— N 3 (579) — February 2012 Methodology HOW TO WRITE AN INFORMAL LETTER Suggested level – B1 Iryna DANYL’CHENKO, a teacher of English, gymnasia # 23, Zhytomyr When writing friendly letters, we normally use an informal style. Informal writing is characterised by the use of: everyday vocabulary (I had a great time); colloquial expressions/idioms (drop me a line); phrasal verbs (get on, settle in, stop by); contractions (can’t, doesn’t, didn’t, I’m). Informal letters are sent to people you know well (friends, relatives) and let them know about your recent news, personal problems, or request information you need etc. They are written in an informal style with a personal tone. An informal letter should consist of: 1. Informal greeting (Dear Mark / Aunt Marie). 2. Introduction in which you write your opening remarks (for example, asking about your relative’s health etc.) and give your reason for writing. Hello! How are you? I thought I’d write and let you know that... 3. Main body in which you cover the main subject(s) of the letter in detail. Main body is divided into paragraphs dealing with separate problems. 4. Conclusion in which you write your closing remarks. That’s all my news for now. Write back soon... 5. Informal ending (for example, Love / Lots of love / Best wishes / etc. and your first name). THE SCHEME OF THE INFORMAL LETTER Introduction Paragraph 1 – opening remarks/reason(s) for writing. Main body Paragraphs 2-3-4 – developments of the subjects discussed (the number of paragraphs may vary, depending on the topic(s)). FOCUS ON LITERATURE Conclusion Final paragraph – closing remarks. P.S. (post script) – a short message after the ending. It is used to write about something you might have forgotten to mention in the main body of the letter. The topic sentence is the first sentence in the paragraph. It introduces or summarises the main topic of the paragraph and gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about. The rest of the paragraph (supporting sentences) develops the main idea of the topic sentence. To make your piece of writing more appealing, you can use a variety of words and phrases to link sentences or ideas together. You can link descriptions of similar qualities by using in addition, also, and, moreover. You can link descriptions of contrasting qualities by using but, on the other hand, however, nevertheless. OPENING AND CLOSING REMARKS Opening