Key phrases for writing in English. Strategies for completing tasks in the "writing" section. Body text of the letter
Hello fellow triplets! Why triplets? Why else would you look for letter template in English for GIA or USE? Seriously though, jokes aside. Such a preparation is also useful for excellent students, because it is necessary to clearly know the structure of the letter, greeting, conclusion, as well as the placement of commas.
Bold type at the beginning and end of the letter indicates mandatory sentences.- - - - - sample - - - - -
Moscow
Russia
May 27, 2013
Dear Kelly,(we substitute the name of a pen pal, a comma is required, skip one line)
Thanks for your letter.It was great to hear from you! Well done on passing your exam! (driving test)
Next comes the main part. Here are some options:
1. I'm happy to hear that ... (e.g. you're going to visit me this summer). And continue on the topic of the letter.
2. Great news about your new computer!
3. I’m sorry to hear that…(e.g. you’ve had an argument with your best friend)…
4. (In your letter) you ask(ed) me about/how (e.g. we celebrate Christmas in Russia)
5. As for my plans for the summer holidays…
Now about my plans for the summer holidays.
The main body has 2-3 paragraphs, united by one topic.
*** In addition, USE students need to ask three on the subject of the letter, for example:
Where did you spend your summer vacation?
Have you passed your exam in chemistry?
Is your dog getting better after the accident?***
The ending of the letter is the same for all letters, and with options for adding or removing some expressions depending on the number of words. Options for you in brackets:
(Well, that's all for now.) Anyway, I've got to go now. Loads of homework!
(Send my love to your parents)
Can't wait to hear from you! or
Write back soon,
(Lots of) love,(comma required)
carol
— — — — — end of pattern — — — — —
Recalculate the questions and check,
on theallwhetheryoureactedfromtasks. If suddenly there are not enough questions, you can do P.S.
Thus, there is no need to spend time on the introduction and conclusion, only on the main part. But every time you write a letter during preparation, you need to completely write the memorized parts. And you will know the number of words in them in advance.
And I also recommend remembering expressions like by the way; talking about your trip… etc.
Read other related articles:
Letter plan
Or how will it all look on paper?
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 played - and still play - the most important 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 for 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 got acquainted with the basic rules for writing informal letters, we offer you a rather interesting example of an informal letter 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 something stupid just to numb the pain, because that way you hurt good people for no reason. 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'll make the 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 before 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! |
This article covers a letter to a friend - the basic rules of writing, the scheme of the letter, the correct spelling of the address, samples of opening and closing sentences, addresses to the addressee, as well as a large number of examples of different letters, including a letter about how I spent my holidays. Guided by these data, you can easily compose any letter to your friends.
There are several types of letters according to the purpose of writing them: communication support, requests, applying for a job, complaints, news transmission, support for business transactions, and others. All these types of letters can be divided into personal or informal (letters to friends, for example) and official - formal. Informal letters in English, which include a letter to a friend, are written simply, but with a structure. This letter is divided structurally into 5 sections.
A letter to a friend is written according to the scheme
The scheme and examples of opening and closing sentences will help you compose any letter to your friends.
1. Heading.
The header contains the address from where the letter was sent and the date it was written. In English-speaking countries, it is customary to write the address in the following order:
house, street
City area, county
City
State, county
Postal code
Country
It is usually placed in the upper right corner of the letter. If you and your friend live in the same country, then the country in the address can be omitted. Under the address, it is written, usually in one of two formats:
2. Salutation or Greetings
Is written My Dear or Dear before the name of a relative, Dear before a friend's name, followed by a comma:
My Dear Igor,
Dear Phil,
3. Body of the letter
Consists of 3 parts: opening sentence ( Opening sentence
), main message and closing sentence ( Closing Lines
). Example expressions for Opening Sentence
in a letter to a friend: 
The main message should consist of short sentences written in a conversational manner. It may contain abbreviations, idioms, phrasal verbs, slang, and other colloquial expressions, including exclamations with the "!" sign.
The final sentence expresses the respect and hope you have for a friend (or relative): 
4. Signing a letter (Complementary closing - Subscription)
The signing depends on the relationship between you and your friend:
All the best
best wishes,
See you soon
take care,
yours,
lots of love,
love,
Yours affectionately/lovingly,
Your affectionate daughter / brother / mother, - for relatives
Yours sincerely / Sincerely yours, - for friends
Usually such a signature is placed under the letter on the left side, but some cultures prefer the right side.
5. Signature ( Signature)
The signature and name of the sender are placed under Complementary closing.
6. Postscript - after writing
Also, a letter to a friend may contain the following abbreviation:
P.S. (post script) - used when you want to add more information after the letter has already been signed.
P.S.V.P. - means in French "please answer" if the letter contained an invitation to somewhere.
