Letter to the editor

·         Marks Distribution:

Format                 -              2 Marks

Expression                          -              4 marks

Content                               -              4 marks

·         A formal letter has the following parts.

·         Sender’s Address

·         Date

·         Addressee’s address

·         Salutation

·         Subject

·         Body of the letter (content) (preferably in three or four paragraphs)

·         Complementary ending

·         Sender’s signature & name

·         Note: Formal letter must be written in fully blocked format as per CBSE curriculum.

                                                               

Format

Sender’s address Date Addressee’s address Subject: Dear Sir ………………………………………………… Body of the letter....... Your’s faithfully / sincerely Signature Name

                               

 Letter to the Editor ( a letter to the editor could be written to:)

·         Express an opinion

·         Complaint against a social problem

·         Refer to the situation/viewpoint that you wish to highlight

·         If it is a social problem the three major areas to be included are-

1.       causes of the problem

2.       effects of the problem

3.       solutions to the problem

·         conclude politely

Q. Write letter to the Editor of a newspaper suggesting how the problem of begging can be ended. You are Ashima of Civil Lines, Khanapara, Guwahati-6.

Civil Lines Khanapara, Guwahati-6 August 20, 2014 The Editor The Hindustan Times New Delhi Subject: Regarding the problem of begging & how it can be ended. Sir, I shall feel obliged if you kindly public the following few lines ‘Letters to the Editor’ column of your esteemed paper. Some beggars, no doubt, deserve our sympathy. They are handicapped. They are unable to earn their living. But the pity is that most of the beggars are able-bodied. Begging has become a profession for them. They find it the easiest way to earn their living. Some of them are criminals. They beg only to hide their crimes. This large-scales begging is a slur on the fair name of our country. Begging should be abolished by law. It should be made a punishable offence. The government should open asylums for those beggars who are really helpless. Able-bodied beggars should forced to work. If they go without work, they must also go without food. We should have no sympathy for such impostors. We should not encourage them by giving alms. People can thus play a big role in ending this evil. Yours faithfully  (Sign) Ashima

Questions for practice:

1.       Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper expressing your views on the deteriorating law and order situation in your city.

2.       Write a letter to the Editor of a magazine on your experience of watching a dance performance you have seen or an art gallery you have visited, highlighting the importance of such experiences in the lives of youth.

3.       You are Suguna. Write a letter to the Editor of a National Daily expressing your grave concern over the media manipulation for the sake of publicity and sales promotion. (Word limit 150).

4.       Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily highlighting the increasing stress in the lives of students in the present competitive world. Give a few suggestions on combating this evil.

You’re conscious about the mushrooming of coaching centers become a common feature in children’s life. As a result they’re over loaded. They find it hard to balance time among school, coaching and leisure. In many cases they end up failing. Write a letter to the editor of the ‘The Times of India’ expressing your views

Notice Writing

1.    It’s a means of communication to address a large group of audience.

2.    It’s used to inform people about various events or issue, public instructions etc.

3.    Used  by schools, organisations, government Bodies

4.    Important points in notice writing are-

·         Box is mandatory.

·         Word limit: 50 words

·         Personal pronouns are not used

·         Use passive form of voice. Write from a third person’s perspective.

·         Style & tone of the language should essentially be formal but a notice from an individual (like lost & found notice) can use informal style as well.

·         Strictly follow the format

5.    General format of a notice are as follows-

NAME OF THE ORGANISATION, PLACE NOTICE HEADING DATE  CONTENT (Example) – This is to bring to the notice of the __ (target group) __ that __ (event_) __ is being organised by the school/organisation, as per the details given below: Date: Time: Venue: Chief Guest (if any): For any further details please contact the undersigned. Sd/- Signature NAME (In block letters) Designation (In brackets)

Types of notices based on content of the notice

1.     Notice of Meeting/ Event

2.     Notice of Tour Camp/ Exhibition/ Fair

3.     Notice of Lost and Found

Notice – Meeting/ Event

§  Target Group

§  Name of the event

§  Date

§  Time

§  Venue

§  Agenda/Purpose

§  Specific instructions (if any)

§  Contact Person

Que. Write a notice asking office bearers of ABC school, Chandigarh to attend a meeting with principal to discuss science fair to be organised on National Science and technology day. The meeting will be on 29/07/2016 in conference hall from 2:00p.m.-4p.m.

ABC SCHOOL, CHANDIGARH NOTICE SCIENCE SOCIETY MEETING 1 JULY, 2016                                           Office bearers of Science Society are requested to attend a meeting with the Principal as per the details given below:  Date: 29/07/2016 Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Venue: Conference Hall Agenda: To discuss Science Fair to be organised on National Science & Technology Day.  For further details contact the undersigned. Signature  VIKRAM SHARMA (Secretary

 Notice – Tour/Camp/Fair/Exhibition

§  Target Group

§  Event

§  Occasion (if any)

§  Date/Time/Duration

§  Venue/Place of visit

§  Objective – information/appeal/awareness/invitation

§  Fee/Expenses

§  Activities

§  Specific instructions – do’s & don’ts/ things to carry/ visiting hours etc.

Q. Write a notice of an excursion tour to Goa. You are, Sumit the Secretary of Air Force Public School, Mathura.

AIR FORCE PUBLIC SCHOOL, MATHURA NOTICE Excursion to Goa 29/07/ 2016                             Students’ Council of school organizing a week educational tour to Goa during autumn.  Interested senior students can participate and deposit Rs. 500 along parents’ consent letter within five days in school office. For farther details contact undersigned.   (sign) SUMIT (Secretary)

Notice- Lost/Found

§  Article Lost/Found

§  Date/Time/Place

§  Identification mark

§  Contents

§  Whom to contact/when/where

§  Promise of a reward

Q. Suppose you’re school captain of your school and you’ve found a silver chain with pearl pendant near assembly ground. Write a notice informing students about it.

