雅思移民类写信格式及推荐词汇
Tactics for Task 1 (General Training)
Structure
Dear Sir or Madam, —— unknown authority/stranger
Dear Mr./Ms./Prof/Dr (Surname), —— known authority
Dear (name), —— friend/relative
Re: (position) —— only for application letter
As one of your --(identity) s, I am writing this letter to express my (emotion) —— formal
I am (name) , writing to you for (purpose) —— informal
Question 1&2 —— explanation of the whole event and expression of some emotion
Question 3 —— offer your own solution
Looking forward to your early reply and thanks for your great effort to deal with it.
Yours sincerely
(English name)
Emotion Words
第二篇：3 雅思点题班写作移民类补充
08年3月雅思点题班写作移民类补充讲义
书信作文：
Introduction and tone
The way you begin the first paragraph and the style you use will depend on:
? the overall purpose of the letter
? the tone of the message you want to get across
? your relationship to the person receiving the letter.
Look at these opening sentences. Can you tell whether the writer knows the person receiving the letter? What is the purpose of these letters?
a. Thanks so much for your letter and the lovely photos of the wedding, which are absolutely marvelous.
b. I am a first year student in the Faculty of Science. I am writing to ask permission to transfer from Biochemistry to Biology…
c. I’m writing to thank you for your hospitality on Saturday. It was very kind of you to give us dinner even though we arrived unexpectedly.
d. I am a resident at Flat 4, 43 Westbridge Road, Newport. I would like to report that a green Toyota van has been abandoned outside our block of flats…
e. Following our telephone conversation, this is to confirm that, unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the meeting on 3rd March.
f. On 15th March, I purchased a new car through your Perth showroom. Since then I have experienced a series of difficulties which I wish to outline…
Key:
a. Yes. To express thanks to a friend.
b. No. To ask for permission.
c. Yes. To thank someone for something.
d. No. To provide information.
e. Yes. To give an official apology.
f. No. To make an official complaint.
Salutations and endings
Dear Sir, / Sirs, --- Use only when you are writing a formal or official letter and you do not know
the person you are writing to, or their name. (Yours faithfully,)
Dear Mr Smith, / Ms Park, / Dr Yang, --- Use the title with the family name when you are writing a formal letter to someone you know or whose name you have been given. Use this salutation for people you don’t know very well or where you need to show respect. (Kind regards, Yours sincerely)
Dear Rosemary, / Tom, --- Use given names only with people you know quite well. In business this is sometimes acceptable, but if in doubt, use the family name. Always use given names when writing an informal letter to a friend or relative. (Kind regards, Best wishes, Lots of love,)
Opening and closing letters
Match the opening sentences with the closing sentences below.
Opening sentences:
a. It was lovely to hear from you after all these years.
b. I was really sorry to hear about Aunt Mary’s accident.
c. I am a student at your college and I am writing to ask a favour.
d. Thank you for your letter regarding the position of office assistant.
e. This is just to thank you for your marvelous hospitality last week.
Closing sentences:
i. Give my regards to your mother and best wishes for her speedy recovery.
ii. I hope you are able to help me and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
iii. I hope one day to be able to return the warm welcome.
iv. We look forward to seeing you at the interview.
v. Please stay in touch.
Key:
a-v; b-i; c-ii; d-iv; e-iii
Reasons for writing a letter:
1-Giving advice;
2-Apologising;
3-Explaining;
4-Requesting;
5-Persuading;
6-Complaining;
7-Introducing yourself;
8-Thanking;
9-Suggesting;
10-Expressing a feeling;
11-Inviting
-------
In General Training Writing Task 1, you must cover all three of the bullet points in your letter and end your letter appropriately. You also need to write in paragraphs and use the right tone.
Your have recently heard that a friend of yours has had some problems as a result of some unusual weather. Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter
? express concern
? tell them about a similar experience that you once had
? give some advice or offer help.
Step 1---Read the task and decide what type of letter is required (e.g. formal or informal,) and what the purpose of the letter is. Underline the key words that help you decide.
Step 2---Brainstorm some ideas about unusual weather and the damage it can cause. Note useful vocabulary.
e.g. storm/roof blown off the house; wet, flood; fires; dry, drought; cold, ice/snow…
Step 3---Make notes for each paragraph.
Step 4---Expand the notes into a complete letter.
Step 5---Read your letter carefully to check the grammar, spelling and organization.
