informal letter

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Dear + title + surname

A FORMAL
LETTER

Dear Mr Phillips,

Dear Ms Jones,

Dear Sir,

Dear Madam,

Dear Sir/Madam,

Starting a letter

- I am writing to ask/ tell/ inform you that...
- I am writing to ask/ inquire about...
- I am writing with regard to...
- I am writing with reference to...
- I am writing in connection with...
- I am writing in response to...
- In reply to your letter, I am writing to...

Asking for information
- I would like to request a ...
- Please could you send me...

- I would like to get some information about...
- I enclose a stamped addressed envelope and a cheque for (amount).
Close the letter

- Thank you for your attention. We hope to hear from you in the near future.
-I look forward to hearing from you,
-Yours faithfully,
(full name)

Yours sincerely,
(full name)

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Informal letters are written to people that we know very
well. We can write about our holiday, new experiences,
personal problems, etc. Informal letters are written in a
personal tone and in an informal style.

•When we give news in our letters we should use
Present Perfect and Past Simple.

•Present Perfect is used to refer to recent activities
•the Past Simple is to refer to activities that happened
in the particular time in the past.

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien

1. an informal greeting
2. an introduction in which we write our opening remarks (
asking a friend how is he/she) and we state the reason for writing.
3. a main body, in which we write about the main topic of the
letter in detail.
4. a conclusion, in which we write closing remarks

5. an informal ending
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Starting a letter/opening a letter
- Thanks for your last letter and the nice photos.

- Thanks for your last letter. Sorry, I haven't written you for a long time
because...
- Sorry for not writing for so long.
- Long time no see. Hope all's well in your world!
Closing/ending the letter:
Sorry, but I have to finish.
(Hope to) see you soon,
I must be off now,

Bye for now,

Love to all,

Hugs,

Thank you,
Best wishes,

Yours,

Write (back) soon,

Love from

Regards,

Many thanks,

Take care,

Your loving friend,

Cheers,

Kindest regards,

(first name)
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien








Asking for information/ Asking for help
Thanking
Advising
Inviting

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


 I’m

very grateful for..
 I’d like to thank you very much
for…
 I very much appreciated…

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


 I'm very sorry that/about...
 Please forgive me for...
 I'd like to apologize about...
 Please accept my apologies for...

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


I would like you to…
I would be grateful if you could…
I need to ask your advice about...

I'd like to ask for information about…
What I'm looking for is...
I’d like to ask some information about/
inquire about…
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Opening Remarks
•I’m writing to ask for your advice.

•Can/Could you give some advice?
•I’ve got a problem and I need your help.

Closing remarks
•What do you think I should do?
•Please tell me what to do.
•Please let me know what you thing I need to do.
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Opening remarks
•I have your letter and I think I can help you.
•If I were you, I would …

•I think you should …

Making suggestions
•Why don’t you …
•You could …

•How about doing …
•You should/must/need to …

Closing remarks
•Let me know what happened.
•Hope it helped.
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Opening Remarks
•I’m writing to invite you (to…)
•Can/Could you come to my birthday?
•I am planning to have …., would you like to come?

Closing remarks
•I would be happy if you could come.

•Please tell me if you could come next week.
•Please let me know if you are free and come.

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Opening remarks
•Thank you for your invitation …
•I would love to come.
•It sounds great.
•Count on me …

Closing remarks

•See you there.

•I am looking forward to it.
•Can’t wait to see you.
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Opening remarks
•Thanks for the invite, but …
• I’m afraid I can’t make it.

Closing remarks
•Sorry, I can’ be there.
•I’m sorry I’ll miss it.
• I hope to see you some other time.

•We have to get together next time.

Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


2. Read the letter to Molly. Write your response and give Anna advice.
Dear Molly,
How is life treating you? Hope all is well your side. I’m fine but I have a problem that has been
bothering me for weeks. I would like to ask you for advice.
I have a colleague at work, Polly, who desperately wants to be my friend. I went shopping with
her few times and we went for coffee couple of times but I don’t really like her. You know, we don’t
have much in common but she obviously thinks differently. I understand that she might feel lonely as
her husband is always on the business trip but I can’t spend all my free time with her. She is really
annoying sometimes. Lately, I have even started to make up excuses why I can’t spend time with her.

I don’t want to do this but I don’t know what else I could do. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. Could
you help me? What should I tell her? How should I behave? I don’t mind going for coffee with her
now and then but not every day! I don’t want to make up things and lie to her.
I would really appreciate if you could help me. You know, I work with her so I would like to stay on
good terms with her.
Waiting for your response.
P.S. Send my love to Ted and Monica.
Tell them that I miss them!
Love

Anna
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


3. Match suggestions with the correct options.
1. How about

a.) go to cinema?
b.) going to cinema?

2. We could

a.) drive to the beach.

b.) driving to the beach.
3. Would you like

a.) playing football?

b.) to play football?

4. I think you should

a.) go to doctor.
b.) to go to doctor

5. What about

a.) telling him the truth?
b.) tell him the truth?

6. Let’s

a.) watch a TV.
b.) watching TV.

7. Why don’t you

a.) spend a day here?

b.) to spend a day here?
Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien


Prepared by Ms. Ta Thanh Hien