B1B2 VSTEP letter writing

LETTER WRITING (Viết thư)
- Chia theo đối tượng người nhận thì có 2 loại thư trang trọng (Formal Letters) và thư
thân mật (Informal Letters)
- Chia theo mục đích viết thư thì có nhiều loại thư

1. Thank you letters (thư cảm ơn)
2. Advice letters (thư khuyên nhủ)
3. Request letters (thư yêu cầu)
4. Application letters (thư xin việc)
5. Complaint letters (thư phàn nàn)
6. Invitation letters (thư mời)
7. Apology letters (thư xin lỗi)
I. Cách viết thư thân mật
Cấu trúc viết:
1. Lời chào: Dear + tên riêng, (viết cho ai thì phải dear người đó, nếu đề bài ghi rõ yêu cầu
là viết cho ai thì phải Dear người đó, nếu đề bài ko nêu rõ, chỉ nói chung chung hãy viết
thư cho 1 người bạn nước ngồi thì tên nào cũng được)
2. Đoạn mở bài: xin lỗi vì ko viết thư sớm hoặc hỏi han tình hình sức khoẻ, rất vui vì nhận
được thư của cậu
3. Thân bài: viết 1 hoặc 2 đoạn thân bài nêu ý chính đề bài yêu cầu, trả lời các câu hỏi đề
bài yêu cầu
4. Kết bài: Nêu lý do dừng bút và hy vọng được gặp lại bạn sớm hoặc nhắn bạn viết lại
cho mình.
5. Kết thúc: Sử dụng các cụm từ thân mật như Love, All the best, Best Wishes, Best
Regards
Lưu ý: Các cụm từ hay sử dụng trong bài viết thư
o Dear ………….,
Mở đầu thư: Beginning
o Thank you/Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter/email. (cảm ơn lá thư của cậu) . It
was good/nice to hear from you recently.
o I’m sorry I haven’t written to you/been in touch for such a long time.

o It’s ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you’re/you and your family are well.
o Thank you for your letter. It was nice to hear from you.
o Thanks a lot for the information you've sent me in your last letter.
o I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school/my work.

o I am sorry for not writing to you for so long because I have been really busy.
o I'm sorry I haven't written for so long.

Asking
Hi! How are the things? How are you? How’s it going? How are you these days?

 Mục đích: I am writing this letter/ this email to ………. (tôi viết lá thư này để
làm gì)

Cuối thư:
o Give my love/regards to … Say hello to … Hope to hear from you soon.
See you soon! Write soon. Once again, thank you for all your help.
o Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
o Well, that's all for now. Will talk to you soon.
o Give my regards to your family.
o I hope we will be able to arrange a get-together.
o Do write back as I'm waiting for the news from you.
o I am looking forward to your reply.
o I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
 All the best,/ Best Wishes,/Best Regards, (trân trọng)
Ký tên: ko được viết tên mình, chỉ viết tên tiếng anh
o Mary, Peter, John, …..

Một số lưu ý khi làm bài:
- Trước khi viết dành 3-5 phút đọc kỹ đề bài, xác định xem thư thuộc loại nào,

trang trọng hay thân mật, mục đích viết thư để làm gì (cảm ơn, cung cấp thông tin,
yêu cầu, ….) Xác định câu hỏi trong đề bài để biết những ý chính cần trả lời. Vạch
ra dàn ý để bài viết bố cục rõ ràng và đủ ý.
- Trong khi viết dựa vào dàn ý để viết thành 1 lá thư hoàn chỉnh, lưu ý chia đoạn,
sử dụng từ nối liên kết ý (Firstly, Secondly, Finally), viết câu phức, sử dụng nhiều
từ vựng hay.
- Sau khi viết thì nên dành 1 chút thời gian đọc lại kiểm tra các lỗi về chính tả và
ngữ pháp nếu có.

