A friendly letter is writing you send to someone you know. It uses names and dates, and it has five parts, from top to bottom.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| date | when you wrote it |
| greeting | says hello: Dear Grandma Rose, |
| body | your news and questions |
| closing | says goodbye: Love, |
| signature | your name |
Key idea
A friendly letter has a date, a greeting, a body, a closing and a signature, in that order.
Why it works
A letter is like a visit on paper. You say hello, you talk, you say goodbye, and the person knows who came. The date tells them when.
Worked example: What is missing?
A letter has a date, “Dear Kai,” a body, and “Your friend,” but no name at the bottom.
- Check from top to bottom: date, greeting, body, closing…
- After the closing there should be a signature.
- Without it, Kai won’t know who wrote the letter.
Answer: The signature is missing.
Common mistake
Forgetting the greeting or the signature, or writing the closing at the top. Check the five parts in order before you send it.
For the grown-up. Real letters are the best practice. A grandparent, cousin or pen pal who writes back makes letter-writing something children look forward to. The site’s practice sheets print lined paper.