Message Writing Format: Rules and Sample Messages
Message writing is a short written note that passes on information to a person who was not there to receive it, for example a phone call taken for a family member who was out. In school exams a message is about 50 words long and has a fixed format: the word MESSAGE, the date and time, a salutation, the body and the writer's name.
The body tells the reader who called or came, what was said, when and where something will happen, and what the reader must do. Because you are repeating someone else's words, a message is usually written in reported speech. This lesson gives the format, the rules, three sample messages and a method for turning a dialogue into a message.
What Is a Message?
A message is a brief note left for someone who is absent. It is not a letter and not an email. It has no address, no subject line and no closing such as "Yours faithfully". It is meant to be read in a few seconds, so every word must carry information.
Typical situations in exam questions:
- You take a phone call for your father, who is out, and leave him a note.
- A visitor comes to the house when nobody else is home, and you leave a note for your mother.
- A friend asks you to pass on news to a classmate.
- The school office asks you to tell your parents about a meeting.
Message Writing Format
MESSAGE (the heading, in capital letters, sometimes put in a box)
Date: 12 March 2026
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Salutation (Dear Papa, / Mummy, / Rohan,)
Body: who called or came, what they said (in reported speech), the time, place and any action needed. About 50 words.
Name of the writer (first name is enough)
Each part explained
- Heading. Write the word MESSAGE at the top. Some teachers want it in a box.
- Date and time. Write the date on the left and the time of writing beneath it, so the reader knows how fresh the news is. The time is the time you write the note, not the time of the event.
- Salutation. Write the receiver's name or relation: Dear Papa, or Mummy,. Use "Dear" for family and friends; a plain name is also accepted.
- Body. One short paragraph in about 50 words. Begin with the most important fact: who called and why.
- Name. End with your own name on the right or at the left, under the body. Do not add "Yours sincerely".
Teachers sometimes prefer a variant: the date and time on one line, the heading without a box, or the name written on the right. Follow the layout your teacher teaches. The content rules below are the same everywhere.
Rules for Writing a Message
- Keep to about 50 words. If the question gives a limit (usually 40 to 50 words), stay within it. Date, time, salutation and name are not counted in the body.
- Include all the facts the reader needs: who, what, when, where, and what to do. Check the question for a phone number or an address to include.
- Use reported speech. Write "Your uncle called and said that he would arrive tomorrow", not "Your uncle called: I will arrive tomorrow". Change the tense and pronouns as you would in direct and indirect speech.
- Be brief. Leave out greetings, thanks and small talk. Use short sentences, and abbreviations such as a.m. and p.m.
- Write in clear, polite language. A message to a parent or elder should not sound like a command: use "Please call him back" instead of "Call him back".
- Mention what the reader must do (call back, bring a document, be ready by a time).
- Check the date and times. A wrong time makes the message useless.
The reported-speech patterns you need
Most messages use only a few patterns. Learn them and you can write any message quickly.
| What the caller said | How it appears in the message |
|---|---|
| "I will reach Pune tomorrow." | He said that he would reach Pune the next day. |
| "Please bring the file." | He asked you to bring the file. |
| "Don't be late." | She told you not to be late. |
| "Are you free on Sunday?" | She asked if you were free on Sunday. |
| "The meeting has been moved to 3 p.m." | He informed you that the meeting had been moved to 3 p.m. |
| "Can you call me back?" | He wants you to call him back. |
Practise these changes with the direct and indirect speech worksheet. Remember that "today" becomes "that day" and "tomorrow" becomes "the next day" in strict reported speech. In a message, however, it is natural to give the actual date or day ("on Sunday", "at 5 p.m."), which avoids any confusion.
Useful Words and Phrases
- Reporting verbs: called, phoned, said that, told, informed, asked, requested, wants you to, would like to know, invited
- Action requests: please call back, please bring, kindly inform, is waiting for your reply, wants you to confirm
- Time words: at about 4 p.m., by evening, before Friday, as soon as possible
For the expressions used on the phone, see telephone and video call English phrases.
Sample Message 1: A Phone Call for Your Father
Situation: You are Riya. Mr Sharma, a colleague of your father, phoned at 5:30 p.m. while your father was out. He said the office meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 4 p.m. had been moved to 3 p.m., and asked your father to bring the sales file and to call him back if he could not reach the office by 3 p.m. Write a message for your father in about 50 words.
MESSAGE
12 March 2026
5:30 p.m.
Dear Papa,
Mr Sharma phoned at 5:30 p.m. He said that tomorrow's office meeting had been moved from 4 p.m. to 3 p.m. He asked you to bring the sales file. Please call him back if you cannot reach the office by 3 p.m.
Riya
Sample Message 2: A Message for Your Brother
Situation: You are Neha. Your brother Rohan's friend Arjun called at 7:15 p.m. Cricket practice on Saturday has been cancelled because the ground is wet. The coach has fixed it for Sunday at 7 a.m. instead. Write a message for Rohan.
MESSAGE
18 June 2026
7:30 p.m.
