Exercise 1 Asking advice to a friend who is looking for a part-time job

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter,

● give details of your study plans
● explain why you want to get a part-time job
● suggest how your friend could help you find a job

Dear Annie,

Hope you are doing fine. My departure date for New Zealand is drawing near, and I am busy with
last-minute preparations. As you know, I have enrolled at an institute called 'Practical English' in
Wellington, for a six-month Advanced course, full-time. It is quite expensive but I am hopeful of
improving my English skills, especially pronunciation.

To assist in covering the costs of my study, I aim to find a part-time job. Not only are the college fees
rather high but also I know that rental accommodation in the capital city will not be cheap; to say
nothing of food and heating expenses! So I would very much like to arrange some temporary
employment before I arrive.

I was wondering if you could ask around among your friends and colleagues to see if anyone wants a
house cleaner, gardener, or nanny for their children. I know you have a wide social network in
Wellington that you could canvas for me if you wouldn't mind, I'd be so grateful.

I look forward to seeing you soon. (175 words)

Best wishes,

Juliana

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Exercise 2 Write an email to your friend. In your email,
● describe where you lived when you were a student at the university
● recommend the best way for him/her to look for accommodation
● warn him/her of mistakes students make when choosing accommodation

Dear Kim,
First of all, let me congratulate you on your success in gaining admission to a great university where I
also studied. I'd also like to thank you at the same time for having confidence in my advice in finding
accommodation for you.

Of course, the best way to find accommodation at your university is to go over the daily local
newspaper's “classified” section where many local residents post advertisements to rent out their flats
to students. You could also try reading the “student union” notice boards where students frequently
post ads to either find suitable roommates or share their flats.

By the way, you could also live in one of those single-bedroom apartments on Jenkins Avenue where I
also lived as a student of that university. These single bedrooms are a bit pricey, but you would
probably like them because of their calm and nice environment. Most importantly, make sure that the
flat or home you decide to rent has a good central heating system because that place can get really
cold during the winter. (177 words)

Warm wishes,
Min

Exercise 3 Advice on whether to go to college or to try to get a job

Write a letter to this friend. In your letter
● say they would not enjoy going to college
● explain why getting a job is a good idea for them
● suggest types of jobs that would be suitable for them

Dear Sandy,
I’m glad to hear that you are doing well. You’re really lucky to have some choices to make, but let me
tell you why I think you should get a job rather than go to college.

Nowadays, degrees and diplomas are actually being devalued and it’s the people who go out into the
world and get a job that is succeeding. Aside from that, I know that you really hated school and could
never seem to sit still long enough to get much value from a class. I just don’t see you really getting
much out of college and so maybe you’d function better in a regular job.

You were great in all of our practical classes like woodwork, so why don’t you look into getting an
apprenticeship as a carpenter or something like that? These people are making a lot of money
nowadays and so it’s a useful skill to have. By the time everyone graduates from college and is
fighting over the same jobs, you’ll be an experienced professional earning a great salary.
Think about it and let me know. I’ll support you in whatever you choose to do. (190 words)

Best,
David

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Exercise 4 Amendment about town published in a travel magazine
Write a letter to the editor of the magazine. In your letter:
● correct the information in the article
● explain why it is important for the magazine to give correct information
● suggest what the magazine should do about this situation

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my concern over one of the incorrect articles published last week in
your magazine about the Kite Festival in Selly Oak, London.

Let me explain to you the issue in detail. Your magazine states that the Festival is from 15th to 20th
September which is incorrect, as it is from 14th to 19th September. Also, it says that on the last day of
the festival, people can try various cuisines available at food stalls for free, in fact, some discounts are
available for certain types of food. They are not free.

I would request you to correct this information at the earliest as this kite festival attracts many
tourists from all over the world and this incorrect information would not only impact the
the reputation of the festival organizers but would also hamper people's travel plans.

Would you kindly consider releasing one more edition of this magazine with correct information, so
that people can accordingly do their bookings and also add a footnote mentioning that the details
shared in the previous edition are incorrect and should be ignored?

Looking forward to your immediate action on this problem.

