How to write informal letters or emails

Salutation or Greeting
 Start with Dear followed by the first name of the person to whom you are writing. In
emails, you can also start with Hi (and the person's name). Dear Ben, or Hi Ben,
(Don't forget to use only the first name of the person you are writing to and not Dear
Mr John, which is never used, or Dear Mr John Brown, which sounds too formal.)
 Informal letters sometimes have a comma after the person's name, and the letter starts
on the line below. The important thing is to be consistent with the style that you
choose to use (so if you use a comma after the person's name at the start of the letter,
use a comma after the closing statement at the end).

Body
Openings

When writing an informal letter, you are usually replying to another letter. You
would normally start with a greeting, then acknowledge the letter to which you are
replying. It is often a good idea to acknowledge some key information given in the original
letter too. You can also make a comment on your own reply.

Useful phrases for the opening

 How are you? / How have the family been? / I hope you are well.
 Thank you / Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter / postcard.
 It was good / nice / great to hear from you again.
 I was so surprised to hear that...
 I’m sorry I haven’t written / haven't been in touch for such a long time.
 It’s ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you're well / you and your family are well.
 How are things? / How are you? / How’s it going?

Other useful phrases

Referring to news

 Great news about … Glad to hear that … Sorry to hear about …

Giving news

 Listen, did I tell you about …? You’ll never believe what …

 Oh, and another thing … This is just to let you know that …
  I thought you might be interested to hear about / know that …
 By the way, have you heard about / did you know that …?

Apologies

 I’m writing to apologise for missing your party but I’m afraid I was with flu.
 I’m really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was busy with my new
job.

Invitations

 I’m / We’re having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope you’ll be able to come.
 Would you like to come / go to see ‘Room With a View’ with me at the weekend?
 I was wondering if you’d like to go to the theatre / come on holiday with us.
 Could you let me / us know if you can come / you’d like to join us?
 Thank you very much for your invitation. I’d love to come.
 Thank you for asking / inviting me to … but I’m afraid I won’t be able to …

Requests

 I’m writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour.
 I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me / do me a favour.
 I hope you don’t mind me asking but could you (possibly) …?
 I’d be very / really / terribly grateful if you could …

Thank you / Congratulations / Good Luck

 I’m 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.

 Congratulations on passing your exams / your excellent exam results!

 I wish you good luck / Good luck in / with your exams / your driving test / your
interview.

 Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do well / pass.

 Do be on time, won’t you, and don’t forget to …

Making suggestions and recommendations

 Why don’t you …? / Maybe you could …? / How about …?

 You can’t leave New York without (...doing sth)
  I’m sure you will enjoy (...doing sth). If you like, we can …
 Do visit ... / Don’t forget to ...

Closing
The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. There are some standard ways of
finishing an informal letter or email.

 Give a reason why you're ending the letter: Anyway, I must go and get on with my
work! / I guess it's time I got on with that studying I've been avoiding.
 Send greetings and/or make reference for future contact: Give my love / regards
to... / Say hello to... / Anyway, don't forget to let me know the dates of the party. / I'll
try and phone you at the weekend to check the times. / We must try and meet up
soon. / I can't wait to hear from you / Look forward to seeing you again / Hope to hear
from you soon / See you soon / Write soon
 Closing statement such as Love, Lots of love, All the best, Take care, Best
wishes, should be written on a new line. If you used a comma after the opening
greeting, use a comma here too.
 Signing off: Your first name then follows on another new line.

Other things to consider

Range: It is important that you use grammatical expressions and vocabulary appropriate to
the level of the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to get
a good grade if you use only the language and vocabulary that you learnt at elementary level.
Even in informal writing, there is a good range of language you can use (conditional
sentences, a range of perfect and continuous tenses, indirect questions...)

Informal language, including phrasal verbs, informal vocabulary ("I guess you loved the
pics"), contractions, question tags.

Simpler sentence structure: I’ll be late for the party. It’s because of my French exam.

Connectors: All good writing makes good use of connectors. However, many of the
connectors you have learnt for other styles of writing are inappropriate in an informal letter or
email. For informal writing, you need to use some of the connectors that are more specific to
spoken language.