Dear Anna and Leo,
We were shocked to hear from Lara about the storm that hit your city recently and the damage done to your house. How awful to come home from your holiday to find the roof blown off the house!
I understand how you must feel, as we had a similar experience a few years ago when there was sudden electrical storm here in Sydney. I came home from work to find that a tree had fallen on top of the house and all the windows were broken. Fortunately the insurance covered the cost of the repairs, but it was still very upsetting.
I suppose you have to think positively in situations like this and look at the opportunity you have to improve your house---give it a new look. If we can do anything for you in the holidays, we’d be happy to help.
Drop us a line and let us know.
Best wishes,
Directions:
You are preparing for an English test and are in need of some reference books. Write a letter to the sales department of a bookstore to ask for:
1) detailed information about the books you want,
2) methods of payment,
3) time and way of delivery.
分析：
第一段：
I am writing to complain about…
I am writing to apply for the position of…
I am writing to thank you for…
I am writing to apologize for…
I am writing to inform you of…
第二段（主体段落）的拓展方法：
1． 并列式
2． 具体化
例如：写一封投诉信，投诉学校食堂的饭菜（food）
Complain about the food in the Students’ Cafeteria
并列式：food quality---food price
具体化：The food quality is far from satisfactory. --- Actually, it is so hard to eat that it is a challenging experience to finish a meal in the students’ cafeteria.
It is not difficult to find the remains of dead flies or be shocked by a whole dead mouse.
对于1）的拓展：
（询问你所想要的书籍的详细信息）---detailed information about the books you want 询问常用表达：
? I want to buy…
? I intend to purchase…
? I would like to have…
? Could you please tell me…
? Could you let me know…
? I am wondering if you have…
详细信息：
1. 同时问数本书；
我想问贵书店有没有考研英语完型填空，考研英语阅读，考研英语新题型，考研英语翻译和考研英语写作？
我想问贵书店是否有涵盖了雅思考试所有单词的词汇书以及附有答案和范文的历年真题集？
I am wondering if you have a vocabulary book covering the words required for IELTS, as well as past examination papers with keys and model essays.
2. 详细询问一本书
我想问一下贵书店有没有05年7月高等教育出版社出版的王教授主编的《如何准备考研英语》？
I am wondering if you have How to Prepare for NETEM written by Prof. Wang and published by the Higher Education Press in July, 2005?
对于2）的拓展：
（付款方式）methods of payment
付款方式的种类：现金，支票，信用卡（cash, cheque/check, credit card）
拓展方式：
除了并列式和具体化以外，自问自答：
我应该怎么为我想要购买的书籍付款呢？是用现金，支票，还是其它什么方式呢？如果可能的话，我希望使用信用卡。
Besides, how should I pay for these books---by cash, check, or any other means? If possible, I would like to use my credit card.
注意上下文的链接方式：
1） 代词---these…
2） 关联词---besides…
对于3）的拓展：
（书籍送达的时间和方式）time and way of delivery
最后，我打算买的这几本书会怎么寄过来呢？我大概能够在什么时间收到呢？
如果额外费用不是太过昂贵的话，我希望是特快专递。
Finally, how will these books be shipped and when is the approximate time I can receive them? The express mail is preferable if the additional charge is not too much.
注意改写：delivery可以换词性，写成how will these books be delivered?也可以用动词deliver的同义词mail, post, ship等等。
结尾套话：
焦急地等待着您的来信。
I am looking forward to your reply.
如果您能够尽早给我回信的话，我将不胜感激。
I would appreciate it if you could send me a reply at your earliest convenience.
例文：
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing for information about test preparation materials for the IELTS test.
I wonder if you have a vocabulary book covering the words required for IELTS, as well as past examination papers with keys and model essays. Besides, how should I pay for these books---by cash, cheque, or any other means? If possible, I would like to use my credit card. Finally, how will these books be shipped and when is the approximate time I can receive them? The express mail is preferable if the additional charge is not too much.
I would appreciate it if you would send me a reply at your earliest convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming
Task 1
You were hurt in a minor accident inside a supermarket, and you wish to complain to the supermarket.
Write a letter to the manager of the supermarket. In your letter
? say who you are
? give details about the accident
? suggest how the supermarket could prevent similar accidents.
范文：
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter to inform you of the accident I had at 3:45 pm yesterday.