Yours faithfully,
Kelly Jonas

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Exercise 5 Amendment about someone you know personally
Write to the editor of the magazine. In your letter
● the topic of the article
● the error that you noticed
● what do you expect the editor to do

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Stephen Ben, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and I am writing regarding an article I read on
24th November that had some incorrect information and facts. The article was basically about
Professor Albert, a renowned professor at Fordham University whom I personally know. The fact that
Mr Albert is from Germany is incorrect as he is originally from the UK. He achieved his graduation
from an American university, not from Australia.

Moreover, he is not a father of 4 children, but three. Finally, the bio-hazard digression project that
was credited solely to him was actually conducted with the assistance of another professor from the
same university. He is Professor Gill and he should have been credited for the work as well.

I would really appreciate it if you can publish a follow-up article or maybe an editorial correction
which can clarify those issues as soon as possible. (150 words)

Yours faithfully,
Stephen Ben

Exercise 6 Amendment about an event you organize but incorrectly published

Write a letter to the newspaper editor. In your letter:
● mention when and where the article was published
● say what information in the article was wrong
● explain what you expect the editor to correct the error

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am Navya Sinha. I am writing to the article published on your supplementary, "Extraordinary news"
last Tuesday. The article made me famous, but I'm sorry to say that it was erroneous. I celebrated this
year's Durga pooja lavishly. On the last day, I organised many activities for the residents of our area. I
had also arranged for a kathak dance by the famous "Sheethal Verma".

The article described the events beautifully. It also appreciated me for taking the pain to invite the
famous Kathak dancer. But the dancer's name was mentioned as "Shweta Sharma" which is incorrect.
All the more, I organised the events on the tenth day, but the article says it was on the ninth day of
the Durga pooja.

I would be happy if you could publish a note of correction in the next edition. Also, it would be great if
you could publish the photograph of the dancer with the correct name under it. (159 words)

Yours sincerely,
Navya Sinha

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Exercise 7 Apologizing for being unable to join a friend to party
Write a letter to your friend to apologise. In your letter,
● apologise to your friend
● explain why you did not attend the party
● say what you plan to do to make up for missing the party

Dear Graham,

Hope all is well on your end. But, before anything else, please let me apologise to you because I
couldn’t attend the party, which you organised about a week ago.

The reason, why I missed your party, is that I needed to travel out of town the day before I was
supposed to attend your party because I needed to spend some time in the company of my youngest
uncle. This uncle of mine, living and working abroad, has arrived in the country very recently rather
unexpectedly on a short trip, and he had requested me to accompany him as well as do some choirs
before he departed the town. I thought that I still could make it to your party but things got a bit too
hectic on my end as I was trying to help my uncle with his travel and choirs.

But, of course, I'm free now. So, how about going camping and fishing this coming weekend,
together? I'm sure, it is going to be just as much fun as before. (180 words)

Best regards,
Mike

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Exercise 8 Apologizing to a neighbour for the noise coming from your house
Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter
● explain the reasons for the noise
● apologise
● describe what action you will take

Dear Mr and Mrs Williams,

I hope you are doing great. It is a shame that we do not know each other very well and I would like to
apologise for that. I am writing this letter in response to your complaint letter that you sent me
yesterday about the noise from my flat. I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and humbly ask for
your forgiveness. Let me explain.

For our home safety, my wife and I decided to install a few smoke detectors in our flat, especially
after we saw a devastating fire in our neighbourhood lately. To ensure that the sound of the fire
alarm is loud enough for everyone in the house to notice, we tested the devices for 30 minutes.

I really regret the event and request your forgiveness. Please accept this box of chocolate as a token
of my deepest regret for the inconvenience. We will be more careful next time. (151 words)

Yours sincerely,
Paul Lesner

Exercise 9 Apologizing to a boss for missing the meeting

Write a letter to your boss. In your letter
● apologise for missing the meeting
● explain what happened
● say what you will do to compensate

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing to present my sincere apologies for not attending the meeting held last Friday, 3rd
October at 2:00 p.m. I am aware that it was an extremely important meeting regarding the new
project undertaken by the company.

