How to properly start a letter - and how to end it

How to properly start a letter - and how to end it

10c EN SOJ 2021

Multiple Select

You have already written several letters in the ZK mock exams. Which ones were INformal?

• The one to your English friend Jamie who isn't sure if he should do an apprenticeship

  or continue school.

• The one to your friend Dean in which he tells you about a problem he has.

• The one to the Lost Property Office in London because of your lost mobile phone.

• The one to your mum's cousins living in Australia and whom you would like to visit for 3 1/2 weeks.

Open Ended

What is important to remember when you write formal letters?

Open Ended

What is important to remember when you write INformal letters?

​Formal letters are used for:

​

• ​making a complaint

• ​questioning a decision,

• making a travel reservation or

• writing to an employer to apply for a job or work experience

Informal letters are used for:

​

• ​people you know well

• ​family

• ​friends

​Why must I write in different ways!?

​To create a good first impression of you

​

--> you dress up your language for a special occasion

​Salutation

- a flow chart

​Do not forget the comma "," or colon ":" behind the salutation!

​Good opening sentences for formal letters...

​Be clear and get to the point (straight away)!

​

• I would like to apply for the position of...

• I am writing to complain about the poor service we received at...

• After carefully studying your suggestion, I am sorry to say that...

• Please allow me to voice my criticism of your...

• Thank you for your enquiry about...

​

​Always start with a capital letter after the salutation (beginning of your letter)!

​... and for informal letters

​Start with some small talk!

​

• ​How are you?

• Thanks (very much) for .../It was nice to hear from you.

• I hope you are well./I'm fine, but the weather is miserable here. It has been raining for.../ I'm having a great time in ... at the moment. /

• Sorry I haven't written for so long./Sorry we haven't been in touch.

​Language and tone in formal letters...

formal and "businesslike"!

• ​be firm

• ​be polite

• ​be formal

• ​don't use short forms ("I am" instead of "I'm")

• ​1 point you want to mention = 1 paragraph

​...and in informal letters

informal and casual!

• ​use short forms ("I'm" instead of "I am")

• ​use question tags ("..., don't you?", "..., aren't we?", "...couldn't he?)

• ​use colloquial words ("Hi...", "See you!", "guy", "fed up")

​

• ​1 point you want to mention = 1 paragraph

​Ending formal letters...

​provide a clear course of action for the reader!

​

​- making a complaint? - Make it clear that you need a reply!

- applying for a job? - End on a positive note and say that you are looking forward to hearing from them.

• I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

• Thank you very much in advance for your help.

Signing off will depend on how you started your letter:

• You used someone’s name? - ‘Yours sincerely, ’

• You did not use a name (‘Dear Sir/Madam’)? - ‘Yours faithfully,'

• Thomas Zimmermann (in letters: handwritten and a typed one/  in e-mails: typed one)

​... and informal letters

​coming to the end/finishing the letter in a friendly way

• That's all my news. What have you been up to?

• How are things with you?/How is ... doing?

• Drop me a line when you have time./Keep in touch.

• I'll write again soon. / I'll be in touch again as soon as possible.

• Give my regards/love to...

• Look forward to seeing you soon/to hearing from you soon

• (With) Best wishes, /(All the (very) best, /Best regards, /Miss you, /Take care, / Love (from), ...

• Thomas [first name only!]

In any case -

Don't forget to proofread!​

Multiple Choice

In a formal letter - where on the page should your address go?

• top-left corner

• top-right corner

• bottom-right corner

• You can leave it out!

Multiple Choice

Do you also write the recipient's full address in a formal e-mail?

• yes

• no

• I don't know

• It depends on the situation

Multiple Choice

Where should the date go in a formal letter?

• top-left corner

• below your address

• below the recipient's address

• you leave it out

Multiple Choice

Do you need to write the date in a formal e-mail?

• Yes, they need to know!

• No, there is no need to.

• It depends on the situation.

• Maybe!?

Multiple Choice

Do you need to write the date in an informal e-mail?

• Yes, they need to know!

• No, the e-mail always says the date.

• It depends on the situation.

• Maybe!?

Multiple Choice

What salutation should you use in a formal letter, if you are writing to a woman whose name or job title you do not have:

• Dear Sir/Madam,

• To whom it may concern,

• Whassaaap!?

• Dear Madam,

Multiple Choice

What salutation should you use in a formal letter, if you are writing to the hiring manager of a cool company, but you do not know his/her name:

• Dear Sir/Madam,

• To whom it may concern,

• Whassaaap!?

• Dear Hiring Manager,

You have to say "Dear Hiring Manager", because this is his job title​

Multiple Choice

In the first sentence after the introduction, do you have to start with a capital letter?

• Only in formal letters

• Only in informal letters

• You always start with a small letter

• You always start with a capital letter

​In English letters you always start your 1st line with a capital letter!

​In German letters you start with a lower-case one:

​Dear Jim,

​How are you? ...

​

​Lieber Jim,

​wie geht es dir?...

Multiple Choice

If your letter begins with "Dear Ms Smith", how should you sign off?

• Yours sincerely,

• Yours faithfully, 

• Goodbye!

• May the force be with you!

Multiple Choice

If your letter begins with "Dear Sir/Madam" (or "To whom it may concern:"), how should you sign off your letter?

• Love and kisses,

• From,

• Yours sincerely,

• Yours faithfully,

Multiple Choice

Is it also true for formal e-mails that if you used someone's name, you end with "Yours sincerely" and if not with "Yours faithfully"?

• yes, that is true

• No, that is false.

• It always depends on the situation.

• Wait, what?

Multiple Select

What kind of tone do you have to use in formal letters and e-mails? (multiple answers)

• casual language

• polite language

• chatty language

• businesslike language

Multiple Select

What else do you have to remember about the language in formal letters and e-mails? (multiple answers)

• use long forms ("I am" instead of "I'm")

• use smileys to avoid sounding ironic

• excuse yourself for using some of the reader's precious time

• give separate paragraphs to separate points mentioned

​To practise more letter writing, here are 2 final situations:

situation 1.

You live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are many problems with this arrangement and you find it difficult to work.

​Write a letter to the accomodation officer at the college. In the letter,

​- describe the situation

​- explain your problems and why it is so difficult

​- say what kind of accomodation you would prefer

​Write at least 100 words.

​sample solution: https://ielts-master.com/ielts-general-writing-7-essential-elements-complete-letter/

​

​situation 2:

​Your friend is celebrating her birthday soon and has invited you to a party. But you are unable to come because you are going to attend an important meeting that day.

​Write a letter to your friend and

​- thank her for the invitation,

​- explain why you cannot come

​- propose to meet on another day

​Write at least 100 words.