How to write a letter in english

The English Learner’s Guide to Writing 5 Types of Useful Letters in English

We’re writing this letter to inform you that writing letters is an important life skill.

Do you know how to write a letter in English?

How is it different from writing an essay for school, or sending a text to a friend? Sometimes, knowing how to write is not enough. Even today, in the age of online communication, letter writing is an important skill to learn.

Writing letters today is pretty similar to twenty years ago, but it is a little more special. Why? You took the time to get off the computer and actually mail the letter. This makes your letter just a little bit more special to your recipient.

Knowing how to write an English letter can help you get a job, form stronger relationships and much more. So let’s learn how to write letters in English!

Sincerely yours,
FluentU

P.S. Ready to go? Read on!

P.S.2: You need to try FluentU to learn all the vocabulary you need to write letters and more.

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Most Letters Follow the Same Structure

At the most basic level, all letters are the same. How? Here are some parts you’ll find in nearly all letters:

The points above are all you need to write a good professional letter about almost any topic. Say hello, state why you’re writing, then sign your name. Simple, right?

This is just the basic foundation (building blocks) of a letter, though. So we will help you with the details below.

You can learn more about some of the basic language used in letters, emails and written communication from videos like “Replying to a Spam Email” and “Writing a Business Email” on FluentU. FluentU covers many subjects like this that you’ll need to deal with in real life. This is because FluentU uses real-world videos—like interviews, news, speeches and more—to create personalized language lessons.

But before you learn what to put in the letter, you should learn what to write on the envelope.

How to Address an Envelope in the United States

How do you make sure your letters don’t get lost on the way? By writing the address correctly on the envelope! Different countries have their own ways of doing this.

The address on an envelope being sent in the United States looks like this:

Jane Smith
1234 Washington St. Apt. 14A
Chicago, IL 60290

Some things you need to know about envelopes mailed in the United States:

When you’re in the United States, the return address (that’s your address, where the letter is coming from) goes on the top left corner of the front of the envelope, and the recipient’s address is right in the middle of the envelope.

Image source: https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/card-ideas/how-to-address-an-envelope/

How to Address an Envelope in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, addressed envelopes look a bit different. Here’s an example of a UK-addressed letter, taken from the British Royal Mail website:

Miss S Pollard
1 Chapel Hill
Heswall
BOURNEMOUTH
BH1 1AA

UK envelopes use these rules:

In the UK, the recipient’s address is written on the bottom left corner of the envelope, and the return address is written on the back, under the words “Return address.”

Image Source: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/81/

These rules are important to know if you’re mailing letters in the US or the UK!

Letter Headings: What to Include

Many letters have a heading—a part that comes before the actual letter. The heading is a way to include all the relevant information about the sender (that’s you) and the recipient (the person getting the letter).

For professional letters like cover letters, letters of complaint and follow-up letters, use the following heading:

Your Name
Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Phone Number
Date

Recipient’s Name
Recipient’s Job Title
Name of Organization
Street Address
City, State Zip Code

For more casual and informal letters like thank you notes, it’s enough to include the date and your name, or often just the date.

Writing Letters in English: 5 Essential Letters You Need to Know

Your envelopes are addressed and ready. You’ve filled out an appropriate heading. Now it’s time to write the actual letters.

Ready, set, write!

1. Cover letter

A cover letter is written when you apply for a job. You usually send in a cover letter with your resume when applying for a position.

A cover letter is a chance to tell your potential employer why you’re the best person for the job. Many job listings have a list of desired qualifications and experience. Use these as a guide for what you should talk about in the letter.

Cover letters should be positive and personalized, which means they should be different for each place you apply to.

Cover letter outline

Greeting

– If you know your recipient’s name, use “Dear Mr./Mrs. [Recipient’s name].”

– If you don’t, you can use “To Whom It May Concern.”

First Paragraph

– State your name and the position you are applying for.

– If relevant, you can mention how you learned about the job opening.

Second paragraph

– Explain how your experience, skills and personality traits are a good fit for the job.

– Name specifics, but don’t repeat your resume.

Third paragraph

– Thank the reader for their time.

[Your signature] — “Signature” means you should sign your name in pen after you print the letter.

[Your first and last name] — This is typed.

Commonly-used phrases

Sample cover letters

Monster, a career and resume website, has a few sample cover letters for different careers here. Live Career lets you customize your own cover letter from a template, though we recommend you just use these as starting points for writing your own!