Kindly consider my explanation that that day, I was returning to the office after lunch, but
my car stopped on the way. I called a mechanic immediately and he told me that this was a major
fault and it will take 2 hours at least. I couldn't leave the car on the road with him, therefore I had no
other choice but to stay there. Due to that, I was not able to reach the office on time and missed the
meeting.

To make up for this, I will get a copy of the highlights of the meeting and will add my views to the
already discussed topics, and prepare the concluding draft. Hope that you will consider my situation.
(159 words)
Yours sincerely,
Queen Senerity

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Exercise 10 Application to work in a catering company
Write a letter to the director of the company. In your letter,
● introduce yourself
● explain what experience and special skills you have
● explain why you are interested in the job

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is Rachel Cuff and I am a postgraduate student in Events Management at the University of
Bristol. I came across your advertisement in N8 Communicator and would like to put myself forward
for your summer season vacancy.

I have just completed the first year of my professional career, where I have specialised in the catering
industry. have helped to host numerous events, both for commercial, corporate and private events.
During my first three months, I was appointed as waiting for staff and bar staff. Then, I was promoted
to the role of Assistant Catering Manager where I gain experience in on-the-ground work, to be
accustomed to working with a team in a fast-paced environment.

With my extensive understanding of events from my recent studies and my array of professional
experience, I believe that I would be an ideal candidate for your summer season. I would like to help
you create fantastic events and increase your success in the busy summer season.
I hope to hear from you soon. (170 words)

Yours sincerely,
Rachel Cuff.

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Exercise 11 Applying to work as a babysitter
Write a letter to the parents. In your letter,
● explain why you would like the job
● give details of why you would be a suitable person to employ
● say how you would spend your free time while you are in Australia

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter in response to an advertisement, published last week in one of the leading
Australian family magazines, where you asked for a short-term live-in caregiver for your six-year-old
child.
I am confident that I would be able to render a great service in taking care of your child since I have
had a good experience in raising a couple of younger siblings as the eldest child of my family. Besides,
I love children since I consider them as a bundle of joy. I have taken a short online course on
parenting so that I could relate to them in a better way.

By the way, I recently came to visit Australia at the invitation of my uncle to live with him for the next
six months. While I am in Australia, I would also love to explore this beautiful country and learn about
the lifestyles and culture of its people in addition to taking care of your child should you choose to
offer me the job. (170 words)

Yours faithfully,
Daria Olga

Exercise 12 Resigning from work

Write a letter of resignation to your boss. In your letter,
● tell your boss of your decision and explain why you are leaving.
● explain what you have learnt from your current job and how you feel about leaving
● ask for a reference letter.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to officially submit my resignation. My wife and I are planning to move to
Cleveland to look after my parents. They have become old and need to be taken care of. Hence I have
given quite a thought about resigning from this job and taking it as my final decision.

As my job involves teamwork, I have learned team values and this is going to help me in my future
professional life. Though the back of my mind I am upset as this company and my team members
have become a huge part of my life, it’s time that I need to go back to my native place.

I have applied for a few positions there and am waiting for an interview call. I request you approve
my resignation and please provide me with a letter of reference that will add value to my experience
and professional skills. Lastly, I hope you accept my resignation and wish me luck in the future. (167
words)

Regards
Sunita Aggarwal

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Exercise 13 - Making arrangements for a farewell party for a colleague
Write a letter to your manager. In your letter,
● suggest a suitable date and time for the party
● recommend a place
● discuss the food and entertainment options that should be available

Dear Mrs Linda,

I am writing this letter to give you some updates on the farewell party for Elizabeth Gomez, which
you asked me to arrange.

The party is supposed to be held at one of the most beautiful and spacious convention centres in our
city, known as The Blue Paradise, which is only a few miles away from our office. It can start between
3 to 5 pm. We also have fixed a tentative date for the party between the 5th of May and the 9th of
May.

There certainly will be some delicious food items and drinks at the party. I know that most of our
co-workers prefer European cuisines that are made of vegetables and sea foods. Besides, we could
also have some options for entertainment, such as, “sing all you can” where anybody can sing his or
her favourite song, and we will give some gifts to our departing colleague.