Letter to a friend - examples
Jane's letter
65 Allendale Road
London-GI5 8SG
February 20, 2014
How are you doing? I'm just writing to let you know that everything is all right now. This is a nice quiet place. The people are friendly, and the weather is warm. We've been staying here for ten days now, and we are already used to it.
I walk a lot, but Phil just spends his time reading newspapers and writing business letters. Sometimes we are going for a walk together.
Last week I went to the nearest park. This is a wonderful very beautiful place. I saw a lot of squirrels, they were so noisy and begged for food all the time. I gave them all the peanuts that I had. There is also a small pond at the park with ducks and beautiful water lilies.
Next week I'm going to start writing my new book, and it's going to be very hard work. That is all for now.
Give my regards to Paul and the family. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Your loving sister
Ann
Translation of the letter:
Dear Jane,
How are you? I'm just writing to let you know that everything is fine. It's a nice quiet place. The people are friendly and the weather is warm. We have been here for ten days now and we are already used to it.
I walk a lot, but Phil just spends his time reading newspapers and writing business letters. Sometimes we go for a walk together.
Last week I went to the nearest park. This is a very beautiful place. I saw a lot of squirrels, they were so noisy and asked for food all the time. I gave them all the nuts I had. Here in the park there is also a small pond with ducks and beautiful water lilies.
I'm going to start writing my new book next week and it's going to be a lot of hard work. It's all.
Hello Paul and family. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Your loving sister
Anna
Letter to Elizabeth
Translation of this letter:
Dear Elizabeth,
How are you? I feel refreshed after an amazing vacation last week when my family and I went to Blue Lake for a vacation.
Every morning we walked to the lake, sat in comfortable chairs and threw in fishing lines. I caught a rainbow trout that weighed two pounds. After our fishing adventures, we jumped into the cool lake and refreshed ourselves. Sometimes we splashed on each other and played games. In the evening we cooked a delicious trout barbecue. We wish you were there too!
Your friend
Sammy
Letter to a friend about the holidays
All sample letters are given in English with translation into Russian in pdf format.
Topic: task 39 - writing a personal letter.
Kabanova Olga Ivanovna, English teacher, MBOU "School No. 91 with in-depth study of individual subjects", Nizhny Novgorod.
Material Description: Your attention is invited to the rules for writing various types of letters of a personal nature.
Purpose of material: this material will be useful for teachers, students, tutors who seek to achieve a certain level of foreign language training for students in order to pass the unified state exam in English.
Target: preparation for the exam in English.
Tasks:
- to acquaint with the strategy for completing task 39 - writing a personal letter;
- to acquaint with the volume and structure of writing a letter;
- pay attention to the types of letters;
- indicate the characteristic features of personal letters;
- recommend using the language repertoire when writing various letters of a personal nature;
- pay attention to the clarification of the criteria for assessing task 39.
USE in English. Personal letter - task 39.
The main purpose of the USE in foreign languages is to determine the level of training of secondary school graduates in a foreign language for the purpose of their final certification and selection for admission to higher educational institutions.
In the basic level task, it is necessary to write a personal letter to good acquaintances, friends, relatives or a foreign pen friend in response to a letter, an excerpt from which is given in the task. It talks about the latest news, personal problems, requests the necessary information or advice. These types of letters are usually written using a colloquial (informal) style of speech.
The required volume of a personal letter in task 39 is 100-140 words. A deviation from the given volume is allowed, but it should not exceed 10% (154 words), only that part of the work that corresponds to the required volume is subject to verification. Thus, when checking task 39, 140 words are counted from the beginning of work and only this part of the letter is evaluated. If the volume of the task is less than 90 words, then the task is not subject to verification and is estimated at 0 points.
When determining the compliance with the volume of the submitted work, all words are considered, from the first word to the last, including auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, particles. In a personal letter, the address, date, signature are also counted. Wherein:
- contracted forms don't, won't, can't, it's, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, for example 25, 2017, 134 900, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, together with the symbol for percentages, for example 90%, 5%, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in words are considered as words;
- compound words, such as fifty-five, good-looking, are considered as one word;
- abbreviations such as TV, UK, CD count as one word.
This task is evaluated (maximum 6 points) in terms of solving a communicative task (2 points), organization of the text of the letter (2 points), language design of the text of the letter (2 points).
Letters are written for many different reasons. They may include e:
- giving information or asking information;
- writing to apologize;
- making complaints or arrangements;
- offering suggestions;
- asking for permission or information;
- giving advice or asking for advice;
- expressing gratitude etc.
Two or more reasons for writing could appear in the same letter. We write letters to keep in touch with our friends and relatives. Writing a letter to a friend is like a conversation on paper.
Letter of information
- I am just writing to tell you that…
- This is just to let you know that…
- I am writing to let you know that…
- You must be wondering what's happened to us all.
- Here is our news at the moment.