Đề bài mẫu: This is part of the letter you received from your English speaking friend.
“I am planning to visit you in September with my parents. Can you suggest some activities in
your area? What kinds of clothes should I pack?”.
Write a letter to your friend answer his questions.
Bài viết:

Dear Tom,
I am sorry for not writing to you for so long because I have been really busy recently for my
exams. It was great to get your letter and hear all your news, especially the part about you and
your parents coming to visit me in September.
Firstly , I will tell you about some activities you can do in my city. The weather is still fairly warm
then so we should be able to spend quite a bit of time at the beach. I think your parents will really
enjoy the city, particularly the old town. The music festival will be on then so we shall take full
advantage of that as well.
Next, you asked what clothes you should bring, you will be fine with light summer dresses, skirts
and trousers and a sweater or jacket for the evenings, which can be rather cool. Don’t forget to pack
your swimming costumes! It will still be warm enough to swim.
I’d better go and get on with my exam preparation. I hope your exams go well too and that you have
a lovely summer. I am really looking forward to seeing you in September.
All the best,
Mary

II. Thư cảm ơn
- Thư viết với mục đích cảm ơn
- Thư có thể thuộc loại formal hoặc informal

Một số cấu trúc dùng trong thư cảm ơn
- I am writing this letter to thank you for …………….
- I am grateful to you for your help.
- I am writing this letter to express my sincere thanks to somebody …….
- This letter is to express my thanks and appreciation for …………..
- This is to thank you for ……
- Please accept my thanks for …….
- Again with my thanks for your hospitality ……
- Please have no hesitation in writing to me should you want me to do something for
you in Vietnam.
- If you need anything in your study, please let me know
- I hope you will give me the chance to return your kindness

Sample letter
Question: You are a bus commuter. One morning on your way to work you suddenly fell ill and
lost of your consciousness. One gentleman on the same bus sent you to the hospital.
Write a letter to the company where the man works to express your gratefullness.

Dir Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Johny, the cashier of your
company.

I am the commuter and everyday I take bus Route 120 to work. Last Wednesday morning when
the bus almost reached the stop where I had to got off, I suddenly felt dizzy and then I lost my
consciousness. When I came to, I found myself in the hospital, attended by my wife. The doctor

told me it was Mr. Johny who had sent me to the hospital and informed my wife of condition.
Mr. Johny happened to be on the same bus but I have never met him.
My wife and I were very much grateful to him for his kindness. Please forward my sincere
thanks to him. We feel very much proud of your company for having such a good employee.

I do hope that your company would reward Mr. Johny for his noble deeds.
Yours faithfully,
Peter
III. Thư yêu cầu

- Thư viết với mục đích yêu cầu, đề nghị một vấn đề gì đó
- Thuộc loại thư formal
Cấu trúc:
1. Greeting (lời chào)
2. Introduction (giới thiệu mục đích viết thư)
3. Body (lý do yêu cầu)
4. Conclusion (nêu yêu cầu và cảm ơn về việc xử lý yêu cầu)
5. Closing and signature ( kết thúc và ký tên)
Một số cấu trúc thường dùng:
- I would like to suggest that you should …….
- May I suggest that …………..
- Considering ……., I propose that ………………….
- Concerning this matter, my proposal is that ……….
- On behalf of …., I suggest ………
- My suggestion is that …………………
- In my opinion, I would say that ……………….
- I propose they should …………………..
Nêu lý do yêu cầu:

- The reason for this request is that ………..

- The reason why I am asking for this is that ………..
Sample letter
Question: The English department has decided to hold a speech contest in late December but
your classmates find that it is too near the final examination.
Write to the Dean of the department to suggest a change of the time.
Sample:
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are students of class 33. We are glad that the department is to hold an English speech contest.
We are sure it is of great help to your oral English and all of us want to take part in it.
We have noticed that the time of contest is on the 27th of December. What troubles us is the
time of the contest. As you know, according to the school schedule of this term, the final
examination is to begin on January, 10th. We all wish to do excellently in both, we are afraid that
it will be difficult for us to prepare for the examination and the contest at the same time. As a
result, we should spend less time on the preparation of the contest.
Considering the outcome of the contest, we suggest that it be postponed to the next term,
preferably in the first few weeks. We suggest so because generally speaking, we have more free
time in that period of time.
Thank you for your attention.
Yours faithfully,
All of class 33
IV. Thư phàn nàn
Cấu trúc bài thư phàn nàn
1. Miêu tả tình huống phàn nàn
2. Miêu tả vấn đề và kết quả mong muốn, nêu rõ ngày tháng ví dụ ngày mua sản phẩm,
dịch vụ
3. Nêu hướng giải quyết
4. Cảnh báo (phần này tuỳ chọn) yêu cầu trả lời khoảng thời gian thích hợp và đính kèm
tài liệu, hoá đơn chứng từ liên quan)
Một số cấu trúc:
- I am sorry to inform you that …… (tôi rất tiếc phải thông báo là …)

