How to end a letter in English. Writing a letter to a friend in English. Complaints in English or how to make it clear that you are not happy
When I was studying for a master's degree in Germany, I asked myself the same question - how to finish a letter in German correctly when I write an application to the rector, send a resume to an employer, or ask unfamiliar classmates what they asked about film theory. In English I knew how to do all this (so it seemed to me), and German was a new language in which I spoke much better than I wrote. Every time Google "saved" me, and then it turned out that it only spoiled my relationships with people. I didn't understand how the signature hierarchy works. When I write too imposingly, and when my last phrase in the letter is excessively and inappropriately formal? I know that for many people who communicate with clients, partners and investors in English, this hierarchy is also incomprehensible. What I mean? Let's look at an example of how to start letters.
name question
The standard error is to translate a phrase in Russian up to a comma. For example: “Hello, Mr. Peter!” or “Hello, Peter!” In English, you don't put a comma before your address, and you rarely see an exclamation mark at the end of a greeting, unless a bosom friend writes to you in the style of “Hey you!” or “Hey Mike!”
Standard business correspondence begins with "Dear" and ends with a comma. Possible options are “Dear Mr. Jones,” “Dear James,” or “Dear friends,” if you're referring to followers, colleagues, or another group of people. “Dear Sir/Madam,” is recommended if there is no way to get the name of a person who can help you. If there is such an opportunity, but you did not use it, your letter will most likely go to the trash. If you write transmittal letter to your resume and don't know the name of the HR specialist who will be reading it, take the trouble to find out (Google is usually in the know, and is ready to help). If you're sending out VIP invitations to a conference, don't leave the word after "Dear" impersonal. People like to be called by their first names, and this is a generally accepted norm, reflecting a polite, considerate attitude towards a person.
From “friendly hugs” to a cold pool of “contacts”
At this point I am usually asked the question: What name should I call them? "Mister" or just "John"? "Miss" or "Mrs"? In short, there are two rules:
- When addressing women, always write Ms (miss) to avoid even a hint of conflict or misunderstanding. This treatment is acceptable to women of any age and any marital status.
- Always address the person the way they present themselves. If he introduces himself as John, you can text him "Dear John". If he passed away as John Smith, there is no need to shorten the distance ahead of time and omit the word “Mister”. Start your letter to him with “Dear Mr. Smith". The same rule works in reverse. If in the first letter you greeted in the style of “Dear John”, and then suddenly decided that you shouldn’t have called just by name (with the head of the representative office throughout Eastern Europe you need to be more polite), and next time write to him “Dear Mr. Smith”, you suddenly mark the distance. Sometimes it looks comical, and sometimes it can cause misunderstanding. We usually distance ourselves from people we don't particularly want to deal with or who have exceeded our credibility.
In Russian, it would look something like this. First you write: “Hi, Vasya!”, He answers you in a friendly tone and signs: “I invite you to lunch! Vasya". And you begin the next letter to Vasya with the words: “Dear Vasily Olegovich!” What would you think in Vasya's place? Most likely, Vasya will decide that he did or wrote something wrong, since he was suddenly asked to leave the “friendly hugs” zone and was again sent to the cold pool of “contacts”. John thinks the same. Therefore, if you work with foreigners, pay attention to how people introduce themselves when you get to know each other, and what signatures they put in their letters.
Simply the best
Now about signatures. There are many options, and they all mean something. What, for example, does the word “best” mean? In the same Masters, we had a professor from the USA who always ended her emails like this: “best, Susan”. At that time, for me it was a completely new rule of etiquette in English, which, as it seemed to me, I knew very well.
It turns out that this is the safest way to end business letters. The shade hierarchy looks like this:
"I wish you all the best, Susan", "All the best, Susan" and "Best, Susan"
The first option is the most official. Gradually you move towards the third option. If, when discussing who and how will present the project tomorrow, you have already exchanged letters with each other 25 times, it’s stupid to write “I wish you all the best” every time. Even "best" will already be superfluous. In recent issues, Bloomberg wrote that today people treat emails more like text messages, especially if the correspondence is in real time. That is, you immediately answer to solve some issue. It is quite acceptable to leave such letters without a greeting and without a polite farewell.
Especially with the rise in popularity of services like Slack, emails more and more like text messages: people do not say hello and goodbye, they immediately get down to business. However, when we write a letter potential client, partner or employer, the rules of etiquette still apply. Not to say hello and not to say goodbye to the person to whom you are writing for the first (and even the second) time is still impolite.
