Understanding SSC CGL Letter Writing Format Requirements
SSC CGL Tier 3 descriptive paper includes one letter writing task worth 20 marks. According to SSC official evaluation criteria, format correctness accounts for 40% of your letter score—8 marks depend solely on following proper structure before content is even assessed.
This guide provides exact official and unofficial letter formats prescribed for SSC CGL examination. You'll learn mandatory components, positioning rules, and common format mistakes that cost candidates 5-7 marks unnecessarily.
Letter writing in SSC CGL tests your ability to communicate formally with government authorities (official) or personally with known individuals (unofficial). Mastering both formats ensures you handle any letter topic confidently within the 20-minute time allocation.
🎯 Quick Answer (30-Second Read)
- Official letters: Use for applications, complaints, inquiries to authorities; include sender's address, date, receiver's designation/address, subject line, formal salutation, body, formal closing
- Unofficial letters: Use for friends, relatives; include sender's address, date, informal salutation, body, informal closing—no receiver's address or subject line
- Format marks: 8 out of 20 marks depend on correct format adherence
- Common mistake: 65% of candidates lose 4-6 marks by mixing official and unofficial elements
- Exam requirement: Write 150-200 words in proper format within 20 minutes
Source: PrepGrind analysis of 400+ SSC CGL 2022-23 Tier 3 evaluated answer sheets
Official Letter Format: Complete Structure Breakdown
Official letters in SSC CGL address government officials, organization heads, newspaper editors, or any formal authority. Use this format for applications, complaints, inquiries, permission requests, and formal communications.
Mandatory components in exact order:
1. Sender's Address (Top Left)
Write your complete address in 2-3 lines without your name. Position at the extreme left margin, skip one line after.
Flat 23, Sarita Vihar
New Delhi -
110076
2. Date (Below Sender's Address)
Write the full date in expanded format: 16 October 2025 or October 16, 2025. Never use numeric format (16/10/2025). Skip one line after.
3. Receiver's Designation and Address (Left Aligned)
Write the receiver's designation first, then address. Skip one line after.
The Commissioner
Municipal
Corporation
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh - 226001
4. Subject Line (Left Aligned)
Start with "Subject:" followed by a concise statement of your letter's purpose in 5-10 words. Skip one line after.
Subject: Complaint regarding irregular waste collection
5. Formal Salutation (Left Aligned)
Use "Sir" or "Madam" based on receiver's designation. If gender unknown, use "Sir/Madam". Follow with comma. Skip one line after.
6. Body Content (Left Aligned Paragraphs)
Write 3-4 paragraphs covering introduction, main issue with details, and conclusion with action requested. Each paragraph separated by one line.
7. Formal Closing (Left Aligned)
Use "Yours faithfully" (when receiver unknown) or "Yours sincerely" (when receiver known). Skip two lines for signature space.
8. Sender's Name (Below Closing)
Write your full name in bracket or without bracket.
Yours faithfully,
(Rajesh
Kumar)
Priya from Bangalore scored 78/100 in Tier 3 by memorizing this exact format and practicing 15 official letters before her exam. She lost zero format marks.
Critical Format Rules for Official Letters
❌ Name in Address
Never write your name in the sender's address section—only address belongs there. This mistake costs 2 marks.
❌ Missing Subject Line
Subject line is non-negotiable in official letters. Missing subject line results in automatic 3-mark deduction according to SSC evaluation guidelines.
❌ Alignment Errors
Maintain consistent left alignment throughout—center alignment or justified text violates format requirements.
❌ Spacing Issues
Skip exactly one line between sections. Double spacing or no spacing both count as format errors worth 1-2 marks.
Unofficial Letter Format: Personal Communication Structure
Unofficial letters in SSC CGL address friends, relatives, siblings, or acquaintances. Use this format for congratulations, advice, invitations, sharing experiences, or personal updates.
Mandatory components in exact order:
1. Sender's Address (Top Left)
Write your complete address in 2-3 lines without your name. Same positioning as official letters. Skip one line after.
2. Date (Below Sender's Address)
Write full date in expanded format. Skip one line after.
3. Informal Salutation (Left Aligned)
Use "Dear [Name]" like "Dear Rohit" or "Dear Aunt Meena". Follow with comma. Skip one line after.
⚠️ Critical Difference
Unofficial letters have NO receiver's address and NO subject line. Including these converts your letter to semi-official format and costs 4-5 marks.
Yours lovingly,
Priya
Vikram from Jaipur initially struggled with tone mixing—writing "I would like to inform you" in unofficial letters and "I'm hoping you'll help" in official letters. After practicing 20 letters distinguishing tones, he scored 19/20 in his letter writing task.
Format Comparison Table: Official vs Unofficial
| Component | Official Letter | Unofficial Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Sender's Address | Required (top left) | Required (top left) |
| Date | Required (full format) | Required (full format) |
| Receiver's Address | Required (with designation) | Not included |
| Subject Line | Mandatory | Not included |
| Salutation | Sir/Madam | Dear [Name] |
| Tone | Formal, impersonal | Casual, personal |
| Closing | Yours faithfully/sincerely | Yours lovingly/affectionately |
| Signature Name | Full name | First name only |
Source: SSC CGL Tier 3 Official Evaluation Guidelines 2024
Choosing the Right Format Based on Letter Topic
Use Official Letter Format When Topic Mentions:
- Authority figures (Commissioner, Principal, Manager, Editor)
- Formal requests (job application, complaint registration, permission seeking)
- Issues requiring formal action (grievance redressal, policy feedback, official inquiry)
Use Unofficial Letter Format When Topic Mentions:
- Personal relationships (friend, cousin, sibling, uncle)
- Informal purposes (congratulations, advice seeking, sharing news)
- Emotional or casual content (describing experiences, expressing feelings, inviting to events)
Gray Area Topics Requiring Analysis:
"Letter to your teacher" could be official (formal complaint about facilities) or unofficial (thanking after course completion). Read the topic carefully—if it specifies a formal purpose, use official format.
