In a letter to your brother who has been studying abroad for the past five years, describe at least three ways in which the current economic situation has a...

Answer Details

How to approach this question: This is an informal letter to a brother abroad. It needs the writer's address and date, an informal salutation, a warm register, and clear description of at least three ways the economic situation has affected family life. Below is a model answer.

7 Adeyemi Close,
Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
10 July, 2026.

Dear Kunle,

It has been such a long time since we last heard from each other, and the whole family misses you dearly. Five years is no small time to be away, and I am sure you can hardly imagine how much things have changed here at home. I am writing to tell you plainly how the present harsh economic situation has affected our way of life.

In the first place, the sharp rise in the prices of goods has changed the way we eat. Where mother used to prepare rich and varied meals, we now manage simple food and have cut down the number of times we eat meat and fish. Feeding a family of six has become a daily struggle because the cost of foodstuff keeps climbing.

Secondly, the economic hardship has affected our education. Father could no longer afford the fees of the private school we attended, so both Bola and I were transferred to a public school. We have also had to do without many textbooks and now depend on borrowed copies.

Thirdly, the situation has changed our social life. Father sold the family car because fuel and maintenance became too expensive, and we now travel by public transport. We rarely go out for outings or celebrations as we used to, and mother has started a small trade to add to the family income.

In spite of all this, we remain hopeful and united, and we thank God for keeping us together. Please do write soon and tell us how you are faring in your studies. We count the days until you return home to us.

Your loving brother,
Segun