Letter to the Editor

A Letter to the Editor is a formal comprehensive letter, addressed to the Editor of a certain publication/magazine/newspaper with the intent of complementing, critiquing, informing, or communicating a certain piece of information. These letters are a part of the standard curriculum of written English, taught to middle and high school students. This is a particularly useful short composition in the form of written applications that are always appreciated in an organisation. It reflects the writer’s personality and mannerisms, as well as written vocabulary. This letter is generally short, with a citizen raising some concern in front of the Editor of a big organization, hoping it gets highlighted in the papers. 

Know everything about Letter Writing: Stepwise Guide, Format & Examples

How to Write a Letter to Editor?

Here are all the elements of the Letter to Editor format:

• Address of the Sender: This segment includes the address of the person sending the letter addressed to the Editor. It can be an office or residential address, as the question specifies.
• Date of Letter: The date on which the letter was addressed to the Editor. This data must be accurate as it serves as a point of reference at many points.
• Designation: The designation of the person receiving the letter. In the case of a Letter to the Editor, this is generally filled in as “The Editor”.
• Address of the Receiving Editor: This must include the office address of the Editor, as well as the name of the organization to which he or she belongs.
• Letter Subject: The letter subject must reflect the objective of writing the letter in very few words. It must be concise, as written in a way as to cover everything the sender deems necessary.
• Salutation: This part reflects the courtesy of an individual, hence is extremely important. The writer should use words like Madam, Sir, Miss, or a salutation of both sexes in case of information ambiguity.
• Body: The body of a letter is the main point of all its contents. It is generally divided into three sub-sections, namely- Introduction, Content and Conclusion.
• Introduction: Gives a brief abstract of the content to follow.
  Content- Includes the main details and subject matter of the letter.
  Conclusion- This part concludes the information to provide a summary and give fluidity to the whole content.
  A letter appears better structured if the writer adheres to this sequence of writing. 
• Complimentary Conclusion: This part should add a kind reminder for the Editor to take the appropriate action if any needs to be taken or give an appropriate conclusion to the main content.
• Name of the Sender: The name or signature of the person who addressed the letter is required to add reliability to the letter and the information provided.
• Sender’s Designation: If the sender belongs to any organization, he or she may choose to add their designation right below their name or signature.

Know the Format of a Formal Letter as well!

Editorial Letter Format

Formal letters format do not vary much in general, be it a Letter to the Editor, Principal or Internship request letter. Here is the format of the Letter to the Editor for Class 8, Class 9 , Class 10 , Class 11 and Class 12.

Sender’s Address

Date 

Receiver’s Designation 
Address

Subject: ______________________________________________

Respected Ma’am/ Sir

Body of the Letter

Introduction- Gives a brief abstract of the content to follow.
Content- Includes the main details and subject matter of the letter.
Conclusion- This part concludes the information to provide a summary and give fluidity to the whole content.
A letter appears better structured if the writer adheres to this sequence of writing. 

Yours Sincerely, 
Sender’s Name
Sender’s Designation (Optional)
Sender’s Signature

Letter to the Editor Samples

Here are some samples of the Letter to the Editor.

Letter to the Editor Sample #1

Letter to the Editor Sample #2

Write a letter to the Editor of The Times Newspaper, highlighting increasing technological addiction among the youth.

24D, Block 4 Defence Society New Delhi 24th June 20xx The Editor The Times New Delhi Subject: An appeal against rising tech addiction among the youth Sir, With great admiration and belief in the columns of your newspaper, I seek to bring to your kind notice the fast-growing menace of tech addiction and resultant health scares among the youth of our country.  Today, we are able to enjoy some of the most convenient gadgets to have ever existed, which offer far more information and sources of entertainment than any other. As a result, the upcoming generation has been becoming increasingly information-heavy. The number of hours an average person spends in gaining new information, whether wanted or unwanted, is fast increasing, with a screen in front of our eyes showing us new wonders every minute. And on top of that, the wonders are as per choice and preferences. All this temptation often leads young children to spend much more time on these gadgets than what’s healthy. And even though we may not realise it instantly, it levies a huge load of tiredness on our brains and eyes, often leading to inexplicable stress and irritability.  Hence, through the pages of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to appeal to the youth worldwide to maintain a balance of all spheres of life to fully enjoy it. Thanking you in anticipation Yours Sincerely ABC

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Letter to the Editor Sample #3

Write a letter to the editor of a daily newspaper to aware people of how stray animals can be COVID-19 carriers and hence they must avoid direct contact.

