Course Catalog / BMU 030 / Lesson 1 of 5

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BMU 030

Warm up

1. Think of a letter that sat on the table because it was hard to read. What kind was it?

See the answer

Bills, notices, and forms are hard for many people. This course gives you a plan.

Why this matters

Some mail is easy. Some is full of long words and small print. You are not alone. In a 2023 national study, 28 percent of U.S. adults scored at the lowest reading level.

You do not need to read every word to get what a letter wants. In this lesson you will use four questions on every letter.

Start with what you already do

You already know some mail at a glance, like a card from a friend or an ad.

Common belief: If I do not get every word, I cannot understand the letter.

What is actually true: Most letters come down to four things: who sent it, what it wants, by when, and your next step. You can find those first.

Key words

sender

The person or group who sent the letter.

deadline

The last day to do something. Look for words like due, by, or before.

next step

The one thing you will do next about the letter.

The four questions

1. Who sent it? Look at the logo, the top, or the return address.
2. What does it want? Look for words like pay, sign, call, send, or bring.
3. By when? Look for a date near words like due, by, or before.
4. What is my next step? Write one thing you will do, and when.

Try it on a sample

This letter is made up. Who: the City Water Department. What: pay $48.20. By when: November 15. Next step: pay it, or call to ask about a plan.

Do not toss it or panic

The IRS gives good advice for any official letter. Read it carefully and keep it. If it asks you to reply, act by the due date. You can find the letter's number in its right corner to look it up.

If a letter looks odd, do not call the number in it. The IRS says to call 800 829 1040 if you think an IRS letter is a scam. For other senders, find their number on their real website or an old bill.

Text version of this figure

Read the mail with a plan. Four questions for every letter.

1. Step 1, Who sent it?: Logo, top, or return address.
2. Step 2, What does it want?: Pay, sign, call, send, or bring.
3. Step 3, By when?: Look for due, by, or before.
4. My next step: One thing, and when.
5. Looks odd?: Call the sender at a number you trust.

Source: IRS, Understanding your notice or letter (Oct 29, 2026).

Worked example: Mo reads a notice

Mo gets a letter from his county. It has two pages of small print.

• Who: the county tax office. He sees it in the logo.
• What: he looks for action words and finds pay.
• By when: he finds a due date of April 30.
• Next step: he writes, I will pay by April 25, on a sticky note.

Mo is a made up example.

Practice: Find the four answers

Read this made up letter. Then answer: who sent it, what is it about, what must I do, and by when?

1. Lake County Library. Your book, Big Sky, is 10 days late. Please return it or pay $3.00 by December 1. Call 555 0142 with questions.

Check your practice: feedback

1. Who: Lake County Library. What: a late book. Do: return it or pay $3.00. By when: December 1. The phone number is for questions.

Common mistakes

• Reading word by word from the top. Find the four answers first.
• Putting the letter in a pile. Write the next step and a date right away.
• Calling a number in an odd letter. Use a number you already trust.

Check your understanding

Take it as many times as you like. Pick an answer, then open the feedback.

1. A letter says Pay by May 3. Which question does that answer?

1. Who sent it
2. By when
3. Next step

See the answer and feedback

B is correct. Yes. May 3 is the deadline.

A: That is the sender. Review The four questions.

C: The next step is what you will do. Review The four questions.

2. Where do you look first to see who sent a letter?

1. The logo or return address
2. The last line only
3. The first paragraph

See the answer and feedback

A is correct. Yes. The top and the return address show the sender.

B: Start at the top. Review The four questions.

C: The first paragraph may not name the sender. Look at the logo or return address. Review The four questions.

3. A letter that says it is from the IRS looks odd. What should you do?

1. Pay right away
2. Ignore it
3. Check it with the IRS

See the answer and feedback

C is correct. Yes. Call 800 829 1040 or look it up on irs.gov.

A: Check it first. Review Do not toss it or panic.

B: Real letters need action. Review Do not toss it or panic.

Next up

Next you will learn tricks for hard words. Go to Lesson 2: Hard words, easy tricks.

Key words: Course glossary (A to Z, with the lesson that teaches each one).

Stuck or have a question? Ask BMU Learner Support.

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