 To introduce a topic: Well, you'll never guess who I bumped into yesterday. / I know
how much you love tennis, so I've got us some tickets to Wimbledon. / By the way, did you
know that John's got a new job?
 To go back to a previous topic: Anyway, as I was saying earlier, I really wasn't very
happy there. / Now where was I? Oh yes, I nearly forgot, Mary asked me tell you about the
cinema.
 To introduce surprising or bad news: Actually, he came to the party after all. / I'm
really sorry but I can't make it. / To tell you the truth, I don't really like sports much.
 To summarise what you've already said: Anyway, we had a really nice time in the
end. / Well, to cut a long story short, we didn't get there on time.

Model questions and answers

Informal email/letter 1 - Model question
TASK

You have received this email from an English-speaking boy called Simon.

Hello,
I would like to get to know someone from your country and a friend has told me that you
would like to practise your English. Perhaps we could email each other. Could you tell me a
bit about yourself and your family? Could you suggest how we might meet sometime in the
future?
Thanks,
Simon

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Informal email/letter 1 - Model answer

Hello Simon,

I'm glad you're interested in my country. As your friend said, I'd like us to email each other to help me
improve your English.

Let me start by telling you a bit about myself and my family. My name's Ivo and I live in Kutna Hora,
which is about 45 minutes from Prague by car. I used to work for a medical company but now I'm learning
to be a salesperson. In the future I want a job where I can travel for my work. I've already been to a few
places in Europe but I've never been to an English-speaking country.

I live at home with my parents, which is convenient, as I don't have to do much housework and my meals
are cooked for me. My younger brother is studying at university. Although he is four years younger than
me, we get on quite well. We both enjoy snowboarding and music.

What about you? Have you ever been to the Czech Republic? It would be great if you could come over one
day and we could fix up a meeting. Why don't you let me know your plans?
Anyway, I must go and get on with my work! Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes,

Ivo

(+/- 190 words)

Informal email/letter 2 - Model question

TASK

You have received this email from your English-speaking friend, Jean.

I hear you organised a surprise birthday party for your mother. I'd love to hear about it. What
kind of party did you organise? Who did you invite? How did it go? Do tell me.
Love,
Jean

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Note: The following model answer includes some notes to help

Informal email/letter 2 - Model answer

Open with an informal greeting
Hi Jean,

Start your reply by referring to the sender's email/letter.

Good to hear from you again. I hope you're still enjoying your job.

Give reason for replying

I'm glad you asked me about the party I planned for my mother's birthday. Well, I have to say it was a
fantastic success. I told my mother we were taking her out for a quiet meal at a local restaurant with just the
family, but in fact I'd(1) hired a large room in a hotel and invited all her old friends!(2)

Start a new paragraph as the topic has changed slightly.

Use an informal linking word/phrase
Anyway, I picked my mother up and told her I'd changed my mind. We were going to have a meal in a
hotel. You should have seen her face when she walked into the room and everyone cheered! She just
 couldn't believe it and burst into tear(3). Then the party got going and it didn't finish until four in the
morning. We were absolutely exhausted, but my mother had had a wonderful time.

When you close, make an excuse to finish.

Must dash now - I've got to go to college. Hope to hear from you (4).

Make sure you finish with an informal phrase

Love,

Tania

(1) Use contractions

(2) Use some exclamation marks (but not too many) to express emotion.
(3) Use a range of appropriate vocabulary and informal expressions
(4) Short sentences are acceptable

(+/- 150 words)

Semi-formal email/letter 3 - Model question

TASK

Your recently helped organise a college ski trip and you have received this email from a
parent of one of the students who went.

I understand you were one of the organisers of our son's ski trip. I have to say my husband
and I were extremely dissatisfied with the arrangements. My son has informed us that the ski
slopes were poor, the lessons were fewer than promised and the accommodation was
inadequate.
Can you please give us a satisfactory explanation?
Yours sincerely,
Nora White

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Note: As you are writing to a parent the register of this letter should be semi-formal, which is
characterized by:

 the use of less colloquial language - e.g. Thank you very much for your letter (instead
of: Thanks a million for your letter.)
 less frequent use of short forms, phrasal verbs and idioms - e.g. I am writing to request
information about... (instead of: I thought I'd drop you a line to ask about...)
 a polite, respectful tone - e.g. I was wondering if you had ... (instead of: Do you
have...)

Semi-formal email/letter 3 - Model answer

Dear Mrs White,

First, let me apologize for any disappointment your son experienced on our ski trip. It is true that there were
several concerns. Since we had been led to believe by the company that there would be sufficiente slopes
for both beginners and advanced skiers, we were extremely upset when this turned out not to be the case. It
was also unfortunate that lack of snow meant that artificial snow had to be used istead.