22/A D.L. Roy Street Kolkata 8th September 2020 The Editor The Times New Delhi Subject: An appeal to not neglect stray animals during the Covid19 pandemic Sir/Madam, With great admiration and belief in the columns of your newspaper, I seek to bring to your kind notice that in the current pandemic situation in the country and the world, stray animals, especially dogs and cats which stay in the streets around us are suffering due to lack of people who feed them. Today, we are amidst a terrible pandemic, where many of us are without jobs or working from home and going out seems like a taboo. Due to this, many of us who would usually feed stray animals in our neighbourhood have stopped doing so, especially due to the spread of fake news that covid can spread through animals. As a result, many of these strays are dying from a lack of food, and the continuing pandemic may witness more such deaths if we do not do anything about it. Hence, through the pages of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to appeal to the people of our country and the world, to help these animals survive this unfavourable situation by stepping up to make sure that they are fed. Thanking you in anticipation Yours Sincerely ABC

Letter to the Editor Sample #4

Given the recent increase in road accidents and miss happenings, you are concerned about road safety. Write a letter to the editor of a popular magazine to showcase the same.

New Mehrauli Road Munirka New Delhi 11th September 2020 The Editor The Times New Delhi Subject: An appeal to raise a concern about reckless driving Sir/Madam, With great admiration and belief in the columns of your newspaper, I seek to bring to your kind notice that road accidents have become an everyday occurrence in our city, as also in cities all over the country. Reckless driving is a serious issue, which takes away many innocent lives in the country every year. A large number of accidents are caused by people driving recklessly after being drunk, as also by people who fail to follow traffic rules, either deliberately or otherwise. I was a witness to one such accident a few weeks ago, where a lady crossing the road was hit by a car. Although she survived the accident, she was grievously injured. Unfortunately, such episodes happen every day. Hence, through the pages of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to appeal to the people of our country to refrain from engaging in reckless driving and urge them to diligently follow traffic rules. This can help save a lot of innocent lives. Thanking you in anticipation! Yours Sincerely ABC

Letter to the Editor Sample #5

People have adapted to wearing face masks as a ‘new normal. But most of them do not know how to dispose of them properly. Spread awareness regarding the disposal of protective masks by writing a letter to an editor of a popular newspaper.

New Mehrauli Road Munirka New Delhi 26th September 2020 The Editor The Times New Delhi Subject: An appeal to raise a concern about the improper disposal of protective masks Sir/Madam, With great admiration and belief in the columns of your newspaper, I seek to bring to your kind notice that face masks, which are used extensively for individual protection against Covid-19, are being disposed of in improper places by a section of people. With the concerns surrounding the spread of Covid-19 along with the extensive efforts of the government to create awareness about the necessity of protective measures, face masks are being used by more and more people to protect themselves from the disease. While this is a good thing, the problem arises with the careless throwing of these masks in places such as roadsides, water bodies etc. by people ignorant of the harm it can cause. Hence, through the pages of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to appeal to the people of our country to refrain from carelessly throwing their used masks since it increases the chances of people being infected by unintentionally coming into contact with it. Instead, masks should be disposed of in designated places with proper safety measures. Thanking You Yours Sincerely ABC

How to Write an Email?

Letter to the Editor Sample #6

As a responsible citizen, you are concerned about the condition of Marine Lines. People have littered the entire place with plastic, masks and garbage. Write a letter to the editor of a leading daily to spread awareness on the matter.

New Link Road Andheri Mumbai 23rd January 2022 The Editor The Times of India Mumbai Subject: An appeal to raise a concern about the litter at Marine Lines Sir,/Madam, I’m XYZ, a resident of Mumbai, and have seen the unfortunate condition of Marine Lines. People have littered the place with plastic and masks which has caused waves of garbage scattered on the shore.  It would be beneficial if you lent a column to highlight this issue and ask people to join campaigns that work towards cleaning the sea. People must also be appealed to refrain from throwing any waste on the benches and use the bins provided at several intervals.  Hope you will inscribe the above. Thank you,  Yours Sincerely XYZ.

Letter to the Editor Sample #7

Your university is not providing proper curriculum and guidance to the students because of which students are unable to learn. Write a letter to the editor of a student magazine to highlight this issue.

S.V. Road Santacruz Mumbai 23rd January 2022 The Editor India Today Mumbai Subject: To highlight the problems faced by students at XYZ university Sir/Madam, I’m a resident of Mumbai, studying at XYZ university. The past few months have caused a lot of ruckus between the department and students due to a lack of clarity about our curriculum.  Students aren’t informed about various important dates which increase pressure on them. It would be great if you acknowledged this issue in one of your columns to increase efficiency in the staff and the department. It would also help students in the future who want to study at XYZ university. Hope you will inscribe the above. Thank you,  Yours Sincerely ABC.