Best or warmest regards
The most favorite variant of parting in a letter in the Russian-speaking space is “best regards”. It all starts with him, especially if it is a cold letter and you have never met the addressee in your life. This option means you are polite but keep your distance. It is impersonal, and does not express any relation to the interlocutor. Later, people switch to "kind regards", thereby indicating that there is more trust in the relationship. "Warm regards" or "warmest regards" can be too "warm" goodbye if you are discussing options for the supply of equipment. Most often, people quickly switch to just "regards" and leave it for all occasions. The same Bloomberg writes that "regards" and "best" are the two most neutral and therefore the most popular ways to end letters.
What about the rest? Is "Sincerely" really "sincere" or is it a deliberately formal way of saying "goodbye"? "Cheers" is suitable when we share photos from a corporate party or is it possible to write to a client like this? In any case, your writing style reflects your attitude towards the interlocutor. Moreover, with the help of different language units, you can establish or consolidate a variety of relationships between people. I will share with you the conclusions from the real practice of communication with foreign customers, investors and managers. You can also check with publications such as Inc., Business Insider, Bloomberg, or ask Will Schwalbe, co-author of the bestseller SEND: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better. They give very similar recommendations.
So, let's look at each option separately.
"Yours Faithfully"- probably the most outdated and most official version. Expresses deep respect for the interlocutor. The phrase is quite acceptable in the countries of the Near and Middle East, but is rare in Western culture and is used only on the condition that you began the letter with the words "Dear Sir".
"Yours Sincerely" or Sincerely is a good option if you need to be especially polite, but nothing more. There is no "warmth" or "sincerity" here. This is how the lawyer ends the letter, who will still give you an unimaginable bill, or the person with whom you have a business disagreement, but it makes sense to continue to cooperate and keep a professional distance. This is how you can and should end a cover letter to a potential employer. This is how they upload a letter that began with a first name (“Dear John” / “Dear Mr. Jones”).
One nuance: "Yours Sincerely" it can really reflect your reverent and sincere attitude towards a person if you are writing a letter to a relative, family member or very close friend. But since this column is dedicated to business communication, I will focus on exactly what you may need in the office tomorrow.
Best- the safest and most popular option in business correspondence between native English speakers. When in doubt, type those four letters, a comma, and your name.
Thanks- also a safe, but boring option. People say "thank you" everywhere, even when they're not really thanking you for anything, so use it when you really want to say "thank you". Add an exclamation mark - "Thanks!" to show that you do not write this word automatically.
"Many thanks"- this is a good option if a person helped you or promised to help, and you sincerely want to express gratitude. At other times, he seems formulaic and insincere.
TTYL, TAFN, etc. So you should not write, no matter how much you want to show that you know these abbreviations. TTYL ("talk to you later") or TAFN ("that"s all for now"). Such options are unprofessional and may confuse your interlocutor who does not know them or is not used to this style of communication (Outlook is still not a messenger) .
"Looking forward". It makes sense to use this phrase if you really are going to see a person soon, meet on Skype, or discuss a project after making changes over the phone. In other cases, it is better not to use it.
"Speak with you soon" / "Talk soon"- the first option is more formal, the second - more simple. They should be used when you really intend to talk to this person soon. Otherwise, it is insincere and will not serve to improve your relationship with the interlocutor.
"More soon"- so they write when they did not provide all the information in the letter and promise to write a second one - with additions and answers to other questions. If you are not going to do this, it is better to try to write everything at once, than to be branded as a person who says and does not. Promise little, deliver a lot.
"XX"- this option should be used with caution and it is better not to initiate it yourself. I don't use it at all in business correspondence. There are a number of experts who agree with me. However, there is also an opinion that in some situations this signature is appropriate. For example, "Alisa X" is an option for friendly but still professional notes or letters if those "friendships" are already formed. If not, don't tempt fate and don't draw two crosses first. It means "Kisses".
XOXO- this option is completely unacceptable and means "I kiss and hug." Save it for close friends and anyone you want to flirt with.
Cheers- an option that signals to an American that you are most likely from England or Australia, or pretending to be related to these countries. In the United States, such a signature is used extremely rarely. Experts recommend asking yourself, "Would you say that word out loud to another person's face?" and if not, don't use it as a signature.
[“Your Name”]- if you end the letter with just your name, this is a rather "cold" and "sharp" way to say goodbye. Still, it is worth adding something before you remind the person what your name is, and thus demonstrate your attitude towards your cooperation - present or potential.
First Initial (e.g. “A”)- some in the signature do not write the full name, but only one letter. If you remember, at the beginning of the article I clarified that how you sign letters determines how you will be contacted. If a person puts one letter “W” at the end, then it’s hard to say what it means. How to contact him? Will or William? Or Wolfgang? I had a funny experience with Airbnb. I booked an apartment, and the owner signed his letters with one letter - "E". It was very embarrassing for me to start each subsequent letter with the words “Hello E”, but I had no other options. When we met, it turned out that this is a girl, a Japanese woman, and that's really her name - "I". In Japanese, this name is depicted in hieroglyphs, but the girl prefers not to complicate people's lives - in English she writes her name in one letter and asks to address her that way.
