INFORMAL LETTERDear (first name),BeginningsThank you/Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter/postcard.It was good/nice to hear from you recently.Im sorry I havent written/been in touch for such a long time.Its ages since Ive heard from you. I hope youre/you and your family are well.Asking Hi! How are the things? How are you? Hows it going?Referring to their newsreat news a!out " lad to hear that " #orry to hear a!out "Giving news$isten, did I tell you a!out "%oull never !elieve what "&h, and another thing " 'his is (ust to let you )now that "I thought you might !e interested to hear about/know that "*y the way, have you heard about/did you know that "ApologiesIm writing to apologise for missing your party !ut Im afraid I was with flu.Im really sorry that I forgot to send you a !irthday card !ut I was !usy with my new (o!.If you let me )now where you bought it/how much it cost Ill gladly pay for it/replace it.+lease let me )now how much the !ill is and Ill gladly pay it.InvitationsIm,-ere having a party on .riday /0th and I,we hope youll !e a!le to come.-ould you li)e to come/go to see 12oom -ith a 3iew with me at the wee)end.I was wondering if youd li)e to go to the theatre/come on holiday with us?4ould you let me,us )now if you can come/youd like to join us?'han) you vary much for your invitation. Id love to come.'han) you for asking/inviting me to " !ut Im afraid I wont !e a!le to "RequestsIm writing to as) for your help/you (if you could do me) a favour. wonder if/ was wondering if you could help me/do me a favour.I hope you dont mind me as)ing !ut could you (possi!ly) "?Id !e very/really/terribly grateful if you could "Thank

ou!ongratulationsGoo" Lu#kIm writing to than) you for your hospitality/the wonderful present.It was so )ind of you to invite me to stay with you.I really appreciated all your help/advice.4ongratulations on passing your e!ams/your e!cellent e!am results! wish you good luck/"ood luck in/with your e!ams/your driving test/your interview.Dont worry, Im sure youll do well/pass.Do !e on time, wont you, and dont forget to "Making suggestions an" re#o$$en"%-hy dont you "? 5ay!e you could "? How a!out "?%ou cant leave 6ew %or) without doing sthIm sure you will en(oy doing sth If you li)e, we can "Do visit somewhere Dont forget to do sth (Imperative 78 #trong 2ecommendation)Im told that " +eople say that " (If you heard sth is good)En"ingsive my love/regards to " #ay hello to " Hope to hear from you soon.#ee you soon! -rite soon.&nce again, than) you for all your help.&igning off$ove,$ots of love,%ours,*est wishes,.irst nameFORMAL LETTERDear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam,Reason for writingI am writing to "I am writing with regard to "I am writing on !ehalf of "Asking questionsI would !e grateful if "I wonder if you could "4ould you "? 4ould you tell me something a!out "?I would particularly li)e to )now "I would !e interested in having more details a!out "Referring to their letter9s you started in your letter, "2egarding " 4oncerning "-ith regard to "!o$plainingI am writing to complain a!out "%ou said " !ut in fact what happened "-e were supposed to stay with *ritish families whereas we actually stayed in a guest house.!losingIf you re:uire any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.I loo) forward to hearing from you.+lease contact me if you have any further :uestions.&igning off(If Dear surname)%ours sincerely,(If Dear #ir,5adam)%ours faithfully,%ours,.irst name ; surnameRe$e$'er that in for$al letters we use(For$al vo#a'ular) usuall not using phrasal ver's (1'olerate instead of 1put up with)More #o$ple* senten#e stru#ture(am.