That is all that I can share with you now. If you feel that we need to add something else here please
feel free to share. (178 words)

Yours sincerely,
Joseph Crowley

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Exercise 14 - Making arrangements for an event in a countryside
Write a letter to your friend and ask for help with the arrangements. In your letter,
● describe the event
● mention what arrangements have already been made
● say how your friend can help

Dear Andrew,

Hope you're doing well. I'm writing this letter to you because I need your help in arranging an event
in the countryside next week. This particular event is going to be about raising awareness against the
obesity problem among young children. I want to do something to change it.

I've already put together a plan for the sports and outdoor activities, in which young children can take
part. Besides, I also have invited some distinguished guests and health specialists, whose inputs on
this particular issue would certainly go a long way to change the eating habits of the children in
favour of a more balanced and healthy diet.

So, I've covered a large portion of it to make this event successful, but I could certainly use help from
you in arranging some healthy and fresh foods for our guests. After all, you are a nutritionist and a
very good one. (151 words)

Warm wishes,
Abbey

Exercise 15 - Making arrangements to stay in a hotel during the holiday

Write a letter to the hotel manager to make arrangements. In your letter,
● explain what accommodation you require and when you want to stay
● ask what will be included in the price
● enquire about activities and places of interest near the hotel.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to make the necessary arrangements for our stay at your hotel on 22nd and 23rd
November. I will travel with my parents, wife and 7 years old son. I am hoping that you would provide
us with suitable accommodation and assist us to enjoy our trip.

We are expecting two double size bedrooms with attached bathrooms, hot water and air cooler
facilities. We would prefer rooms with a sea view and if possible, they should be on the same floor.

I am also interested to know about recreational activities in the vicinity. Despite my parents’ age, they
are so lively and still enjoy activities. Please notify me of the cost of our trip at your earliest with the
facilities you can offer. I am expecting a comprehensive reply from your side about the details of the
information I requested. I look forward to hearing from you soon. (152 words)

Yours faithfully,
Fahad Sultan

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Exercise 16 - Complaining about the service
Write a letter to the company to complain about the poor service you received from its employee.
In your letter, express:
● why you went to the shop/office
● how the employees behaved to offend you
● what you expect the company does

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to register a complaint with you regarding poor service, and the unprofessionalism
exhibited by your staff that I experienced.

I visited the branch on Monday, 24th November, and applied for Internet banking. I waited for about
three days but did not receive any notice. So, I again went to the branch and inquired regarding the
status of my application.

To my utter disbelief, the clerk asked me to once again write an application / submit a customer
request form for the issuance of Internet banking. I completed the procedures then and there. Six
days have passed by and unfortunately, I am yet to receive updates regarding my internet banking. It
is very difficult to make all the transactions by cash.

Despite all reminders and complaints, I have not received any positive response. It is very
disappointing that even such small requests cannot be fulfilled by a bank of your stature. I would be
grateful if you would just have a look at my concerned issue & arrange for a resolution. (171 words)

Yours faithfully,
Irene Byers

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Exercise 17 - Complaining about the college accommodation
Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In the letter:
● describe the situation
● explain your problems and why it is difficult to study/work
● say what kind of accommodation you would prefer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to notify you of my concerns about my current roommate. I am having
unmanageable problems due to her activities and those are impacting my study badly.

My name is Mary Smith, and I live in room L-202, which I share with another student. My previous
housemate was rational, extremely cooperative and inclined to study. However, my present
roommate is the polar opposite and has frequent parties in which he plays loud music in the wee
hours. He is two years senior to me and I cannot protest her irrational behaviors due to which my
studies are being hampered.

I would prefer anything quiet. My semester final is approaching and I would like you to shift either
me or my roommate to another room. I do not mind the room type as long as it is quiet and
favourable for studies. Thank you very much for your consideration. (152 words)

Yours faithfully,
Mary Smith

Exercise 18 - Complaining about a broken camera

Write a letter to the company. In your letter,
● introduce yourself
● explain the situation
● say what action you would like the company to take

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction regarding how your employee handled the customers. My
name is Oliver and I am a photographer. A week ago, I purchased a digital camera from your store.

