FORMAL EMAILS AND LETTERS

You need to be able to write a formal email or letter for a range of situations: Job application Requesting information about a course Complaining about bad service Making contact with a company

Characteristics of formal writing Standard phrases Formal vocabulary Longer sentences with linking words Passive structures Formal punctuation

STANDARD PHRASES FOR FORMAL WRITING

Beginnings Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Mr/Ms Smith I am writing to apply for a job/request information

about/complain about Further to our telephone call, I would like to

Middle Requests – I would be grateful if you could send me .. Questions – Would it be possible to stay for two weeks? Complaints – The service was unsatisfactory Job applications – I have a wide range of experience in

… Endings

I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully (when beginning Dear Sir/Madam Yours sincerely (when beginning Dear Mr/Ms Smith)

FORMAL VOCABULARY Use more formal expressions and not many

phrasal verbs or idioms To postpone/cancel or confirm a meeting or trip To make arrangements to be collected at the

airport (not pick up) I would like to book (not I want to book)

Formal adjectives It was very large (not big) The temperature was very high (not I was so hot) I am efficent and hardworking (not I’m the best!)

LONGER SENTENCES AND LINKING WORDS And linkers

In addition, I would like to know the price of the trip Furthermore, I have a B2 level of English Moreover, we were unhappy with the quality of the food. Could you also provide us with some free samples?

But linkers Although the music was wonderful, car parking was

awful. However, I have some experience of project leading On the other hand, I would prefer to stay in a student

residence than with a family. Because linkers

Consequently, we decided to change hotels. As a result, I have acquired good teamworking skills

PASSIVE STRUCTURES

Instead of sayingSomebody made a mistake with the reservation = activeA mistake was made with the reservation= passive

PASSIVE = BE + PAST PARTICPLE is a more impersonal and formal structure.

Other examples of the passive:Somebody stole my passport > My passport was

stolen.Will they take us to the airport?>Will we be taken to

the airport?A company has offered me a job >I have been

offered a job.

FORMAL PUNCTUATION Do not use contractions

I don’t smoke> I do not smoke They can’t > They cannot attend the meeting We won’t go > We will not go there

Use commas After adverbs at beginning of sentences

e.g. Additionally, Consequently, Finally, However, In non-defining clauses

Tenerife, which is located off the coast of Africa, is a popular tourist destination.

Before and or but if the subject of the sentence changes I would like to know when the course starts, and how long it

lasts. He asked me to finish the report, but I had to leave early.

Do not use exclamation marks !! or dashes - in formal writing.