WRITING  LETTERS

There are various types of letters, such as:

a)      letters of request;

b)     letters giving information;

c)      letters of advice;

d)     letters making suggestions/ recommendations;

e)      letters of complaint;

f)       letters of apology;

g)      letters of application;

h)     letters to the editor/ authorities (expressing an opinion and/or providing solutions/ suggestions);

i)           transactional letters etc.

A successful letter should consist of:

an appropriate greeting: e.g. Dear Ms Crawley, Dear Mr and Mrs Jones, Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Tony;

an introductory paragraph which clearly states the reason for writing;

a main body in which you develop the subject and deal with the additional objective(s) of the letter if necessary;

a conclusion in which you summarise the subject; and

an appropriate ending: e.g. Yours faithfully/sincerely + full name, Best wishes + first name.

The style of the letter varies depending on who it is addressed to. For instance, a letter to someone you do not know requires a formal style, a letter to someone you know, but are not intimate with requires a semi-formal style, while a letter to a friend requires an informal style.

Semi-formal letters contain:

formal greetings (Dear Mr and Mrs Smith);

informal endings (Best Wishes/ Yours + full name);

a respectful tone, depending on the relationship you have with the recipient of the letter. Also, pronouns should not be omitted and idioms should be carefully used.

All letters in English are arranged (or laid out) on paper according to a certain plan. The word "lay-out" is used when we refer to this general arrangement.

1. THE HEADING. This term refers to the address which appears at the top (or head) of the letter. The address is written in the top right-hand corner of the page and is followed by the date. There are two forms: the "Indented Style" and the "Block Style". Either form may be used.

Here is an example of the "Indented Style":

14 Penrose St.,

Reading,

Berks.,

England.

March 4^th, 19-

This is the "Block Style":

14 Penrose St.,

Reading,

Berks.,

England.

March 4^th, 19-

Some points to note:

a)          Notice that the order of the address is as follows: number of house, name of street, town or city, area, country. Never write you own name at the top of the letter.

b)         Pay special attention to punctuation. Notice that there is a comma after each line and a full stop after the last one.

c)          Note that the abbreviation for "street" in English is "St.", not "Str.". Other abbreviation are "Rd." (Road), "Sq." (Square), "Ave." (Avenue), "Pl." (Place). Words like "Drive" or "Lane" are not abbreviated.

d)         The date is written in full, i.e. 9^th Feb., 19--. The months of the year which may be abbreviated are: "Jan.", "Feb.", "Aug.", "Sept.", "Oct.", "Nov.", "Dec.". The abbreviations use 12412b114m d for days are 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th etc. These numbers may be placed either before or after the name of the month: e.g. "June 8^th" and "8^th June" are equally correct.

e)          The name of the country may be left out of your address only when you are writing to someone who lives in your own country.

f)           THE MARGIN. Make sure there is a clear margin on the left-hand side and that you have an equal amount of space on the right. Your letter must appear in the middle of the page, not on one side.

g)          THE SALUTATION. This word is used when we speak of the actual beginning of the letter. Most letters begin with the word "Dear" which should be written against the left-hand margin.

h)         THE BODY. The letter itself is usually referred to as the body. This is the main part of the lay-out. Make sure that each paragraph is indented correctly and that you start each following line against the left-hand margin.

i)  THE SUBSCRIPTION. This term is used when we refer to the end of a letter. The subscription is begun with the word "Yours". (Note that the "Y" is a capital letter and that there is no apostrophe before the "s".)

j)             THE SIGNATURE. This should come underneath the subscription and should always be written clearly.

k)          THE POSTSCRIPT. If you wish to say something more after you have finished your letter, you may add a few lines under the signature. What you add must be headed with the letters "P.S.", which is the abbreviated form of "Postscript".

INFORMAL LETTERS

Informal letters contain:

informal greetings and endings;

informal language and style i.e. idioms (It was a blessing disguise that I didn't apply for the job as that company is now in deep financial trouble), phrasal verbs (I'll look you up next time I'm in Brussels.), colloquial English and omission of pronouns (Hope to see you soon!);

abbreviated forms.

