Difference Between Formal and Informal Letter

Letters are a form of verbal and written communication, which contains information or message, send by one party to another, to convey the message. It is sent by one party to another, to provide certain important information. There are two types of letters, i.e. formal letters and informal letters. The formal letter is written for business or professional purposes with a specific objective in mind. It uses simple language, that can be easy to read and interpret.

On the contrary, informal letters are written to friends and relative for personal communication and uses a casual or an emotional tone. The article excerpt presents you all the important differences between formal and informal letters in a detailed manner.

Content: Formal Vs Informal Letters

1. Comparison Chart
2. Definition
3. Key Differences
4. Conclusion

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison	Formal Letter	Informal Letter
Meaning	A formal letter is a letter, written in formal language, in the stipulated format, for official purpose.	A letter written in an friendly manner, to someone you are familiar with, is called informal letter.
Objective	Professional Communication	Personal Communication
Format	Written in prescribed format only.	No prescribed format.
Written in	First person - Business letters, third person - others.	First, second or third person.
Written to	Business, college/institute, employer, organizations, etc.	Friends, family, acquaintances etc.
Voice	Passive	Active
Sentences	Long and complex	Short and simple
Size	Concise	Large or concise
Contractions and Abbreviations	Avoided	Used

Definition of Formal Letters

A formal letter is any letter written in the professional language, with a prescribed format for a formal purpose, i.e. it can be a recommendation letter, enquiry letter, complaint letter, cover letter and so on. All business letters are formal, but vice versa is not possible. Such letters are used for a variety of reasons like a formal invitation, proposal, reference, making a complaint or inquiry, applying for a job. While writing a formal letter one should keep in mind the following things:

• It should be in specified format.
• It should avoid the use of unnecessary words.
• It should be straight to the point.
• It should be relevant and objective.
• It should be complex and thorough.
• It should be polite, even if it is a complaint letter.
• It should be free from any mistakes, i.e. grammatical or spelling.

There are three types of formal letters, i.e. business letters, letters for outlining civic problems and job applications.

Definition of Informal Letters

An informal letter is a letter written to someone; we know fairly well. The letter can be used for some reasons like conveying message, news, giving advice, congratulate recipient, request information, asking questions, etc. It is a personal letter, written to whom you are familiar with, like friends, siblings, parents or any other closed one. There is no specific format prescribed for writing this letter.

While writing an informal letter, one can afford to be friendly, and make use personal or emotional tone. Slang or colloquial terms, codes, abbreviations, etc. can also be used at the time of writing it, depending on the familiarity with the recipient.

Conclusion

So, before start writing letter, first of all, you should identify, Who is your recipient? If you are having a professional relationship with the recipient, then you should go for a formal letter, whereas if the recipient is someone very close to you or you know the recipient well, then the informal letter is the right choice for you.