Introduction:
Informal letter writing is a key component of the WAEC English Language examination. It assesses your ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with individuals you have a personal relationship with, such as friends and family members. Mastery of this skill is essential for achieving a high score in the essay section.
Key Concepts:
1. Understanding Informal Letters:
An informal letter is written to someone you are familiar with, like a friend, sibling, or parent. The tone is conversational, and the language used is less formal compared to official correspondence.
2. Structure of an Informal Letter:
- Writer’s Address and Date: Positioned at the top right corner of the page. Include your full address and the date you are writing the letter.
- Salutation: Begin with “Dear” followed by the recipient’s first name or relationship to you (e.g., Dear John, Dear Sister). End the salutation with a comma.
- Introduction: Start by inquiring about the recipient’s well-being and state the purpose of your letter.
- Body: Divide the content into paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or idea. Use a friendly and engaging tone.
- Conclusion: Summarize your main points and express hope or anticipation for a reply.
- Closing: Use phrases like “Yours sincerely,” “Yours affectionately,” or “Best regards,” followed by your first name.
3. Language and Style:
- Use a conversational tone with contractions (e.g., I’m, can’t, won’t).
- Incorporate idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms appropriate for the recipient.
- Maintain clarity and coherence throughout the letter.
4. Common Topics for WAEC Informal Letters:
- Describing recent experiences or events.
- Sharing future plans or aspirations.
- Advising a friend or family member on a particular issue.
- Expressing opinions or feelings about a situation.
Study Tips:
- Practice Regularly: Write informal letters on various topics to enhance your writing skills.
- Read Sample Letters: Analyze well-written informal letters to understand effective techniques and styles.
- Expand Your Vocabulary: Learn new words and expressions to make your letters more engaging.
- Seek Feedback: Have teachers or peers review your letters and provide constructive criticism.
Conclusion:
Mastering informal letter writing is crucial for excelling in the WAEC English Language examination. By understanding the structure, practicing regularly, and refining your language skills, you can effectively convey your thoughts and achieve a high score.
Past WAEC questions on informal letter writing are available below for you to study with.
This part of your English language exam is to test your ability to use English as an effective means of communication in a given situation. It tests your ability to express yourself clearly and coherently in a manner appropriate to the audience, purpose, topic and situation.
You will always see that these essays covers are wide variety of writing skills, such as argumentation, narration, exposition, description and imagination. Your answer should not be less than 450 words so choose two or three aspect of the essay writing and master them.
To Assess the length of your essay (450 words), check to see how many words you have in each line of your page and see the number of lines you can have to get to 450 words. Example:
13 words per line = 35 lines
12 words per line = 38 lines
11 words per line = 41 lines
10 words per line = 45 lines
9 words per line = 50 lines
This continues depending on how many words you have in a line on your page like 6 words = 75 lines etc.
Letter Writing: Informal
1. You are about to graduate from secondary school and you held the position of Library Prefect. Write a Letter to your friend telling him/her your experiences and how they have contributed to ‘your life in a positive way.
2. You are dissatisfied with some practices in your school. Write a letter to your friend in another school discussing at least three of these practices and the improvement you desire.
3. Your father has just built a new house for the family. Write a letter to your elder brother who lives abroad, describing the new house and the prestige it has accorded your family.
4. A friend of yours wants to study in your school and has written to you for information and advice. Write a reply to him, telling him all that he needs to know about the school.
5. Write a letter to your friend in another school giving him/her three reasons why your school has been excelling in academic work.
6. A friend of yours who has been living in Europe for some years has written to invite you to join him. Write a reply to his letter giving at least three reasons why you would like to remain in your country.
7. Your school fees have been increased astronomically and your father has threatened to transfer you to another school. Write a letter to him giving him at least three reasons why you would like to remain in your present school.
8. You have spent about six weeks in your school. Write a letter to your father telling him about your experiences so far.
9. You are about to leave secondary school and a friend of yours who is attending school in another town has written to enquire about what you wish to do after leaving school. Write a reply to him explaining your plans.
10. You have recently moved into a new neighborhood with your parents. Write a letter to your sister who is studying overseas giving, at least, three reasons for disliking the new place.
11. Your brother who is in third year in another school has written to confide in you that he is about to stop schooling and go into business. Write a letter to him advising him against his decision.
12. Write a letter to your friend in another school telling him or her the valuable lessons you learnt during a recent excursion.
13. Write a letter to your friend in another school telling him or her about your future career and how it will be beneficial to your country.
14. Your friend who resides in another country wants to study in your school and has written for information and advice. Write a letter to him, telling him all that he needs to know about the school.
