<h3>What Is a Formal Letter?</h3><p>A <strong>formal letter</strong> (also called an official letter) is written for an official purpose to someone you do not know personally – for example applying for a place, making a complaint, or requesting information. It uses polite, standard English and a fixed layout.</p><h3>The Parts of a Formal Letter</h3><ul><li><strong>Sender's address and date</strong> – top right.</li><li><strong>Receiver's address</strong> – below, on the left.</li><li><strong>Salutation</strong> – e.g. <code>Dear Sir/Madam,</code></li><li><strong>Subject line</strong> – the reason for writing, in capitals or underlined.</li><li><strong>Body</strong> – introduction, details, and request, in short paragraphs.</li><li><strong>Closing</strong> – <code>Yours faithfully,</code> then signature and full name.</li></ul><p>Remember the matching rule: <strong>Dear Sir/Madam</strong> goes with <strong>Yours faithfully</strong>, while <strong>Dear Mr Otieno</strong> goes with <strong>Yours sincerely</strong>.</p><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> Imagine writing to the County Director of Education requesting a copy of your KCPE/assessment results, or to a local water company about a burst pipe in your estate. A well laid-out, polite formal letter is far more likely to get a quick, helpful reply than a rude or untidy one.</div>