- I am writing to make a complaint against …… (tôi viết thư này để phàn nàn về …)
- I have to say that ….
- I suggest that …..

- I request that ………..
- I would much appreciate it if you …….
- I hope you will look into the matter and give me an immediate reply
- I look forward to …….
- I request that you refund the money in full (trả lại tiền)
- I think the best way to solve the problem is (to replace it with a better one). (Đổi

cho 1 cái tốt hơn)
- If our demand is not accepted and put in practice, we would resort to other

measures.
Sample letter 1
You recently bought a piece of equipment for your kitchen but it did not work. You phoned the
shop but no action was taken. Write a letter to the shop manager. In your letter:

- Describe the problem with the equipment
- Explain what happened when you phoned the shop
- Say what you would like the manager to do
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing with regard to an appliance that I recently bought from your shop.
On the 10th of May I bought a new washing machine, and it was installed the following day.
However, when I tried to wash some clothes, I noticed that the machine failed to spin during the
washing cycle. Consequently, it leaves clothes wet but not clean.
When I phoned your shop to report the problem, I spoke to an assistant who did not know the
procedure for repairs or returns. He assured me that he would report this issue to the store
manager and that I would be contacted the same day. That was two days ago and I am still

waiting for your call.
As the appliance is under warranty, I am entitled to ask for it to be repaired or replaced. I have
decided that I would like a replacement washing machine. I would also like you to phone me
personally when you receive this letter.
I await your prompt response.
Yours faithfully,
Peter
Sample letter 2
There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently. Write a letter to
the manager of the transport company. In your letter:
- Describe the problems

- Explain how these problems are affecting the public
- Suggest some changes that could be made
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to bring to your attention some issues with my local bus service.
I take the bus Route 22 from Thanh Xuan to Gia Lam every morning. This week, my bus has
arrived at least 10 minutes late each day and I have been unable to find a seat due to
overcrowding.
Passengers are becoming increasingly frustrated. I have seen several people complain to
members of your staff that the delays are making them late for work and the overcrowding
means that many of us are forced to stand in the central aisle of the train for the duration of the
journey. This is extremely uncomfortable.
I would like to suggest that you run a more regular service on this bus route.
I hope you will address these concerns as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully,
Peter
V. Thư xin lỗi
Cấu trúc
1. Xin lỗi ngay từ đầu thư

2. Giải thích lý do
3. Nêu hành động bù đắp hoặc hứa hẹn không tái phạm lỗi
Một số cấu trúc hữu ích cho bài viết thư xin lỗi:
Cách nói lời xin lỗi
- I apologise for N/ Ving
- Please accept my apologies
- I terribly regret that + S + V
- I am sorry that I shall not be able to …..
- I am sorry that S + V
- I am sorry for not -Ving
Giải thích lý do
- This is the reason why I ………..
- I could not ………. because
- This is one of the reasons I could not make it
- The only reason for the delay is that ……..
Nêu hành động bù đắp

