Notice writing is the skill of writing a short, formal announcement for a group of people, such as the students of a school, the members of a club or the residents of a housing society. A notice tells the reader what is happening, when, where, who can take part and whom to contact, in as few words as possible, and it is usually written inside a box.

Notice writing is a standard short-writing question in CBSE and ICSE English papers, usually with a limit of about 50 words. This lesson shows the format, the rules that earn marks, four complete sample notices and the mistakes students make most often.

Notice Writing Format

A notice has six parts. Draw a box (a rectangle) around the whole notice, because the box is part of the format.

Notice Format (inside a box)

1. Name of the institution (at the top, in capitals, for example SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL, JAIPUR)
2. NOTICE (the word, in capitals, centred)
3. Date (when the notice is issued, usually on the left)
4. Heading (a short title in capitals or underlined, for example ANNUAL SPORTS DAY)
5. Body (what, when, where, who, any condition, and whom to contact)
6. Name and designation of the person who issues it (on the left or right, at the bottom)

Tip

A notice has no salutation (no "Dear students") and no complimentary close ("Yours faithfully"). It has no sender's address or receiver's address either. If you are asked to write as the Head Boy, Cultural Secretary or Secretary of a society, sign with that designation and use the name given in the question (if no name is given, a made-up name is accepted in most boards; check your paper's instructions).

The details every body must answer

The body of a notice answers five questions
QuestionWhat to giveExample
What?The event or the newsAn inter-house quiz competition will be held.
When?Date, day and timeon Friday, 20 November 2026, at 10 a.m.
Where?The venuein the school auditorium
Who?Who may take part or must attendStudents of Classes 9 to 12 are invited.
How or whom to contact?Last date, conditions, and a contact personNames should be given to Ms Gupta by 18 November.

Rules for Writing a Notice

The Rules

1. Word limit: about 50 words (the question states the limit; the heading, name and date usually do not count).
2. Box: put the whole notice in a box.
3. Third person: write about "students", "members" or "residents", not "you". Do not write "I" or "we" unless the question needs it.
4. Passive voice is common: A meeting will be held…, Names should be submitted…. It keeps the focus on the event, not the doer. You can also write in the active voice if it is shorter.
5. Short and clear: short sentences, no long explanation, no stories.
6. Complete information: date, time, venue and contact must be present when the event needs them.
7. Date: write it in full (15 November 2026), and write the event date in the body, not "tomorrow" or "next week".

The passive voice makes a notice sound formal and impersonal. If you want to practise it, read Active and Passive Voice.

Sample 1: School Event

Question: As the Head Boy of Sunrise Public School, Jaipur, write a notice about the annual sports day. Word limit: 50.

Sample Notice: Sports Day

SUNRISE PUBLIC SCHOOL, JAIPUR
NOTICE
15 November 2026
ANNUAL SPORTS DAY

It is announced that the Annual Sports Day will be held on Saturday, 28 November 2026, at 9 a.m. in the school ground. All students of Classes 6 to 12 must attend in sports uniform. Interested students should give their names to the sports teacher by 20 November.

Rahul Sharma
Head Boy

(About 48 words in the body.)

Sample 2: Lost and Found

Question: You are the Secretary of the Students' Council. Write a notice about a lost wristwatch.

Sample Notice: Lost and Found

GREEN VALLEY SCHOOL, PUNE
NOTICE
15 November 2026
LOST: BLUE WRISTWATCH

A blue digital wristwatch was lost near the school canteen on 13 November 2026. Whoever has found it is requested to hand it over to the Students' Council room or to the school office. The owner may collect it from there after giving proof.

Meera Joshi
Secretary, Students' Council

Tip

For a found item, change the heading to FOUND: BLUE WRISTWATCH and the body to "A blue wristwatch has been found… The owner may collect it from… by giving the colour and make as proof." Never reveal every detail of the object, so that only the real owner can claim it.

Sample 3: Club Meeting

Question: The Eco Club of your school plans a meeting to start a tree-plantation drive. Write a notice for the club members.

Sample Notice: Eco Club Meeting

ST. MARY'S SCHOOL, KOLKATA
NOTICE
15 November 2026
ECO CLUB MEETING

A meeting of all Eco Club members will be held in Room 12 on Wednesday, 18 November 2026, at 1.30 p.m. to plan a tree-plantation drive. Members are asked to come with at least two ideas. Attendance is compulsory.

Ananya Das
Secretary, Eco Club

Sample 4: Society or RWA Notice

Question: As the Secretary of Shanti Apartments' Resident Welfare Association, write a notice about the water supply being cut for maintenance.

Sample Notice: Water Supply

SHANTI APARTMENTS RESIDENT WELFARE ASSOCIATION, BENGALURU
NOTICE
15 November 2026
WATER SUPPLY INTERRUPTION

All residents are informed that the water supply will be stopped on Sunday, 22 November 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cleaning of the overhead tank. Residents are requested to store enough water in advance. For any query, call the office on 080-2345 6789.

Suresh Rao
Secretary, RWA

Common Mistakes in Notice Writing

Mistakes to avoid when writing a notice
❌ Wrong✅ Right
Dear students, you are invited…All students are invited…
The notice has no box and no date.Box around the notice, with the date below NOTICE
Heading: Notice for a competition in our school which will be organised soonHeading: INTER-HOUSE QUIZ COMPETITION
The meeting will be held tomorrow.The meeting will be held on Friday, 20 November 2026.
Yours faithfully, RahulRahul Sharma, Head Boy
A notice of 120 words with a long introductionAbout 50 words, to the point
No venue or timeDate, time and venue in the first two sentences

If a notice must reach one person instead of a group, a short message is the better format. If you write about an absence instead of an event, use the leave application format. For the formal register used in all of them, see the formal letter format.

✏️ Quick Practice — Notice Writing

  1. Which two things must be written at the top of every notice?
  2. Does a notice have a salutation such as "Dear students"?
  3. Change to formal passive for a notice: "We will hold the meeting in the library."
  4. Which of these is a better heading: "A Science Exhibition Is Going to Be Organised in Our School" or "SCIENCE EXHIBITION"?
  5. What is the usual word limit of a notice in school papers?
  6. Name the five pieces of information the body should give.
  7. Why is "the meeting will be held tomorrow" a weak sentence in a notice?
  8. Who signs a notice, and with what?

Answers: 1. The name of the institution and NOTICE  |  2. No  |  3. The meeting will be held in the library.  |  4. SCIENCE EXHIBITION  |  5. About 50 words  |  6. What, when, where, who, and how or whom to contact  |  7. "Tomorrow" depends on the day the reader reads it, so the date and day should be written  |  8. The person who issues it, with name and designation

Summary

A notice is a short formal announcement written inside a box. It carries the name of the institution, the word NOTICE, the date, a heading, a body of about 50 words and the name and designation of the writer. The body answers what, when, where, who and whom to contact, in short third-person sentences, often in the passive voice. It has no salutation and no closing phrase. Check the date, time and venue before you finish, and your notice will be complete.