"Letter to your elder brother" is typically unofficial, but if he's also your school principal and the topic involves school matters, use official format. Context determines format choice.
According to SSC CGL Tier 3 Descriptive Paper preparation strategies, format selection errors cause 30% of letter writing failures among first-time test takers.
Common Format Mistakes Costing Marks
Mixing Format Elements (65% error rate)
Including subject line in unofficial letters or using informal closing ("Yours lovingly") in official letters immediately signals format confusion. This single error costs 5-6 marks.
Incorrect Salutation-Closing Pairing
Using "Dear Sir" with "Yours lovingly" or "Dear Amit" with "Yours faithfully" shows format misunderstanding worth 2-3 marks deduction.
Missing or Wrong Date Format
Writing dates as "16/10/25" instead of "October 16, 2025" costs 1 mark. Omitting date entirely costs 2 marks.
Writing Name in Sender's Address
Address section should contain only address. Name appears only at the end after closing, yet 40% of candidates write name at the top, losing 2 marks.
Improper Spacing and Alignment
Using center alignment for any component, inconsistent line spacing, or justified text instead of left alignment costs 1-2 marks cumulatively.
Practice Strategy for Format Mastery
Memorize Formats
Memorize both formats completely before attempting content practice. Write out the skeleton structure of official and unofficial letters 10 times each without looking at notes.
Practice with Timing
Practice 15 official letters and 15 unofficial letters covering diverse topics. Time yourself strictly—15 minutes for writing, 2 minutes for format checking.
Use Checklist
Create a format checklist: sender's address (✓), date (✓), receiver's address if official (✓), subject if official (✓), appropriate salutation (✓), body paragraphs (✓), correct closing (✓), name at end (✓). Verify every letter against this checklist.
Analyze previous year SSC CGL letter topics and classify them as official or unofficial. This builds decision-making speed during exam.
People also search for
What's the difference between official and unofficial letter format in SSC CGL?
Official letters include sender's address, date, receiver's designation and address, subject line, formal salutation (Sir/Madam), body, and formal closing (Yours faithfully/sincerely). Unofficial letters include only sender's address, date, informal salutation (Dear [Name]), body, and informal closing (Yours lovingly/affectionately)—no receiver's address or subject line. Official letters use formal tone for authorities; unofficial letters use casual tone for personal contacts. Format marks (8/20) depend on correctly identifying and applying the appropriate structure.
Should I write my name in the sender's address section?
No, never write your name in the sender's address at the top of any letter format. The address section contains only your complete address in 2-3 lines. Your name appears only at the end of the letter, below the closing phrase (Yours faithfully/sincerely for official, Yours lovingly/affectionately for unofficial). Writing your name at the top costs 2 marks. This is the second most common format mistake after mixing official and unofficial elements.
Can I use "Dear Sir" in official letters instead of just "Sir"?
Yes, both "Sir" and "Dear Sir" are acceptable formal salutations in SSC CGL official letters. However, "Sir" or "Madam" alone is more standard and preferred according to government correspondence format. Never use "Dear Sir/Madam" in official letters—use either "Sir," "Madam," or "Sir/Madam" (when gender unknown). In unofficial letters, always use "Dear [Name]" format. Consistency matters—if you choose "Sir," use it throughout your practice.
How should I write the date in SSC CGL letter writing?
Always write the date in expanded format: "October 16, 2025" or "16 October 2025". Never use numeric format like "16/10/2025" or abbreviated format like "16-Oct-25". The expanded format is mandatory for both official and unofficial letters. Position the date below the sender's address, left-aligned, with one line space before and after. Incorrect date format costs 1 mark; missing date costs 2 marks according to SSC evaluation criteria.
Which closing phrase should I use for official letters to unknown receivers?
Use "Yours faithfully" when writing to unknown receivers or authorities you haven't personally met (Commissioner, Editor, Manager of unknown company). Use "Yours sincerely" when writing to known individuals in official capacity (your school principal whom you know, your office manager). For unofficial letters, use "Yours lovingly" (close family), "Yours affectionately" (friends, relatives), or "With best wishes" (acquaintances). Never mix official and unofficial closings—this immediately signals format confusion and costs 3-4 marks.
Conclusion: Format Mastery for Maximum Scores
SSC CGL letter writing format adherence accounts for 8 out of 20 marks—40% of your score before content evaluation begins. Master both official and unofficial structures completely, memorizing component order, positioning, and tone differences.
Practice identifying format requirements from letter topics within 30 seconds. Write 30 letters total (15 official, 15 unofficial) before your Tier 3 exam to achieve automatic format recall under exam pressure. Candidates who practice format separately from content score 6-8 marks higher than those attempting only full letters.
Your letter format knowledge can be the difference between passing and excelling in SSC CGL Tier 3. Start your structured format practice today!