- I really hope that you’ll forgive me for being so thoughtless
- I hope you will let me make it up to you.
- By way of an apology, I …………..
- To make up for …………..
Sample letter 1
You have received the invitation to take part in your friend’s wedding ceremony but you will be in
America on a business trip on that day with your boss. Write to friend to apologize for not being
able to take part in the wedding ceremony.
Dear ………….,
Thank you very much for inviting me to take part in your wedding ceremony on August, the 8th.
First of all, please accept my warmest and most sincere congratulations to you and Mary. But I have
to ask for your forgiveness of not being able to turn up at the ceremony because on that day I will be
in America with my boss on business. You know I have just come to this company and I am the

only secretary whose English is good enough to interpret for the boss. Therefore, I just can not tell
the boss that I will not go with him to America. What a pity it is to miss your wedding ceremony!
What makes me even uneasier is that you came to my wedding last year! Well, to make up for the
disappointment, I will visit you before I leave for America to present my greetings to you. I will
give you a call beforehand.
Say hello to Mary.
With love,
Peter.
Sample letter 2
One of your friends recently had a birthday celebration but you missed it and you forgot to tell
your friend that you couldn’t attend. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
- Apologize for missing the birthday celebration
- Explain why you missed and you did not tell your friend
- Say what you would like to do to show that you are sorry
Dear ……………,
I hope you are well and that you had a fantastic time on your birthday.
I am so sorry that I wasn’t there with you and for not letting you know beforehand that I wouldn’t
come. I feel terrible that I haven’t found the time to contact you until now.
The truth is that I have been under a lot of stress at work recently. I was in danger of losing my job
if I did not meet a sales target so I haven’t been able to think about anything else over the last few
weeks. This is why I couldn’t be at your party, and why I did not call to tell you I wouldn’t be there.

I really hope that you will forgive me for being so thoughtless and I hope you’ll let me make it up to
you. By way of an apology, I have bought tickets for us both go to the football next Saturday.
I hope you will come.
Speak to you soon.
Peter

VI. Thư mời
Một số cấu trúc

- I would like to ask you to come ….
- I wonder if you would like to come …..
- I would like to invite you to a dinner/ to V
- We are planning to …..
- We would be happy if you could come.
- I cordially invite you to join us
- Please accept my invitation
Sample letter
Your English friend who you met while you studied in the UK is coming to Hanoi for an
International conference. You want to invite him to Ho Chi Minh for a short visit.
Write a letter to him to invite him to Ho Chi Minh city.
Dear …………..,
I am very glad to know that you are going to take part in an international conference in Hanoi. I
sincerely invite you to come to HCM city to see us after the conference.
I have talked about you to me parents and they also want to see you. We have moved into a big flat
with 4 bedrooms. You can stay with us when you are in HCM city. I and my parents are willing to
be your guides. I will take you to visit famous places of interests in HCM city such as the
Reunification Palace, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market.
Before you come, please give us a call. My telephone number is …….. I will welcome you at the
airport.
Please do come, we look forward to your arrival.
All the best,
Peter
Một số đề viết (150 words)
1. You received an email from your English friend.
“I am going to have 6 months in your country to study Vietnamese at Hanoi University
in Hanoi. I am very excited about this trip. I am wondering where I can stay so that I

can learn more Vietnamese besides class time. I am also thinking about a part-time job

I can do to have more practice of the language. Can you give me some advice?”

2. This is part of the letter you received from the manager of the local bus service (Mr.
Watson)
“Thank you for choosing Hanoi Bus. Please help us by taking a few minutes to tell us
about the service that you have received so far. Are you satisfied (hài lòng) with our bus
service? Is there anything you want to change?”
Give your feedback on the bus service.

3. This is part of an email your received form your English – speaking friend, Anna. She
asked you for some information for her next trip to your hometown.
“I am planning to visit your city next month and I am really excited about the trip. Can
you suggest somewhere to stay and tell me a little bit about What I can do in your
hometown? What clothes should I bring?”

4. I am travelling to your country during Tet holiday. Could you give me some information
about it? What do people often do? What do children receive? Can you tell me some dishes
for Tet?

Dear…….,
I was very surprised when I received your email. It is quite a long time since you and I met each

other. You do not know how much we miss you. My parents and my friends often talk about you
whenever we have a chance to gather. I am sorry, I have not written to you because I have been
really busy studying to pass B2 English test.