Letter to the Editor Sample #8 

You are Kritika. Your school’s Yoga Club hosted a workshop called “Art of Living for Students.” Write a letter to the editor of the local daily newspaper in roughly 100-120 words giving your thoughts on the matter. 

Letter to the Editor Sample #9 

You are Bharat/Bharti of Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi. You are deeply saddened by the attacks on elderly persons who live alone. Write a letter to the editor of ‘The New India News’ with 100-120 words making people aware of the authorities to guarantee that such attacks do not occur.

Letter to the Editor Sample #10

While riding the Metro, you may have seen that, despite increased surveillance, people attempt to deface Metro trains and stations. Write a letter to the editor of an evening newspaper urging DMRC, Delhi, to begin school-based awareness programmes in collaboration with the Directorate of Education, describing how such programmes could assist to improve people’s attitudes. You are Sudhir/Sweety of 3-B DDA Flats, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi.

Sample Letter to the Editor of a Newspaper

You are Rishi, the president of the Aakash society, Pitampura. As the Covid-19 lockdown is announced in Delhi, you want to convey to your local newspaper about people still roaming around, especially without masks or social distancing in your locality. Write a letter to the editor raising concerns about the same and asking to bring more strict rules about lockdown by highlighting this issue in their column.

Useful Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor

Here are a bunch of tips that would be useful in writing a formal letter, more specifically a letter to the Editor:

• Try to keep formal compositions precise and to the point.
• Be respectful in the language and salutation you choose to use.
• Do not make extremely polarised, discriminant or biased personal comments.
• Giving recognition to the organisation is a feature of a good formal letter.
• Never write very long sentences while composing a letter. It may get confusing and increases the chances of errors.

Letter to the Editor PDFs

Now that you know the format of the Letter to the Editor, you may also want to learn how to write a joining letter!

Letter to the Editor Practice Questions

Letter writing is an integral part of written English papers. This skill is taught in schools, clearing up many aspects of letter writing like informal and formal letter format, their structure and intent of use. It is also crucial when students brush up their English for Competitive Exams like IELTS and TOEFL. Among various topics that are a part of formal letter writing, a letter to the Editor is one of the most important and popular topics of all time. Here are some of the most common Letter to the Editor topics you must practice:

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1. You are Radhika, a member of NGO Rahat which mainly works in spreading environmental awareness about conservation and clean water resources. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper raising awareness about cleaning the Yamuna river.
2. Write a letter to the editor about the open garbage area situated in your locality and how it’s harmful to everyone including stray animals, the greener parks as well as schools and residential societies situated around it.
3. You are Harry, the president of Samaj Society, Rishi Nagar. There is a shortage of water and infrequent availability of water for the last three weeks which is causing issues for the residents. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper voicing the problems and issues faced by the residents of your society.
4. You are Christy, a resident of Palm Hill Society. Due to the breakdown of a mobile tower in your area, the internet connection has been impacted. Most of the residents in your society are working from home and children are studying online due to the lockdown in Delhi the infrequent internet connection is causing many issues. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper asking him/her to raise this issue in their daily newspaper.
5. You are Lakshmi, a student of P.D Public School, Delhi. You are concerned about the red-listing of India by popular countries and how this could affect your study-abroad plans. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper highlighting the need to enforce a comprehensive plan for Indian students aspiring to go abroad for higher studies.
6. You are Amit, a student of Modern Public School, Mumbai. You are concerned about the lack of awareness around animal rights. Write a letter to the editor about the need to raise awareness about animal rights in schools and colleges in India. 
7. You are Rahul, a student from Kendriya Vidyalaya. You are concerned about the large political rallies carried by popular parties for elections. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper raising concern about the grave impact of large gatherings amidst the pandemic.  
8. Every day you are late for school by fifteen minutes. Your school bus is stuck in a traffic jam near the Chintpumi Temple crossing. Along with your own ideas, write a letter to the editor of a newspaper highlighting this problem and suggesting some remedy for it.
9. You recently visited a significant historical site. You were astounded to discover it in such a condition of disrepair. Using the clues from the unit ‘Travel and Tourism,’ as well as your own thoughts, compose a letter to the editor of a major newspaper noting the terrible condition of significant archaeological and historical sites. Highlight the lack of vital services, the poor condition of upkeep, and people’s abuse of it. Make suggestions about how to improve the issue.
10. You are Rishi/Rishita of C–105, Janak Puri, New Delhi. You are extremely disturbed by reading about attacks on old people living alone. Write a letter to the Editor of “The New Indian Express” sensitizing people and drawing attention to this problem.

FAQs

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