Rohan,
Your friend Arjun called at 7:15 p.m. He said that Saturday's cricket practice was cancelled because the ground was wet. The coach has fixed it for Sunday at 7 a.m. Arjun wants you to bring your kit and to be on time.
Neha
Sample Message 3: A Message for Your Grandmother
Situation: You are Karthik. Dr Menon's clinic phoned at 11 a.m. while your grandmother was resting. The receptionist said that her appointment on Wednesday had been shifted to Thursday at 10:30 a.m., and that she must come without breakfast for a blood test. Write a message for her.
MESSAGE
7 September 2026
11:20 a.m.
Dear Grandma,
Dr Menon's clinic phoned at 11 a.m. The receptionist said that your Wednesday appointment had been shifted to Thursday at 10:30 a.m. She also asked you not to eat breakfast, as a blood test will be done. Please confirm by calling the clinic.
Karthik
How to Turn a Dialogue into a Message
Some questions give you a phone conversation (a dialogue) and ask you to write the message from it. Use this method.
- Find the receiver. The message is for the person who was absent, not for either speaker in the dialogue.
- Pick out the facts: who called, the purpose, any dates, times, places and requests.
- Drop the small talk: greetings, thanks and jokes do not belong in a message.
- Change direct speech to reported speech. Change tenses and pronouns, and use asked, told, requested or informed.
- Put the most important fact first, and the action last.
- Add the date, time, salutation and your name. Count the words.
Dialogue (phone call taken by Meena for her mother)
Caller: Hello, may I speak to Mrs Iyer?
Meena: She is out shopping. Can I take a message?
Caller: Yes, please. I'm Sheela from the school office. Tomorrow's parents' meeting is at 9 a.m., not 10 a.m.
Meena: Should she bring anything?
Caller: Yes, the progress report which was sent home last week, please.
Meena: I'll tell her. Thank you.
MESSAGE
21 July 2026
4:00 p.m.
Dear Mummy,
Sheela from the school office phoned. She said that tomorrow's parents' meeting would be at 9 a.m. and not at 10 a.m. She asked you to bring last week's progress report with you.
Meena
Message, Notice, Email and Letter: How They Differ
| Format | Purpose | Length | Main features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Message | Pass on information to a person who was absent | About 50 words | Date, time, salutation, body in reported speech, name |
| Notice | Announce an event to a group | About 50 words | Name of the issuing body, heading, date, details, writer's name and designation |
| Written communication sent online | Varies | To, From, Subject, salutation, body, closing | |
| Formal letter | Official communication | 120 to 150 words | Addresses, date, subject, salutation, body, closing |
For the longer formats, read the lesson on formal letter format.
Common Mistakes in Message Writing
| ❌ Mistake | ✅ Correct |
|---|---|
| Direct speech: Mr Sharma said, "The meeting is at 3 p.m." | Mr Sharma said that the meeting was at 3 p.m. |
| Leaving out the date or time | Always write both at the top |
| Writing "Yours sincerely" or an address | Only the writer's name at the end |
| Writing 90 words with greetings and thanks | About 50 words of facts only |
| Leaving out the action (what the reader should do) | Add "Please call back" or "Please bring…" |
| Mixing up the receiver and the caller | Write to the person who was absent |
✏️ Quick Practice — Report the Caller's Words
Complete each line of a message by changing the caller's words into reported speech. Use the verbs given in brackets.
- The caller said, "I will come at five." (said that)
- Your aunt said, "Please call me tonight." (asked you)
- The coach said, "Don't forget your shoes." (told you)
- Sunita asked, "Are you coming to the party?" (asked if)
- The manager said, "The parcel has arrived." (said that)
Answers: 1. The caller said that he/she would come at five. | 2. Your aunt asked you to call her that night/tonight. | 3. The coach told you not to forget your shoes. | 4. Sunita asked if you were coming to the party. | 5. The manager said that the parcel had arrived.
✏️ Quick Practice — Write the Message
You are Anita. At 6 p.m. on 3 October 2026, your mother's friend Mrs Das phoned while your mother was out. She said that she would visit on Sunday at 11 a.m. with her son, and asked your mother to keep the family album ready. Write a message for your mother in about 40 words.
Answer (one possible model): MESSAGE | 3 October 2026 | 6:00 p.m. | Dear Mummy, Mrs Das phoned at 6 p.m. She said that she would visit us on Sunday at 11 a.m. with her son. She asked you to keep the family album ready. Please call her if the time does not suit you. | Anita. (Any message with the date, time, salutation, all the facts in reported speech and the name is correct.)
Summary
A message is a short note of about 50 words for someone who was absent. The format is MESSAGE, date, time, salutation, body, name. The body is written in reported speech, starts with the most important fact, includes the time, place and what the reader must do, and leaves out greetings and small talk. To turn a dialogue into a message, find the absent receiver, pick out the facts, change the speech to reported speech and add the format. Practise the reporting patterns in the direct and indirect speech lesson and revisit dialogue writing to see how conversations are laid out.