I was pushing my shopping cart down the aisle by the frozen meats when I slipped on the wet floor and broke the scaphoid bone in my right wrist as I tried to stop my fall. Your staff were very helpful, and your assistant manager drove me to St. Martin’s Hospital, where my arm was put in a cast that will stay on for about six weeks.
I am a self-employed canteen owner, and will not be able to work for at least two months. My insurance will only cover my medical costs, not my lost earnings, which, as you can see from the attached photocopies, average 450 pounds a week. Given that the accident was due to the dangerous condition of the floor, I trust you will arrange for me to be compensated with an amount equal to my average weekly earnings for the time that I am unable to work.
May I suggest that you instruct your staff to pay better attention to safety, and have a sign that clearly warns customers of such dangers as a slippery floor.
Yours sincerely
John Smith
分析：
这是一封投诉信。题目分两部分。第一部分是背景交待：你在超市受了轻伤，要向超市投诉。第二部分是题目要求，需要表明作者身份，具体说明投诉的原因，并且提出建议。
在这里，考生只能写在超市发生的问题，而且受轻伤是因为超市某方面问题所引起。理由需要考生自己编，只要基本合理即可。本文作者写的是在超市推购物车的时候由于地板湿滑导致右手腕骨折。
既然是投诉，就需要提出要求对方加以解决，比如医药费误工费之类的。其次，可以对超市提些建议，以避免今后发生类似问题。
考生还需要注意的是语言要礼貌得体。虽然是投诉，但依然要坚持礼貌，以反映事实为主，不要进行抒情或是控诉。用词和句型上最好尽量正式。
You want to sell some of your furniture. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from you.
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
? explain why you are selling
? describe the furniture
? suggest a date when your friend can come and see the furniture
范文：
Dear John,
As you know, I am a very lazy letter writer. What prompts me to write this is that Jane and I are selling the house and going to work in Hong Kong for a few years. The last time you were here you said how much you liked a lot of our furniture, so we decided to let you have the first opportunity to buy some of it. We would love to give it to you, but our finances don’t allow us this luxury.
In case you don’t remember, the dining room suite is in traditional Chinese style, and made of a hard reddish wood. I forget the name of the wood, but it will last forever.
The bedroom furniture is very different. It’s a traditional New England style and made of white pine. We hate to part with it, but that’s life!
So why don’t you all come over this weekend for a barbecue and a look at the furniture. Anytime Saturday or Sunday would be fine with us.
Cheers,
Fred
分析：
文章的背景提示是说你想要卖一些家具。你觉得有个朋友可能会想买。题目要求给这个朋友写一封信。在信中，解释为什么要卖家具，描述家具，提议一个时间，让朋友过来看看家具。
写这封信的时候要注意这封信的文体特点。这封信不是写给某个机构或者某个不知姓名人士的。虽然题目没有提供姓名，但考生应该自己编个名字。由于是给朋友写信，所以要直呼其名（given name），写的时候使用非正式文体。也就是说，通过使用一些非正式的口语化的表达和缩略语来表现非正式的文体风格。
本文按部就班，逐一按照题目要求写作。先是解释卖家具原因：要到香港工作几年，而由于知道对方对家具感兴趣，所以有意出售。但由于经济状况，无法完全奉送。接下来对要卖的家具进行描述。有红木制作的中式餐厅家具，有白松质地的卧房家具。最后提出建议，让对
方周末过来吃烧烤，顺便看家具。
Your neighbours have recently written to you to complain about the noise from your houseflat. Write a letter to your neighbours. In your letter
? explain the reasons for the noise
? apologise
? describe what action you will take
题解：
你的邻居近来给你写了一封信，抱怨你家的噪音。写一封回信给邻居，在信中解释发生噪音的原因，表示道歉，并且说说你会采取什么行动。
范文一：
Dear James,
I was very shocked to get your letter saying that the noise from my flat has been spoiling your evenings and causing you some distress. I am really, really sorry about that. I had no idea that you would be able to hear so much, so I hope you will accept my apologies.
As you may have guessed, I am trying to refit my kitchen in the evenings when I get home from work. Unfortunately it is all taking longer than expected and I have been having problems with getting things to fit properly. This has meant a lot of banging and hammering.
As the kitchen is still not finished, I have decided to call in a professional builder who will finish the work in the next day or two. He’ll work only during daytime hours, so you won’t be disturbed in the evenings again, I promise.