2. Letter of resignation

A letter of resignation is a letter that officially announces the end of your employment at a job. Many jobs require that employees submit a letter of resignation at least two weeks before the date they plan to leave the job.

Letters of resignation are very short. How much information you include depends on you and your company’s policy. The only bit of information you absolutely have to include is the date you plan to end your job.

Remember to be positive! Do not include any complaints, especially personal ones, no matter the reason for your departure. As we say in English, you don’t want to “burn bridges.” That is, you want to keep a positive relationship with your company in case you ever need to collaborate in the future.

Resignation letter outline

Dear Mr. / Mrs. [Recipient’s name]

First paragraph

– State the position you are resigning from, including the department (if it’s relevant).

– State the date you will end your job.

Second paragraph (optional)

– State your reason for leaving.

– Include a positive statement about working at the company.

– Offer to help prepare or train a replacement to make the change easier.

– Thank the company for the experience.

[Your first and last name]

Commonly-used phrases

Sample letters

Monster has a good template to use here, as does the Muse at this link. Most letters of resignation look similar, so this is one case where it’s okay to follow the template exactly.

3. Follow-up letter

A follow-up letter is a letter you send after you’ve already made contact with someone. Follow-up letters are usually sent for one of two reasons:

Follow-up letters are polite and to the point. They are usually short—no more than a paragraph.

Follow-up letter outline

Dear Mr. / Mrs. [Recipient’s full/last name],

First paragraph, when thanking someone after a meeting

– Remind the person when you last met or spoke.

– Thank the person for meeting with you.

– Mention any important points you discussed or agreements you reached.

– Wish the person a good week, or express a desire to meet again.

First paragraph, when checking in on someone

– Remind the person when you last met or spoke.

– State what information you are waiting for.

– Wish the person a good week, or express a desire to meet again.

– Thank the person for their time.

Sincerely, / Yours truly, / Awaiting your reply,

Commonly-used phrases

Sample letters

The Muse has a great cover letter sample template you can use to follow up on a job application here. The website About has a number of follow-up samples for different occasions (including how to follow up after a rejection!) on the bottom of this page.

4. Thank you letter

Thank you letters are sent to people as a formal way of thanking them for something. You can use a letter to thank someone for…

A thank you note is a more meaningful way to say thank you to someone, especially if it’s handwritten. It means you took the time to write it, and shows your appreciation.

Thank you letter outline

Dear [Recipient’s first name],

First paragraph

– Mention your reason for sending a thank you note.

– Thank the person!

– Include a personal remark or a specific comment about the reason for the thank you.

Yours truly, / Sincerely,

Commonly-used phrases

Sample letters

Write Express has a number of examples of informal thank you notes. This website has a huge collection of thank you letters for every occasion.

5. Letter of complaint

A letter of complaint is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a letter to bring something negative to the attention of the recipient. This letter can be difficult to write because it’s not always easy to say something negative without being offensive or rude.

Remember: Just because it’s a letter of complaint, doesn’t mean it’s an attack! A good way to avoid being unnecessarily rude is to state the facts without adding personal statements.

If you have any documents related to the issue (like receipts or transcripts), make sure to include a copy with your letter.

Letter of complaint outline

Greeting

– If you know your recipient’s name, use “Dear Mr./Mrs. [Recipient’s full/last name].”

– If you don’t, you can use “To Whom It May Concern.”

First paragraph

– State the product or service you have an issue with.

– Describe the problem you had, including dates, names, product numbers and other specifics.

– If you’ve taken any steps towards resolving the issue already, mention them here.

Second paragraph

– Explain how you would like the problem to be resolved.

– If you paid money for something that didn’t work, request to be reimbursed (paid back).

– Include a phone number or email address where you can be reached.

– Thank the recipient for taking the time to read and respond.

Sincerely / Respectfully yours,

[Account number or reference number, if applicable]

Commonly-used phrases

Sample letters

You can find an excellent complaint letter template at the Georgia Department of Law website. The Federal Trade Commission website has their own template as well.

Well, dear readers, you’re ready to apply to jobs, resign from jobs and even complain without offending anyone. Writing letters in English (and writing in English in general!) is a very useful skill to have in your toolbox!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Yuliya Geikhman

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Как писать письмо на английском языке

Чтобы послать весточку иностранным друзьям, сначала нужно разобраться в правилах написания писем по-английски. В этой статье вы найдете структуру, полезные фразы и образцы оформления английских писем.