When writing to friends, make every effort to be natural. If you have to give reasons for something, make sure they are convincing. Each time you write, try to imagine you are writing a real letter, not just an exercise.

1. THE SALUTATION. Never begin "Dear Friend". You should address your friends by their Christian names, i.e. "Dear Tom/Jane" etc. When writing to relations, you may address them as "Dear Uncle Tom" or "Dear Aunt Jane", but never "Dear Cousin" or "Dear Cousin George". If you are writing a friendly letter to persons with whom you are not on Christian-name terms, you should address them as "Dear Mr (or Mrs, or Miss) Johnson". a letter to a person with whom you are on very friendly terms with may be begun "My dear". the name in the Salutation is always followed by a comma.

2. THE BODY. In the short letters you will be expected to write, the body has three main parts: Introduction, Purpose and Conclusion.

a) INTRODUCTION. You should begin your letter by referring either to a letter you have recently received, or to an event which has prompted you to write.

Here are a few useful phrases:

I have just this moment received your letter and I am writing at once because.

I am sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your last letter but.

Thank you so much for answering my letter so quickly.

What a surprise it was to get a letter from you after all this time!

How nice it was to get a letter from you at last.

I had given you up for lost but this morning.

It was such a disappointment to learn.

I was very sorry to hear.

Whatever has become of you?

You will be very glad to hear that.

b) PURPOSE. This is the most important part of the letter. It is here that you explain why you are writing. Take very great care to answer exactly the question you have been set. At the same time, include personal details, which will make the letter interesting.

c) CONCLUSION. It is customary to "round off" a letter with a polite wish. This may take any form: e.g. expressing the hope to see someone soon; sending regards; being remembered to friends, etc.

Here are a few useful phrases:

I shall be looking forward to seeing/ hearing from you soon.

I do hope you will soon be up and about again.

Please give my love/ regards/ best wishes to.

You can be quite sure that it will never happen again!

I'll be there at six o'clock and I promise I'll really try to be punctual this time.

I hope you will soon settle down in.(a new job, a new country, a new school, etc.) and I shall be looking forward to hearing your first impressions.

I do hope you will be able to come this time.

4. THE SUBSCRIPTION. This depends on how well you know the person you are writing to. The most usual subscription for friends and acquaintances is Yours sincerely. You may, however, end Yours very sincerely, Yours affectionately, or simply, Love. Note that the words "sincerely", "affectionately" etc. begin with small letters and that they are ALWAYS followed by a comma.

5. THE SIGNATURE. Again depending on the relationship you may sign with your full name, your Christian name, or even a nickname. Make sure the signature can be read.

SAMPLE

Example of an informal letter

tips:

Which phrase or type of language would you find in a formal letter? Which phrase or type of language would you find in an informal letter? Put the letter 'F' next to those phrases or language types that are used in formal letters and 'I' next to those used in informal letters.

Look at the phrases 1-11 and match them with a purpose A-K

EXERCISES

Choose one of the three subjects and write a letter to a friend or family member

Write a letter to a friend you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. Tell him / her about what you have been doing and ask them how they are and what they have been up to recently.

Write a letter to a cousin and invite them to your wedding. Give them some details about your future husband / wife.

Write a letter to a friend you know has been having some problems. Ask him / her how she / he is doing and if you can help.

Answer a letter from a little boy who has asked you to send him stamps for his collection.

Write a letter you would not like to receive.

HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL LETTER

Formal letters used to be full, in the past, of such meaningless phrases as "esteemed inquiry", "I enclose herewith", "We have perused", "I beg to acknowledge", "your earliest convenience", "I hope I may be favoured" etc. which were said to be "business English". NEVER attempt to imitate this style of writing. Keep your language simple and clear, even when writing formal letters.

1. THE HEADING. This differs in one important detail from the personal letter. The name and address of the person you are writing to must be included beneath your own address but against the left- hand margin. This is called the "Inside Address" and should be exactly the same as the one which will appear on the envelope. If you are writing to a man, his name should appear as "Mr E. Jones" or "E. Jones Esq." (Esquire). This latter from of address is in general use and is usually preferable. When writing to ladies, the usual title is used: i.e. "Mrs J. Robinson" or "Miss J. Robinson".