As for the question of lessons, if you look at the letter we sent you, you will see that only five one-hour ski-
lessons were included in the price and that extra hours would have to be paid separately.l

In relation to accommodation, I am not quite sure what you are referring to. I know that in one room there
were not enough beds but this was not the case in your son's room.

We would like to assure you that we take all complaints seriously. We have already decided that next year
we will change the company and the location for our trip and we hop that your son will consider joining us
again.

Yours sincerely,

Waylon Smithers

(+/- 190 words)

FCE - formal letter or email

For your convenience you may want to download a PDF version of this article
FCE Formal letter/email - [pdf]

Paper 2 Part 1 - Formal letter or email

Formal letters may be written to an individual or to an organisation. The purpose may be, for
example,

 to apply for part-time or vacation work (application letter)

 to apply for study or scholarship opportunity (application letter)
  to complain about something (complaint letter)
 to make suggestions about something
 to request information (enquiry letter)

In many exam questions, you will be told what to include in your reply. Make sure that your
reply answers any questions that you were asked in the task and takes into account any
additional information that you have been told to mention. It is important that you include
these in order to get a good grade.

How to write formal letters

[1] Salutation or Greeting

 (A) If you know the name of the person you are writing to use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or
Ms) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs
or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women.
Examples: "Dear Mr Simpson," / "Dear Mrs Flanders," / "Dear Miss Skinner," / "Dear
Ms Van Houten,"
 (B) If you do not know the name of the recipient of the letter begin with "Dear Sir," / "Dear
Madam," (if you know you are writing to a man or a woman) or "Dear Sir or Madam," (if
you do not know the sex of the person you are writing to).

[2] Body
[2.1] Opening

The first paragraph states the reason(s) for writing and, if needed, what you are responding to (an
advert, a prospectus...). In addition, an opening paragraph is needed to make reference to
previous correspondence.

Useful phrases for the opening

 I would like to apply for one of the scholarships I saw advertised in your
prospectus. (applying for a scholarship)
 I am looking for an outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for
the position of hotel lifguard assistant which I say advertised in my university's student
newspaper. (applying for a job)
 I have seen your advertisement for the post / vacancy / job of… advertised in the local
newspaper on 16 June. I am writing because I would like to apply for the job. (applying
for a job)
 I am the secretary of my college Science Club. I saw your advertisement for the exhibition
"The Next 100 Years" and I am interested in organising a group visit. I was wondering if I
could ask you some questions about it. (requesting information)
  I am writing (in order) to complain about the advertisement for your new game. Having
just played the game, I realise that the advertisement is misleading. (complaint letter)
 I am writing with regard to ... I am writing with reference to... I am writing in response to...
 Thank you for /your letter of 9 May... /for your letter regarding...
 In reply tor your letter of 8 May, ...

[2.2], [2. .] Main content

The rest of the body will be organized in paragraphs: that will make reading easier and the effect
on the target reader will be better. For example, an application letter may have this layout and
paragraphing:

 Salutation or greeting
 #1 Opening (first paragraph)
 #2 About you (age, where you live, education-training and/or work experience relevant to
the job, languages ...)
 #3 Reasons for applying (why you are suitable for the job)
 #4 Conclusion (availability for interview, further questions, ... - if necessary)
 Closing
 Final salutation
 Name and surname

For any type of formal letter, paragraphing is just a matter of common sense, grouping ideas
logically (covering two points or questions in one paragraph, two other points or questions in
another paragraph...). You should aim for three to five paragraphs

Other useful phrases

Asking politely

 Could you tell me... ?

 I would be grateful if you could ...
 I would be interested in having more details about...
 I would like to know if/when/when/...
 I would like information on...
 Do you know if...?

Complaining

 I would like to complain about + noun or -ing

 ... is not what I expected / was expecting
 I am not satisfied with...
 I would be grateful if my money was refunded / if you could give me a refund
  ...

[3] Closing
The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. You usually state what you would like the
recipient to do, make a reference to a future event, offer to help...

 I look forward to hearing from you soon / I look forward to receiving your reply
 I look forward to receiving a full refund (in a complaint letter)
 I would like to know what you are going to do about this situation (in a complaint letter)
 I would like to thank you in advance for this information (in a enquiry letter -requesting
information)
 If you require/Should you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact
me/feel free to contact me.

[4] Final salutation

Depending on how you started your letter (See "Salutation or Greeting" above), you will end your
letter with

 (A) Yours sincerely,

 (B) Yours faithfully,

[5] Sign your name and then print your name clearly underneath on another new line

Moe Szyslak
Moe Szyslak

Letter of application - useful phrases

Dear ......

