GENERAL TRAINING TASK 1
Opener and Closer Menu
Formal
Purpose of Letter
Opener
I’m writing to request …
I was wondering if you could …
Request / Enquiry I’m writing to enquire about …
I am writing to request permission to …
I would appreciate your approval to …
Permission I was writing to ask if I might be
allowed to + infinitive
I was hoping you would let me + bare
infinitive
Thank you for your letter regarding X.
I would be happy to give you some
advice / suggestions /
recommendations.
Advice / Thank you for your letter requesting
information about X. I hope the
Suggestions / following suggestions will be of some
help to you.
Recommendations
I am writing to nominate X for Y.
Nominations I would like to put forward X for Y.
Closer
I look forward to hearing from you
soon, and thank you for your attention
to this matter.
I very much look forward to you reply,
and thank you in advance for your
help.
Thank you for considering this matter.
Thank you for your consideration of
this request.
I hope that you found these
suggestions / recommendations of
use. Please don’t hesitate to contact
me should you have any further
questions.
I trust that these suggestions will
prove to be of assistance. I would be
happy to offer you any additional
information you may require.
Please let me know if I can help
further.
Please do not hesitate to contact me
if you require any more information.
Informal
Opener Closer
I’m writing to ask a favour. Thanks so much (John). Write back
I was wondering if you could… when you can.
Thanks again for everything!
I was wondering if there was any
chance you could … I hope you don’t mind me asking you
this!
X X
Of course I can help! Let me know what you decide to do!
I’d love to help you. I hope that all of this helps. All the
best!
I’d be happy to give you some advice.
I’d be happy to share my thoughts on Get in touch again if you need more
…. help. Good luck!
If you need any more help, just drop
I can definitely give you some tips
me a line.
about …
I hope that these ideas help! Let me
know if you need anything else.
That’s all I can think of for now, but
definitely get back to me if I’ve missed
something.
X X
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 I would be happy to offer my services
+ gerund
Please inform me if I could help you
in any way.
Offer
I wanted to write to explain what
happened regarding …
I am writing to offer an explanation for
th
Give the events of Friday 24 August.
an Explanation I am writing to offer my account
regarding the + noun phrase
I am writing to offer my account of the
th
events of Friday August 24 .
Give News X X
I am writing to apologise for …
I would like to apologise for …
Please accept my apologies for …
I am writing to offer my sincere
Apology apologies for the events of last week.
Once again, I would be happy to
assist you in any way that I can.
I hope that this letter has made the
situation clear, but please do not
hesitate to contact me if you require
any further details.
I hope that this letter will clear up any
remaining queries regarding the
event, however, should you require
any further details, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Once again, I am sorry for any
inconvenience caused.
Please accept my sincere apologies
once more.
I hope that you can overlook this
regrettable situation.
I hope that you will accept my
apologies.
I heard that you are …, and I
wondered if you wanted me to lend a
hand / help you out.
Is there anything that I can do to help
you out?
If you need help with anything, please
just let me know.
I’d love to give you a hand + gerund
X X
I must tell you about …
I’ve got some wonderful news that I
simply have to share with you.
You’ll never guess what’s happened?
I….
I’ve got so much to tell you today.
I wanted to let you know as soon as
possible that …
So much has happened recently that I
need to tell you.
I’m sorry that I …
I really need to say sorry for…
I feel terrible that I …
I feel terrible that I wasn’t able to /
couldn’t …
I’m afraid that I’ve got an apology to
make.
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Anyway, please get back to me and
let me know what I can do.
Anyway, get in touch and let me know
what you think.
If I can help in any other way, just let
me know. I’m just a phone call away.
Please write back soon with your
news soon!
Anyway, this is what’s happening with
me, please write to let me know how
you are.
So, that’s about all of the news that I
have at the moment.
Anyway, I thought that you would
enjoy hearing about what’s been
happening lately.
I hope that I didn’t cause you too
much trouble John. I really am so
sorry.
Sorry again John.
Sorry again! (ONLY use if situation is
not serious)
 I am writing on behalf of X to thank
you for …
I am writing to extend my sincerest
thanks for …
Thanks I am writing to express my gratitude
for …
I would like to thank you very much
for …
I am writing to invite you to attend …
It gives us great pleasure to invite you
to …
I am writing to ask for the pleasure of
you company at …
Invitation We invite you to join us for …
We would be very pleased if you
could join us to celebrate the + noun
phrase e.g. the marriage of our
daughter, the launch of our new
company, the birthday of our son.
Make
Arrangements X X
I am writing to complain about …
I am writing to express my concern
about …
I would like to draw your attention to
… I look forward to hearing your views
Complaint I am writing with regard to …
I am writing to express my
disappointment with …
Once again, please accept my
warmest thanks again.
Once again, I am very grateful.
With thanks once again.
Once again, I / we hope that you will
be able to join us.
I hope that you are able to accept this
invitation, and I look forward to
hearing from you.
I look forward to receiving your
prompt reply.
I look forward to a quick resolution of
this matter.
on this matter.
Thank you for your prompt attention
to this matter.
I hope that you will give this matter
your prompt attention.
I hope that you will take steps to solve
this problem.
Just a brief note to say thank you for Thanks again.
+ gerund.
I wanted to say how much I
appreciate …
Thank you so much for …
I can’t thank you enough for the
wonderful …
This is to say a big thank you for …
I’m writing to invite you to my / our … Hope you can come!
st
on Saturday 1 July. Hope you can make it!
I wanted to invite you to celebrate my It would be great if you can make it.
/ our birthday, engagement,
anniversary, graduation next Sunday. It would be wonderful to see you
there.
I really hope you’ll be able to come!
I thought I’d write to see if you feel Let me know if all this is good for you.
like … Anyway, get back to me to let me
Do you fancy + gerund with me on know if you fancy it.
Monday?
Anyway, I really hope that we can find
We’re going to X on Friday and were
wondering if you’d like to come with
a way to get together.
us.
Are you doing anything on Friday
evening? Do you fancy …
X X
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 I am writing to apply for the post of …
as advertised in The Times / on The
st
Times website on May 1 .
I am writing in response to your
Work: recent advertisement for a … in The
Please find attached a copy of my
CV. I look forward to hearing from you
in the near future.
If you require any further information,
please do not hesitate to contact me.

Application
Times / on The Times website on
st
May 1 .
I look forward to hearing from you in
the near future.
X X
Please do not hesitate to contact me
should you require any more further
information. I am available for
interview at any time.

I am writing to inform you that I will be Once again, many thanks for all of the
resigning from my role as My last day support you have given me over the
th
of work will be December 24 . last few years.
I am writing to inform you of my Please accept this letter as my official
Work:
Resignation
intention to resign from my position of
… My last day of work will be
December 24 .
th
notice of resignation. I was fortunate
to be part of this company, and I wish
you continued success.
X X
I am writing to hand in my resignation;
th
effective of December 24 . (very
formal)

I am writing to you regarding … I thought it was time I dropped you a

line to say …
General Openers I am writing with regard to …
I am writing in connection to …
X I’ve been meaning to write to you for X
ages to let you know …

In am writing in response to … Thanks for your lovely letter. It was so

In response to your letter dated 24
th nice to hear from you.
Replying to
a previous letter
of July 2017.,
X Thank you so much for your letter.
It was so lovely to open your letter
X
this week.

I am a student in your Wednesday

IELTS class.
I have been a customer of your bank
for 25 years.
Introducing
Yourself
I was a guest at your hotel on May
th
the 25 .
X X X
I ate in your restaurant last Friday.
I attended your classes at the
university from 2006 to 2009.

 
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