78 I can write a formal letter
Notes
If
you are writing to a stranger or you
don’t know the person’s name, use the phrases below.
Beginnings
Dear
Sir
Dear Madam
Dear Sir or Madam
Endings
Yours faithfully
your name
Notes
If
you know the person, use Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Dr, etc. and their surname.
Beginnings
Dear
Mr Wu
Dear
Miss Gilberto
Endings
Yours faithfully
Notes
If
you know them quite well, you can use their first name.
Beginnings
Dear
Rosa
Dear
Conrad
Endings
(With) best wishes
Kind regards
Notes
For
an informal letter to a good friend or family member, use the first
name.
Note: Love (from) is not normally used by a
man writing to another man.
Beginnings
Dear
Min Ho
Hi,
Pavel
Endings
Love (from)
All the best /
Take care
45 Muswell Rd
London NW4
15 April, 2008
Sunshine
Holiday Cottages
Fore
St
Truro
Dear
Mr Ellison,
Further to our
telephone conversation of last Friday, I enclose a cheque for £50 as a deposit for
the rental of Rainbow Cottage for one week, commencing 21 August. I would be grateful if you could send me further information about the property, in particular, whether there is parking nearby.
We
are planning to bring our dog.
If
this is a problem, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
I
look forward to hearing from you.
Yours
sincerely,
Louise
Robertson
Glossary
stranger a person that you do not know.
enclose sth
put sth in an envelope or packet with sth else.
deposit a sum of money which is your first payment
for sth (you will pay the rest later). (You pay a deposit on or for sth.)
commence FML begin.
I would be grateful if you could ... used when you request sth. SYN I would appreciate it if you could ...
in particular SYN especially, particularly.
whether if.
nearby not far away. SYN close by.
don’t hesitate to
do sth don’t feel worried about doing sth.
look forward to sth think with pleasure about sth that is going
to happen.
hearing from you receiving your letter.
spotlight further,
further to
Further ADJ has
several meanings:
1)
comparative of far: The station is further than the bank.
2)
(only before a noun) more: Have you any further questions?
Further to... FML is used in letters to mention a previous letter or conversation about the same subject:
Further
to my letter of 5 July, I am happy to...
1 Answer these questions.
► Is Louise Robertson going to rent a cottage? Yes,
she is.
1 Is this the first time she has contacted Mr
Ellison? ________________
2 Why is she sending him £50? ________________
3 Will she be leaving or arriving on 21
August? ________________
4 Are there any other things she needs to
know? If so, what? ________________
5 Whose address did she write on the
right-hand side? ________________
6 Whose address did she write on the
left-hand side? ________________
7 Did she write the date? If so, where? ________________
8 Which beginning did she use? ________________
9 Which ending did she use? ________________
10 Could she end it ‘Take care, Louise’? Why/Why
not? ________________
1 No.
2 As a deposit for the cottage.
3 Arriving.
4 Yes, she wants to know whether there is
parking nearby.
5 Her own address.
6 Mr Ellison’s address.
7 Yes, she wrote the date underneath her
address.
8 Dear Mr Ellison
9 Yours sincerely
10 No, because it’s a formal letter.
3 Which words are missing where the slashes (/) are? Write them at the end.
► Could you send me / details of the accommodation? further
1 I look forward / hearing / you. ____ ____
2 If there’s a problem, please / hesitate / ring me. ____ ____
3 I / a photocopy / my identity card with the application form. ____ ____
4 I would be / if you / phone me about the meeting. ____ ____
5 Further / your letter / 7 April, I wish to confirm my booking. ____ ____
6 I would / it if / could help me. ____ ____
7 Please let me know / particular / there is a beach nearby. ____ ____
8 I enclose a cheque for €30 as a / for the rental of the room. ____
1 to, from
2 don't, to;
3 enclose, of;
4 grateful, could
5 to, of
6 appreciate, you
7 in, whether; in, if
8 deposit
5 Test yourself. Look at the glossary
meanings and cover the words. What are the words?
