letters (Specimen Questions, English Language 2026), in block and indented layouts, with the note that any one format may be followed. Two points surprise many pupils:

the CISCE formal letter has no subject line;
the formal salutation is simply 'Dear Sir,' or 'Dear Madam,'.

A letter is judged on three things: format (every part in the right place), content (every point the question asks for, developed with detail) and expression (tone and language that suit the reader). A formal letter to a principal and an informal letter to a cousin may describe the same event, but they look and sound completely different.

Weightage: CISCE publishes no question paper or weightage for Class VIII English; your school sets and marks the letter question. In the ICSE Class X pattern, the letter carries 10 marks.Source: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), RDCD 2016, English (Class VIII); CISCE ICSE English syllabus and Specimen Questions 2026

Key concepts

Informal letter format

For parents, relatives and friends. In order:
1. Your address (house, street, locality, city with PIN), one part per line.
2. Date in full: '12th January 2027'.
3. Salutation: 'Dear Nani,' / 'My dear Arjun,'.
4. Body in paragraphs: a warm opening linked to the reason for writing, the points the question asks for, a closing paragraph.
5. Subscription: 'With love,' / 'Yours lovingly,' / 'Yours affectionately,'.
6. Your first name.
There is no receiver's address and no subject line.

Worked example

Write the heading, salutation and subscription of a letter to your elder brother in a hostel.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Your address and date first.
Affectionate salutation; affectionate subscription; first name.

Answer: 27, Park Avenue,
Salt Lake,
Kolkata – 700 064.
12th January 2027.

Dear Bhaiya,
...
Yours lovingly,
Priya

Formal letter format

For a principal, editor, municipal officer, company or other official. In order:
1. Sender's address and date.
2. Receiver's designation and address: 'The Principal, / St. Mary's School, / ...'.
3. Salutation: 'Dear Sir,' / 'Dear Madam,' (or 'Dear Sir/Madam,' if you do not know).
4. Body: purpose in the first paragraph, details in the middle, a polite request or closing at the end.
5. 'Yours faithfully,' (you may write 'Thanking you,' on the line before).
6. Full name (and class and section if writing to your principal).
No subject line appears in CISCE's suggested format.

Worked example

Write the opening lines (up to the salutation) of a letter to the Editor of a newspaper.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Sender's address and date.
Receiver: 'The Editor', newspaper name, address.
'Dear Sir,' or 'Dear Sir/Madam,'.

Answer: B-14, Shanti Nagar,
Jaipur – 302 006.
3rd February 2027.

The Editor,
The Daily Herald,
M.I. Road,
Jaipur – 302 001.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Salutation and subscription must match

The pair shows that you know the mode of the letter:

Formal: 'Dear Sir,' / 'Dear Madam,' → 'Yours faithfully,' + full name.
Informal: 'Dear Didi,' / 'My dear Kabir,' → 'Yours affectionately,', 'With love,' + first name.

Avoid 'Respected Sir' in a formal letter (CISCE's format uses 'Dear Sir'), 'Your obedient student', and 'Your's' with an apostrophe (it is always 'Yours').

Worked example

Correct: 'Respected Sir, ... Your's obediently, Rohan'.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Formal salutation: 'Dear Sir,'.
Formal close: 'Yours faithfully,' and full name.

Answer: 'Dear Sir, ... Yours faithfully, Rohan Kapoor'

Content: every point, with detail

Every letter question names its points: 'describe what happened', 'say how you felt', 'request permission and give reasons'. Underline each point and give it two or three specific details: names, places, dates, effects. In a complaint, describe the problem concretely (what, where, since when, its effects) and offer practical suggestions. A letter that only says 'Please look into the matter' is thin.

Worked example

Make this complaint specific: 'The road near our house is in bad condition. Please do something.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Where exactly? Since when? What effect?
A practical suggestion.

Answer: 'The stretch of Lake Road between the post office and the bus stand has had deep potholes since the July rains. Two cyclists have fallen this month, and school buses now take a long detour. I request that the potholes be filled before the school term begins and warning lights be placed until the repairs are done.'

Tone and opening lines

An informal letter can be chatty: contractions, questions, feelings ('You won't believe what happened!'). Avoid the stale opening 'I am fine and hope you are also fine.' A formal letter is polite, clear and impersonal: no contractions, slang or rows of exclamation marks. Useful formal openings:

'I am writing to bring to your notice...'
'I wish to request your permission to...'
'Through the columns of your newspaper, I wish to draw attention to...'

Useful formal closings: 'I hope you will consider my request favourably.' / 'I look forward to prompt action in this matter.'