“yours”- translates as "your". The question immediately arises: "Who is yours?". This is a rather vague, but, nevertheless, quite official version of the signature. It is indeed often used, but today people are so fed up with automatic replies, mailing lists and robots that they expect real human attention to their person from letters written by real people. If you want to build a relationship with a person, invest twenty extra seconds to complete this phrase or choose another option that will bring you closer to cooperation and increase the level of trust.
"Respectfully"- a rather harsh option, and not from the present century. If you don't write a letter to the president, you can forget it. If you really cooperate with representatives government agencies and the clergy, you should sign your appeals in this way - “respectfully yours”.
"Looking forward to hearing from you"- "I look forward to your answer" can be written by the one who fulfills the request. If you ask, in no case should you end the letter like this, because you are in a hurry and put in an uncomfortable position a person who has not yet agreed to do anything for you.
take care is fine if you're concerned about the health and well-being of your friends and family, but in business, the phrase is often redundant. “You take care of yourself there” - it looks like you know about the danger that lies in wait for him, but he does not yet.
Regards- it’s even curious how polar opinions are about this word. 50% of experts write: “I hate this word! I just hate! I hate it even more when they write the abbreviated “Rgds”, as if they want to show me how busy they are - they don’t even have time to write an extra letter! But there are those who are used to such a signature, and have nothing against it. It expresses nothing but politeness and does not suggest any sympathy or warmth.
I hope that after reviewing this list, you will determine exactly which signature to choose when referring to colleagues, to management, or to a potential employer. Remember that these are not just words. Whatever you say, out loud or on paper, ultimately shapes your relationships and the subtext of your relationships with people. Develop your communication skills in English.
Sincerely yours (this is not a formality, I sincerely want to be useful to you) Natalia Tokar.
Natalia Tokar, creator of the training center UpSkillMe Business English for Ambitious Minds, author of a unique methodology for teaching business English, upskillme.ru
Surely many friends who have gone to different cities or countries do not exchange in social networks every day in short messages, and occasionally they write to each other about their lives in letters. Someone writes regular mail, someone - electronic. Writing the letter itself is easy, but how do you finish the letter? For many a problem. Today we'll talk about how to finish a letter correctly.
A letter to a friend
To properly finish a letter to a friend, first re-read the entire text, at the same time and check for errors. Perhaps you missed something that you can add at the time of checking the letter.
For yourself, you need to clearly know: do you want to receive an answer instantly or do you expect an answer when the opportunity arises? Before you write something at the end of the letter, decide on a logical link so that there is no such feeling that the letter is not finished, unless, of course, you want to intrigue the recipient.
But how to end a letter to a friend completely, leaving only a small phrase? It’s not worth saying goodbye too tediously, because you probably don’t say goodbye like that in life. When you have edited your letter, the end turned out to be meaningful and the thought is over, then at the very end at the bottom of the letter you can add phrases such as:
- Your (I) girlfriend / friend (Name);
- >Waiting for an answer;
- I want to see you soon;
- See you;
- Wait for a visit;
- Come soon;
- Kiss (NAME);
- Good luck;
- FROM Best wishes, your friend / girlfriend (Name).
Business letter
When completing a business letter, you need to check it even more carefully for errors and literacy of the text, so that everything is clearly stated, so that there is nothing superfluous, naturally without such words as “che”, “yes, no problem” and the like. Your tone should be quite trusting and fairly easy to understand.
Approaching the end of your story, you should finally interest the addressee in something, because the end of the letter is more memorable. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't show all your cards in the beginning. Gradually, you need to let the interest grow and at the end, open it completely so that your letter remains in your memory.
Before thinking about how to finish a business letter, you should write down the list of documents attached to the letter, if any. The list must be numbered, and the documents must be nested in the order in which you previously indicated. The last phrase that is used in a business letter may sound like this:
- Sincerely (Name);
- Hope for cooperation;
- With respect (Name);
- Thank you for responding to my offer.
Farewells in English in letters
When you communicate with friends or correspond with a loved one, you do not have to follow certain boundaries of communication. Somewhere you can play a joke or write a word that you would not be able to use in a business letter. This allows you to communicate more openly.