If you are planning to go to Vietnam during Tet holiday then I think it is a good idea to experience
one of the most important holiday in Vietnam. Tet holiday usually takes time in January or February,
it depends on the year. This holiday is a time for people to gather and strengthen ( cung co ) their
relationship with family. During this holiday, Vietnamese people usually clean and decorate their

house, it is very common for Vietnamese people to go to pagoda and pray for a peaceful new year.
Moreover, we have a special tradition called Li xi - lucky money, children usually receive the lucky
money. Adults give lucky money to children in a red envelope ( bao li xi ) in order to wish them the

best wishes. Besides, food in Tet holiday is diversity ( da dang ), Vietnamese always enjoy our
traditional dishes such as spring roll, Banh chung,…

I hope these information are helpful for you. I am looking forward meeting your on Tet holiday.

5. It is our pleasure to help you organize your friend’s birthday party. In order to prepare
for it, we would like to ask you about the number of guests and their age group. What
activities do you think would be suitable for them? Also please let us know if you have
chosen the food and drinks for the party.

6. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
English pen friend, Paul. He asked you about your TV in your country. Read part of his email
below.
One of my hobbies is watching TV. There are many fantastic programs for me to watch.
Sometimes I can spend my whole day watching TV. Could you tell me about TV in your
country? Are the programs interesting to you? What is your best favourite TV program?
What is that program about? How much TV do you watch every day? Do people in your
country watch too much TV these days?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Write an email responding to Paul. You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to
include your name or addresses.
Dear Paul,
I’m very glad to hear news from you. My hobby is very similar to you. I also spend all my day on
watching TV. In my country, there are many programs on TV for all kinds of people at a variety of

ages: for children, for teenagers, for the young and for the old. I really like these programs. And
recently, I am very interested in one programs for the younger called “Who is the billionaire?” This
program’s format is that one player need to answer all fifteen questions to be a winner and receive
the prize up to 100 million Vietnam Dong. “Who is the billionaire?” is very useful because it
provides me with a lot of knowledge in many aspects of life. I watch TV about one hour every day
when I have dinner with my family and before I go to bed. In my country, people watch TV when
they see that one program they like is on TV. I hope we will talk with each other more in next letter.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully.
Đề 7
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English friend, Jane. She asked you for some

I enjoy my job but I often sit at a computer all day. I don’t get much exercise so I often feel
tired. I consider going to the gym but I often work very late. Could you recommend something
else I should do to keep fit? Do I really need an instructor or I can do by myself? Also, do I need
to buy any equipment to do exercise? Does it cost much to buy them?

I look forward to your reply information about the way to keep fit. Read part of her email
below.
Write an email responding to Jane. You should write at least 120 words. You mustn’t include
your name or addresses.
Dear Mary,

I was very surprised when I received your email. It is quite a long time since you and I met each
other. You do not know how much we miss you. My parents and my friends often talk about you
whenever we have a chance to gather. I am sorry, I have not written to you because I have been
really busy studying to pass B2 English test.

I have read your email and I have understood the problem you have been facing. As I know, you
have to stay at the office all day and often go home late so you do not have free time to go to the
gym. Hence ( so, then ), I would give you some solutions. Since you often go home late, you could
get up early and do some exercises such as: go to the gym, doyoga, running, jogging,… it all
depends on your hobby. Moreover (besides), you could change your eating habit into something
more healthy such as: eating more vegetables, fruits, avoiding fast food, alcohol,…

About whether if you should have an instructor, in my opinion, you may need an instructor if you
want to go to the gym or doing yoga because in the first period, it may be hard for you to find the
right path ( loi di ) for doing exercises so a trainer maybe needed. If you want to go swimming or
running, I think you can do it on your own.

Moreover, the equipment that you need is depends on what type of exercises you want to do for
example if you go to the gym, all equipment that you need are already available, you need to buy a
yoga carpet if doing yoga,… In my point of view, these items are affordable for your financial
situation.

I am happy that you write a letter to me, I hope my advice is helpful. I am looking forward to
catching up with you soon.

--------

Đề 8
TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English friend, Lily. She asked you for some information
about traditional festivals in your country. Read part of her email below.