Worked example

Make formal: 'Hey, the canteen food is super bad these days, sort it out!!'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Remove slang and exclamation marks.
State the problem politely with detail.

Answer: 'I wish to bring to your notice that the quality of food in the school canteen has declined over the past month; several pupils have found the snacks stale.'

Letter Writing in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Matching tone to reader

Suppose you need to tell both your best friend and your class teacher that you will miss a group project meeting.

How would the two messages differ?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Friend: casual, apology with a joke, quick plan.
Teacher: polite, reason, date, how you will make up.

Answer: The facts are the same; the tone, words and structure change with the reader. That is exactly the difference between informal and formal letters.

Memory hook: Who reads it decides how it reads.

Specific complaints get results

Imagine two residents complain about a leaking water pipe: one writes 'water problem in our area', the other gives the street, house number, date the leak started and the water lost each day.

Which complaint is likely to be acted on first, and why?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The vague complaint needs a visit just to find the problem.
The specific one tells the repair team exactly where to go and how urgent it is.

Answer: The specific complaint. Officials act faster when a letter states what, where, since when and what should be done; vague letters get filed away.

Memory hook: What, where, since when, what next.

Format signals respect

Imagine applying for a summer course by sending an email that starts 'hi' and ends with no name.

What impression does this give, and how should it be fixed?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Missing greeting and name look careless.
A proper salutation, clear purpose and full name show seriousness.

Answer: Format is the first thing a reader notices; a correct layout tells them you are serious and respectful before they read a word of content.

Memory hook: Format is your handshake.

Topics in this chapter

Formal and Informal Letters: Format, Tone and Content

How the school exam asks Letter Writing

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Informal: sharing news or an experience	'Write a letter to your grandfather describing your first day at a new school.'	Warm opening, the experience in detail with feelings, what you look forward to, affectionate close.
Informal: advice, thanks or invitation	'Write to a friend who is nervous about moving to a new city, giving advice.' / 'Thank your aunt for a birthday gift.'	Respond to the situation, give two or three specific suggestions or details, end encouragingly.
Formal: request to the principal	'Write to your principal requesting permission to start a photography club.'	Purpose first; reasons and plan (who, when, where, cost); a polite closing; class and section under your name.
Formal: complaint or letter to the editor	'Write to the municipal officer about waterlogging in your area' / 'to the editor about stray dogs near schools.'	Problem in detail (where, since when, effects), practical suggestions, firm but courteous tone.

Tricks to remember Letter Writing

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Faithful to strangers, loving to family
'Dear Sir' goes with 'Yours faithfully'; 'Dear Didi' goes with 'With love'.
Use it when: Choosing the subscription.
Yours has no apostrophe
Its, hers, ours, yours: possessive pronouns never borrow an apostrophe.
Use it when: The subscription line.
Formal ladder: S-D-R-S-B-Y-N
Sender, Date, Receiver, Salutation, Body, Yours faithfully, Name: 'Seven Ducks Ran Swiftly By Yellow Nests'.
Use it when: Order of a formal letter.

Letter Writing: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Model informal letter · 10 marks · Long answerExam level

Write a letter to your grandmother describing a school trip you went on and what you enjoyed most.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Informal format: your address, date, 'Dear Nani,'.
Opening linked to the purpose.
Trip details: where, when, what you did; the best part with feelings.
Close warmly; first name.

Answer: 45, Gandhi Road,
Civil Lines,
Nagpur – 440 001.
18th November 2026.

Dear Nani,

I have just come back from the most exciting trip of my life, and you are the first person I wanted to tell about it!

Last Friday our class went to the Pench National Park with our science teacher, Mr Joshi. We left school at five in the morning, sleepy and grumbling, but everyone woke up when our open jeep entered the forest. We saw spotted deer, a family of langurs and a peacock that spread its tail as if it knew it had an audience.

The best moment came in the afternoon. Our guide suddenly signalled us to be silent. About fifty metres away, a tigress walked slowly across the track, stopped, looked straight at us and disappeared into the tall grass. For a few seconds nobody even breathed. I will never forget her calm golden eyes.

Mr Joshi told us that the forest is home to tigers only because people protect it. I have decided to write my project on wildlife conservation.

I miss your stories and your kheer. Please take care of your knee, and tell Nanu that I took lots of photographs to show him.

With love,
Aditi

Example 2: Model formal letter: request · 10 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Write a letter to your principal requesting permission to organise a book donation drive for a village school.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Formal format with receiver's address; 'Dear Madam,'.
Purpose first.
Plan: who, when, where, how books will be sorted and delivered.
Polite request; 'Yours faithfully,'; name, class and section.