Nowadays, different slang is widespread among young people, which is incomprehensible to the older generation. One of these slangs is the replacement of Russian words with foreign ones. How to finish a letter in English is no different from the previous tips. Any letter should be checked so as not to lose face and send it with a bunch of blots and unfinished thoughts. Just at the end, you can add such a twist as a farewell in English. For example, we will provide you with a few suitable phrases:
- With Love (Name) - With love (Name);
- Talk to you later - Let's talk later;
- Good Cheers!* - Have a good mood!*;
- Best wishes (Name) - With best wishes (NAME);
- See you soon - See you soon;
- Yours, (Name) - Yours / Yours (Name);
- All the best - With best wishes;
- Thanks in advance - Thank you in advance for your reply;
- Good luck - I wish you good luck;
- Say hi to everyone - Say hello to everyone;
- Truly yours (Name) - Sincerely (Name);
- Sincerely yours (Name) - Sincerely yours / yours (Name).
« Remember the last phrase”- these are the words of the famous movie hero from one Soviet television series. The remark went “to the people” and is now a common aphorism. Indeed, last words affect the overall impression of the conversation. Therefore, when composing business or personal correspondence, you should carefully consider how to finish the letter in English and politely say goodbye to the interlocutor. The ability to tactfully and appropriately use standard cliché phrases at the end of the letter will be the subject of today's material.
A formal letter requires increased attention to the norms of politeness. With a successful business communication the end of the letter allows you to enhance the effect of the above text.
The ending in a business letter should make a favorable impression: there should not be obsession, excessive emotionality, flattery, bias, and even more rudeness and hostility. Therefore, in business correspondence, it is customary to use impersonal speech clichés. The table below shows the standard phrases that often appear in the completion of a business letter in English.
| Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. | If you need more information, please feel free to contact me. |
| We would appreciate your cooperation in this matter. | We would appreciate your cooperation in this matter. |
| Thanks for your extremely helpful attention to this matter. | Thank you for your extremely helpful attention to this issue. |
| Thanks again for your attention, consideration, and time. | Thank you again for your attention, your interest and your time. |
| We look forward to building a strong business relationship in the future. | Looking forward to establishing a successful and strong cooperation in the future. |
| We take this opportunity of thanking you for your assistance. | We take this opportunity to thank you for your assistance. |
| We are looking forward to your confirmation. | We are waiting for your confirmation. |
| We look forward to hearing from you soon. | We hope to receive a prompt reply. |
| It's always a pleasure doing business with you. | It's always a pleasure to do business with you. |
| Assuring you of our best attention at all times. | We are ready to listen to you at any time. |
These expressions will help to beautifully complete the text of the message. But this is not the whole ending, because. no letter in English needs a signature. Usually this short remark expresses their respect or wishes for success. The translation of many of these phrases into Russian coincides, and even when switching to English, they are used almost interchangeably, except with very small emotional differences.
A business letter in English may end with a signature of the following form:
- Yoursfaithfully* - with sincere respect;
- Respectfully yours* – respectfully;
- Sincerelyyours-Yours sincerely;
- With gratitude- sincerely grateful
- With gratitude- sincerely grateful;
- Thanks and regards- with gratitude and best wishes;
- bestregards – with best wishes;
- kindregards- with good wishes;
- bestwishes- with wishes of success.
* These expressions are used only if the writer does not personally know the addressee of his letter.
Paying tribute to the accepted norms of courtesy, they put a comma and write the personal data of the signatory on a new line: first name, last name and position held. This letter ends.
So, we figured out the official messages and learned how to finish them beautifully. But one more important question remained unsolved: how can one complete a letter to a friend in English or an appeal to foreign relatives? We will discuss this in detail in the next section.
English phrases of farewell in friendly correspondence
Informal correspondence also adheres to a polite tone, but provides incomparably more opportunities for expressing emotions and emphasizing the closeness and warmth of relationships. Therefore, there are a very large number of answers to the question of how to finish a letter in English in personal correspondence.
Let's start with the fact that an informal text should also have a logical conclusion: a kind of last note or a final line. And sometimes it is at the finishing stage that a stupor occurs: you write about the latest news and events, and a beautiful end to the letter does not come to mind.
Of course, everyone has their own style of writing letters, but even in friendly correspondence formulaic phrases are common. Don't know how to finish your English letter? Feel free to choose and write one of the expressions below. In our material, they are also highlighted in a separate table.
| Well got to go now. | Well, that's probably all. |
| Anyway, I must go and get with my work. | Anyway, it's time for me to go and do my job. |
| I must finish my letter because I must go to bed. | I have to finish the letter because it's time for me to sleep. |
| Do keep in touch! | Let's be in touch! |
| I'm sorry I must go to ... | I'm sorry, but I have to go now.... |
| I have much to work to do. | I have a lot of unfinished business. |
| Hope to hear from you soon. | Hope to hear from you soon. |
| Well, I must finish now. | Well, it's time for me to wrap up. |
| Write back soon! | Answer quickly! |
| Write soon and let me know all the news. | Write back soon and let me know about all the news. |
| Can't wait to hear from you! | I can't wait to hear from you again! |
| Don't forget to write! | Don't forget to write! |
| Please, tell me more about… | Please tell me more about…. |
| Let me know what happens. | Let me know what's going on with you. |
| Drop me a line when you're free | When you're free, write me a couple of lines. |
| Bye for now! | And now goodbye! |
| Have a nice day! | Have a good day! |
Other English topics: Writing in English from A to Z: detailed explanations, speech clichés + sample with translation
Using these clichés, you can give a beautiful and meaningful look to any letter.