I am writing to apply for a/the job of ..... which I saw advertised in "The Guardian" newspaper.

I am 26 years old and at the moment I am studying … at …. Having studied English for over
seven years I am a fluent speaker of the language. My qualifications also include Proficiency
certificates in both French and German. As far as experience is concerned, I have worked
as ............. for ........... As for my character, people tell me I am ...............

I feel I would be suitable for this job because ............ . This will give me the opportunity to ….. . I
would also like the chance to....

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours …
 name

Other things to consider

Range: It is important that you use grammatical expressions and vocabulary appropriate to the
level of the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to get a good
grade if you use only the language and vocabulary that you learnt at elementary level.

Formal language

 Use full verb forms and not contractions (do not instead of don't, would like instead of 'd
like...)
 Formal vocabulary, usually not using phrasal verbs.
 More complex sentence structure.

Connectors: All good writing makes good use of connectors. You need to use some of the
connectors that are more specific to formal language.

Model questions and answers

Formal email/letter 1 - Model question
TASK

You see this advertisement in a student newspaper.

Lifeguard assistants wanted

We are looking for someone in August to assist our lifeguards, provide supervision during beach
activities and observe swimmers.

Write to the Lifeguard Manager, saying what your experience and qualifications are and stating
the reasons why you are suitable for the job.

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Formal email/letter 1 - Model answer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am looking for outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for the
position of lifeguard assistant, which I saw advertised in my university's student newspaper.
I am 20 years old and at present I am studying Physical Education. I am a strong swimmer and
have recently had first aid training. I very much enjoy working with people and for the last two
summers I have benn working as an assitant ranger in a National Park, where I had to provide
information to the public about using the park and provide emergency assistance to park users.
Now I am looking for something different.

I think I would be a suitable candidate for the position because I have been described as calm in
a crisis and someone who works well with others.

I am available for the whole of August and would be happy to attend an interview at any time. I
look forward to hearing from you at any time in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

Ivan Ivienen

(+/- 175 words)

Semi-formal email/letter 2 - Model question

TASK

You recently helped organise a college ski trip and you have received this email from a parent of
one of the students who went.

I understand you were one of the organisers of our son's ski trip. I have to say my husband and I
were extremely dissatisfied with the arrangements. My son has informed us that the ski slopes
were poor, the lessons were fewer than promised and the accommodation was inadequate.

Can you please give us a satisfactory explanation?

Nora White

Write your email in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Semi-formal email/letter 2 - Model answer

Dear Ms White,

First, let me apologise for any disappointment your son experienced on our ski trip. It is true that
there were several concerns. Since we had been led to believe by the company that there would
be sufficient slopes for both beginners and advanced skiers, we were extremely upset when this
turned out to not to be the case. It was also unfortunate that lack of snow meant that artificial
snow had to be used instead.

As for the question of lessons, if you look at the letter we sent you, you will see that only five one-
hour lessons were included in the price and that extra hours would have to be paid for separately.

In relation to accommodation, I am not quite sure what you are referring to. I know that in one
room there were not enough beds but this was not the case in your son's room.

We would like to assure you that we take all complaints seriously. We have already decided that
next year we will change the company and the location for our trip and we hope that your son will
consider joining us again.

Yours sincerely,

Ernest Omate

(+/- 195 words)

Formal email/letter 3 - Model question

TASK

You see this announcement in an English-language college prospectus.

Scholarships

Every year, two scholarships are offered to candidates from overseas who can show how our
one-year course in English and American studies would help their career.

Scholarships cover fees, accommodation and food, but not transport or personal spending
money.

To apply, write a letter explaining why you think you deserver a scholarship.

Write your letter in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

Formal email/letter 3 - Model answer

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to apply for one of the scholarships I saw advertised in your prospectus.
At present, I am training to be a secondary school teacher of English and I finish my course at the
end of June. However, I feel I still have a lot to learn about the language and culture of the
English-speaking world and would benefit considerably from a course in an English-speaking
country.

The reason I am applying for a scholarship is that I cannot afford the cost of studying abroad. I
have no income except for my student grant, so if I am fortunate enough to be given a
scholarship, I would have to work part-time to save some personal spending money. My parents
will borrow som money for my airfare if I am successful.

I would appreciate being given the opportunity to study at your college and would be very grateful
if you would consider my application.

Yours faithfully,

Pedro Gadicto

(+/- 160 words)