KV-2, INF LINES, JAMNAGAR NOTICE SILVER CHAIN FOUND Date – 25/07/2016                      A silver chain with a white pearl pendant found on last Saturday near assembly ground. Owner may collect it from the undersigned after verification. ( sign) XYZ (School Captain)

4. Marking scheme: Total 4 Marks

                                                  i.    Heading – ½ marks

                                                 ii.    Date of issue – ½ marks

                                                iii.    Name & designation of issuing authority – ½  marks

                                                iv.    Content & expression (accuracy & fluency): 2 ½  marks

                                                 v.    Word limit – 50 words for the content

                                                vi.    Notice must be in a box

Questions asked in past

1.    You are Anil/ Anita the school captain of Orchids International School. You wish to call a meeting of the students’ council to discuss the measurers to be taken to check the explosion of crackers in the school premises during Diwali time. Draft the Notice in not more than 50 words.

ORCHIDS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, JAMNAGAR NOTICE STUDENT COUNCILS MEETING 20/07/2016                            Members of students’ council of school are requested to attend a meeting of as per details given- Date- 24/07/2016 Time- 2:00 -3:00 p.m. Venue – School auditorium Agenda- To discuss explosion of crackers on Diwali in school premises For details contact undersigned-  (sign) ANITA (School captain)

2.   You lost titan wrist –watch in your school. Draft a notice, in not more than 50 words, to be placed on your school notice board. You are a student of class XII of Rani Ahalya Devi Senior Secondary School, Gwalior. Sign as Rani/Ram.

RANI AHALYA DEVI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, GWALIOR NOTICE LOST! LOST! LOST! Date – 24/07/2016         A golden Titan wrist-watch was lost near computer laboratory on 24/04/2014 during lunch hour. If anyone finds it please contact undersigned. Finder will be rewarded.  RANI (Student of Class XII)

3.   You are Vineeta/Vikram, School Pupil Leader of Rani Laxmi Bai Senior Secondary School, Gwalior. Draft a notice for your school notice board in not more than 50 words inviting the names of the students who want to participate in the cultural programme organised in aid of the victims of the recent Assam floods.

RANI LAXMI BAI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, GWALIOR NOTICE CULTURAL PROGRAMME BEING HELD Date: 26/07/2016         Interested students of this school are requested to forward their names for the cultural programme that is being organised on 05/07/2017, 5p.m.-7p.m.in school auditorium in aid of the victims of recent Assam flood. VINEETA (School Pupil Leader) 4.   You are the sports secretary of your school. Write a notice in 50 words asking students to give their names for school hockey team. (Eligibility- class VI to VIII)(1999)

XYZ SCHOOL, DELHI NOTICE ATTENTION HOCKEY LOVERS! Date: 25/07/2016  Here is a golden opportunity for hockey lovers to join school hockey team.  Interested students of class VI to VIII can forward their names for selection. For    farther details contact undersigned.  sign) ABC (Sports Secretary)

 

Some of the common “HEADINGS”

·         ATTENTION MUSIC/ SPORTS/ DANCE LOVERS/ FANS (used for organizing events like competition, exhibition, musical nights, sports day, selection for any event etc.)

·         BEWARE OF THEIF/ PICKPOCKETES/ MOSQUITO (for warning )

·         ATTENTION / ATTENTION STUDENTS/ TEACHERS (write whoever is addressed)

·         ADMISSION GOING ON/ ADMISSION OPEN (for admission related notice)

·         Write the name of item lost then write lost. For e.g. BOOK LOST

Some common beginning of NOTICE

·         All students/ teachers/ class teachers/ residents/ staff members (write whoever is addressed) are here by informed that……

·         This is to kindly inform all students/ teachers/ class teachers/ residents/ staff members (write whoever is addressed)…

·         Here is a golden opportunity……….

·         Applications are invited for….. (recruitment/admission)

·         Interested students of…………

Some common conclusion-

·          For farther details contact undersigned ….

·         Finder will be rewarded…….(in case of lost notice)

·         Kindly come with suggestion…

·         For more details contact…..(name of the person mentioned besides undersigned)

Some correct ways to write date

·         25/09/2016

·         25-09-2016

·         September 25, 2016

 QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

A.   Write a notice for school notice board inviting volunteers for NSS camp.(1992)

B.   Write a notice for school notice board inviting names for fancy dress competition.(1991)

C.   The Student council of your school has organised an excursion to Kathmandu for the students of class XI and XII during summer vacation. As president of school write a notice for school notice board inviting names in not more than 50 words.(1997/99)

D.   As a president of school literary club you are organising a programme for public speaking for the students of class XI and XII standard. As a part of this programme you are inviting some famous TV anchors. Write a notice giving all the details. (2003)

E.   As a Head girl/ Head boy you are organising a career counselling session. Write a notice giving details to be displayed on school notice board.(2002)

F.    You are the sports captain of King’s Public School. Write a notice to be put up on school notice board informing students about the inter school basketball match. (2000)

G.   Your school (Amar Vidyalaya) is organising a cultural evening to collect funds for the slum children. The education minister has consented to be chief guest in the programme. Draft a notice about it in 50 words. You are the school head boy/ Head girl. (2001)

H.   Write a notice in 50 words for school notice board inviting articles for school magazine. You are Ramesh, the secretary of your school magazine.(1998)

I.      Write a notice for your school notice board regarding the calculator which was lost in your school.(1995)

J.    You are Rakesh / Rakhi the secretary of LM resident’s welfare society, Green park extension, Kolkata. Write a notice requesting all the residents of the park to attend a meeting to discuss security problem of your society. (2000 CBSE)