Letters and Emails (KS1–KS2)

Friendly vs Formal

Friendly

Hi/Hello + Name
Chatty tone; share news and feelings
Sign off: From/Best wishes, + Name

Formal

Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Ms Khan
Polite tone; clear purpose
Sign off: Yours sincerely/faithfully

Try It

Write a friendly email to a cousin about your weekend.
Write a formal letter asking the headteacher for a new club.

Step-by-step Structure

Friendly letter/email

Greeting: "Hi Sam,"
Opening: One sentence to say why you are writing: "I had a great weekend."
Body: 2–3 short sentences with details.
Closing line: "See you soon!"
Sign off: "From, Mia"

Formal letter/email

Address/greeting: "Dear Ms Smith,"
Opening: State your purpose in one sentence.
Body: 2–3 clear sentences giving reasons or details.
Polite closing: "Yours sincerely,"
Sign name: Full name on the next line.

Sample Templates & Examples

Friendly (example):

Hi Grandma, I went to the park on Saturday. I saw ducks and fed them bread. I had ice cream and it was tasty. See you next week! From, Ava

Formal (example):

Dear Headteacher, I am writing to ask if we could start a gardening club after school. Many children like plants and would learn responsibility. Please could you let us know if this is possible? Yours sincerely, Emily Jones

Friendly email (short):

Hello Tom, I tried the new game you told me about — it was great! Would you like to play at lunchtime tomorrow? From, Mia

Formal note (short):

Dear Coach, Could we have extra football training on Fridays because many of us want to practice? Thank you for considering this. Yours sincerely, James

Practice tasks

Write a short friendly email telling a friend about your favourite game.
Write a short formal note asking your teacher for extra library time, using polite language.

Checklist before sending

Is your opening sentence clear (why you are writing)?
Have you used the right tone — friendly or formal?
Did you check spelling and punctuation?
Did you include a polite sign-off and your name?

Sentence starters & paragraph plan

Use these starters to structure an email or letter. Try writing one short sentence for each part to keep the message clear.

Friendly plan

Greeting: "Hi [Name],"
Opening sentence: "I hope you're well. I wanted to tell you about..."
Main details: 1–2 short sentences about an event or feeling.
Closing line: "See you soon!" + Sign off.

Formal plan

Greeting: "Dear [Title/Name],"
Opening: "I am writing to..." (state the purpose)
Body: 2–3 clear sentences with reasons or facts.
Polite closing: "Yours sincerely," + Full name.

Activity: write a 4-sentence friendly email using the friendly plan. Swap with a partner to check whether each part is present.

Common mistakes & editing tips

Wrong tone: Always think who will read the writing and choose words that fit (friendly vs formal).
Long or mixed-up sentences: Keep one idea per sentence so readers can follow easily.
Missing subject or sign-off: For formal notes include a full name; for emails include a clear greeting.
For emails, remember to add a subject line that says what your message is about (e.g., "Library club request").

Teacher suggestion: use two-colour editing—one colour for spelling/punctuation, another for tone/organization. Model editing on a projector and let pupils practise on short drafts.