I purchased this Sony - Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 18.2-Megapixel Digital Camera from your store on April
17th using my Visa credit card. The order number is D4582135 and I am attaching a copy of my
receipt. The issue with the camera is that sometimes it turns off unexpectedly, strange dots appear on
the LCD screen and I cannot access the photos in internal memory, so I’m sure these are
manufacturing flaws. As a solution, I am hoping that you will agree to replace the faulty one with a
new and fresh one. Otherwise, I would like a full refund.

Thank you for giving the matter your attention and I hope to hear your reply soon.

Yours faithfully,
Oliver Felix

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Exercise 19 - Giving information to friends
Write a letter to your friends. In your letter,
● explain that you will meet them at the airport
● give them some idea of what you have planned for them
● tell them some important things that they might find useful

Dear Rajat, Ahmad and Abbas,

I am writing to let you all know that I will personally come to the airport to welcome the three of you
to Dubai. I will be waiting at the North gate since the three of you will be flying on the same flight
from Amsterdam.

I have planned things that we all can do together during your visit. First, we can go to ‘Dubai Mall’
which is the largest shopping complex in the world; in addition, we can have a glimpse of the tallest
skyscraper ‘Burj Khalifa Tower’. Moreover, I will take the three of you to ‘The Palm Islands;’ it has
exotic hotels, posh villas, cafes on the beach, et cetera.

Also, please bring formal attire as some places have strict dress codes here. Secondly, most items cost
less in Dubai than in Europe because there is no sales tax on goods.

In the meantime, please do let me know if I can provide any additional information. I look forward to
seeing you all soon. (167 words)

Best regards,
John Doe.

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Exercise 20 - Instruction to look after a house and a pet to a friend
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
● give contact details for when you are away
● give instructions on how to care for your pet
● describe other household duties

Dear Scarlet,

Thank you for agreeing to look after my house and my dog - Chi Chi. During my holiday, I will be
staying with my sister in Vigan. I wrote my address in Vigan and my mobile number on a sticky note
which I left on the kitchen door. Please call if you need me for anything.

My dog needs to be fed twice a day - each morning and evening. I've placed enough food for him in a
white jar inside a kitchen cabinet. You can take him outside each evening for a walk.

Kindly water the pants in the living room every other day. Besides, unplug electronic appliances and
turn off the water source each night. Lastly, for security reasons, make sure that the doors and
windows are locked inside and the outside lights are on at night. Thank you so much once again. I'm
looking forward to seeing you when I return. (152 words)

Warm wishes,
Arlyn

Exercise 21 - Explaining a lost item

Write a letter to the airline. In your letter,
● explain what has happened
● describe the bag and its content
● and say what you would like them to do about it.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing regarding a lost bag on a plane that I took to reach London from New York on 17th
August. My flight number was VG-4587F and my seat number was D-54A. Onboard, I kept the bag
under my seat as all the overhead bins were filled with bags and luggage. When I left the airport in
London, I forget to take my bag with me.

It is a black leather bag, medium in size and has two pockets in the front and one in the back. Also, it
has a silver zip and keychain on it. My bag contains some important documents, a small brown purse
which had my ID card, driving licence, and some cash. The documents in the bag are significant and I
need to submit them to my office next week.

So if you could help me find the bag, I would be really grateful. I can come and collect it from the
airport promptly. Thank you for your kind attention and cooperation. (168 words)

Yours faithfully,
Sonia Vincent

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Exercise 22 - Invitation
Write a letter to this English-speaking friend. In your letter,
● explain why you have moved
● describe the new house
● invite your friend to come and visit

Dear Henry,

I know it would come to you as a surprise, but I've finally moved to a new house after living in my
previous house for such a long time. Of course, it was not an easy decision for me, given how much I
loved that house because of its proximity to a beautiful lake and animal sanctuary. But I needed to
move out of it because its owner wanted to renovate it and then sell it to some corporate
businesspeople at a very handsome profit.