Sorry to have caused these problems,
Bill
翻译：
亲爱的詹姆士，
我非常震惊地收到你的来信，信中说我家的噪音毁了你的夜晚，给你造成精神上的痛苦。我真的对此表示非常的抱歉。我根本不知道你会听到那样的噪音，希望你能接受我的道歉。
你可能猜到了，我是下班回家后利用晚上重新装修厨房。不幸的是，装修的时间超出预期，我在安装上碰到了一些问题。这意味着会有许多重击和锤子敲打声。
因为厨房还没有完工，我已经决定请个专业施工人员来未来的一两天内完成工作。他将只在白天工作，因此你不会在晚上再次受到打扰，我承诺。
抱歉造成那么多问题。
比尔
分析：
这是一封道歉信，可以根据题目的三点要求逐一叙述，但不一定是严格按照题目的顺序。
值得注意的是，对于道歉信来说，通常应该在信件开头进行道歉，然后在结尾处再次提出道歉。
文章先表达道歉，然后解释原因，接下来说明将采取的行动。和图表作文只需要归纳分析图表内容不同的是，书信作文需要在原因和行动方面发挥合情合理的想象。
范文二：
Dear Sam,
I’ve just read your note and I want to express how so sorry I am about that noise! I had absolutely no idea that you were trying to sleep in the daytime because you were on afternoon shift this week. Tomorrow there will definitely be no noise in the daytime. Let me explain what’s going on in my flat.
As you know, there was no air conditioning here when we moved in last month. Now, with this hot weather, my wife, Susan (you’ve met her, I believe) insists that we install air-conditioning in all the rooms. So I’m having air conditioners installed and the job should be finished tomorrow. What I’ll do is tell the workmen to finish the job this evening while you’re at work.
Again, please accept my apologies. To make it up to you, I’d like to invite you and Mary to drop by on Sunday afternoon for few drinks.
Best Regards,
Bob Smith
Your have a full-time job and are also doing a part-time evening course. You now find that you cannot continue the course.
Write a letter to the course tutor. In your letter
? describe the situation
? explain why you cannot continue at this time
? say what action you would like to take
题解：
你有个全日制的工作，并且在晚上兼职听课。你现在发现你无法继续学习。写封信给指导教师，描述一下情形，解释你为什么无法继续，然后说说打算怎么办。
范文：
Dear Mr. Brown,
I am very sorry to inform you that I will have to withdraw from your Accounting 301 class (the Tuesday and Thursday evening class) because of the pressure of work. I will be withdrawing from the class tomorrow.
Recently, my company has been awarded several new contracts and this compels me to work overtime almost every night. Even if I could make time to attend your classes, I would still not have enough time to do the class assignments. In response to this extra workload, the company is planning to hire more staff but I anticipate it will be several months before I will be free to attend classes again. When this temporary situation at work is over, I plan to re-enroll in this class, either next semester or next year.
I would like to add that I have thoroughly enjoyed your class, especially the very clear manner in which you explain things.
Yours Sincerely,
John Wang
翻译：
亲爱的布朗先生：
我非常遗憾地告诉您，由于工作压力的缘故，我不得不退出您的会计301课（周二和周四晚上上的）。我将从明天开始停上。
最近，我所在的公司获得了几分新合同。我不得不几乎每天晚上都加班加点。即便我能抽时间去上您的课，我依然没有足够时间来作课堂作业。对于工作量的加大，公司打算招收更多的员工，但我估计要等几个月之后我才能有时间再次上学。如果现在的暂时情形结束，我打算重新选秀这门课，无论是下学期还是明年。
我还要指出，我非常喜欢听您的课，尤其是喜欢你解释事情时的清晰方式。
您的真诚的，
王约翰
评点：
这是一封请求信。请求信需要首先提出要求，然后解释原因，接下来说说打算怎么办。 因为请求信通常会麻烦到对方，所以开头应该表示道歉，说明请求的具体内容。
其次，文章的主体段落应该叙述为什么会碰到这一情况。理由需要合理而又逻辑性。然后说说如果工作压力有所缓解的话，会在什么时候以什么方式继续上课。
信件的结尾赞扬了对方，表示礼貌。
You and your family are living in rented accommodation in an English-speaking country. You are not satisfied with the condition of some of the furniture.
Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter
? introduce yourself
? explain what is wrong with the furniture
? say what action you would like the landlord to take
题解：
你和你的家人在一个英语国家租房居住。你对一些家具的状况不满。
写一封信给房东。信中应包含
1. 介绍你自己
2. 解释家具的问题
3. 说说你希望房东采取什么行动
范文：
Dear Mr Smith,
I am your tenant from Flat 3 on Riverside Street. We met each other when I signed the rental agreement in your office.
I have lived here for 6 months now and I am writing to complain about some of the furniture. As you may remember, the dining table is in very poor condition and has uneven legs. It also does not match the dining chairs as these are too low to be comfortable for a table of that height. When I first pointed out to you, you agreed to provide a brand new dining set. However, you have not done so and I would really like to resolve this matter as soon as possible.
If it is more convenient for you, perhaps you could simply replace the table by finding one of a suitable height for the chairs. This would solve the problems without too much cost, so I hope you agree to this proposed solution.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely,
M. M. Egil
译文：
敬爱的史密斯先生：
我是您的房客，住河边街3号公寓。我曾经在您的办公室签租房协议时和您见过面。
我在这儿已经住了6个月，现在写信是为了抱怨家具。您可能还记得，餐桌状况不佳，四脚不平。餐桌和餐椅也不配，因为餐椅太矮了，而餐桌那么高，坐起来不舒服。我第一次和您提的时候，您同意提供一套全新的餐桌餐椅。但您一直没那么做，我真的希望能尽快解决这个问题。
如果更方便一点的话，也许您可以只需要更换餐桌，和现有的餐椅相配。这样可以不用花费太多就解决这个问题，因此我希望您能同意我的提议。
等待您的答复
您的真正的，
M. M. 伊格尔
分析：
本题根据题目要求，属于投诉信。在结构上，书信的分段可以完全按照题目要求（rubric）中的三点来安排。每一个要点对应一段话，本文正是这么写的。
第一段要求介绍你自己。需要注意的是，介绍要简明扼要，不要过分冗长，因为投诉信重点在于投诉的内容本身。
第二段要求解释家具存在的问题。考生需要具体指出是什么家具，以及该家具存在什么样的问题。
第三段要求希望房东采取相关举措。提出要求的时候，需要注意表达上的得体和礼貌。注意本段中情态助动词could, would的运用。
结尾表达盼望房东答复的心情，属于套话。也可以用诸如I am looking forward to your reply.或者I’d like to resolve this situation without delay等套话。
补充新题：
20xx年4月28日
Task 1:邻居在花园里养动物给你带来麻烦。写封信给他。
Task 2:Should we encourage people to have part time jobs or discourage them? What is your country’s situation?
20xx年5月12日
Task 1: One of your friends stayed in your home for a few days. You found his/her phone after his/her leaving. Write a letter to your friend (a) to talk something about his/her visit; (b) to explain that you found the phone; (c) how you will return it.
Task 2: Some people regard shopping as an entertainment. Discuss the reasons and give your opinion.
20xx年5月24日
在一些国家学生被强迫要求学习一门外语，而在一些国家则不需要。分析两种情况的好处，并且说明自己的观点。
20xx年6月2日
Task 1: 城市报纸在鼓吹public transport. 写信给报纸谈谈你附近public transport的现状、好处、以及政府如何鼓励。
Task 2: In many countries, people spend less time eating meals with family and friends. What’s the situation like in your country and what are the benefits of eating together?
20xx年6月16日
Task 1: 写信邀请一个English-speaking的朋友来参加本国的一个节日。在信里邀请他，讲述为什么要庆祝这个节日，以及你们怎么庆祝。
Task 2: 有的父母认为让孩子多看电视节目有助于他们的成长，有的父母不同意。谈谈你的观点。
20xx年7月7日
Task 1: 你的一个学your language的British朋友要来visit you一个月，写封信包含以下内容：
1. 你计划带他/她去哪里玩
2. 你对他的语言学习有什么建议
3. 你认为他需要带什么
Task 2: Many women now do work which is traditionally done by men. Why do you think this change happened and what is your opinion?
20xx年11月3日
Task 1: 一个历史建筑状况不好,写信给当地的报纸反映情况，要求说明：1）该历史建筑的重要性；2）该历史建筑的目前状况；3）应该采取什么行动。
Task 2: 学校有没有教给学生足够的知识来维护健康
20xx年11月15日
Task 1: One of your friends moved into a new house. Your will buy a present for him. Write him a letter. In your letter, 1) describe the present; 2) why you chose it and 3) how you will deliver it.
