Beginnings Thank you/Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter/postcard. It was good/nice to hear from you recently. Im sorry I havent written/been in touch for such a long time. Its ages since Ive heard from you. I hope youre/you and your family are well. Asking i! ow are the things" ow are you" ows it going" #eferring to their news $reat news a%out & $lad to hear that & 'orry to hear a%out & $iving news (isten, did I tell you a%out & )oull never %elieve what & *h, and another thing & +his is ,ust to let you know that & I thought you might %e interested to hear about/know that & By the way, have you heard about/did you know that & Apologies Im writing to apologise for missing your party %ut Im afraid I was with flu. Im really sorry that I forgot to send you a %irthday card %ut I was %usy with my new ,o%. If you let me know where you bought it/how much it cost Ill gladly pay for it/replace it. -lease let me know how much the %ill is and Ill gladly pay it. Invitations Im./ere having a party on 0riday 12th and I.we hope youll %e a%le to come. /ould you like to come/go to see 3#oom /ith a 4iew with me at the weekend. I was wondering if youd like to go to the theatre/come on holiday with us" 5ould you let me.us know if you can come/youd like to join us" +hank you vary much for your invitation. Id love to come. +hank you for asking/inviting me to & %ut Im afraid I wont %e a%le to & #e6uests Im writing to ask for your help/you (if you could do me) a favour. wonder if/ was wondering if you could help me/do me a favour. I hope you dont mind me asking %ut could you (possi%ly) &" Id %e very/really/terribly grateful if you could & + h a n k
y o u 5 o n g r a t u l a t i o n s $ o o d
( u c k Im writing to thank you for your hospitality/the wonderful present. It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you. I really appreciated all your help/advice. 5ongratulations on passing your e!ams/your e!cellent e!am results! wish you good luck/"ood luck in/with your e!ams/your driving test/your interview. Dont worry, Im sure youll do well/pass. Do %e on time, wont you, and dont forget to & 7aking suggestions and recommend. /hy dont you &" 7ay%e you could &" ow a%out &" )ou cant leave 8ew )ork without doing sth Im sure you will en,oy doing sth If you like, we can & Do visit somewhere Dont forget to do sth (Imperative 9: 'trong #ecommendation) Im told that & -eople say that & (If you heard sth is good) ;ndings $ive my love/regards to & 'ay hello to & ope to hear from you soon. 'ee you soon! /rite soon. *nce again, thank you for all your help. 1 'igning off (ove, (ots of love, )ours, Best wishes, 0irst name FORMAL LETTER Dear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam, #eason for writing I am writing to & I am writing with regard to & I am writing on %ehalf of & Asking 6uestions I would %e grateful if & I wonder if you could & 5ould you &" 5ould you tell me something a%out &" I would particularly like to know & I would %e interested in having more details a%out & #eferring to their letter As you started in your letter, & #egarding & 5oncerning & /ith regard to & 5omplaining I am writing to complain a%out & )ou said & %ut in fact what happened & /e were supposed to stay with British families whereas we actually stayed in a guest house. 5losing If you re6uire any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. -lease contact me if you have any further 6uestions. 'igning off (If Dear surname) )ours sincerely, (If Dear 'ir.7adam) )ours faithfully, )ours, 0irst name < surname Remember that in formal letters we use: Formal vocabulary, usually not usin !hrasal verbs (3+olerate instead of 3put up with) More com!le" sentence structure (=nowing what a good reputation the restaurant has, I was disappointed with the service) #unctuation usin semi$colons +he li%rary offers no facilities for %orrowing videos> this is %ecause of the high cost involved Remember that in informal letters we use: Informal vocabulary, inclu%in !hrasal verbs 3go on instead of 3continue &im!ler sentence structure ? Ill %e late for the party. Its %ecause of my 0rench e@am. #unctuation usin e"clamation mar's If youd %een at the wedding, youd have loved the food! LETTER OF A##LI(ATION Dear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam, #eason for writing I am writing to apply for the post/position of & & as advertised in & I am writing with reference/in response to your advertisement, which