It remains only to put a polite formula and your initials. There are just a lot of signature options for an informal letter, but we have selected the best and most frequently used examples from it. So you don’t have to think long about how to sign a letter either.
If the addressee of your message is relatives or good friends, it would be appropriate to use such forms of farewell as:
- Yours cordially- cordially yours;
- Yours ever – always yours;
- Eternally yours- always yours;
- Your loving brother- Your loving brother;
- your friend – Your friend;
- Your very sincere friend- Your devoted friend;
- bestwishes – Best wishes;
- Give my regards to… - Send greetings ...;
- Allthebest – Best wishes.
If you and your interlocutor are very close friends or you have a warm romantic relationship, then the following wishes will come to the rescue:
- Affectionately- With tenderness;
- Lots of love- I love you very much;
- Lots of kisses – Kisses;
- Hugs- I hug;
- With love and kisses- Love and kisses;
- With all my love– With all love;
- Passionately yours – Passionately yours;
- Always and forever Yours forever and ever;
- Missingyou – Missing You;
- sendmyloveto… – Send my regards…;
- takecare – Take care;
- Tillnexttime– Until next time;
- Seeyousoon – See you soon;
- Seeya- See you;
- Cheers– Bye ;
- Ciao– Chao!
And after expressing our feelings, do not forget to put a comma, and sign your name on a new line.
Now we are familiar with the rules for processing all types of correspondence. But still, it is better to see a complete sample of writing once than to read a theory abstracted from practice several times. At the end of the material, we suggest you look at examples English letters different character with Russian translation.
How to finish a letter in English - samples and excerpts from correspondence
In this section, you will find several examples that clearly show the format of letters in English, as well as the correspondence between their styles and forms of politeness.
Letter of congratulation
| Dear Daniel and dear Sarah,
Please accept our warmest congratulation on your silver wedding anniversary! It seems like you joined your fates only yesterday. Yet twenty-five years have passed since that wonderful day. With great pleasure we want to wish such an ideal couple all the best: a lot of love, much healthy, eternal youth and long and happy life together! It's a delight to be your friends! Best wishes for your anniversary Jonathan and Elizabeth Livingston |
Dear Daniel and Sarah,
Please accept our heartiest congratulations on your silver wedding anniversary!
It seems that you connected your destinies just yesterday. It's been 25 years since that wonderful day.
With great pleasure, we want to wish such an ideal couple only the best things: a lot of love, good health, eternal youth and a long and happy life together. Being your friends is an honor and a pleasure!
With best wishes on your anniversary,
Jonathan and Elizabeth Livingston.
Letters to a friend
| Hey Emily!
I'm still waiting for the book which you promised to send me at our last meeting. You don't write to me since then but obviously you have a lot on your plate right now. Anyway, I`m going to visit you in a week and we have a chance to meet.What do you think about it? Drop me a line when you are free. |
Hey Emily!
I'm still waiting for that book you promised to send me at our last meeting. Since then, you have not written to me, apparently, you are now very busy with business.
Anyway, I'm going to visit you in a week and we can meet. What do you think about that? Scribble a couple of lines when you're free.
| Dear Jack,
Many thanks for your letters! Lovely to hear from you! I must apologize for not writing earlier. I worked very much and didn't have any free time. But now I can tell you about my news. Since yesterday I'm on vacation. My boss let me go on vacation for a month. I am very glad, now I can go to Spain, finally! I saved money for this travel for two years, and yesterday I have boughta round trip ticket to Barcelona. I'll spend two weeks in Barcelona. You cannotimagine how muchI dreamed about it! I am just in seventh heaven! Later, when I'll return Moscow, I'll go to my parents. They live in Sankt-Petersburg. I spent my childhood in the city of Sankt-Petersburg, so I have many friends there.I will be very pleased to meet with them. After this trip to the city of my childhood, I'll return Moscow again and write you all my experiences. Well, I must finish now. Hope to hear from you soon! With love and kisses |
Dear Jack,
Thank you very much for your letter! It's great to hear from you!
I must apologize for not writing sooner. I worked very hard and didn't have a minute of free time. But now I can tell you about my news.
I have been on vacation since yesterday. My boss allowed me to go on vacation for a whole month. I am very happy, now I can go to Spain, finally! I saved up money for this trip for two years, and yesterday I bought round-trip tickets to Barcelona. I will spend two weeks in Barcelona. You can't even imagine how much I dreamed about this! I'm just in seventh heaven!