+un#tuation using e*#la$ation $arksIf youd !een at the wedding, youd have loved the food!LETTER OF A++LI!ATIONDear Mr/Ms (surname), Dear #ir/Madam/#ir or Madam,Reason for writingI am writing to apply for the post/position of "" as advertised in "I am writing with reference/in response to your advertisement, which I saw "I am writing in connection with your advertisement in the Daily #tar on 5ay //th "-ith reference to your advertisement "E*perien#e-ualifi#ations!.I gained some e>perience while "I am currently wor)ing as "I have !een wor)ing for " for the last four years.I wor)ed part7time for three years as "9t the moment I am employed !y "5y :ualifications include "I have a diploma in "I graduated from *arcelona ?niversity last year with a degree in "+lease find attached my 439s you can see from the attached 43 "En"ings+lease do not hesitate to contact me if/should you re:uire further information.I loo) forward to hearing from you.I am availa!le for interview at your convenience.I shall !e availa!le for interview any day apart from -ednesdays.&igning off(If Dear surname)%ours sincerely,(If Dear #ir,5adam)%ours faithfully,%ours,.irst name ; surnameRE+ORTInitial infor$ation'o@.rom@#u!(ect@or 2e@Date@Intro"u#tion9s re:uested, I did/have done sth summarisebelow/$elow is a summary ofthe most important relevant points as well as some recommendations.Fin"ingsOrI$portant points/. "A. "B. "/seful phrasesIn relation to "In contrast with "9s far as " is concerned "In spite of "In an attempt to "!on#lusion or re#o$$en"%Having considered the options, "I would li)e to suggest/recommend "I therefore suggest/recommend "%ou may wish to consider "ARTI!LE0ea"ing.reeCing!(dramatic)5y $one -al) to the 6orth +ole (a summary)2escue from the rapids (a summary)-hats the !ig idea?(a :uestion)#even !an)s a day are ro!!ed in $9(a surprising)%oure already well e:uipped to prevent crime (a surprising)OpeningDid you )now "?-hat would you do if "?General &tru#tureiveyour articleaheadingor headlinewhichma)esthesu!(ect clear andalso catches the readers attention.Divide the article into paragraphs to help the reader follow the argument.*egin with an interesting introduction D an e>ample, perhaps, or a :uestion.End with an overall comment or concluding.&TOR1Beginnings an" en"ings9narrative needs an interesting!eginningto catch the readers attentionand encourage himor her to read on, and a clear endingto roundthe storyoff satisfactorily. 9 wea) !eginning or ending can spoil the effect of the story, so its worth spending time wor)ing out how to start and finish..er' tenses-e use@'he si$ple past to descri!e the main events@I ran to answer the phone !ut it stoppe" ringing as I pi#ke" up the receiver.'he past #ontinuous to set the scene@It was raining heavily as we set off.'he past perfe#t to descri!e events which happened !efore the main events@-hen I got on the !us all the seats ha" 'een taken.+reset parti#iples to show two actions which are lin)ed@Noti#ing that she loo)ed lost, I as)ed if I could help.+erfe#t parti#iples to show that one action was complete !efore another started@0aving reporte" my stolen passport to the police, I returned sadly to the hotel.Ti$e Links!efore ". then "at first, "ne>t "later " during " after that " afterwards "when " finally, " as soon as " eventually, "immediately " in the end, " once "9 few days earlier " Fust after that " #ome time later ".ollowing the accident " $ater on "A""ing variet an" interest'ry to use different ad(ectives to convey the atmosphere. .or e>ample, if you want to convey the idea of fear, you could use frightened% terrified% scared.3arying the length of sentences can !e effective.?se direct speech occasionally for dramatic effect (remem!er to use inverted commas correctly@ G6o,H he yelled, Gdont touch that switch!H)2I&!/R&I.EMaking points5any people feel that ....irst and foremost, ...It is widely !elieved that ...It would !e ideal if ...9nother argument in favour is ...It is clear from the facts that ...'he !enefits of ... outweigh the disadvantages.&n the whole, I thin) ...!ontrasting points&n the other hand ...&ther people thin) ...9n opposing argument is ...Giving opinionsI personally feel that ...I find it hard to see why ...I certainly donIt !elieve that ...It is difficult to !elieve that ...I o!(ect to the cloning of animals.Organising an" linking our i"eas.irst of all, " #econdly, " In addition, "5oreover, " .urthermore, "#o " 9s a result, " 'herefore, "However, " &n the one hand " on the other hand "&n the whole " -hile it is true to say ".inally, " 'o summarise, " In conclusion