Task 2: There are too many waste materials and rubbish. State what are the methods to solve this problem and what is the situation like in your country?
20xx年11月17日
More and more people want to buy cars. However, cars cause many problems. What are the problems and how to encourage people to take public transportation?
20xx年12月1日
Task1: 写一封信去一个旅游公司, 投诉参加的旅游团。在信中，说明1）为什么去参加；2）有什么不满3）有什么可以改善的地方?
Task2: 现在, 一些人认为小孩在课余还应该去上课多学点东西, 另外一些人则认为小孩下课后应该去玩。谈谈你的看法。
20xx年12月15日
Some people think that mobile phones are most useful for communication in people's professional lives, while others think that mobile phones are most useful for communication in their personal lives. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
20xx年1月12日
Task 1: Write to the local newspaper about a competition "best neighbor in the area". Nominate your neighbor to be the competition winner.
Task 2: Radio is more enjoyable and practical than television. Discuss.
20xx年1月19日
Task 1: You recently met a manager from a new company in your town. After the meeting, he wrote to you offering you a job in this new company. However, you want to stay in your present job. Write a letter to the manager. In your letter
?
?
? thank him for the offer explain why you want to stay in the present job recommend a friend to do the job
Task 2: Some people think that young children benefit from going to the nursery school before starting primary school. Others think it is better for the young children to stay all day with their families. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
20xx年2月16日
Task 1: 你对来你们家修房子的家装builder不满，给他所在的公司写信。信中说明：1. 描述修房情况；2. 为什么不满；3. 如何解决。
Task 2: Some people who go to work abroad for a period of time take their family with them. Do you think there are more advantages than disadvantages for the individual and their family?
20xx年2月23日澳洲
Task 1: You are doing a course, but you have to give it up for some reason. Write a letter to tell the teacher: 1) the details of your course; 2) why you give it up; and 3) what is your future plan.
Task 2: Parents, usually mothers, give up work and choose to stay at home to look after families. Some people think that the government should give them salary. Do you agree or disagree?
Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind, such as reading and doing word puzzles. Other people feel that it is important to rest the mind during leisure time. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
It is generally accepted that we all need leisure time to recover from the stresses of work and everyday life. Personally, I prefer to be active during this time, as I think this suits me better. However, what we do with our leisure time is up to us and no one can say that any particular activity is the best.
Some people relax by watching movies, reading or surfing the internet. People who have physically demanding jobs may choose these types of activities. If you are a nurse or builder, you may feel that you don’t want to do a five-kilometer run after work, because you are already physically tired.
Other people do very sedentary jobs. Computer analysts, for example, may spend all day sitting in front of a computer screen. At the end of the working day, they may be keen to stretch their limbs and improve their health by swimming or going to the gym.
Another factor that influences our choice of leisure pursuits is where we work. People who work
indoors often prefer outdoor hobbies, whereas for people who work outdoors, the reverse may be true. I am a student myself and this involves a lot of sitting in lectures, so I need to get out into the fresh air afterwards.
In any situation, the important thing is that people need to stay healthy by choosing what is best for them. The only wrong way to spend free time, in my view, is to have a sedentary job and then go home and watch television.
Notes and useful language
BEGINNINGS
? Thank you for/Many thanks for your (recent) letter/postcard.
? It was good/nice to hear from you recently.
? I'm sorry I haven't written/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.
ENDINGS
? Thank you for/Many thanks for your (recent) letter/postcard.
? It was good/nice to hear from you recently.
? I'm sorry I haven't written/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.
ENDINGS
? I look forward to/Looking forward lo hearing from/seeing you,
? See you soon/Write soon/Hope to hear from you soon
? Once again, thank you for all your help.
? Give my regards/love to ...
APOLOGIES
Say what you arc apologising for and give reasons to explain your behaviour. Try to suggest a way of putting things right, if possible,
? I'm writing to apologise for missing your party last week but I'm afraid I was in bed with flu. ? I'm really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was so busy with my new job. ? If you let me know where you bought it/how much it cost, I'll gladly pay for it/replace it. ? Please let me know how much the bill is and I'll gladly pay it.
INVITATIONS - ACCEPTING/REJECTING
Say what the event is and give clear details of the date, time and place. It may be helpful to give other information such as how to get there, who else is coming and what (if anything) to bring. It is usual, too, to ask for confirmation:
? 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 me/inviting me to... but I'm afraid I won't be able to come/join you because...
