The document provides guidance on writing personal letters, defining them as informal correspondences meant for friends or acquaintances. It outlines the structure of a personal letter, including the beginning (date and salutation), body (pleasantries, personal updates, and relevant topics), and closing (final thoughts and signature). Key language features and descriptors are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of personal expression and connection.

1. Learning Activity 1:
Personal Letter
Module 2 English for Personal Communication
Kode Modul: MBS2
Kamis, 16 September 2021
Anselmus Sudirman, M.Hum.

2. Definition
•A personal letter or a friendly letter is a
type of letter which concerns about
personal matter, and it is addressed to
a person who is known well.
•Personal letter may help you to
maintain and build personal
relationship with a person you know
well.

3. Purpose
•The purpose of personal letter
is to tell an important thing like
personal feelings, thoughts, or
experiences, which are meant
to be read by a specific person.

4. Generic Structure
1. Beginning the Letter
• Date the letter. If you're taking the trouble to write a
letter by hand, it's nice to add a date on the top left
corner of the paper.
• Many people save letters for years to come, and they like
to be able to see what day and year it was written to
reminisce about earlier times.
• Write out the date - for example, "May 18, 2020" - or
abbreviate it using only numbers indicating the month,
day and year.[1]

5. 2. Write a salutation. The beginning of a letter, whether
it's handwritten or in the form of an email, is called a
salutation.
• That's where you address the person to whom you're
writing by name - for example, "Dear Emily" or "Hello,
Skylar."
• Think about the nature of your relationship with the
letter recipient, as well as your own preferences and
style, and choose your greeting accordingly.[2]

6. .
•If you tend to like to write in a slightly
formal style, using "Dear" in your salutation
is a nice choice.
•It sounds typical, but think about it: calling
someone "dear" is actually very sweet, and
indicates that you care about him or her.
•However, you don't have to read into it;
"dear" is as appropriate for a letter to your
best friend as it is for a letter to an
acquaintance you just met.

7. .
•For a letter that is more casual in tone, consider
beginning it with "Hi, [name]" or "Hello, [name]."
This greeting is appropriate for a friend or relative,
but don't begin a business letter this way; it's a bit
too casual.
•Write a more personal greeting for someone with
whom you are intimate, or want to be. For
example, "Dearest [name]," "My [name]" or
"Sweet [name]."
•Be sure to end your greeting with a comma. It is
also formally correct to begin the body of the
letter on the next line.[3]

8. .
3. Drafting the Body
• Begin with some pleasantries. The first paragraph of a friendly
letter is usually warm and lighthearted.
• It's a way to set the tone of the letter, letting the recipient know
that what's to follow will be more friendly than businesslike or
serious.
• Use the first few lines to say an extended hello, tell a joke, or
reference the season. "How are you doing?" or "How have you
been?" are common ways to start a letter.
• Asking a question helps make the letter feel like part of a longer
conversation.
• If you'd like a reply to your letter, feel free to pepper it with
questions throughout.

9. • You can use the first paragraph to inquire more deeply about the
recipient's life.
• For example, "I hope little Julie has been enjoying kindergarten. I
can't believe she's gotten so big!"
• Referencing the time of year is another common letter opening.
Think of it as the equivalent to making small talk before you
launch into a deeper conversation.
• For example, "I hope you've been having a wonderful fall. The
trees in my neighborhood are more brilliant than they've ever
been before. I think we're in for a cold winter, though."

10. .
• Share news and personal details. Now it's time to get to the
meat of the letter, your purpose for writing it. Why are you
opening this correspondence?
• Do you want to get back in touch with a long lost friend, express
to someone that you are missing them, or thank them for helping
you out in some way?
• Be forthright, open, and articulate to communicate your message
effectively.
• Write about what's happening in your life. No matter what it
says, your letter will probably be appreciated, but the recipient
will feel much closer to you (and therefore the letter will be more
effective) if it's revealing.
• Tell what events have occurred, what emotions you've felt, and
what plans you have for the future.

11. •Don't create an airbrushed picture of your life; that
defeats the purpose of a friendly letter.
•Avoid a holiday newsletter-style update; your
friend will start skimming to the bottom if you just
list everything you've accomplished since your last
letter.
•You don't have to go too deep into your troubles,
but try to portray your life realistically.

12. .
• Reference topics that are relevant to your friend. What was
your friend up to last time you talked? Was she on the verge of
breaking up with her boyfriend? Was he in the middle of a
difficult season on the soccer team?
• Follow up by making references and asking questions to show
you're interested in your friend's life.
• You can also discuss topics of mutual interest. Write your
thoughts on art, politics, current events, or any other subject
that you'd discuss with your friend in person.
• Consider suggesting movies you've seen that you think your
friend would like, or books you've read that you want to
recommend.
• Sharing good information is always welcome in letters.

13. Closing the Letter
• Wrap it up. Write a final paragraph sending your friend or loved
one best wishes.
• The last paragraph is usually lighter in tone than the body, but it
should match the entire letter.
• Try to end the letter on a note that will leave your friend with
positive feelings.
• Reiterate the purpose of the letter. For example, if you invited
your friend to come to a party, write, "I hope you can come!"
• If you simply wanted to wish your friend a happy season, write,
"Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!" or something to that effect.
• Encourage your friend to write back. If you'd like a response,
write, "Hope to hear from you soon," or, "Please write back!"

14. .
• Write a closing. The closing you choose should be in keeping with
the feel of your letter, whether it is traditional or more casual in
tone.
• Like the salutation, it should be determined by your relationship
with the recipient.
• Follow the closing by signing your name.[4]If you want to write a
formal closing, consider "Sincerely," "Warmly," or "Best wishes.“
“kindest regards”
• If your letter is more casual in tone, try "Yours," "Take care," or
"Cheers."
• For a more intimate closing, choose "Love," "Much love," or
"Thinking of you.“

15. Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Friendly-
Letter#sample_Sample-Letters
• Consider including a postscript.
• A postscript, or PS, is often included at the end of friendly letters
as a way to add information that isn't important enough to merit
its own paragraph in the body of the letter.
• You could also write a playful joke, or leave it out altogether.
• In any case, make sure it matches your letter's tone and leaves
your recipient with the feeling you want him or her to have.[6]

16. Language features
•The language features of personal
letter are as follows:
•Focus on exchanging personal
current news, feelings, and
conditions
•Use of pronouns, simple present
tense, and past tense
•Use of date and address
•Informal greetings or salutations
(Silabus SMA & SMK, dan SMP, 2013)

17. Example

18. Example

19. Example

20. Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-
Friendly-Letter#sample_Sample-Letters

21. Writing Descriptors of Task 7

22. Summary
• Many personal letters have four fundamental
sections, and the content of these sections varies
widely depending on the setting.
• The heading, the opening, the body, and the closing
are examples of these parts.
• The heading of the letter may have the most
variation based on the purpose of the letter.
• For example, a letter of complaint's heading might
include a return address and a date line, while a
personal correspondence may only include the
date.

23. .
• The opening of the letter includes the
opening salutation and information
identifying to whom the letter is addressed.
• The body of the letter contains all of the
information to be communicated.
• Finally, the closing of a letter contains the
complimentary closing and the letter
writer's signature.
• Your signature may also include institutional
affiliations, job titles, and/or a post script
(P.S.).
• Source:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing
/personal_correspondence/personal_letters.
html

24. Jadikan setiap tempat sebagai sekolah dan
jadikan setiap orang sebagai guru (Ki
Hadjar Dewantara)
Setiap orang adalah guru, setiap tempat
adalah sekolah dan setiap buku adalah
ilmu (Roem Topatimasang).

25. Thank you