Of course, the new house, which I moved in, is a great place since it is a lot more spacious than my
previous house. Besides, the new house is built with some solid wood, which I really like, because it
would help the house to keep at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. So, it would mean
that I'd have to spend a lot less money on the electricity bill to maintain a comfortable temperature
at my house unlike the old one. Finally, it's located in a beautiful neighbourhood.
So, come and visit me sometime, possibly next weekend. I believe you would also like my new house.

Warm wishes,
Patrick

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Exercise 23 - Invitation to Member of Parliament (MP)
Write a letter of invitation to the MP's secretary, Mrs Shelton. In your letter,
● introduce your committee
● say why you are having the meeting
● invite the MP to attend

Dear Mrs Shelton,

I would like to invite our MP to join us for a local committee meeting for a session about green areas
in our community.

First, let me introduce the ‘The Green Committee’. I am the organizer of this meeting. Our main aim is
to make sure that the local area is full of plants and grasslands. We are having a session about the
adverse effects of less rainfall during this year.

The primary purpose of the discussion is to brainstorm different ways to water the green areas. We
think the MP can provide valuable insights and make the session successful. We will be glad and
honored to have our MP participate in the committee meeting. We can arrange to have it at any time
that is convenient to the MP.

Please let me know if you need any additional information. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
(149 words)

Yours sincerely,
John Doe.

Exercise 24 - Inviting friends to a party

Write to another classmate and invite him/her to the party. In your letter,
● explain the reason for the party
● give the date and time of the party
● suggest what the classmate could bring to the party

Dear Tim,

Hope you're enjoying the English lessons at the language school. Anyway, our good classmate, Robin,
is going to have his 19th birthday next Friday, which falls on the 25th of September, and I've made a
plan to make a surprise birthday party just after our English language class.

By the way, in case you haven’t noticed, currently, he is going through a rough time since he is feeling
a bit more homesick than usual. Besides, he's also struggling a lot to get used to this new culture of a
foreign country. He has also been so depressed because his sister is sick. In this situation, giving him a
big surprise on his birthday would certainly cheer him up.

Also, I already have a plan about who should bring what to the party. Timothy and Kelly should bring
their specially-made flower cake while Johnson should bring his guitar to play his special tune. We will
bring candles for the cake and banners to decorate the room. Let's cheer Robin up! (169 words)

Warm wishes,
Justin

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Exercise 25 - Asking for a reference letter
Write a letter to one of your old teachers asking for a reference. In your letter,
● say what job you have applied for
● explain why you want this job
● suggest what information the teacher should include

Dear Mr George,

Hope you and your family are doing well. I am Mark Thomas, one of your past students. I am hoping
that you would write me a recommendation letter that my prospective employer is expecting.

I am delighted to inform you that I am applying for a position at Morgan's Incorporation. This is a
dream job for me and working for a reputable company like Morgan's Incorporation will enable me to
gain valuable experiences and give wings to my career.

Being an international student, I don't know many people here who are worthy of such a
recommendation. I will highly appreciate it if you provide me with a reference letter which requires
some basic information about me and my studies and how can I be a suitable candidate for the junior
executive position in an international company. I would like to request you to provide me with the
letter as early as possible. I will be indebted to you for the favour.

Yours sincerely,
Mark Thomas

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Exercise 26 - Making a recommendation letter for a friend
Write a letter of recommendation for him/her. In your letter, express:
● how well you know your friend
● what qualifications he/she has
● why you think she would be suitable for the job

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to recommend my best friend, Anna Pattison, whom I consider a deserving
candidate for a bilingual assistant tutor that you are looking for to work with foreign children.

I know Anna for more than 14 years. We met at the Cherry Blossom International School. She used to
be an enthusiastic organiser and participant in extracurricular activities and she has excellent skills in
both English and Spanish.