Letter of apology (Letter of apology)
- I am really sorry that I forgot about…
- I am writing to apologize for (in anything)… to (in front of someone)…
- I am sorry I couldn't make it…
- It will never happen again...
Letter of complaint (Letter of complaint)
- I am writing to complain to (to someone)… of (to something)…
- I must express my dissatisfaction with…
- I am afraid I must ask you…
Letter of invitation
- I am writing to invite you to…
- I am having a party. Would you like to come?
- I hope you will be able to join us.
- I hope you will be able to make/do it.
- I would be pleased if you could accept my invitation.
Thank you letter (Thank you letter)
- I have just read your letter. Thank you for it.
- Thank you for …ing. It seems to me that …
- I am very grateful for your answer. in my mind,
- I am writing to thank you so much / very much for…
- It was very kind / nice of you to ...
- The party was great! You were very kind / helpful / hospitable for which I am very grateful.
- I really appreciated your opinion. I agree / disagree with the idea that…
- I would like to thank you for ...
- I thank you for your help in this matter.
Congratulations letter
- Congratulation on…!
- I am writing to congratulate you on passing your exams.
- You really were the best…
- You deserve…
Letter of request
- I wonder if it is all possible for you to ...?
- Could you please…?
-I wonder if you could...?
- I would be very grateful if you would / could ...
- Would it be possible for you to…?
- I am writing to ask you for help.
- I am writing to ask you to do me a favour.
- I wonder if I could ask you to…
- I would so/really grateful if you could…
Letter of advice
- If I were you, I would…
- I would recommend...
- My advice is to…
- It would be a good idea to…
- You should/shouldn't...
- Why don't you…?
- Don't forget to...
- Have you thought of …ing?
Useful Vocabulary of a Personal Letter
Language repertoire of personal writing
You can indicate your personal address briefly - only the city and country.
The address is written in the upper right corner of the letter: Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
II.Date
The date is written under the address in the upper right corner 29/05/2017, the expert counts the date as one word when checking a personal letter. Other options are possible: May 29 th, 2017 or May 29, 2017.
III. greeting
Dear Sally,
The appeal is written not in the middle of the sheet, but on its left side, without indenting the red line one line from the address. Title: Dear + the name you find in the assignment. Don't forget to put a comma after the call. After the appeal, proceed to write the main part of the letter. Each new paragraph should be written with a red line.
IV. introduction.
In the first paragraph, gratitude is written for the letter received and a link to previous contacts is indicated.
Regret:
I have not heard from you for some time but I hope…
It has been a long time since I last heard from you;
As I haven't heard from you for ages I thought I would write to see how you are / how you are getting on.
Joy:
I got your letter yesterday, and decided to write back straightaway;
It was so good /nice to hear from you;
I always enjoy reading what you have been doing;
I "m so / really glad / happy / pleased to hear from you;
It "s very nice / kind of you to write about ... and send me your funny / excellent photos.
Gratitude:
Thank you / Thanks /A lot of thanks for your recent letter;
Thanks for your letter. It was interesting / good to hear that… (give example);
Thank you for writing such a long and funny letter.
Apologies:
I "m so / really / awfully sorry that I haven" t written for so long / ages, but ... (give reason);
Excuse me for not writing so long;
First I want to apologize for not writing so long.
News message:
Now about what has happened to me /all of us;
A few things have happened since I wrote last;
Here's our news at the moment.
Astonishment:
Just imagine!
I don't believe it!
Have you heard that...?
Do you know what?
V. Body of the letter.
The second paragraph is the body of the letter or the purpose of writing. Answers to three questions.
In your letter you ask me about … / you wanted to know if...
So I'm going to answer your questions.
Anyway, I"m writing to tell you about .../to answer your questions about...
Anyway, let me answer your questions now.
I personally think... / as for me…
It is possible to use informal style and expressions such as “By the way”, “Also”, “So”, “Well”, “That is why”, “Oh”, “Besides”, “As for”, “Anyway”.
VI. Asking questions.
The third paragraph - we ask our three questions in accordance with the assignment.
Questions to a pen-friend should be detailed. It is advisable to use different types of questions.
I also have a few questions for you.
I'm curious about…
Could you tell me about…?
VII. Reason to stop writing.
The fourth paragraph is the reason for the impossibility of further writing the letter.
Well, that's all my news.
Well /Sorry but /It "s a pity but /unfortunately / unluckily I can"t write any longer /I have to stop writing because … I must ... /have to …;
Excuse me but it "s time for me to ... (go to bed; do homework; sit for my tomorrow"s exam; tidy my room; do a project in English, etc.
