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But = however, although / also = additionally, moreover / while = and at the same time, similarly / however = on the
other hand / because = as, since / furthermore = in addition, what is more.
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1. However
2. but
3. In spite of the fact that
4. Therefore / so
5. Therefore
6. In addition
7. Despite the fact that
8. Despite
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A letter of reference is supposed to have three key components:

     1) an opening paragraph (sentence) in which  you: 

      - state the purpose of writing; 
      - explain how long and in which capacities you have known the person;

      2) an evaluation of the person's skills, character and accomplishments depending on what is being
expected by the employer;

3)  a closing paragraph that summarises why and to what degree you would recommend this person.

      Below I have put down some useful expressions and structures for the opening and closing
paragraphs as well as for evaluating various kinds of skills

Purpose of writing I am writing on behalf of…

I am writing to recommend … for a position of … with…
I am writing in regard to ...’s application..

Relations I have known … personally and socially for

for approximately 5 years /  since childhood
for over 2 years during which time she worked as a … in my office
we are in the same tutorial group at college

and she is a highly qualified candidate for a position

is qualified and experienced to accept the challenge of being...

Active position is involved in her local community, her church and her childrens’ schools

Social skills has an excellent rapport (gets on) with people of all ages
will establish productive relationships with (will be popular with)
is used to dealing with ….
the social (interpersonal) skills she has learnt in this job should serve her well
as .../ enable her to... / allow her to...

Organisational skills outstanding organisational skills

an excellent person to have around in times of crisis
dependable
not inclined to panic or lose her temper
although never bossy, she can take control over difficult situations without
upsetting anyone
would definitely be able to cope if things went wrong…
...which may come in very useful ..
is able to successfully complete multiple tasks with favourable results despite
deadline pressure
consistently demonstrated leadership abilities

Physical condition an accomplished sportsman

at… she has reached competition level

Communication Her strong verbal and written communication skills allowed her to relay
skills information in a clear and coherent manner.
She demonstrated the ability to articulate information and ideas in both the
written and verbal forms.

Diligency She will devote herself to a position with your organisation with a high degree
of diligence
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...is a direct result of her hard work and strong focus

With her enthusiastic commonsense (can do) approach she would ensure….
She has been effective in her efforts to...

Academic exceptional (above-average) academic performance

performance out of a class of 150 students, she graduated with honours in the top 10

Closing I believe, she would make an excellent…/ would be a valuable asset to ...
I am confident that she ...
I have no hesitation in recommending her to your company (for the post)
I recommend her to you without reservation.
I highly recommend her ...

Letter of reference
Your friend has applied for the post of editor of a weekly newsletter for members of staff in a large
company, and you have been asked to write a letter of reference for him or her. Include information about
your friend’s relevant experience and the skills and characteristics that make him or her suitable for the job.
Here is an extract from the job advertisement. Write the letter of reference in 220-260 words.

LETTSCO STAFF NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Applications are invited for the post of editor of the weekly newsletter for the 1000 staff members of
Lettsco.
Duties will include interviewing people for articles and writing brief reports of latest developments in the
company.
The person appointed will have excellent communication and administrative skills.
To whom it may concern,
I am writing in support of Lucy Moseley’s application for the post of newsletter editor.
I have known Lucy for five years since we met at university. We both worked on the university’s weekly
newspaper, and Lucy was editor for two years. In this role she demonstrated great enthusiasm and
administrative skills. In addition to editing, she had to write articles for the newspaper and set up interviews
for the other student journalists like myself. When we asked her for advice, she was always eager to help.
After university, Lucy and I both took jobs at our present company, and I have continued to work closely
with her. During the time that I have known Lucy, I have found her reliable and honest in all aspects of her
work. She has also earned herself a great deal of respect through her support for junior colleagues, always
being happy to explain procedures to them.
Although she can at first appear to be rather a shy person, she is in fact very kind and friendly when you get
to know her, and always willing to socialise with work colleagues.
I have no doubt that she will carry out every aspect of the position to the best of her ability and with great
success. In addition, it will give her the opportunity to develop her editorial and communication skills still
further. I am happy to recommend her for the post.
Sincerely,
Penny Farthing
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To whom it may concern.