Later, when I return to Moscow, I will go to my parents. They live in St. Petersburg. I spent my childhood in Saint Petersburg, so I have many friends there. I will be very pleased to meet them. After this trip to the city of my childhood, I will return to Moscow again and write you all my impressions.
Well, it's time for me to wrap up. Hope to hear from you again soon.
Love and kisses,
Excerpts from business letters
Please accept our sincere apologies for the recent inconvenience. Rest assured that we will take all necessary measures to ensure that this does not happen again in the future. As compensation, we have issued a 30% discount on your order.
Once again we apologize for the inconvenience caused.
All the best,
Robert Fletcher
General manager
Views: 1 326
English culture is inconceivable without the art of correspondence. For centuries, English ladies and gentlemen have exchanged exquisite messages, written in accordance with strict etiquette - it determined what to write, when and why, in what terms, at what time of the day, and on what paper. Letters were played, - and they are still playing, - essential role in people's lives: they make you laugh, surprise, intrigue, fall in love, offend to death and fill you with happiness.
7 main types of informal letters
In a personal letter, you can
1. Handling: by name, surname or using the words “ Sir/madam”:
2. Opening offer. Here you explain the purpose of your letter. This may be a complaint, consent or refusal to accept an invitation, a response to a received letter.
3. Body of the letter: one or two paragraphs, revealing the topic.
4. Final paragraph in one or two sentences. Summarize what you have written and express your readiness to continue the correspondence. You can also thank the recipient in advance for a favor or prompt response.
5. Final wording:
6. Date and signature(not necessary).
What to look out for
- Informal writing allows you to use expressions from different styles, both business and informal, depending on the situation. You can even use colloquial style, slang, abbreviations and abbreviations. Just do not overdo it with vernacular so that your letter does not look cheeky, impolite. Some expressions in colloquial speech sound acceptable, but are inappropriate in a letter, even if the letter is informal.
- Idioms and colloquial expressions enrich the language of your writing - feel free to use them.
- Follow the structure of the letter, do not overload sentences with complex constructions and develop the idea consistently.
- It is customary to leave a blank line between paragraphs for visual convenience. For the same reason, it is advised to start each paragraph with a small indent at the beginning of the first line if you are writing by hand.
- Use the time when you want to express your expectations (“ I am looking forward to hearing from you…” - “Looking forward to your answer ...”) or about the purpose of your letter (“ I am writing to you on behalf of/with regard to…”-“ I am writing to you at the request / occasion ...”). Use or when reporting news or describing recent events.
- try break the body of the letter into at least two or three paragraphs instead of trying to fit everything you want to say into one big paragraph. Information is perceived much better, being divided into logical parts.
- End the letter with a question to the addressee to initiate the continuation of the correspondence. So you show that you are interested in communication and are waiting for his answer - and this will be a logical conclusion to the letter.
1. Letter of invitation
There are unofficial, semi-official and. Such a letter should contain additional information about the event (address, date and time, dress code of the event) and, if necessary, clear instructions on how to get to the venue.
Opening phrase:
Closing phrase:
|
We would be grateful if you could… |
We will be grateful if you can... |
|
Please indicate whether you would be able to attend… |
Please let me know if you can attend... |
|
I hope you can make it… |
Hope to see you... |
|
Hope you can come. |
Hope you can come. |
|
Looking forward to seeing you at… |
Looking forward to our meeting… |
|
Please let me know if you can come. |
Please let me know if you can come. |
2. Letter of acceptance of the invitation
There are informal, semi-official and business. Contains a clear and unequivocal consent to attend the event.
Opening phrase:
Closing phrase:
|
We await the event with great anticipation. |
We are looking forward to this event. |
|
I will be looking forward to the party. See you then. |
I'm looking forward to the party. See you. |
|
We are really looking forward to your party. |
We look forward to receiving you*. |
* Stylistically, in this case, the definition of “reception” rather than “party” is more suitable for translating the word party, since the construction of the phrase is quite formal and it most likely refers to an official and semi-official reception.
3. Letter rejecting an invitation
There are informal, semi-official and business. Expresses refusal to accept an invitation.
Opening phrase:
Closing phrase:
|
I am sorry to miss the opportunity of greeting you in person. |
I'm sorry I miss the opportunity to congratulate you in person. |
|
Thank you again for the invitation. |
Thanks again for the invitation. |
|
I hope we will have another opportunity to meet/celebrate… |
I hope we get another chance to meet/celebrate. |
|
I am really sorry I will have to miss it. |
I'm really sorry that I won't be able to attend. |
|
I'm sure we can get together some other time. |
I'm sure we can meet another time. |
4. Letter of apology
It also happens business and informal. The letter should contain an apology and explain why anyone was inconvenienced or why duties or promises could not be fulfilled.
