Writing lesson 3:

There are two main types of letters: formal letter/ informal letter.
How to write an informal letter?
-There are various types of letters, such as:
Letter of request (yêu cầu), letter of giving information (thư cung cấp
thông tin), letters of advice (thư đưa ra lời khuyên), letters of making
suggestions/ recommendations (thư đưa ra gợi ý), letters of
complaint, letters of apology, letters of application, letters to the
editor/ authorities.
-A successful letter should consist of:
+ An appropriate greeting.
For example: Dear john, Dear Mr and Mrs Candy, Dear my friends,…
Ways to have an appropriate greeting: Dear Mr…/ Dear my friend/
Dear my love/ => Dear+ first name.
+ An introductory paragraph => Reasons for writing. (opening)
Ways to have an introductory paragraph:
 Sentence 1: How are you?/ How have you been? It’s been a while
since I last saw you (đã khá lâu kể từ lần cuối t gặp bạn)/ How has
your life been treating you? (cuộc sống của bạn thế nào r)/ I hope
that this letter finds you in the best of spirits ( tôi mong rằng lá
thư này tìm tới bạn trong một tâm thế thật vui vẻ)/ It’s been a
while since I last heard from you (đã lâu rùi ko nghe tin chi từ
bạn)/ are you keeping well? (bn khỏe k?),…
 “How have you been? It’s been a long time since I last saw you. I
hope that this letter finds you in the best of heath and spirits/ I
hope that you are keeping well!”

 Sentence 2: Give reasons of writing:

 Thư đề nghị / yêu cầu(letter of request):
-I’m writing to ask you whether/ if (liệu rằng) you could
can tell me about…. (tôi viết để hỏi bạn có thể thông báo/
nói cho tôi biết về….)
->I’m writing to ask you whether you can tell me some
information about your English course/ about the trip to
Singapore.

-I would be most grateful if you could + Verb (tôi sẽ rất biết

ơn nếu bạn có thể….)
-Please tell me about … (hãy nói cho tôi về…)

->Please tell me some information about your English

course.
 Thư xin lỗi: (Letter of apology)
-I’m writing this letter to apologize you for Ving. ( tôi viết thư
này xin lỗi b về…)
“I’m writing this letter to apologize you for not coming to
your birthday party last night”
Sorry/ apologize
I am sorry for coming late -> I apologize you for coming late

-How sorry I am! I…. (thật là xin lỗi, tôi đã…)

How sorry I am! I couldn’t join your birthday party last night.
 -Please forgive me for (not)….Ving: (tha lỗi cho t vì …)
Ex: please forgive me for not coming!
 Thư cung cấp thông tin (letter of giving information)
-I’m writing to tell you (that)… ( tôi viết để nói cho b biết
rằng…)
I’m writing this letter to tell you some information about my
English course.
I’m writing this letter to tell you that you failed your exam
already.

-I’m happy/ delighted/ cheerful to tell you that…(tôi rất vui

để nói cho b rằng…)
I’m happy to tell you passed your exam.

-I’m writing to reply your questions about… (viết để trả lời

c.hỏi của b về việc…)
I’m writing to reply your questions about the trip to China.

 Thư đưa ra ý kiến (letter of giving opinion)

-I’m writing to reply you for your questions …
I’m writing to reply you for your questions about the trip to
Singapore.
-You asked me about ….., so I am writing this letter to tell
you that. (bạn đã hỏi tôi về…. vì vậy t viết thư này để nói vs
bạn về…)
You asked me about the trip to Singapore, so I am writing
this letter to tell you that.
-I strongly recommend that you should… (tôi khuyến khích
bạn nên..)
 -I think that you should (tôi nghĩ bạn nên)…

+ Main body: Develop the subject, deal with the additional objectives
of the letters if necessary. (đưa ra các câu trả lời cần thiết)
+ A conclusion: Summarize the subjects.
 Thư đề nghị:
-I hope that you can reply my letter as soon as possible.
(tui mong bạn tl mail tôi sớm nhé)
-I’m waiting for your letter
-I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
(tôi mong ngóng tin tức từ bạn)
 Thư xin lỗi:
-Once again, I’m sorry for…
-Once again, I wish that you forgive me! (tha thứ cho tôi)
 Thư cung cấp thông tin:
-I’m looking for your further questions (tôi đợi các câu hỏi
khác của bạn)
-Hope that you have a nice time! (mong rằng bạn có khoảng
thời gian tốt đẹp)
-if you have any further queries/ questions, tell me/ write
back to me/ just feel free to ask me/ don’t hesitate to ask
me! (có câu hỏi gì cứ hỏi nhé).

 Thư đưa ra ý kiến:

--Hope that my suggestions will be useful for you.
 -Hope that what I’ve advised you is useful! (mong rằng
những chi t khuyên b là hữu ích)

+ Appropriate ending:
Example: best wishes, love, your best friend, best regards, all the best,
… + first name.
-Style in informal letter:
An informal letter contains:
+ Informal greeting and ending.
+ Informal language and style: Phrasal verbs ( cụm động từ), viết tắt,
ngôn ngữ thông thường hằng ngày được sử dụng)
-Samples of informal letters:
This is a part of a letter you receive from your English friend-Marry.
“I don’t know what to do in the summer. I want to have fun, but I
need a job for some money. What do you usually do in the summer?
Do you like it? What do you think I should do?” (120 words)

Now, write a letter answering your friend’s questions. (100-120

words).
How to give advice:
-I think that you should…. -I advise you to….
-It’s better for you to…. -I strongly advise that you should..
-it’s better if you …. -If I were you, I would….
-I strongly recommend that you should…
-I suggest that you should
-Why don’t you …/ How about + Ving…?
-How do you think about+ Ving (how do you think about working as a
waiter in this summer?)