format for letter to the Editor

You write a Letter to the Editor, when:

• you agree or disagree with a story, article, news item, editorial stance, or other letter writer

• you have an opinion about a topic of current national or local interest

• you want to correct published information

• you want to reach a large number of people with information that you think would interest them

How to begin?

Before you begin remember that you are writing to a person you do not know. In the first sentence, refer to the issue that prompted your letter. (Remember! Here you will have to assume about a situation given to you by your examiner in the question) e.g. (“the Nov. 1 editorial opposing a new hockey arena”). This is to prepare the readers immediately of what you’re talking about or what the letter refers to.

• State your position whether you agree or disagree. (“I agree with,” “I oppose,” “I question”).

• Briefly support, defend, or explain your position. Letters to the editors are expected to be trimmed and to the point. Moreover, it is requisite in the directed writing section that the word limit should not be exceeded. Thus, do not exceed the word limit and aim to write up to 300 words otherwise your marks will be deducted.

Body of the letter

• Instead of rambling about your feelings or personal impressions include facts (statistics, studies, articles, items of record, quotes). Mention some specific knowledge connected with an issue. This will make the reader know how focused you are about the issue and would further support your argument or opinion. Do not forget to mention if there is any action you want readers to take (form neighbourhood block watches, call legislators, boycott a product, sign a petition, stop littering.

Closing of the Letter

• Close with a startling, memorable, or powerful sentence, if possible— something that makes the reader want to go back and read your letter again.

• Give your first and last name, or at least two initials and a last name, address, and daytime phone number.  Sign your name. Because letters to editors must close with a signature as almost all publications insist on this.

Things that you should NOT write and say.

• Don’t begin your letter with, “You won’t dare print this letter.” (I have often come across students using such threatening remarks in their letters which do not show wit on the writer’s part. Such sentences convey a message of rudeness.

• Avoid whining (“It’s not fair,” “It always happens to me”). It does not make interesting reading.

• Don’t continue to brag about your acts or the organization you are associated

• Avoid half-truths or inaccuracies. At times you would be writing on an assumed issue. In that case you will also have to assume certain facts to support your statement. Hence, the examples or stats should be intelligently cited so that they should gel harmoniously well with your stance. Letters are subject to editing for length, libel, good taste, newspaper style, and accuracy.

• Don’t write anything that can be proved malicious (even if it’s true) and you want to be very vocal about the issue but in letters to editors anything libelous are not published

• Don’t use threats, bullying language, pejorative adjectives (“stupid,” “ridiculous,” “redneck,” “bleeding heart liberal”), or stereotypes (“what can you expect from a lawyer,” “labour unions have always looked out for themselves first,” “another anti-male feminist”). Generally such sentences are very moving because certain readers could empathise your sentiments. Most, however, will see, quite properly, that such language indicates a weak argument. Margaret Thatcher once said, “I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”

• Don’t end your letter with “Think about it!” If a letter is written to an editor on a certain issue and such letters are written with an intention to be published so the implication is pretty obvious that the reader wants the people to think about it. Be polite, factual, firm. Offer to supply correct data, proofs of your assertion, and phone numbers to call for verification.

• Do not get carried away with polite words and sentences because “nice” letters don’t often get published; this kind of letter needs an extra dash of humor, wit, or colour

1. Try to begin with Dear Sir/Madam.The examiner is concerned with how the candidate begins his/her letter and structures it and it would not make much of a difference in his marking.

2. Do not waste time thinking where to write the address…just begin!

3. Do not exceed the word limit..(otherwise you will lose marks)

4. Focus on your audience…this will help you maintain your tone and register.The examiner would also want the candidate to use an accurate ‘register’ for the letter. Register means the use of accurate words and vocabulary for an appropriate audience. In this case of formal and friendly letters may have a variation in tone and use of words.

5. Always answer all the rubrics mentioned in the question. Provide complete information the examiner seeks.

6. Try to keep your vocabulary simple.

7. Before you begin you must beware of the  rules applied for formal and informal registers. For example candidates can use contractions in a friendly letter but it is strictly refrained in a formal letter.

8. End your letter nicely.

9. Always proofread your work for spell checks and to avoid silly grammatical errors.