Opening phrase:
Closing phrase:
|
Once again, my sincerest apologies for… |
Once again, I would like to offer you my sincere apologies for... |
|
I hope you understand. |
I hope you understand me. |
|
I hope my apologies will be accepted… |
I hope my apologies will be accepted... |
|
I know there is no excuse good enough for… and I just hope you can forgive and understand me. |
I know that all my apologies are not enough for... and I only hope |
5. Letter with a response to an advertising offer
There are business and semi-formal.
Usually contains a request additional information or a request to clarify and supplement the information received earlier.
Opening phrase:
Closing phrase:
"Yes" and "no" personal letter
These rules must be followed:
- No matter how informal your letter is, always be polite.
- State the purpose of the letter from the very beginning.
- Use adverbs and conjunctions to link your thoughts in a logical chain: then(then), later(later), but(but), at the same time(in the same time), finally(finally).
- Start a new thought on a new line: text that is not divided into paragraphs is difficult to perceive.
- Be restrained in expressing emotions, especially in semi-formal letters (complaint, congratulations, invitations, etc.).
And this is to be avoided:
- Do not overuse exclamation marks, even if you are writing to a friend or close relative.
- Don't forget about introductory and closing phrases - if the letter has a clearly defined logical structure, it is easier to read and understand.
- Do not jump from thought to thought, do not write haphazardly. Thoughts should be arranged in a logical sequence.
- Do not use long ones with numerous minor members and . The purpose of the letter - informal as well - is to convey your thoughts to the addressee the first time, and not force him to re-read every sentence in order to understand the meaning of the message.
Now that you have become familiar with the basic rules for writing informal letters, we offer you quite interesting example informal writing in English. Such letters have become a real flash mob of the English-speaking Internet: they are written by actors, singers, famous bloggers. Write yourself such a letter and you: this is a great way to turn to your inner self (albeit a sixteen-year-old) and take stock of a certain period of your life:
Letter to My
|
Letter
|
| I've got so many things to tell you, and so many details of my life, both happy and sad. But I think I would have to write a book to describe it all; so I will just focus on what is important for you in those difficult times you will have in 1996. | There are so many things I want to tell you, so many stories from my life, both happy and sad ... But I think I would have to publish a book to describe them all, so I will only focus on what is important to you in 1996 , in not the easiest times for you. |
| You don't need to be that devastated by what Sally did to you. I know it hurts, it is unfair, and nothing seems to be the same anymore, but just try not to do anything stupid only to decrease pain, because you will only hurt some nice people for no reason. Anyways, your grief will vanish without a trace in a month or so. Here is one little tip for you: on September 16, at 2pm, go to a bus station near your school. Just ask a girl standing there with Whitman's Leaves of Grass in her hands something about poetry. This simple act of curiosity will change your entire life, I promise. | Don't kill yourself like that because of what Sally did. I know it hurts you, you were treated unfairly, and it seems to you that things will never be the same as before. Just try not to do anything stupid just to numb the pain, because that way you will harm for no reason. good people. And your grief will pass without a trace somewhere in a month. Here's a little tip for you: on September 16 at 2:00 pm, go to the bus stop near the school. Ask the girl standing there with a volume of Whitman's Leaves of Grass something about poetry. This simple display of curiosity will change your whole life, I promise. |
| Listen to yourself, to your own wishes and beliefs. I know it sounds unoriginal, but it works. Now you feel oppressed by the expectations of your parents, relatives, friends, and society. It may be hard to step over your parents' wishes on your account. But it is just how everything goes: it's you or everybody else. You have only two options: either spend your entire life doing not exactly what you wanted and trying to please people around you; or you can do something for yourself, live a happier life, and make others adapt to your decisions. By the way, don't worry: you will make the right decision. Thank you for that. | Listen to yourself, your desires and beliefs. I know it sounds trite, but it will work. Now you are under pressure from the expectations of your parents, relatives, friends and society. It can be difficult for you to overstep the wishes of your parents for your own sake. But such is life: either you or the rest. You have only two options: either spend the rest of your life doing something you don't want to do and trying to please others, or do something for yourself, live happily and leave others the right to adapt to your decisions. By the way, don't worry, you will right choice. Thank you for this. |
| And, in a nutshell, just a couple more tips. Don't start smoking cigarettes. I know (believe me) you think that smoking cigarettes looks cool and rebellious, but the truth is that tobacco will turn you into a walking ruin even before you reach 30. Don’t drive so fast on May 11, 2003; learning how to walk and using help when going to bathrooms is reasonable only in childhood, but not when you are 23. Boldly accept that weird job offer in 2006 despite all your doubts; it will help you keep afloat when everyone around you will be losing their jobs two years later. Finally—just stay as positive and open-hearted as you've always been. In any complicated situation remember that in the end it will all be for the better. | And just a couple more tips. Don't start smoking. I know (trust me) you think it looks cool and rebellious, but tobacco will turn you into a walking wreck by 30. Don't drive so fast May 11, 2003 as a child, but not when you are 23. Feel free to accept that strange job offer in 2006, rejecting all doubts; it will help you stay afloat when everyone around you loses their jobs two years from now. Finally, just stay as positive and open as you have always been. In any difficult situation, remember that, in the end, everything is for the best. |
|
your life will be just great, believe me! |
The exam asks for an excerpt from a letter from your potential pen pal. The letter contains some news and several questions where you are asked for opinions, advice, etc.
