Writing a Friendly Letter

• 1st grade
• 2nd grade
• 3rd grade
• CCSS L.2.2b
• CCSS W.2.5
• CCSS W.3.4

A friendly letter is a letter to someone you know, like a friend, a grandparent or a pen pal. It has five parts: the date, the greeting, the body, the closing and the signature.

The five parts

The date goes at the top right: November 12, 2026. The greeting says hello: Dear Grandma, with a comma after the name. The body is the main message, one or more paragraphs of news, questions and kind words.

The closing says goodbye: Love, or Your friend, with a comma after it. The signature is your name under the closing. A good body shares news, asks the reader a question, and sounds like you talking.

2nd graders use commas in greetings and closings (L.2.2b; see commas in letters), and 3rd graders organize writing for its purpose (W.3.4). Letters are a real, motivating reason to write: someone will read it.

Parts of a friendly letter

Where each part goes and what it looks like.

Other closings: Your friend, Sincerely, See you soon, Hugs,. Capitalize only the first word of the closing.

A model friendly letter

Each part is labeled.

1. Date: November 12, 2026
2. Greeting: Dear Grandpa,
3. Body: Thank you for the book about sharks! I read it three times.
4. Body: Did you know a whale shark is as long as a bus? I want to see one someday.
5. Body: How is your dog, Buster? Is he still chasing squirrels?
6. Body: I hope you can visit soon.
7. Closing: Love,
8. Signature: Leo
9. Missing comma: Dear Grandpa → Dear Grandpa,
10. Wrong capital: Your Friend, → Your friend,

The body has a thank-you, news, a question for the reader and a hope. That makes it feel like a conversation.

How to teach letter writing

Five short steps, about 10 to 15 minutes each.

1. Pick a real reader. Grandparent, cousin, friend, teacher.
2. Plan the body. One piece of news, one question, one kind thing.
3. Use a template. Lay out all five parts.
4. Check the commas. After the greeting and closing.
5. Send it! Mail it or hand it over. Real readers make it worth it.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Practice: friendly letter quiz

10 questions. Your child can tap the speaker to hear a question read aloud. The first try on each question counts toward the score.

1. 1.How many parts does a friendly letter have?

   🔈
   five two ten
   Show answer

   Five.

2. 2.Which is a greeting?

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   Dear Sam, Love,
   Show answer

   Dear Sam,

3. 3.Which is a closing?

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   Your friend, Dear Mom,
   Show answer

   Your friend,

4. 4.Where does the date go?

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   at the top at the bottom
   Show answer

   At the top.

5. 5.What comes after Dear Grandma?

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   a comma a period
   Show answer

   A comma.

6. 6.What is the body?

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   the main message your name
   Show answer

   The main message.

7. 7.Which closing is written correctly?

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   Your friend, Your Friend,
   Show answer

   Your friend,

8. 8.Tap the closing word.

   🔈

   Love, Maya

   Show answer

   Love.

9. 9.What goes under the closing?

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   your signature the date
   Show answer

   Your signature.

10. 10.What makes a good body?

    🔈
    news, a question and kind words one word
    Show answer

    News, a question and kind words.

Writing a Friendly Letter worksheet (free PDF)

Writing a Friendly Letter Worksheet, 1st–3rd grade

Label the parts of a model letter, fix commas and capitals, then write your own friendly letter. Prints on US Letter paper, with an answer key.

Download the PDF

Try it at home

• Real mail: write to a grandparent and mail it.
• Thank-you notes: after a birthday.
• Pen pal: a cousin in another town.
• Lunchbox letters: trade short notes.
• Comma check: after Dear ___ and the closing.

What comes next

Next: opinion writing. Earlier: how-to writing. Related: commas in letters and commas in dates.

Last reviewed: November 11, 2026

Questions parents ask