Text type: the letter
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Flip to reveal answersWhat is a letter (as a text type)?
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All 10 Flashcards — Text type: the letter
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Question
What is a letter (as a text type)?
Answer
A text written to one particular reader, revealing a relationship and purpose.
Question
What does the salutation tell you?
Answer
The formality and relationship — ‘Dear Sir’ vs ‘Hey you’ set the tone.
Question
What does 'register' mean here?
Answer
The level of formality — formal and distant vs intimate and warm.
Question
Why does direct address matter in a letter?
Answer
A letter speaks to a specific ‘you’; how it treats them reveals the relationship.
Question
Name three letter features to analyse.
Answer
Salutation/sign-off, register (formal/intimate), and the writer's purpose.
Question
What can icy formal politeness signal?
Answer
Anger held under control — politeness used as a cold weapon.
Question
First question to ask of a letter?
Answer
‘What is the relationship, and what does the writer want?’
Question
What purposes can a letter have?
Answer
To thank, complain, persuade, apologise or console — it wants something.
Question
Letter vs email/social post?
Answer
A letter is addressed to one named reader with a clear salutation and sign-off.
Question
Common letter-analysis mistake?
Answer
Summarising the content and ignoring tone, address and register.
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Full study notes for Text type: the letter
Topic 2.5 hub
Personal & literary forms
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English A Lang & Lit exam skills
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