I have just watched such a fantastic program about traditional festivals in the world. There
are not many festivals like these in my country. Are there many traditional festivals in your

country? Which is the most popular one? Could you tell me about it? In what time of the
year does it happen? What do people often do in this occasion? Is it widely known by
international tourists (biết đến rộng rãi bởi du khách quốc tế) ? Do young people in your
country still enjoy it?
I look forward to your reply.

Write an email responding to Lily. You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to include
your name or addresses.
Đề 9
This is part of a letter you received from the manager of a mobile phone company (Mr. John)
“Our company would like to receive your feedback on our product and services. Are you satisfied
with our products and services? Is there anything you want to change?”
Write an email to the manager to give your feedback on their products and services.

Đề 10
Write a letter to thank Peter for inviting you to his birthday party last week.
Dear Peter,

I was very surprised when I received your email. It is quite a long time since you and I met each
other. You do not know how much we miss you. My parents and my friends often talk about you
whenever we have a chance to gather. I am sorry, I have not written to you because I have been
really busy studying to pass B2 English test.

Today, I am writing this letter to you to thank you for inviting me to your birthday party. I had a
lot of fun at your birthday party , I really enjoyed it. The food were amazing and impressive with
full of flavors. Besides amazing food, the atmosphere of the party was also the one that made me
impressed. I had opportunities to make new friends and get to know them more.

Thank you for your hospitality, I am looking forward to meeting soon.

Best wishes,
Đề 11
You received part of a letter from your friend
“I hope you had a safe and sound trip back home. It was lovely to welcome you to England. In the
attached files, I have sent you some photos of our trip.”
Write a letter to thank your friends for the photos and for the holiday and invite them to come and
stay with you.
Sample:
Dear John,
How are you? Have you come back to your hometown? I am now at home writing this email to you.
Firstly, I would like to send my sincere thanks to you for the wonderful holiday and lovely photos
that you have sent. Looking at them makes me feel so excited. The one we took when we were
standing under Big Ben tower is beautiful. I will show them to my friends here and I am sure that
they will really like it.
I have read a lot about England but It still made me feel awesome when I got there. The weather
was much colder than I thought. I felt lucky because you had told me about that. The traffic was so
different from that in Hanoi. It was the first time I travelled in the underground. It was comfortable
and relaxing. The most impressive experience for me was when we were watching a football match
directly from the spectator seats.
Next, I would like to invite you to visit my city because I have heard that you are planning a trip this
summer. I will show you around my city. Hanoi is such a peaceful destination with many famous
tourist attractions. I am sure It will be a memorable trip for us.
Hope to see you soon.
Best wishes,
Nam
Đề 12
This is part of a letter you received from your English friend.
“In your last letter, you told me that you moved to a new city. How is everything now? Tell me
about your new place of living. How about new school, friends and teacher there?”
Write a letter to you friend.

Dear Tom,
I was very surprised when I received your email. It is quite a long time since you and I met each
other. You do not know how much we miss you. My parents and my friends often talk about you

whenever we have a chance to gather.I am sorry, I have not written to you because I have been
really busy moving to Ha Noi which is the most city in Vietnam.

Since I changed location, I have been excited for about everything here. It takes me about 10
minutes to go to the university so it is extremely convenient. It is a small apartment with good
equipment such as: television, washing machine, air-conditioner,… Besides I have a lovely garden
which offered many types of flowers, the atmosphere is fresh and helps me feel relaxed after a long
time working under a lot of stress.

In the university, I had many a range of ( a lot of ) new friends and they assisted ( help ) me
facing a new environment. They often take me to tourist attractions, for example, Hoan Kiem lake,
West lake , the first university in Vietnam,… As a freshman, I had quite a difficultly with study
programs, they helped me overcome complicated problems ( issues ). Moreover, lectures
( professors ) are professional in the educational section, hard-working and always listen to their
students carefully, respectfully ( ton trong ). I am very satisfied about the new accommodation.

I am very pleased to invite you to come here. I bet you will have an incredible experience. I am
looking forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes
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Đề 13
There have been some problems with public transport in your area recently. Write a letter to the
manager of the transport company. In your letter:

- Describe the problems

- Explain how these problems are affecting the public
- Suggest some changes that could be made