Very often you will not know the name of the person who will read your letter. In this case, you may address your letter directly to the company concerned: e.g. Jones, Brown and Co., Ltd., ("Co.," and "Ltd.," are the usual abbreviations for "Company" and "Limited".) When you are writing to a particular person in the Company or other organization and you do not know his or her name, your letter may be addressed to "The Manager", "The Director", "The Principal", "The Headmaster", "The Secretary" etc. as the case may be.

In formal letters, the "Block Style" of address is becoming more common and should be preferred.

2. THE SALUTATION. If the person you are writing to is known to you, you may begin "Dear Mr--", "Dear Mrs--", etc. I all other instances, you should begin "Dear Sir,", "Dear Sirs,", or "Dear Madam,", "Gentlemen" or "Sirs" as the case may be.

3. THE BODY. A formal letter usually has four main parts: Reference; Information; Purpose; Conclusion.

a) Reference. You should begin your letter by referring to a letter you have received, an advertisement you have seen etc., or to an event which has prompted you to write.

Here are a few useful phrases:

Thank you for your letter of June 3^rd.

Many thanks for your letter of April 24^th.

In your letter of May 22^nd, you inquire about.

It was a great pleasure to receive your letter of Nov. 7^th.

I was very sorry to learn from your letter of June 22^nd that.

In reply to your inquiry of Oct. 21^st, I regret that.

I read your advertisement in last Monday's issue of "The Commercial Gazette" and.

You may remember that I visited you last year when I was in.

I was surprised to learn that.

I recently attended Hanover Fair and.

I recently called on your agent in this country to ask about. but he was unable to help me.

b) Information. In the second paragraph, it is sometimes necessary to supply more detailed information which is related to the "Reference".

c) Purpose. Here you must give the reason why you are writing your letter. You should state clearly what you want. Take care to answer closely the question that has been set.

d) Conclusion. As in the "Personal Letter" it is customary to "round the letter off" with some polite remark.

Here are a few useful phrases:

• I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
• I sincerely hope you will be able to help me in this matter.
• I enclose a sample of the material you require.
• I do hope I am not putting you to too much trouble.
• I shall not act until you have received instructions from you.
• I would greatly appreciate an early reply.
• I enclose a cheque for $5 to cover costs.
• Would you, please, let me know, as soon as possible whether you would be willing to .
• I would suggest that you come and see me in person on .
• Please accept my apologies for the trouble this mistake has caused you.

4. The Subscription. Where a letter is begun Dear Sir/ Sirs/ Madam, you must end with the words "Yours faithfully". When, however, you address a person by name - even if you barely know him - you must conclude with the words "Yours sincerely."

5. THE SIGNATURE. Sign your name clearly in full in the way you wish it to appear on the envelope which will be addressed to you in reply to your letter.

Formal letters contain:

• formal greetings and endings;
• formal language i.e. complex sentences (Having spoken to the manager in person, I still feel my requests have not been satisfied.), non-colloquial English (Please keep me informed regarding any further developments. NOT: Please keep me posted about what's happening.), frequent use of the passive (A two-week package holiday to the picturesque village of St Martin's is being offered by our agency for only $3,600.), and advanced vocabulary (I feel it is appropriate to explain to you some of the practices which are enforced throughout all of our branches.);
• no abbreviated forms.

SAMPLE

HOW NOT TO WRITE A FORMAL LETTER!

SAMPLE

There are grammar mistakes, spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes, mistakes in the order of the paragraphs, and also mistakes in the lay-out. Find them, comparing this sample with the previous one.

19 avenue road
Ealing W6 OER

Majestic Hotel
Bournemouth
Hampshire HR4 PMT

The nineteenth of January

dear Julia Rambert,

I am interesting in the job of Waitress advertised on "Metro" this morning and I am enclosing a copy of my CV.

