INFORMAL LETTER

Dear (first name), Thank you/Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter/postcard. It was good/nice to hear from you recently. Im sorry I havent written/been in touch for such a long time. Its ages since Ive heard from you. I hope youre/you and your family are well. i! ow are the things" ow are you" ows it going" $reat news a%out & $lad to hear that & 'orry to hear a%out &

Beginnings Asking #eferring to their news

/hy dont you &" 7ay%e you could &" ow a%out &" 7aking )ou cant leave 8ew )ork without doing sth suggestions Im sure you will en,oy doing sth If you like, we can & and Do visit somewhere Dont forget to do sth (Imperative 9: 'trong #ecommendation) recommend. Im told that & -eople say that & (If you heard sth is good) $ive my love/regards to & 'ay hello to & ope to hear from you soon. ;ndings 'ee you soon! /rite soon. *nce again, thank you for all your help.

$ood (uck 5ongratulations+hank you

(isten, did I tell you a%out & )oull never %elieve what & *h, and another thing & +his is ,ust to let you know that & $iving news I thought you might %e interested to hear about/know that & By the way, have you heard about/did you know that & Im writing to apologise for missing your party %ut Im afraid I was with flu. Im really sorry that I forgot to send you a %irthday card %ut I was %usy with my new ,o%. Apologies If you let me know where you bought it/how much it cost Ill gladly pay for it/replace it. -lease let me know how much the %ill is and Ill gladly pay it. Im./ere having a party on 0riday 12th and I.we hope youll %e a%le to come. /ould you like to come/go to see 3#oom /ith a 4iew with me at the weekend . I was wondering if youd like to go to the theatre/come on holiday with us" Invitations 5ould you let me.us know if you can come/youd like to join us" +hank you vary much for your invitation. Id love to come. +hank you for asking/inviting me to & %ut Im afraid I wont %e a%le to & Im writing to ask for your help/you (if you could do me) a favour. wonder if/ was wondering if you could help me/do me a favour. #e6uests I hope you dont mind me asking %ut could you (possi%ly) &" Id %e very/really/terribly grateful if you could & Im writing to thank you for your hospitality/the wonderful present. It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you. I really appreciated all your help/advice. 5ongratulations on passing your e!ams/your e!cellent e!am results! wish you good luck/"ood luck in/with your e!ams/your driving test/your interview. Dont worry, Im sure youll do well/pass. Do %e on time, wont you, and dont forget to &

'igning off

(ove, (ots of love, )ours, Best wishes, 0irst name

FORMAL LETTER
Dear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam, I am writing to & #eason for I am writing with regard to & writing I am writing on %ehalf of & I would %e grateful if & I wonder if you could & Asking 5ould you &" 5ould you tell me something a%out &" 6uestions I would particularly like to know & I would %e interested in having more details a%out & #eferring to As you started in your letter, & their letter #egarding & 5oncerning & /ith regard to & I am writing to complain a%out & 5omplaining )ou said & %ut in fact what happened & /e were supposed to stay with British families whereas we actually stayed in a guest house. If you re6uire any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. 5losing I look forward to hearing from you. -lease contact me if you have any further 6uestions. (If Dear surname) )ours sincerely, 'igning off (If Dear 'ir.7adam) )ours faithfully, )ours, 0irst name < surname Remember that in formal letters we use: Formal vocabulary, usually not usin !hrasal verbs (3+olerate instead of 3put up with) More com!le" sentence structure (=nowing what a good reputation the restaurant has, I was disappointed with the service) #unctuation usin semi$colons +he li%rary offers no facilities for %orrowing videos> this is %ecause of the high cost involved Remember that in informal letters we use: Informal vocabulary, inclu%in !hrasal verbs 3go on instead of 3continue &im!ler sentence structure

Ill %e late for the party. Its %ecause of my 0rench e?am. #unctuation usin e"clamation mar's If youd %een at the wedding, youd have loved the food!

LETTER OF A##LI(ATION
Dear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam,

#eason for writing

I am writing to apply for the post/position of & & as advertised in & I am writing with reference/in response to your advertisement, which I saw & I am writing in connection with your advertisement in the Daily 'tar on 7ay 11th & /ith reference to your advertisement & *ne of the main resons I am applying for the ,o% is that & I gained some e?perience while & I am currently working as & I have %een working for & for the last four years. I worked part9time for three years as & At the moment I am employed %y & 7y 6ualifications include & I have a diploma in & I graduated from Barcelona Aniversity last year with a degree in & -lease find attached my 54 As you can see from the attached 54 & -lease do not hesitate to contact me if/should you re6uire further information. I look forward to hearing from you. I am availa%le for interview at your convenience. I shall %e availa%le for interview any day apart from /ednesdays. (If Dear surname) (If Dear 'ir.7adam) )ours sincerely, )ours faithfully, )ours, 0irst name < surname