remarks in an informal letter. – Questions/wishes about recent events, the person’s health etc. Hi! What’s up? / Hello! How are you? I hope you’re feeling better. – A thank you to the person for the last letter, comments regarding the news. I was sorry to hear that you aren’t going to... – An apology for a delay in writing/replying. Sorry I haven’t been in touch for a while. / Sorry I’ve taken so long to put pen to paper, but... – The reason why you are writing. The reason I’m writing is to ask you if... / I’m writing to let you know that... Closing remarks in informal letters may include. – The reason why you must end the letter. Well, that’s all my news. I’d better end now, because... / Anyway, I’ve got to go now – it’s dinner time. – Greetings to the person’s family or friends. Give my best wishes to your parents. – Wishes, a promise (to write again soon), an invitation etc. I’ll write as soon as I can and let you know about... / Can’t wait to see you. / Well, that’s all from me. Bye for now. – A request to the person to reply soon. Write back soon and tell me all your news. [email protected] 7 — N 3 (579) — February 2012 Example of opening remarks. – Hi, how’s everything going? I’ve just heard that you passed all your exams. Congratulations! – I hope you are feeling better. Are you able to sit in the garden and enjoy the sunshine? – Dear Jenny, Hope everything is fine with you. I’m just writing to tell you about life here. – Sorry that I haven’t written for ages, but I’ve been very busy studying. I’m writing because I’d really like your advice about a problem I have. You have just passed an important test or examination. Write a letter telling a pen friend about your success and describing your plans for the future. Example of closing remarks: – Well, I’d better go and do some work! Once again, well done! Write soon. – Anyway got to go. Write back soon. – Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INFORMAL LETTER Let’s remember the main characteristics of an informal letter. – Address and date (for example, your address in the top right-hand corner followed by the date). – Greeting (Dear John, Dear Mum). – Informal language (I’ve been meaning to write to you for ages; Don’t worry; By the way; It was a piece of cake; I’ll pick you up; We can give it a try, etc.). MAIN BODY PARAGRAPHS In informal letters you usually talk about more than one topic. – The rubric gives