I hope you will consider my application carefuly and I look forward to hear from you.

I am working as waitress in my own country since five years before I came here and my former employer can provide you with a referee.

I imagine that you cater mainly for overseas tourists so I belief my language skills would be usefull. In addition to speak both portuguese and english, I also can understand spanish.

yours faithfully,

Maria Chagas

Maria Chagas

19 Avenue Road
Ealing W6 OER

The Majestic Hotel
Bournemouth
Hampshire HR4 PMT

Dear Julia Rambert,

I am interested in the job of Waitress advertised in "Metro" this morning and I am enclosing a copy of my CV.

I worked as a waitress in my own country for five years before I came here and my former employer can provide you with a reference.

I imagine that you cater mainly for overseas tourists so I believe my language skills would be useful. In addition to speaking both Portuguese and English, I can also understand Spanish.

I hope you will consider my application carefully and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Chagas

Maria Chagas

WRITING FORMAL LETTERS

The late Malcolm Forbes, editor in chief of Forbes, one of the most popular business magazines today, gave this advice about formal letter writing:

Formal letters have a variety of purposes, including complaining about inadequate goods or services, applying for a job, or soliciting new customers for your business, to name only a few. However, all of these letters have a common goal-to get the results you want from someone you may or may not know personally. Here are some tips for formal letter writing:

1. On the receiving end of your letter is a human being! Remember to be polite, even if you are writing a complaint!

2. Be BRIEF and to the point!

3. Use formal language and check your letter for errors.

1. Call the person by name;

2. Tell what your letter is about in the first paragraph;

3. Be honest;

4. Be clear and specific;

5. Use accurate English;

6. Be positive and natural; and

7. Edit ruthlessly.

The Specifics: Sample Formal Letter (complaint)

The sender's address

The date

1. The name of the person to whom you

are sending the letter, his/her title, name

of the company, and address.

1. Formal greeting.

2. State the problem up front.

3, 4, 5, & 6. Briefly explain the specific details of the problem, including dates, costs, and other relevant information.

7. Edit ruthlessly.

4. Mention any attachments.

4. Close with your request and a courteous statement of thanks. Formal closing.

(Leave space to sign your letter.)

Type your name and title (if any).

YOUR INITIALS/secretary's initials

Type this (Enc.) if you are enclosing

any documents with the letter.

1234 Royal Palace Road

Albuquerque, NM 87110

January 21, 1999

Mr. Joseph Toad

Credit Manager

It's Curtains for You, Inc.

987 E. Central, N.W.

Albuquerque, NM 87103

Dear Mr. Toad:

Recently, I purchased drapes for my living room from your company. However, the drapes I ordered are not what I received, and although I returned them for credit, I am still being billed for them.

On December 15, 1998, I ordered as set of #6423 drapes in purple velvet for my throne room at a cost of $25,000. Imagine my surprise when your installers showed up with a set of tangerine chiffon drapes instead! Of course, I refused to allow these draperies to be installed, since they were not what I, I did not accept them. ordered. I immediately contacted Mr. Steve Austin, who took my order originally. He assured me that I would receive the proper drapes in time for the Royal Ball on Christmas Eve. I did, in fact, receive them; however, both sets of drapes showed up on my bill. I have instructed the Royal Treasurer to pay only for the purple velvet drapes that I ordered.

Attached are copies of my order, the billing statement showing both sets of drapes, and my cancelled check.

Please review these documents and adjust my account. Thank you for checking into this matter for me.

Sincerely,

Princess Cinderella Charming

PCC/pak

Enc.

(WRAC WORKSHOPS/ Revised January 25, 1999)

Commercial English - letters

Example

The envelope

1. LETTERS OF REQUEST

A formal letter of request is written to ask for permission, help, information, advice, etc. It may also provide information, explain a situation, make suggestions, present arguments in support of an opinion, etc. as requested in the topic instructions.

Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a clear topic sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful Language for Letters of Request

• To begin letters

I am writing to ask if you would be so kind/ generous as to./ request your assistance concerning the matter of.