She completed her graduation from Arts major and received a distinctive medal for her exceptional
academic performance. She has worked as a teacher in an international school in London, where she
has been teaching bilingual lessons for five years. What’s more, she loves being around children and
easily wins their hearts. Therefore, I do not hesitate to recommend her as an ideal candidate for the
post you advertised. I am sure she would be an excellent candidate for the post. (151 words)

Yours faithfully,
Enya Brennan

Exercise 27 - Asking for a reference letter from your previous boss

Write a letter to your previous boss. In your letter:
● give details of the job you are applying for
● explain why it is important to you
● suggest what to include in the reference

Dear Mr Rogers,

I had been working in the company for three years when I left for maternity leave, and you said that
you would provide me with a reference when needed.

I have been offered a casual part-time job in an international company with regional headquarters in
the city centre and will work 18 hours/week from home, which is very convenient in my situation.

This job is important to me because it offers flexible hours which will allow me to be there for my child
during his early years. The position also enables career growth by providing the chance of a full-time
job and offering professional development programs overseas.

I hope you can include in your reference that I am knowledgeable, punctual and have developed
teamwork skills to a significant extent. Also, please mention my approachability and flexibility, which
will be crucial in my new role. I appreciate your time.

Regards,
Mrs Smith

General Training Writing Task 1 - Exercises - Page 18

Exercise 28 - Requesting to work in head office
Write a letter to your manager. In your letter,
● explain why you want to work in the company’s head office for six months
● say how your work could be done while you are away
● ask for his/her help in arranging it

Dear Mr Jacob,

I am writing this letter to inform you about my desire to work in our company’s head office in
Amsterdam for about six months.

Recently, our company has announced an extensive training programme on the techniques of
developing new accounting software for mid-size business firms, and I would like to avail this
opportunity.

The training programme is to be held at our head office from 10th of the next July. I would also like to
add here that this particular training programme may prove to be quite important for a software
development team leader like me in showing the way to the junior team members and managing
larger projects in the future.

I have talked to my project manager to help my team members carry on their routine work without
any hurdles, and he assured me that he would jump in to fill the void within the team in my absence.
So, it would be great if you could arrange for my transfer so that I can join the training programme
and bring innovations to our team. (177 words)

Yours sincerely,
John Andrew

General Training Writing Task 1 - Exercises - Page 19

Exercise 29 - Requesting to set up a cafeteria for staff.
Write a letter to your manager to request setting up a cafeteria for the staff. In your letter, you
should tell
● what you heard about the inconvenience from the staff
● how you feel about it
● request about setting up a cafeteria

Dear Sir or Madam,

The reason for which I am writing this letter is that our office does not have any cafeteria for its staff
where they can go and sit to enjoy some snacks, drinks and food.

This would not really be an issue if they did not have to walk about 10-12 minutes to grab something
for themselves when they need something to eat or drink during their short breaks and thus waste
many important work hours. Besides, going out like this just to get some snacks or a cup of coffee is
rather inconvenient for us, especially, when the weather condition is not favourable.

Therefore, I would like to request you to set up a staff cafeteria in the large empty room at the corner
of our office, which remains unused most of the time. That will make sure that our staff have at least
one less issue to worry about when trying to be more productive and efficient at work.

Please consider this issue and arrange to set up a cafeteria soon. Thank you in advance. (176 words)

Yours faithfully,
Andrew Jones

Exercise 30 - Requesting for a business loan

Write a letter to a bank requesting information about obtaining a business loan to finance your
new company. In your letter, include the following information:
● what kind of business you want to start
● how much money you need
● the length of time over which you would expect to repay the money,

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to you because I need a term loan as I am planning to start a small business
within the next few months.

Concerning the business I have in my mind, it is going to be a bakery factory where I am intending to
bake all kinds of bread and cakes and then supply them to the neighbouring cities to maximize my
sales and revenue. By the way, I have already done some cost calculations and based on them, I
would require about $7,500 to start the business. Of course, I also have a little bit of my own money
which would help me cover some of the other expenses for starting this business.

I want it to be a short-term loan. So, please structure my loan payment in such a way that I am able to
pay it back within 2 years as equated monthly installation. hope to hear a positive reply from you
soon. (161 words)

Yours faithfully,
Joseph Abraham
General Training Writing Task 1 - Exercises - Page 20