Mariela Lopez
Mariela and I have been working at "Peru Travel" for about 15
years. She has proved to be a well-qualified travel
agent during all the time she has rendered services to this
company.
Mariela is the kind of person who can work with others as she
displays sensitivity and sympathy. She is always willing to
collaborate not only with the boss, but also with her colleagues.
In addition, she has got a very strong sense of responsibility
and rarely takes time off or asks for permission for personal
matters.

I am certain that Mariela is the most elegible applicant for the

travel agent position in your enterprise as she is a very
organised person who is always informed of all the documents,
files, tasks and formalities concerning her field. She can manage
her time effectively and work under pressure. She is an
industrious and innovative member who is capable of
enhancing the name of the company. I assure you that she will
know how to pursue all the goals your enterprise sets. 
From my point of view and for all the reasons I have outlined
above, Mariela would be an asset as a travel agent in your
company. She is devoted to her work and she enjoys it a lot. I
have no hesitation in recommending her for the position.

E.O
( An English teacher/ guest blogger from Peru )
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Letter of complaint
Opening
 Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,
 I am writing to express my disappointment with/dissatisfaction with the service I received
in…
 I would like to lodge a formal complaint against your company for the reasons outlined
below:
 I feel compelled to write to you in order to describe the woefully inadequate service at…

Listing Problems
 First of all,
 Not only was there a hair in my wife’s soup, but the main course also arrived cold.
 On top of that…
 As if that was not enough…
 What is more, …
 In addition to this, …

Complaining Expressions
 The standard of the… was severely lacking.
 The… was not up to the expected standard.
 The… left a lot to be desired.
 The… failed to live up to our expectations/fell well short of our expectations.
 We were left bitterly disappointed by…
 The quality of the customer service we received was woefully inadequate.
 The… was an absolute disgrace/absolutely disgraceful (v.strong)
 Overall, our visit to your (restaurant) was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.
 As a result of the …., we were forced to ….

Emphatic Language – Inversions & Cleft Sentences

 No sooner had we …. than ….
 What I found most disappointing was….
 So poor was the …. that ….
 At no time were we….
 Never before have I seen/experienced/etc.
 Had I know that ….., I would not have ….

Requesting Action
 It seems only fair that you should… (offer a full refund)
 I would appreciate it if you…
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 I would be grateful if you…

 Should these demands not be met, I will be left with no choice but to take legal action.
 I expect to receive compensation to the tune of (€2000) for the…

Making Recommendations
 I strongly recommend that your organisation…
 It would be advisable to…
 I suggest re-evaluating your procedures regarding…
 Were your company to …., customer satisfaction would undoubtedly increase.

Sign off
 I look forward to receiving your reply.
 I expect to receive a prompt reply to this letter.
 Yours faithfully,

Dialogue/Story
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing regarding a tour that my wife and I took with your company on February
26, 2006. The brochure stated that we would see some of the most
interesting sights of the city. Since we had visited the city before, we looked forward
to seeing some new attractions.
On the morning of February 26, our tour guide picked us up in a small van. It did
not look like any tour bus I had ever seen. Our tour guide drove us to
the waterfront area and said that we could explore the area on our own. The tour
guide said that he had to leave for a short time to arrange for our lunch.
By the time the tour guide came back, three hours had gone by! I was very angry
and confronted him. I told him that this was the worst tour I had ever been on.
I am asking for a complete refund of the price of the tour. Please send a check to
the address above for $150.00 at your earliest convenience. I have enclosed a copy
of the receipt for the tour.
Sincerely,
Kayne East
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Examples (formal)
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Examples (informal)