I wonder if you could possibly/ if it would be possible for you to help me.

I would (greatly) appreciate it if you could.

I would be most grateful if you could.

I am writing to ask/ enquire if/ whether you could possibly tell/ inform me.

I am writing to ask if/ whether I might (perhaps) be permitted/ allowed to./ request your (kind) permission for./ (for me) to.

I wonder if I might ask you for/ request your valuable advice on/ concerning.

• To end letters

I hope that my request will not inconvenience you too much;

I must apologise for troubling you with this matter;

I hope that you will forgive me for taking up your valuable time;

I look forward to hearing from you/ receiving your reply as soon as possible;

Thank(ing) you in anticipation of your/ in advance for your kind cooperation.

2. LETTERS GIVING INFORMATION

A letter giving information is a formal piece of writing related to a particular situation. Its main purpose is to give information, usually when this has been requested by someone else. It may also provide suggestions, request help, give an opinion etc.

Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a clear topic sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful Language for Letters Giving Information

• To begin letters

I am writing to inform you that/ advise you of/ let you know that.

I regret/ am delighted/ would like/ feel obliged to inform you.

I am writing in response to/ in reply to/ with regard to/ in connection with your letter requesting information about./your enquiry about./ our telephone convestation concerning.

I am writing (to you) on behalf of./ in my capacity as.

• To end letters

I hope that this information will be of some assistance.

I hope/ trust that I have been able to answer all of your questions.

I would be pleased/ happy to provide you with any additional information.

I look forward to being able to help you again in the future./ answering your queries.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information./ have any further questions.

3. LETTERS GIVING ADVICE

A formal letter of advice is usually written in response to a request or enquiry, whereas a letter making suggestions offers an opinion and suggestions on a particular situation.

Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a clear topic sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful Language for Letters Giving Advice

• To begin letters

I am writing in reply/ response to your letter requesting advice about.

Thank you for your letter requesting advice about.

I hope the following advice/ suggestions will be of (some) help to you.

• Advice/ Suggestoins:

It might/ would be useful/ to your advantage (if you were) to.

I feel/ believe (that) the/ your best course of action would be.

I would like to offer one or two suggestions concerning.

I would (strongly) suggest/ recommend + [-ing]/ (that).

You should/ ought to.

• To end letters:

I hope that these suggestions will (prove to) be of some assistance./ have been useful/ of use.

I hope/ trust that you will accept/ follow this advice.

I would be pleased/ happy to offer any additional advice you may require.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions/ queries/ problems.

4. LETTERS OF COMPLAINT

A formal letter of complaint is written to complain about a problem which has arisen (e.g. faulty merchandise, rude staff, inaccurate information, etc.). It should explain the reasons for the complaint, and usually includes a suggestion/ request/ demand concerning what should be done (e.g. refund, compensation, etc.).

Mild or strong language can be used depending on the writer's feelings and the seriousness of the complaint, but abusive language should never be used.

e.g. Mild Complaint:

I am writing to complain about a factual error in yesterday's newspaper.

I hope that you will give this matter your prompt attention.

Strong Complaint:

I am writing to express my strong disapproval concerning the offensive behaviour of an employee at your company's Winchester Road branch.

I demand a full, written apology or I will be forced to take legal action.

The nature of the complaint should be clearly stated in the first paragraph. Each aspect of the topic should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a clear topic sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful Language for Letters Giving Advice

• To begin letters

Mild complaint:

I am writing to complain about/ draw your attention to (the problem of).

Strong complaint:

I am writing to express my annoyance/ extreme dissatisfaction with/ anger at/ protest about.

I regret to/ feel I must inform you how appalled/ shocked I was.

• To end letters

Mild Complaint:

I hope/ trust this matter will be dealt with/ resolved as soon as possible./ receive your immediate attention./ not be treated lightly.

I feel that you should./ I am entitled to a compensation/ a refund/ a replacement.

Strong Complaint:

I (must) insist on./ insist (that)/ demand./ warn you that.

Unless this matter is resolved./ Unless satisfactory compensation is offered.