you information about the subject of the letter and often tells you specific topics which you must write about. – These topics will be discussed in the main body of your letter. You should open a new paragraph for each topic. Para 1. Opening remarks. Para 2. Tell friends about your success. Para 3. Describe your plans for the future. Para 4. Closing remarks. – Ending (Yours, Love, Best wishes, Regards, etc + your first name). ƳǢǇǊǅǃǇǅǉǋǃǊƽǄƽǉǋƿǅǏǅǌǋǕǏǋǛ ƾǂǄǌǋǎǂǍǂǁǊǙǋǐ©ƵǇǢǈǙǊǋǉǐǎƿǢǏǢª ͻ ĞůĞďƌĂƟŽŶƐĂůůƚŚĞǇĞĂƌƌŽƵŶĚ͘ʿ̸̨̡̨̡̨̯̹̣̌̏̌̌͘ ͻ ŶŐůŝƐŚ͘,ĂŶĚŽƵƚůĞǀĞů͘Aϭ;ĞůĞŵĞŶƚĂƌǇͿ͘ˀ̨̡̨̛̯̜̔̌̏̚ ̥̯̖̬̞̣̌̌͘ʿ̸̨̡̨̛̯̜̬̞̖̦̌̏̏̽͘ ͻ ŶŐůŝƐŚ͘,ĂŶĚŽƵƚůĞǀĞů͘AϮ;ƉƌĞͲŝŶƚĞƌŵĞĚŝĂƚĞͿ͘ ˀ̨̡̨̛̯̜̥̯̖̬̞̣̔̌̏̌̌̚͘ˁ̖̬̖̦̞̜̬̞̖̦̔̏̽ ͻ &ĂǀŽƵƌŝƚĞƐŽŶŐƐĨŽƌĂůůĂŐĞƐϭͶϭϭ͘ ͻ 'ĞƫŶŐŵĞƌŝŬĂͶǁŝƐĞ͗ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂůǁƌŝƟŶŐ;ʻ̸̦̦̌̏̌́ ̴̨̨̛̛̪̭̥̭̭̯̞̜̭̖̬̞̽̌̏̍Ϳ ͻ 'ĞƫŶŐŵĞƌŝŬĂͶǁŝƐĞ͗ƉƵďůŝĐǁƌŝƟŶŐ͘;ʻ̸̦̦̌̏̌́ ̴̛̪̭̥̭̱̭̪̞̣̦̞̜̭̖̬̞̽̌̏̽Ϳ͘ ͻ DĂŬĞǇŽƵƌůĞƐƐŽŶďƌŝŐŚƚĞƌ͘ ͻ KǀĞƌǀŝĞǁŽĨŵĞƌŝĐĂŶŚŝƐƚŽƌǇ͘ʽ̨̣̞̭̯̬̞̟̐́̔ʤ̡̛̛̥̖̬͘ ͻ KǀĞƌǀŝĞǁŽĨƌŝƟƐŚŚŝƐƚŽƌǇ͘ʽ̨̣̞̭̯̬̞̟̐́̔ ʦ̡̨̛̛̖̣̬̯̦̞̟̍̌͘ ͻ ZĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ'ƵŝĚĞĨŽƌƚĞĂĐŚĞƌŽĨŶŐůŝƐŚ͘ʪ̨̡̛̞̦̏̔ ̸̡̨̨̛̛̱̯̖̣̦̣̞̜̭̟̥́̌̐̽̏͘ ͻ dĞĂĐŚĞƌƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐƌĞĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƐ͘;ʿ̸̨̨̡̨̛̞̯̯̖̣̔̐̏̌̏́̔ ̶̯̖̭̯̞̟̌̌Ϳ͘ ͻ ʤ̸̡̨̛̖̥̞̦̖̪̭̥̌̔̽͘ ͻ ʤ̡̨̡̦̣̞̜̭̣̹̞̣̦̯̐̽̌̔́̔̽́͘ ͻ ʤ̡̨̨̨̛̛̛̦̣̞̜̭̥̦̥̪̬̬̥̥̐̽̌̏̌̌̏̐̌̌̚͘ϴ̡̣̭̌͘ ͻ ʤ̡̨̨̨̛̛̛̦̣̞̜̭̥̦̥̪̬̬̥̥̐̽̌̏̌̌̏̐̌̌̚͘ϭϭ̡̣̭̌͘ ͻ ʧ̨̨̨̡̨̯̱̥̭̯̖̭̯̱̦̦̦̣̞̜̭̟̿̽̔̏̌́̌̐̽̚͘ˋ̛̯̦̦̌́͘ ͻ ʧ̨̨̨̡̨̯̱̥̭̯̖̭̯̱̦̦̦̣̞̜̭̟̿́̔̏̌́̌̐̽̚͘ʤ̱̞̦̦̔̀̏̌́͘ ͻ ʧ̨̨̨̡̨̯̱̥̭̯̖̭̯̱̦̦̦̣̞̜̭̟̿́̔̏̌́̌̐̽̚͘ʧ̨̨̬̞̦̦̏́͘ ͻ ʫ̵̨̡̡̨̛̣̖̥̖̦̯̯̖̯̬̱̦̱̬̦̣̞̜̭̟̌̌̌̌̐̽͘ ͻ ʯ̡̡̨̛̬̯̖̭̯̞̦̣̞̜̭̟̌̏̌̐̽̚̚͘ʸ̡̡̡̛̛̖̭͕̬̥̯͕̌̐̌̌̌ ̨̛̪̭̥̽͘ ͻ ʯ̡̡̨̛̬̯̖̭̯̞̦̣̞̜̭̟̌̏̌̐̽̚̚͘ˋ̛̯̦̦̞̱̞̦̦̌́̌̔̀̏̌́͘ ͻ ʳ̸̵̨̡̨̡̨̨̡̡̨̛̬̪̯̞̜̹̣̞̦̱̬̦̣̞̜̭̟̐̏̌̏̌̌̌̐̽͘ ͻ ʳ̵̨̡̡̨̛̬̦̱̬̦̣̞̜̭̟̐̌̌̌̐̽͘ϱͶϴ̡̛̣̭̌͘ ͻ ʳ̶̵̶̸̨̨̨̨̨̨̛̦̦̞̜̦̞̪̞̬̦̞̞̟̦̣̦̏̌̔̔̔̐̌̌̌̏̌̽̐̚ ̶̨̪̬̖̭̱͘ ͻ ʿ̡̨̡̡̛̖̬̹̞̬̦̣̞̜̭̞̜̏̌̐̽͘ ͻ ʿ̡̡̨̛̬̖̥̖̯̦̞̖̹̣̞̔̔̌̔̏͘ʽ̶̬̦̞̞̯̐̌̌́̌̚ ̨̪̬̖̖̦̦̏̔́͘ ͻ ʿ̴̵̸̵̨̨̛̬̖̭̞̜̦̞̬̦̦̯̖̣̞̯̟̦̌̏̀̏̌́̏̏̌́̚ ̴̨̡̡̛̪̬̞̣̯̌̌͘ ͻ ʿ̴̨̨̛̬̖̭̞̜̦̖̪̭̥̽͘ ͻ ˁ̶̡̨̖̦̬̞̟̭̯̦̣̞̜̭̟̌̏́̌̐̽̚͘ ʦ̨̨̛̛̛̥̙̖̯̖̥̯̱̌̏̍̔̽̚Ͳ̶̡̡̡̡̨̡̨̨̡̛̱̞̣̞̭̯̦̙̞̪̖̬̖̣̞̱́̽̽̽̐̚͘ʪ̶̴̶̨̨̨̨̛̛̣̯̖̣̖̦̱̜̯̖̱̦̯́̽̐̌̏̔̌̏̏̌̚̚ ̨̯̖̣̦̞̹̣̞̯͗̌̍̌̔̽͘ƐŵƐͲ̨̨̡̨̨̪̞̥̣̖̦̦̯̥̞̭̯̱̏̔́̌̐͗ͨ̚ˈ̸̨̨̡̡̨̛̛̛̛̱̥̯̦̙̦̦̥̖̬̌̏ͩ̌̚ ̨̨̛̛̞̥̥̪̖̬̖̦̥̏̌̔̏̚͘ʿ̸̨̨̨̡̡̨̨̨̨̨̛̛̛̛̞̭̣̯̬̥̯̖̦̙̪̞̭̣̪̣̯̱̭̥̱̪̹̯̥̱̞̞̣̖̦̦̞́̐̏̌̿́̌̀̏̿̏̏̔̔͘ ʯ̖̬̦̞̯̱̱̏̽̏̌̐͊ʺ̨̞̦̞̥̣̦̖̥̣̖̦̦̌̽̌̏́̚ʹϮ̡̡̛̛̦̙͊ʤ̶̸̨̡̨̡̨̛̛̦̯̞̟̯̥̞̭̯̦̙̯̜̯̖̱̬̞̣̞̌̌̌̔ͨ̚̚ʶ̡̛̛̦̙̦̭̜̯̞ͩ̌̌ǁǁǁ͘ŽƐǀŝƚĂƵĂ͘ĐŽŵ͘ 8 [email protected] FOCUS ON LITERATURE