· Обновлено 12 июля 2022

Структура письма в английском языке

В структуре и оформлении английских писем действуют общепринятые правила.

Дата и адрес

В верхнем правом углу нужно ставить адрес отправителя и дату написания.

Адрес желательного оформлять от частного к общему: имя, фамилия/квартира, дом/город, страна.

Дата, полностью записанная числами, может вызвать недопонимание. Например, британцы на первое место ставят число, как и мы с вами, а американцы — месяц.
Чтобы избежать разночтений, дату лучше записать так: число, месяц (словом), год —
15 April 2020

Основная часть письма

Основной текст письма состоит из следующих частей:

В письмах на русском языке принято указывать автора и дату под сообщением, но в английском нужно делать перед текстом.

Такие правила написания письма на английском языке подходят для любого формата: деловой переписки, дружеских или романтических посланий, бумажных или электронных писем. Рассмотрим, как оформляется каждая часть письма на английском языке.

План письма по английскому языку: стандартные фразы

Стандартные речевые обороты и популярные фразы помогут быстро и правильно написать письмо на английском языке. Для удобства мы собрали типичные вводные слова для каждой части английского письма.

Приветствие

Каждое английское письмо начинается с приветствия, а завершается вежливым прощанием.

Так можно обратиться к англоговорящему собеседнику в письме:

После каждого обращения следует ставить запятую, а вводную часть письма начинать с новой строки. Например:

Dear Nick,
I am writing you to…

Если письмо неформальное, вместо dear можно просто назвать адресата по имени или использовать стандартные hello и hi.

Что еще важно учесть при написании письма по-английски:

Вводная часть

В первом абзаце следует поблагодарить за предыдущее письмо:

Можно извиниться за долгий ответ:

Либо упомянуть какой-то факт из полученного письма:

Или просто поделиться эмоциями и спросить как дела:

Для вводной части достаточно 1–3 предложений.

Основная часть

В основной части письма можно ответить на заданные ранее вопросы, рассказать важные факты (новости, события), задать вопросы собеседнику или попросить дать совет.

Начать основную часть помогут вводные конструкции:

Чтобы избежать грамматических ошибок, можно писать основную часть письма простыми предложениями. Для связности используйте вводные конструкции, сокращения, союзы:

В неформальной переписке уместно использовать разговорные сокращения, а в деловой лучше придерживаться более сдержанного стиля.

Заключение

По правилам написания писем на английском языке, заключение — это отдельный абзац, в котором нужно указать причину, по которой вы заканчиваете письмо. В нем можно выразить надежды на дальнейшую переписку, передать привет семье или друзьям адресата.

Завершить письмо на английском можно такими фразами:

Можно предложить продолжить переписку позже:

Заключительные фразы могут занимать 1–3 строки. Осталось попрощаться, подписаться — и письмо на английском готово.

Завершающая фраза и подпись

Прежде чем подписать письмо своим именем, можно добавить:

После прощания ставим запятую, а на следующей строке — имя и подпись отправителя.

Образцы писем на английском языке

Чтобы закрепить, как писать личное и деловое письмо на английском языке, прочитайте наши примеры, которые можно взять за основу.

Пример личного письма на английском

Перевод на русский язык

Николай Кузнецов
ул. Сиреневая, д. 6, кв. 15
Новосибирск, 827193
Россия
13 сентября 2019

Спасибо за письмо, я был так счастлив его получить! Рад слышать, что ты выиграла соревнования по бегу. Поздравляю тебя с первым местом, Джен!

Ты спрашивала меня о планах на летние каникулы. Так вот, я собираюсь провести это лето вместе с семьей. Мы любим путешествовать, поэтому все лето планируем провести в разных странах. Собираемся посетить Грецию, Италию, Испанию, Португалию, Францию ​​и Германию. Я очень мечтаю увидеть Колизей, ведь я с детства увлекаюсь древнеримской историей. Считаю, что это была великая империя, равных которой не было во всем мире.

А как насчет твоих летних каникул, Джен? Собираешься уехать за границу или останешься дома? Кстати, когда у вас следующие соревнования? Пришли мне фото со своей золотой медалью!

