If you get a question based on letters, look out for the following conventions. If they are there, then you can comment on them. If you find the EXACT OPPOSITE, then you can comment on how unusual that is. Either way, you win!
Letters
The older they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by people who are generally more literate and adventurous with language due to higher prestige of the form; look out in particular for particular people and how their role is reflected within the letter (explorers, writers etc - only letters from reputable individuals will have survived); more formal in tone; aimed at higher classes - consider how literate the population would have been; letters were far more practical - once upon a time they would have been the only real way of communicating over long distances. This would affect the content hugely; people generally more skilled and proficient at letter writing; lots of mention of love as often letters would be kept and saved if they were significant; lots of mentions of God due to more religious society; formal and proper uses of SE/grammar; strict social conventions.
The newer they are, they are more likely to be/show/have/display...
Written by anybody; aimed at a much wider audience; letters now written to show sentimentality or to raise importance of the communication; lower standards of grammar/SE; not as many social conventions or standards; much more choice and freedom; may include multi-modal aspects; may include intrusions from similar formats such as text/email (emoticons, phonetics spelling, homophones, abbreviations); often associated with military/complaints/legal processes; more casual in terms of subject matter.
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