Answer: Class VIII-B,
St. Anne's High School,
Pune – 411 001.
5th December 2026.

The Principal,
St. Anne's High School,
Pune – 411 001.

Dear Madam,

I am writing on behalf of the Readers' Club of Class VIII to request your permission to organise a book donation drive for the government primary school at Velhe, which has no library.

We plan to collect storybooks, dictionaries and picture books in good condition from pupils of all classes between 10th and 20th January. Collection boxes would be placed outside the school library, and club members would sort the books during the activity period under the guidance of Ms D'Souza, our librarian. Our class teacher has agreed to arrange a visit to Velhe on a Saturday to hand over the books.

The drive would help children who have never owned a book and would encourage our own pupils to share and care. It would not disturb classes or require any expense from the school.

I hope you will consider our request favourably.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Karan Mehta
(Class VIII-B)

Example 3: Complaint with suggestions · 6 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Write the body paragraphs of a letter to the Municipal Commissioner about garbage piling up near your school.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Para 1: purpose and location.
Para 2: details: since when, effects on pupils and residents.
Para 3: practical suggestions.
Para 4: polite closing.

Answer: I wish to bring to your notice the serious problem of garbage piling up beside the main gate of Modern Public School, Sector 9.

For the past three weeks, the municipal truck has not collected waste from the bin at this spot. The garbage now spills onto the pavement, stray dogs scatter it across the road, and the smell reaches our classrooms. Pupils have to step onto the busy road to avoid the heap, which is dangerous during school hours.

I request that the garbage be cleared immediately and collected daily, that a larger covered bin be placed away from the school gate, and that a notice warning against dumping be put up.

I hope you will take prompt action in this matter for the safety and health of the pupils and residents.

Example 4: Format errors · 5 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Find five format errors in this formal letter outline: 'Rohan Gupta / 12, MG Road, Delhi / Date: 5/1/27 / To the principal / Subject: Leave / Respected Ma'am, ... Your's obediently, Rohan.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Check order: name never above the address.
Date in full.
Receiver: designation and address on separate lines.
Salutation and subscription.

Answer: (1) The name is written above the address; it belongs only at the end. (2) The date should be written in full, e.g. '5th January 2027'. (3) 'To the principal' should be 'The Principal,' with the school's address on separate lines. (4) 'Respected Ma'am' should be 'Dear Madam,'. (5) 'Your's obediently, Rohan' should be 'Yours faithfully,' followed by the full name 'Rohan Gupta'. (CISCE's format also has no subject line.)

Example 5: Same news, two letters · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

You have been selected to represent your state in a junior chess tournament. Write the opening paragraph of (a) a letter to your uncle and (b) a letter to your principal requesting leave for the tournament.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(a) Excited, personal, contractions allowed.
(b) Formal: purpose and dates, no contractions.

Answer: (a) 'Dear Mamaji, guess what? I've been selected for the state team at the National Junior Chess Championship! I still can't believe it, and I wanted you to be the first to know, since you taught me how to play.' (b) 'I am writing to request leave from 14th to 20th February 2027, as I have been selected to represent Maharashtra at the National Junior Chess Championship to be held in Chennai.'

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Letter (school paper). CISCE's ICSE marking looks for format, content and expression; CISCE sets no Class VIII scheme, so this split is indicative. (10 marks)

Step	Marks
Format: addresses, date, salutation, subscription, name in the right places	2
Content: every point the question asks for, developed with detail	4
Expression: tone suited to the reader, paragraphing, vocabulary, accuracy	4

Where students lose marks in Letter Writing

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Mixing formal and informal features
Pupils remember parts of both formats.
Wrong working
Dear Sir, ... Yours lovingly, Neha
Right working
Dear Sir, ... Yours faithfully, Neha Sharma
Do this: Decide the mode first, then use only that column of the format.
Usually costs: Format marks.
Mistake: 'Your's' with an apostrophe
Confusion with possessive nouns like 'Rahul's'.
Do this: Possessive pronouns (yours, hers, its, ours) never take an apostrophe.
Usually costs: Format and accuracy marks.
Mistake: Missing a point the question asks for
Pupils write a general letter and forget, e.g., the 'suggestions' or 'how you felt'.
Do this: Underline each point in the question and tick it off after writing.
Usually costs: Content marks.
Mistake: Rude or emotional tone in a complaint
Pupils mistake anger for firmness.
Wrong working
You people never do your job!!!
Right working
Despite repeated complaints, the problem has not been addressed.
Do this: Let facts make you firm; stay courteous.
Usually costs: Expression marks.
Mistake: Stale or empty openings
Pupils start with 'I am fine and hope you are also fine'.
Do this: Begin with the reason for writing or a warm, specific link.
Usually costs: Expression marks.