Пожалуйста, передай мои теплые пожелания своим родителям и брату. Я часто вспоминаю свое путешествие в Нью-Йорк и ваше гостеприимство. Это было здорово!

Ну, мне пора идти. С нетерпением жду ответа!

С любовью,
Николай

Шаблон для личного письма на английском

13 Ostozhenka street
Moscow
Russia
4 May 2021

I was so happy to get your letter! I can’t wait to meet you in September! I’m sorry I haven’t answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.

You asked me to tell you about … Well, …

Unfortunately, I’d better go now as I’ve got loads of homework to do (as always). Take care and keep in touch!

All the best,
Nick

Перевод на русский язык

ул. Остоженка, 13
Москва
Россия
4 мая 2021

Я был так счастлив получить твое письмо! Не могу дождаться встречи с тобой в сентябре. Прости, что не ответил раньше, но я был очень занят в школе.

К сожалению, мне нужно идти, так как у меня много домашней работы (как всегда). Береги себя и давай будем на связи!

Всего наилучшего,
Ник

Шаблон для делового письма на английском

Mrs Amanda Way
Bridge-company
Office 708, Entrance 1D
Alley Street
Bristol
Great Britain
30 June 2021

I’m writing to ask for your help. I know you work with Mr Green. I also know that he is an excellent journalist, that’s why I would like to ask him to help me with my current project. Would you be so kind as to introduce me to Mr Green? I would be very grateful to you.

Please let me know if you can schedule an appointment with me and Mr Green. I look forward to your response.

Respectfully yours,
Richard Smith
DC College Professor

Перевод на русский язык

Миссис Аманда Уэй
Бридж-компания
Офис 708, подъезд 1Д
Аллея-стрит
Бристоль
Великобритания
30 июня 2021

Дорогая миссис Уэй,

Обращаюсь к вам с просьбой о помощи. Я знаю, что вы работаете с мистером Грином. А также знаю, что он прекрасный журналист, поэтому хотел бы попросить его помочь с моим текущим проектом. Могли бы вы познакомить меня с мистером Грином? Буду вам очень благодарен.

Пожалуйста, дайте знать, если вы сможете назначить встречу со мной и мистером Грином. С нетерпением жду вашего ответа.

С уважением,
Ричард Смит
Профессор колледжа округа Колумбия

На курсах английского языка онлайн ученики Skysmart учатся писать письма и эссе, уверенно говорить с англоязычными собеседниками и отвечать на экзаменах.

5 Tips on How to Write a Formal Letter in English

Updated October 7, 2020

Writing a letter in English can be frightening when doing it for the first time, especially if it is required to be polite and proper. We have compiled 5 tips on how to write a formal letter in English, so there’s no need to be scared. The tips outlined cover how to greet, salute and everything in between.

You will see the subtle differences between the way a British person and American write a letter and decide which way is your way!

How to write the perfect English letter

1. Your address and details

First things first, write personal details in the right-hand corner at the top of the letter. It is up to you how much you wish to include, but normally a formal letter in British English has an address and other contact information such as email and telephone.

Lastly, write the date underneath before moving to the left side and inserting the sender’s address above the main body of the letter.

2. Opening greeting

When writing a formal letter in English, the opening greeting is crucial. It sets the tone for the person who is going to read it and you want to make a good impression, so hello or hey are out of the question! “Dear” is the major opening greeting in a letter, both in American English and British English.

Fun fact : The first use of “dear” originates from a letter written by Queen Margaret of Anjou, wife of King Henry VI 1450 in 1450. Since the 17th century, “Dear Sir or Madam” has become the polite version of addressing someone.

Now there are two decisions to make: with a name or without. If you don’t know the name, then put Sir/Madam, however, if you wish to include the name then put Mrs or Mr. depending on their title. Easy, right? Stick with me!

Thereafter, it depends on the title of the receiver, be it Dr, Mrs, Mr, or Ms; there is one difference between British English and American English – the point! In American English, you put a point after the title, e.g. Dr. or Mrs., however, in the UK it is without. After the title, write the full name or/and last name.

3. First expressions

Now the opening of the letter is complete, write the body of the formal letter in English. Just as much as table manners are important , manners in a formal letter are too! With that said, introduce yourself in one sentence – make it short and succinct.

