Expression to begin or end a letter

How’s everything going?

Say hello to your family and friends.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Sorry I haven’t written sooner. I’ve been away on holiday.

Take care.

Please write back soon

Thanks for your letter and telling me all your answers

It was great to hear from you the other day.

 
A friendly letter with idioms
 Is Dan’s letter formal or
informal?
And why?
What makes a letter informal?
 A friendly letter
Discuss with your partner

What would you write a response letter?

 
 Informal to formal
Informal to formal means moving from the kind of
speech we would use when talking with friends:

‘I’m not going this afternoon ’cos I’ve got a cold.’

To the kind of voice we use with our professional

hat on:

‘I will be unable to attend this afternoon’s appointment

as I have contracted an infection, for which I will need to visit
the doctor.’
 Formal or informal?
To Speedy Plumbers,
You have done a really bad job!! Painting was
incomplete e.g. lots of equipment left lying
around – which took me 2 weeks to clear up!!
I am totally raging!! U owe me a refund for
the work you dun or I get a lawyer to handle
the situation…
Yours, Cliff Hanger
 Using your formal voice
Imagine you’ve contracted someone to carry
out painting work for your business. You were
out of town and one of your staff paid the
painters from the till. When you return the job
is poorly finished. You need to write to the
painters making it clear that you’re not happy
and you intend to do something about it.

How can you show you should be taken

seriously?
 From informal to formal
1. You have done a really bad job!! 1. The job done was
2. Painting was incomplete e.g. unsatisfactory.
lots of equipment left lying 2. The painting was incomplete
around – which took me 2 and equipment was left
weeks to clear up!! unattended. Furthermore, the
situation took two weeks to
3. I am totally address.
raging!!
3. This is completely
4. U owe me a refund unacceptable.
for the work you dun or I get a 4.An immediate refund is
lawyer to handle the requested or legal action will be
situation… sought.
What did we do?
 What did we do?
• Made the register of words Get: obtained; raging: displeased
more formal Sort out: address
• Removed abbreviation eg: for example
• Used passive voice I want to: It is requested that
You should: There should be
• Removed digits 2: two, to, too; 4: four
• Removed text language I want u 2: I want you to
• Formal linking However, furthermore
• Used fewer exclamation marks
 Contractions
• Won’t Write down the answers...
• Haven’t
• Can’t
• Don’t
• Aren’t
 Language: formal register
For each thing you want to say there will be a range of
ways to say it. From very formal to very informal:
 Register: formal verbs
• Get • Obtain/achieve
• Looking • Seeking
• Went • Attended
• Deserves • Merits
• Saw/seen • Observed
• Buy • Purchase
• Having • Featuring
• Has • Possesses
 Register: formal adjectives
These are vague... These are specific...
Good, great Excellent, valuable, skilled,
effective

Nice Stylish, sophisticated, friendly,

confident

Practise with word thesaurus.

 From active to passive voice

Active constructions Passive constructions

I looked up the internet The internet was consulted.

Dan cleaned the car The car was cleaned (by Dan)
I will finish the work today The work will be finished today
We visited the site The site was visited
 Formal linking words
Signposting: Firstly, secondly, thirdly,

Words that build on a point:

Additionally, moreover, furthermore, also,
therefore

Words that signal a change of direction:

However, nevertheless, yet, on the other hand,
but, despite this

Let’s practise this.

Practise writing a formal letter to Mr. Fleming requesting a letter of
recommendation for a University of your choice. One hundred
words or more, Louis.