Practice questions on Letter Writing

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
Which subscription is correct for a letter to the Editor? (a) Yours lovingly (b) Your's faithfully (c) Yours faithfully (d) Your obedient reader
Hint
Formal letter; check the apostrophe.
Answer
(c) Yours faithfully
Q2 · 10 marks · Long answerExam level
Write a letter to a friend congratulating her on winning a state-level swimming competition and asking how she prepared.
Hint
Warm, specific praise; questions; your own news briefly.
Answer
Value points: informal format (your address, date, 'Dear Ishita,'); warm congratulations with a specific detail (event, medal); questions about training (hours, diet, coach); a line about yourself; encouraging close ('Keep making waves!'); 'With love,' and first name.
Q3 · 10 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a letter to your principal requesting that a water cooler be installed on the second floor of the senior wing.
Hint
Problem (where, effects), solution, polite request.
Answer
Value points: formal format with receiver's address; 'Dear Sir/Madam,'; purpose in paragraph 1; problem: pupils queue downstairs during short breaks, miss class time, especially in summer; suggestion: a cooler with a filter near the stairs, maintained by the school; polite closing; 'Yours faithfully,' full name, class and section.
Q4 · 10 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper about the dangers of loud music from loudspeakers during late-night functions in your area.
Hint
Effects on whom? What rules or solutions?
Answer
Value points: formal format, 'The Editor,' with address; purpose; effects on pupils studying for exams, elderly and sick people, pets; time limits and permitted noise levels to be enforced by local authorities; awareness among organisers; courteous close; 'Yours faithfully,' full name.
Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Rewrite this opening in a suitable informal tone: 'I am writing to inform you that I received the gift you sent.'
Hint
Warm and personal.
Answer
e.g. 'Thank you so much for the beautiful sketchbook! It arrived yesterday, and I've already filled three pages.'
Q6 · 10 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Your younger cousin spends too much time on video games. Write a letter advising him, without sounding like a lecture.
Hint
Share your own experience; give practical, friendly suggestions.
Answer
Value points: informal format; friendly opening; your own experience (e.g. how you cut down); two or three practical suggestions (time limits, outdoor games, a hobby, playing together at weekends); an encouraging tone; affectionate close.
Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Why is 'Please look into the matter' not enough as the content of a complaint letter? Rewrite it as a specific request about a broken street light.
Hint
What exactly should the official do, and where?
Answer
It is vague: it does not say what action is needed. Better: 'I request that the street light outside House No. 22, Nehru Nagar, which has not worked since 10th October, be repaired this week, and that all lights on the lane be checked, as the stretch is completely dark after 7 p.m.'

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What does an informal letter not have that a formal letter has?Show answer
The receiver's address.
2.What salutation does CISCE's formal letter format use?Show answer
'Dear Sir,' or 'Dear Madam,' (or 'Dear Sir/Madam,').
3.Does CISCE's suggested formal letter have a subject line?Show answer
No.
4.What name goes at the end of a formal letter?Show answer
Your full name (with class and section when writing to your principal).
5.Give a good opening for a formal request.Show answer
'I wish to request your permission to...'
6.What three things is a letter judged on?Show answer
Format, content and expression.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you write both formats from memory in the right order?
Can you match each salutation with its subscription?
Can you write a date in full ('5th January 2027')?
Can you open a formal letter with its purpose in one sentence?
Can you turn a vague complaint into a specific one with suggestions?
Can you write the same news in a formal and an informal tone?

Letter Writing: frequently asked questions

Should I use block or indented format?

CISCE's suggested formats say any one may be followed. Choose one and use it consistently.

Can I write 'Subject:' in a formal letter?

CISCE's suggested format has none. Your school may accept one, but either way, state the purpose clearly in the first sentence of the body.

How long should a letter be?

No length is fixed for Class VIII. Three to five well-developed paragraphs in the body (about 150-200 words) usually cover the points.

Is a letter to my class teacher formal or informal?

Formal. Any letter to a teacher, principal, official or organisation follows the formal format.

Based on: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), English (Class VIII); CISCE Specimen Questions, English Language 2026: suggested formats for letter, notice and e-mail; CISCE ICSE 2028 English (01) syllabus (Classes IX and X)