4. Body and conclusion

It is advisable to keep the letter brief and state your reason for writing straight away, e.g. I am writing with regard to…, then go onto the next paragraph. It is also professional to keep a formal letter in English short from 3-4 paragraphs. Use other paragraphs to ask questions and refer back to your letter. State a point and be specific.

5. The salutation

There are quite a few options to write salutations at the end of a letter, but not so much when writing a formal letter in English.

At Lingoda, we don’t only offer lessons in speaking, reading and listening, but also in writing. You’ll get the chance to put this tips into practise. Visit our website and sign up for your free 7-day trial today.

How to write a letter

HOW TO WRITE A LETTER: A GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

In this age of digital communication, writing letters is becoming something of a lost art. Emails and text messages can be sent instantly and for a fraction of the cost, that good old fashioned snail mail can offer. So, why bother teaching letter-writing at all? Well, though electronic ‘letters’ are often freer in terms of formatting and language than physical letters, we can also apply the rules of letter-writing to electronic media too. However, physical letters do offer some distinct benefits of their own too.

A WELL WRITTEN LETTER CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

Whilst we pride ourselves here on how to write a great essay, information report or another text type that is primarily used in an educational setting, the ability to craft a powerful letter or email has literally changed people’s lives, altered the course of history and been the difference between life and death in some cases.

It can be the one opportunity we have to remove all the noise and confusion on any subject area and truly tell someone how you feel straight from the heart. Pen to paper.

For whatever reason a thousand, emails, tweets, likes will never have the same impact as a well-crafted handwritten letter. Its very creation and existence show your reader how passionate and genuine about what it contains.

Letters fall under the category of transactional writing, and if you would like to know more about transactional texts be sure to check out our in-depth article here.

COMPLETE LETTER WRITING UNIT FOR STUDENTS

Over 100 PAGES of engaging, RESOURCES, various letter SAMPLES, LESSON PLANS and INTERACTIVE DIGITAL RESOURCES to teach your students how to write amazing LETTERS and EMAILS.

Teach this life skill with confidence through this excellent ALL-IN-ONE RESOURCE. No preparation is required.

3 REASONS TO TEACH LETTER WRITING

1. The Personal Touch:

Those of us who grew up in an age before the internet really got going will well remember the excitement of waiting for and receiving a letter. Many of us will have had childhood pen pals we never met, or received love letters from our teenage sweethearts. Maybe some of those treasured letters are still securely stored in a bedside drawer.

There is something extremely personal and intimate about the letter that email is incapable of capturing. Letters are a physical thing and their increasing rarity make them seem even more intimate today.

2. Impact

Receiving a personally written letter in this day and age is something a unicorn in communication terms. Students who know how to produce a well-crafted letter can use it to their advantage. For example, any business hiring manager will undoubtedly be numbed by the constant torrent of emails applications flooding into their Gmail or Hotmail inbox.

That mailed resume accompanied by a handwritten letter that waits for them on their desk in the morning is sure to stand out and secure an attentive read. The letter, in its various forms, is guaranteed to stand out and make an impact in an age where the vast majority of communication is digital.

3. Handwriting

Just as letter writing has declined in popularity, so too has the emphasis on well-developed handwriting skills. You can, if you wish, take the opportunity here to have the students work on their handwriting skills. While students may protest that they can accomplish the task much quicker by word-processing, another benefit of handwriting a letter is that the speed becomes almost meditative. This allows students to focus carefully on their grammar and punctuation, without always resorting to the crutch of spell-checkers and grammar correction software.

FORMAL AND INFORMAL LETTER WRITING: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

The table below outlines whether your letter should be written in a formal or informal manner, with some suggested prompts. Whilst there are many similarities a formal letter should always be considered as a document with a real purpose and ramifications.

FORMAL LETTER FEATURES

USED FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION THESE DOCUMENTS FOLLOW A PRESCRIBED FORMAT. THEY ARE WRITTEN IN A PASSIVE VOICE FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND IN MANY CASES ARE LEGALLY BINDING. SOME EXAMPLES ARE.

INVITATION Make someone feel special about an upcoming event.

APPLICATION Write a professional letter of application for a job or group you wish to join.

REFEREE / REFERENCE Vouch for another’s skills, personality or credibility.

ACCEPTANCE & REJECTION Approve or deny an applicant in a professional manner.

MAKE AN OFFER Make a formal and binding offer in writing.

EXIT / RESIGNATION Formally leave or step down in a professional and dignified manner.

