Formal and Informal Letters: The Ultimate Guide to Format and Tone

by Wisdom K.E Hammond · April 30, 2026

Students preparing for BECE or WASSCE across West Africa are expected to master how to write Formal and informal letters before they enter the exam hall. However, students can get confused or mix up the features, leading to loss of marks. This is one of the reasons why the differences and similarities between Formal and informal letters have been simplified in this post.

The choice between a Formal and Informal letter is determined entirely by the relationship between the writer and the recipient. Formal letters are used for official business, while informal letters are reserved for family, friends, and close acquaintances.

Critical Formatting Requirements

A formal letter is strictly structured. It must include two addresses (writer and recipient), a formal salutation such as “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madam,” and a professional subscription like “Yours faithfully” followed by a signature and full name. In contrast, an informal letter is more relaxed, omitting the recipient’s address and using casual greetings like “Hey Benjamin.”

READ: Letter to the Editor vs. Article for Publication: Key Differences and Similarities

Details	Formal Letter	Informal Letter
1. Writer’s Address	Yes	Yes
2. Date	Yes	Yes
3. Recipient’s Address	Yes	No
4. Salutation	Yes (Formal) Eg. Dear Sir	Yes (Casual) Eg. Hi Akos
5. Title	Yes	No
6. Introduction	Yes (No well-being)	Yes (Well-being permitted)
7. Body	Yes	Yes
8. Conclusion	Yes	Yes
9. Subscription	Yours faithfully, followed by signature, full name, and position if any in a bracket.	Yours ever, or Best regards etc followed by only your first name
10. Jargon	No jargons permitted	Yes, jargon is permitted
11. Contracted Forms	No contacted forms of words such as “can’t,” etc.	Yes, contacted forms of words such as “can’t,” etc., are permitted.
12. Idioms & Proverbs	No	Yes

Essential Writing Tips On Formal and Informal Letter Differences

Formal Introductions: Do not ask about the well-being of the receiver. Instead, clearly state the reason for writing based on the question.
Informal Freedom: You are permitted to ask about the family, friends, or even pets of the receiver.
Language Use: Formal letters must avoid jargon, contracted forms (like “don’t”), and slang. Informal letters allow for the use of idioms, proverbs, and phrasal verbs to create a friendly tone.