I saw & I am writing in connection with your advertisement in the Daily 'tar on 7ay 11 th & /ith reference to your advertisement & ; @ p e r i e n c e A u a l i f i c a t i o n s 5 4 I gained some e@perience while & I am currently working as & I have %een working for & for the last four years. I worked part9time for three years as & At the moment I am employed %y & 7y 6ualifications include & I have a diploma in & I graduated from Barcelona Bniversity last year with a degree in & -lease find attached my 54 As you can see from the attached 54 & ;ndings -lease do not hesitate to contact me if/should you re6uire further information. I look forward to hearing from you. I am availa%le for interview at your convenience. I shall %e availa%le for interview any day apart from /ednesdays. 'igning off (If Dear surname) )ours sincerely, (If Dear 'ir.7adam) )ours faithfully, )ours, 0irst name < surname C RE#ORT Initial information +oD 0romD 'u%,ectD or #eD DateD Introduction As re6uested, I did/have done sth summarise below/$elow is a summary of the most important relevant points as well as some recommendations. 0indings *r Important points 1. & ?. & C. & Bseful phrases In relation to & In contrast with & As far as & is concerned & In spite of & In an attempt to & 5onclusion or recommend. aving considered the options, & I would like to suggest/recommend & I therefore suggest/recommend & )ou may wish to consider & E ARTI(LE eading 0reeFing! (dramatic) 7y (one /alk to the 8orth -ole (a summary) #escue from the rapids (a summary) /hats the %ig idea" (a 6uestion) 'even %anks a day are ro%%ed in (A (a surprising) )oure already well e6uipped to prevent crime (a surprising) *pening Did you know &" /hat would you do if &" $eneral 'tructure $ive your article a heading or headline which makes the su%,ect clear and also catches the readers attention. Divide the article into paragraphs to help the reader follow the argument. Begin with an interesting introduction G an e@ample, perhaps, or a 6uestion. ;nd with an overall comment or concluding. H &TOR) Beginnings and endings A narrative needs an interesting %eginning to catch the readers attention and encourage him or her to read on, and a clear ending to round the story off satisfactorily. A weak %eginning or ending can spoil the effect of the story, so its worth spending time working out how to start and finish. 4er% tenses /e useD +he sim!le !ast to descri%e the main eventsD I ran to answer the phone %ut it sto!!e% ringing as I !ic'e% u! the receiver. +he !ast continuous to set the sceneD It was rainin heavily as we set off. +he !ast !erfect to descri%e events which happened %efore the main eventsD /hen I got on the %us all the seats ha% been ta'en. #reset !artici!les to show two actions which are linkedD Noticin that she looked lost, I asked if I could help. #erfect !artici!les to show that one action was complete %efore another startedD *avin re!orte% my stolen passport to the police, I returned sadly to the hotel. +ime (inks %efore &. then & at first, & ne@t & later & during & after that & afterwards & when & finally, & as soon as & eventually, & immediately & in the end, & once & A few days earlier & Iust after that & 'ome time later & 0ollowing the accident & (ater on & Adding variety and interest +ry to use different ad,ectives to convey the atmosphere. 0or e@ample, if you want to convey the idea of fear, you could use frightened% terrified% scared. 4arying the length of sentences can %e effective. Bse direct speech occasionally for dramatic effect (remem%er to use inverted commas correctlyD J8o,K he yelled, Jdont touch that switch!K) L +I&(,R&I-E 7aking points 7any people feel that ... 0irst and foremost, ... It is widely %elieved that ... It would %e ideal if ... Another argument in favour is ... It is clear from the facts that ... +he %enefits of ... outweigh the disadvantages. *n the whole, I think ... 5ontrasting points *n the other hand ... *ther people think ... An opposing argument is ... $iving opinions I personally feel that ... I find it hard to see why ... I certainly donMt %elieve that ... It is difficult to %elieve that ... I o%,ect to the cloning of animals. *rganising and linking your ideas 0irst of all, & 'econdly, & In addition, & 7oreover, & 0urthermore, & 'o & As a result, & +herefore, & owever, & *n the one hand & on the other hand & *n the whole & /hile it is true to say & 0inally, & +o summarise, & In conclusion N