INFORMAL LETTER FEATURES

USED FOR PERSONAL COMMUNICATION THESE LETTERS HAVE NO PRESCRIBED FORMAT AND ARE WRITTEN IN AN ACTIVE VOICE.

THANK YOU Let someone know you appreciate their efforts.

CONGRATULATIONS Acknowledge someone’s achievements in life.

GRIEVANCE / LOSS Acknowledge someones personal loss or suffering and let them know you care.

FRIENDSHIP & LOVE Tell someone how special they are to you and why?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR / MAYOR ETC. Let someone know how their actions and adversely affect you and others.

LETTER TO SELF Give your older or younger self some words of advice and wisdom.

INFORMATIONAL UPDATE Write a letter back home telling them what you have been up to.

COMMON FEATURES OF FORMAL LETTERS

Formal letters can be written for a wide range of purposes and may come in a variety of shapes including a letter of complaint, a cover letter accompanying a job application, a letter of invitation, a reference letter, or a proposal letter – to name a few. Though each will adhere to their own rules of formatting and tone, when writing any formal letter students should avoid using slang or contractions. Language should be straightforward and polite. Encourage students to avoid bursts of purple prose in favor of direct, functional language. Usually, a formal letter will be written to achieve a particular end and should be written with that end foremost in mind. Students should avoid meanderings and stay firmly focused on the task at hand.

Though the specific content of all the above letters will differ, there are a number of common features that will apply to each:

How to write a formal letter

A Note on Salutations

If the student knows the intended recipient’s name, start with Dear Mr. / Mrs Surname and end with Yours Sincerely. If they don’t know the recipient’s name, start with Dear Sir / Madam and end with Yours Faithfully.

Use of Rhetorical Devices

As mentioned, formal letter writing focuses on attempting to convince someone to take some course of action or other. To do this it is helpful to employ some rhetorical devices to make the writing more persuasive. Some useful techniques to encourage your students to employ include:

Direct Address: Using the pronoun ‘you’ in a formal letter makes the reader feel that you are speaking directly to them. This helps to engage the reader and encourage them to continue reading the letter.

Emotive Language: Where students are trying to convince the reader to take a course of action, the use of emotive language can often be a powerful tool. Students can use either positive or negative colored words to create the desired response in the reader.

Facts and Figures: Another way to persuade and convince is to employ facts and figures to support the points made in the letter.

How to write an informal letter

THE WRITING PROCESS BEGINS WITH PLANNING

As with all genres of writing, the process of formal letter writing should start with planning. This should involve sketching a brief outline from which to work rather than a comprehensive detailing of minutiae. The plan should include:

COMMON FEATURES OF INFORMAL LETTERS:

There are far fewer rules to follow when writing an informal letter, but there are still some useful guidelines to follow that will prove helpful for students engaged in writing informally.

As with any piece of writing, it is important to consider who the audience is and the reason for writing in the first place. In particular, this will help decide the tone and the language register. The more intimate the relationship the more informal the language can be.

Though the letter will be informal, it will still have a purpose. Information should still be organized into paragraphs as would be done with a formal, more ‘official’ letter. Students sometimes struggle with this aspect, as they often conflate ‘informal’ with ‘disorganized.’ Making they plan their informal letter prior to writing can help ensure it is sufficiently organized.

HOW TO START AN INFORMAL LETTER

Informal letters will start with a greeting appropriate to how close the relationship is. For acquaintances, this may be ‘Dear Tom,’ (using the first name instead of the surname) to a very informal ‘Hi Jane,’. Don’t forget the comma after the name!

After the greeting, a general opening sentence should follow. Usually, this will be something along the lines of a ‘How are you?’ or a ‘How have you been?’. If the recipient is married or has kids, you may wish to ask how their spouse or children are.

Next, students should state the reason for writing. The language should be open and friendly in tone and, in contrast to the formal letter, colloquial language, idiomatic expressions, and contractions are perfectly okay and even desirable.

Just as the opening salutation to an informal letter is much more relaxed, so too will the closing salutation. There are a multitude of possibilities for the students to choose here and their decision will depend on who they are writing to and their own personal preferences. Some examples of possible closings include, ‘Love’, ‘Best regards’, ‘All the best’, and ‘Thanks’.