REQUESTS
In some cases, you may want to introduce your request immediately. In others, you may prefer to begin your letter with some brief news before going on to make request. Either way, explain exactly what the request is, with reasons, and emphasise how grateful you would be for the help you are asking for:
? 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
When thanking someone for something, it is usual to say as much as possible about how useful/enjoyable/helpful it was. When offering congratulations for some success, you usually mention how well deserved it is. When wishing someone good luck, try to reassure them or offer some friendly advice:
? I'm writing to thank you for your hospitality/the wonderful present.
? It was so kind of you lo invite me to stay with you.
? I really appreciated all your help/advice.
? 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...
NEWS/INFORMATION
? I thought you might be interested to hear about/know that...
? This is just to let you know that...
? By the way, have you heard about/did you know that ... ?
BEGINNING/ORGANISATION
Write Dear + the person’s name, if you know it (Dear Mr Smith). If not, begin Dear Sir (for a man), Dear Madam (for a woman), or Dear Sir or Madam (if it could be either). Don’t use a title like Dear Manager.
In the first paragraph, clearly state your reason for writing, Use the middle paragraphs to explain the details, beginning a new paragraph for each main point. In the final paragraph, sum uo and/or say what action you want to be taken.
ENDINGS
Don’t forget! If you began with a person’s name, e.g. Dear Mrs Blake, you must end with Yours
sincerely, not Yours faithfully. These endings are followed by a comma.
JOB APPLICATIONS
First make it clear which job you are applying for, and mention where you saw the advertisement, and when. Give all the necessary information about yourself (including age, qualifications, past employment and other experience). Say why you are particularly interested in the job, and what you have to offer. Use a new paragraph for each main topic. It may also be useful to mention when you would be available for an interview:
? I was interested in the advertisement in (newspaper/magazine) on (date) and I would like to apply for the post/position of (job title)
? I am 21 years of age and I have a Diploma in Business Administration
My reason for applying is that I am interested in tourism and I would like to be able to use my foreign languages.
? I would be happy/able to attend an interview at any time which is convenient to you.
APOLOGIES
Explain why you are apologizing and what the reasons were for your behaviour. If possible, offer to make up in some way (e.g. paying for the damage) and/or promise that the problem won’t happen again:
? I am writing to apologise for the things I said at our last meeting/losing my temper.
? I would like to say how sorry I am about the trouble I have caused/that you were disturbed. ?The reason I missed the meeting was that my car broke down.
? Please let me know how much it cost and I will gladly replace it.
? I assure you that this will never happen again
COMPLAINTS
State the subject of your complaint clearly in the first paragraph. Use the following paragraphs to give all the necessary details (including dates and times, the people involved, the inconvenience you’ve been caused, etc.). Try to be clear and factual rather than emotional. Use the final paragraph to say what action you want to be taken now:
? I am writing to complain about a holiday I booked with your company.
?I am writing to say that I am now satisfied with the standard of service at your restaurant. ? I must insist that you refund the cost of the bill.
?I must ask you to…
ENQUIRIES
In the first paragraph, explain what information you need. If you are responding to an advertisement, mention where you saw this. Use extra paragraphs to mention any specific questions you would like answers to:
? I am writing to enquire about ….
? I was interested in your advertisement in ‘The Daily News’ and I would like to have further information about …
? I would be grateful if you could send me full details of …
? Could you send me your brochure/ catalogue?
? I look forward to hearing from you/receiving the information.
OPINION
Introduce the topic and give details of any letter, article, book or TV programme you are responding to. Develop your argument in separate paragraphs and sum up in the final one: ? I strongly disagree with/I completely agree with Mr Smith’s letter, which appeared yesterday. ? I was interested to read the article on immigration in Monday’s edition of your newspaper but I don’t think it gave all the facts.
? I was interested/fascinated/amused/delighted to see/hear/read …
? I was horrified/shocked/disgusted to …
? in my opinion there is far too much violence in television dramas these days.
? in conclusion I feel/ I believe …
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have just received a letter from an overseas university saying that your IELTS band score of 6 is too low for admission to any of it’s Master’s courses (You need 6.5).
Write a letter to the admissions officer. In your letter
? Introduce yourself
? Enquire about any alternative ways of gaining entrance
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear……..,