I will have no choice but to./ I will be forced to take further/ legal action.

5. LETTERS OF APOLOGY

If you have received a letter of complaint, it is polite to reply it. The purpose for writing a letter of apology is to explain the reason(s) for the problems stated in the letter of complaint and to ensure that the situation will be resolved/ improved. You may also offer some form of compensation.

A letter of apology is written in a formal style and requires a dignified and polite tone.

You should deal with each aspect of the complaint in a separate paragraph.

Useful Language for Letters of Apology

• Opening remarks:

I am writing to apologise for./ offer my apologies for.

Please accept my/ our sincere/ profuse apologies for (the unavoidable dalay, etc.)

I must/ would like to apologise for (the unfortunate confusion, etc.)

• To introduce new points:

With regard to/ As regards.

As far as. is/ are concerned.

Firstly/ First of all/ Secondly/ Finally, .

• To emphasise what you say:

Clearly/ Obviously/ Needless to say, .

• To express reality:

In fact/ As a matter of a fact/ Actually/ Indeed,.

• Making amends:

Please allow me to offer/ suggest. as compensation (for.).

I insist on (+ [-ing]) to make up for your loss/ inconvenience, etc.

• Closing remarks:

Once again, my/ our sincere(st) apologies for the inconvenience caused

I hope that you will accept my apologies/ that my apologies will be accepted.

I hope that you can forgive/ overlook this regrettable error.

6. LETTERS OF APPLICATION

A formal letter of application is written when applying for a job or a place on an educational course. A job application usually includes educational/ professional qualifications, details of previous experience as well as the applicant's qualities and skills. Previous experience should be presented in a clear order using linking words such as: currently, before this, subsequently, prior to this, following, whereupon, etc.

Useful Language : Applying for Jobs

• To begin letters:

I am writing to apply for the post/ position of. advertised in yesterday's.

I am writing in connection with/ with regard to the vacancy in your Sales Department, as advertised in The Times on/ of 14^th October.

• Experience/ Qualifications:

I am currently/ At present I am employed/ working as.

I was employed as (position) by (company) from (date) to (date).

During this time, I held the position . / was responsible for./ my duties included.

I have received training in./ completed an apprenticeship, etc..

My qualifications include./ I am presently studying/ attending a course.

I am due to take my final examinations in June.

I have/ hold/ obtained/ was awarded a degree/ diploma/ certificate in.

I have successfully/ recently completed a course in (subject) at (place)

• To end letters:

I enclose/ Please find enclosed my CV/ references from.

I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience/ as soon as possible.

I would be available for an interview at any time/ until the end of June/etc.

I would be pleased/ happy to supply you with any further information/ details.

Please contact me should you have any further questions/ queries.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WRITING FORMAL LETTERS?

Read the following statements, then decide if they are true or false:

When the letter starts Dear Sir we end it with Yours Sincerely,

You can end a letter to someone you know with Best wishes,

The first paragraph of the letter should explain your reason for writing.

You should start a new paragraph for each sentence.

You should leave a space between each paragraph.

Ms is the title used for a married woman.

Master is the title used for a man.

If you are writing a formal letter, it is not a good idea to use contractions. (I'm is the contraction of I am; can't is the contraction of cannot)

When you are writing an application for a job, it is a good idea to say what a wonderful person you are. For example, I am intelligent, honest and I work very hard.

When you apply for a job, it is a good idea to use a recycled envelope.

EXERCISES

1. You have been invited by the head librarian of your local library to give a talk in English to a small audience. Write a letter refusing the invitation.

2. You wish to attend a summer school abroad to study art. Write a letter applying for a place and requesting that a prospectus be sent to you. Inquire also what arrangements will be made about your accommodation.

3. Some goods you ordered have arrived, but they are not up to their usual standards. Write to the firm concerned complaining about this and asking about what action they propose to take.

4. You lost a book which you had borrowed from a local British or American library. Write a letter pointing this out and offering to replace the book.

5. You hold the position of secretary of a local football club but now wish to resign. Write a letter to the manager of the club giving your reasons for wishing to do so.