PRACTICE LETTER WRITING WITH THESE ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS

The most effective way for students to internalize all the features of letter writing, formal or informal, is to gain experience by writing a wide variety of letters for a range of purposes. The following activities offer some suggestions for students to get practicing today:

1. FICTION AS A SPRINGBOARD

Have students write as if they were a character from a piece of fiction you have been reading in class. Choosing a dramatic point in the plot, ask students to imagine they are one of the characters writing a letter to another character in the story. This writer may be either formal or informal depending on the scenario presented. This will give students realistic letter-writing practice while also getting them to engage closely with the text and responding imaginatively to its themes.

2. THE AGONY AUNT

Either offer a range of possible life predicaments or cut out the questions from the ‘agony aunt’ page of a local newspaper. Students must write back offering advice in response to the predicaments expressed in the question or predicament. The response should be written in full letter format. This activity also lends itself to a number of variations. The response may be written to a close friend, for example, or written from the perspective of a professional agony aunt employing a more formal tone and presentation.

3. A LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Have students think of their favorite candy bar or clothing item. Encourage them to imagine they have bought this product lately and found it to be substandard. Students must write a formal letter of complaint to the manufacturer outlining their complaint and recommending a course of action to satisfactorily resolve that complaint. They must use all the features of a formal letter as outlined above.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HANDWRITTEN LETTERS LOOK OLD AND AUTHENTIC.

SIGNING-OFF

As students become more confident in their understanding of letter writing formats, encourage them to exchange letters with each other for peer assessment. You may wish to provide them with a checklist of features to look for while reading over their partner’s work.

Letter-writing can also be a great way to partner up with schools overseas, often children studying English as a second language will be delighted to receive letters from (and write to) students in English-speaking countries. And though email increasingly encroaches on the traditional territory of the letter, many of skills garnered in the practice of letter writing are transferable to the modern manifestation. There is ample opportunity here to link letter-writing learning with approaches to writing emails too.

Letter-writing can provide a focus for a wide range of learning objectives, while also teaching students valuable practical skills that will serve them well beyond their school years, both in their personal and work lives. And who knows, perhaps in years to come one of the letters your student writes in your class may become a treasured keepsake in someone’s bedside drawer.

How to write a letter in English

All letters in English are divided into formal or business letters (letters to customers, clients, suppliers, letters-summaries, letters-complaints) and informal or personal (to friends or relatives). In terms of form and structure, business and personal letters are almost the same, the only difference is in the style of writing.

Writing and types of formal letters

There are several types of formal letters: a letter of request, a cover letter, a reminder letter, a thank-you letter, a letter of complaint, a CV letter, a request letter, a memorandum, etc. A separate area is business electronic correspondence.

In their turn, all of these letters are divided into those that require an answer and those that do not, as well as into regulated and unregulated.

There are a number of restrictions in business correspondence, for example, on the use of abbreviations and smiles — exceptions are only for emails. In addition, you must be sure that the recipient understands these contractions.

No need to start or end business correspondence with words of regret. Better greet the addressee and mention a few positive points.

Always write about the files enclosed in the letter, if there are such accompanying documents.

Informal letters

There are a thank-you letter, a letter of congratulations and a letter of recommendation. In personal correspondence there are no restrictions: you can freely express your thoughts using informal phrases, smileys, abbreviations, etc.

General structure of the letter in English

Paragraph 1. In the upper right corner, specify the date and the address of the sender. You can also add a company logo, a coat of arms and requisites, if the letter is of a formal nature.

Paragraph 2. Greeting. If the letter is formal, start it with the phrase «Dear Mr / Mrs + surname of the recipient». «Dear + name» is an informal beginning. If you do not know the name or surname of the addressee, start with the phrase «Dear Sir / Madam / Miss…». After that, put a comma and proceed to the body of the letter.

Paragraph 3. The body of the letter.
— Introductory phrase. Start with a phrase that explains the purpose of your letter. Thank for the previous letter of the recipient. Apologize, if you did not write a long time. Mention a fact from the previous letter, when you write to friends.
— Main text. In this part, discover the essence, the problem and all aspects of your letter. Be brief and concise if the letter is of a formal nature.
— Addition. Here you can mention your wishes, recommend or advise something.

Paragraph 4. The final part. Thank the addressee and mention further contacts.

Paragraph 5. The signature. Indicate your name, position and contacts. Complete the letter with the phrase

«Best regards,
(your name and surname)».

You can also specify the name of the company in which you work.