;ndings

'igning off

54

@ualificati ;?perience ons

RE#ORT
+oB 0romB 'u%,ectB DateB

Initial information

or

#eB

As re6uested, I did/have done sth Introduction summarise below/$elow is a summary of the most important relevant points as well as some recommendations. 1. & C. & D. & In relation to & In contrast with & As far as & is concerned & In spite of & In an attempt to &

0indings *r Important points

Aseful phrases

5onclusion aving considered the options, & or I would like to suggest/recommend & recommend. I therefore suggest/recommend & )ou may wish to consider &

ARTI(LE
0reeEing! (dramatic) 7y (one /alk to the 8orth -ole (a summary) #escue from the rapids (a summary) /hats the %ig idea" (a 6uestion) 'even %anks a day are ro%%ed in (A )oure already well e6uipped to prevent crime Did you know &" /hat would you do if &" $ive your article a heading or headline which makes the su%,ect clear and also catches the readers attention. Divide the article into paragraphs to help the reader follow the argument. Begin with an interesting introduction F an e?ample, perhaps, or a 6uestion. ;nd with an overall comment or concluding.

eading

(a surprising) (a surprising)

*pening

$eneral 'tructure

&TOR)
A narrative needs an interesting %eginning to catch the readers attention and encourage him or her to read on, and a clear ending to round the story off satisfactorily. A weak %eginning or ending can spoil the effect of the story, so its worth spending time working out how to start and finish. /e useB +he sim!le !ast to descri%e the main eventsB
I ran to answer the phone %ut it sto!!e% ringing as I !ic'e% u! the receiver.

Beginnings and endings

+he !ast continuous to set the sceneB

It was rainin heavily as we set off.

4er% tenses

+he !ast !erfect to descri%e events which happened %efore the main eventsB /hen I got on the %us all the seats ha% been ta'en. #reset !artici!les to show two actions which are linkedB
Noticin that she looked lost, I asked if I could help.

#erfect !artici!les to show that one action was complete %efore another startedB
*avin re!orte% my stolen passport to the police, I returned sadly to the hotel.

+ime (inks

%efore &. then & later & during & when & finally, & immediately & A few days earlier & 0ollowing the accident &

at first, & after that & as soon as & in the end, & Gust after that & (ater on &

ne?t & afterwards & eventually, & once & 'ome time later &

Adding variety and interest

+ry to use different ad,ectives to convey the atmosphere. 0or e?ample, if you want to convey the idea of fear, you could use frightened% terrified% scared. 4arying the length of sentences can %e effective. Ase direct speech occasionally for dramatic effect (remem%er to use inverted commas correctlyB H8o,I he yelled, Hdont touch that switch!I)

+I&(,R&I-E E&&A)
7any people feel that ... 0irst and foremost, ... It is widely %elieved that ... It would %e ideal if ... Another argument in favour is ... It is clear from the facts that ... +he %enefits of ... outweigh the disadvantages. *n the whole, I think ... *n the other hand ... *ther people think ... An opposing argument is ... I personally feel that ... I find it hard to see why ... I certainly donJt %elieve that ... It is difficult to %elieve that ... I o%,ect to the cloning of animals. 0irst of all, & 7oreover, & 'o & owever, & *n the whole & 0inally, & 'econdly, & In addition, & 0urthermore, & As a result, & +herefore, & *n the one hand & on the other hand & /hile it is true to say & +o summarise, & In conclusion

7aking points

5ontrasting points

$iving opinions

*rganising and linking your ideas

RE#ORT .,I+ELINE& /01

23 *ea%in +oB (who the report is for)KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 0romB (who wrote the report)KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 'u%,ectB (topic of the reportB short and clear!)KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK DateB (date the report was written)KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 03 Intro%uction +he %ackground to the investigation.event, and a clear statement a%out the o%,ective of the event or investigation. 43 +evelo!ment +his could %e su%9divided into the following paragraphsB &esign or sort of e?ercise or investigation carried out Materials or e6uipment used 'rocedure or a description a%out the work was carried out (tasks performed, actions taken), what happened during the investigation.e?ercise from the start to the finish. (esult) findings &iscussion) the findings and a general discussion of the investigation. It could address some of these 6uestionsB o o o o o o o /hat has the investigation shown" Did it achieve its o%,ectives" /hy was it important" 5an you identify any shortcomings" /hat factors might have affected the results" /ould the results have %een different under different conditions" 5an you make any recommendations that could e?ercises.investigations"

improve

future

53 (onclusion -rovide a %rief summary 6ritin conventions o o Dates (written HC1 *cto%er CL1LI +imes (written H1CDL hours . LMLL hours)