You are required to write a response letter, starting with your short return address in the upper right corner, the date below the address, greetings and ending with a farewell phrase and name.
First of all, in order to write a letter, you need to know the rules of spelling and punctuation of the English language and try to follow them - the person to whom you addressed the letter will be pleased to read a well-written letter.
One of the tasks in English both in the USE and in the USE is writing a personal letter in response to a letter from an “English-speaking pen-friend.” It is included in part C, as is writing an essay in English. At the same time, if in the Unified State Examination the length of the letter is 100-140 words, then in the Unified State Exam a limit of 100-120 words is set, because. in the exam, the task is given to ask 3 questions, and in the exam - just answer the letter, although, in any case, if you write questions, it will be a plus.
Writing a letter to foreign language is a simple task that must be completed as quickly as possible in order to leave time for other tasks. So, consider the uniform rules for writing a personal letter. To make it easier to understand everything, watch a specially selected video site:
In the upper right corner specify the address in the following order (reverse order to Russian):
- flat
- house number, street name
- city
- country
It is allowed to indicate the address in a short form, for example:
Moscow
Russia
Under the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:
June 4th, 2012
June 4, 2012
or less formally:
04/06/12
The letter begins with an informal address. If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, it should be invented:
Dear Tim,
Dear Rebecca,
You need to put a comma after the call!
Divide the text of the letter into several logical paragraphs, each of which start with a red line.
1. In the first paragraph, you should thank your friend for his letter:
Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
Your last letter was a real surprise.
I was glad to get your letter.
It was great to hear from you! / It was great to hear that… / I was happy to hear…
You can also apologize for not writing earlier:
Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
and / or mention any fact from the received letter:
I'm glad you passed your History test!
Sounds like you had a great time in London!
Great news about your…!
2. The body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). In it, you must disclose all the aspects indicated in the assignment. Don't forget to ask the necessary questions.
The letter is supposed to be written in an informal style, so you can use informal linking words such as well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions like Guess what? Or Wish me luck! as well as exclamation marks.
3. In the last paragraph, explain why you are ending the letter:
Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
Anyway, I have to go now because my Mum asked me to help her with the washing up.
I've got to go now! It's time for my favorite TV show.
and mention further contacts:
Write (back) soon!
Take care and keep in touch!
Drop me a letter when you can.
Hope to hear from you soon.
I can't wait to hear from you!
At the end of the letter, a final cliche phrase is indicated on a separate line, which depends on how close the author and the addressee are. It is always followed by a comma! Below are the possible options from the least formal (1) to the more formal (8):
- love,
- lots of love,
- All my love
- All the best
- best wishes,
- With best wishes
- yours,
- warm regards,
On the next line, under the final phrase, the author's name is indicated (without a surname!). For example:
Andy or Kate
Thus, a letter to a friend looks like this:
Writer's address (indicated in the upper right corner)
Date of letter (under address)
appeal,
At the beginning of the letter, the author usually a) thanks the addressee for the previously received correspondence; b) apologizes for not writing earlier.
The main body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). It must be disclosed
all aspects specified in the task.
Be sure to ask all the necessary questions.
At the end of the letter, the author usually mentions the reason for the end of the letter, as well as further contacts (cliché phrases are used).
final phrase,
Signature of the author (name)
Template for writing a letter in English
13 Ostozhenka street
I was so happy to get your letter! I can't wait to meet you in July! I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
You asked me to tell you about… Well, …
By the way, …? …? …?
Unfortunately, I'd better go now as I've got loads of homework to do (as always). Take care and keep in touch!
It might be useful to read:
- What is needed to open a sole proprietorship;
- Dry cleaning activities Okvad laundry and dry cleaning;
- Is a special assessment of working conditions necessary?;
- Factor analysis of the payroll;
- Fill out an application for opening a sole proprietorship;
- How to open a sports bar with minimal investment;
- Perfect competition: features and distribution;
- Information to be included in the sample;