VIII. final phrases.
The conclusion in which the final phrases are written. For example:
I "m looking / look forward to hearing from you;
I cannot wait to hear how you did in your exams, so write as soon as you know;
Write back soon, telling me what you have been up to;
Please write to me again soon, and tell me all your news;
That's about all from me. What about you? Write back soon, telling me what you have been doing recently;
Give… my regards if you see…, and tell… to drop me a line;
Say hello to …from me. I am looking forward to your next letter, so write soon!
Write and tell me your decision.
IX. signature.
Personal signature. For example:
Having chosen one of the phrases, you need to write the name after a comma on the next line and do not put a period after it.
All the best
yours sincerely,
With best wishes
Lots of love/love,
So long
Olga
Recommendations:
- carefully read the instructions and an excerpt from a friend's letter in English;
- plan your response letter;
- do not forget to write the address and date in the upper right corner;
- write the appeal on the left and put a comma;
- in the introductory part of the letter, express gratitude for the received letter and, possibly, an apology for not immediately writing a response;
- in the main part of the letter, answer all the questions asked and ask your questions to a pen-friend in accordance with the task;
- indicate the reason for the impossibility of further writing a letter;
- mention in the final part of the letter about future contacts, encourage a response letter;
- write a personal signature by selecting a phrase and putting a comma, on the next line write a name (do not put a dot after it);
- check the content of the letter and the correctness of its organization.
I wish you success!
The task contains an excerpt from a letter from your friend, in which he (a) talks about some events from his life. You need to write a reply letter.
The letter should be clearly structured and include the following components:
| № | Component |
| 1 | Address |
| 2 | the date |
| 3 | appeal, |
| 4,5,6 | Gratitude. Apology + reason. Connecting phrase |
| 7 | Answers on questions |
| 8 | 3 related questions |
| 9,10 | A polite end to a letter. Link to future contacts |
| 11 | final phrase, |
| 12 | Signature (Name) |
EXAMPLE OF ADDRESS IN THE USE IN ENGLISH
In the upper right corner we indicate the address (it can be short)
Moscow
Russia
If you write a full address, do not forget about the principle "from smallest to largest", namely:
- house number, street name
- city
- country
EXAMPLE OF A DATE IN THE USE 2018
Under the address, skipping the line, indicate the date (exam date, those real date!) of the letter in one of the formats:
- June 5th 2017
- June 4, 2017
- 04/05/16
Keep in mind that the dates June 5th 2017 and June 4th 2017 each contain 3 words, while 05/06/16 counts as one word.
APPLICATION TEMPLATE IN THE USE
It consists of only two words: Dear + friend's name ( Dear Tom,. Be sure to put a comma after the call! Don't bet, you'll lose points.
TEMPLATE OF GRATITUDE IN THE USE IN ENGLISH
- Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
- Thank you for your recent letter/\.
Link to previous contacts
- I am always glad to get your letters.
- It was great to hear from you again!
Thank you for your recent letter.as usual,I was very glad to get it.
OR
It was nice to hear from youagain ! Thanks a lot.
OrI am always glad to get your letters.
CONNECTING PHRASE
Here you can mention any fact from the received letter ( I’ m happy you passed yourPhysics test!) or write a generic phrase: either I ’ m happy you ’ re OK ! (if the friend is doing well), or I miss you greatly ! (if we learn from a friend's letter that, for example, he broke his leg and is in the hospital).
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN THE USE 2018
There are three points to remember here:
a) How many questions, so many answers. For example, a friend asked: What extreme sports would you like to try, if any, and why? So, it is necessary not only to write I'd like to try rafting, but also to argue: because it implies a well coordinated team work, good reaction and nerves of steel;
b) we observe the grammatical structure of questions and answers. If a friend asks What wouldyou do if you were me?, it is necessary that the answer contains a construction If I were you, I would… (do thethe same);
c) It is not necessary to answer the questions in the order in which they are asked. The main thing is that they are logically connected.
ASK 3 QUESTIONS
No more, no less. They must correspond to the topic specified in the assignment. If said about his project paper, which means that you need to ask about the project, and not about academic performance or lessons. Different types of questions (eg general, special and alternative) are encouraged but not required (three special questions can be asked).
POLITE COMPLETION OF A LETTER IN THE USE
Explain why we end the letter:
- Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
- Anyway, I have to go now: my Mum asked me to help her with our dinner.
- Actually, I've got to go now! It's time for my favorite TV show.
LINK TO FUTURE CONTACTS
We write that we will be glad to receive a letter from this friend again:
- Write (back) soon!
- Take care and keep in touch!
- FROMan't wait to hear from you!
FINAL PHRASE
At the end of the letter, on a separate line, the final phrase is indicated:
- love,
- lots of love,
- best wishes,
It is always followed by a comma! Don't bet, you'll lose points.
SIGNATURE (NAME)
On the last line, under the final phrase, we indicate our real (real!) name without a surname and dots! ( Vlad, Ann)
LETTER TEMPLATE FOR THE USE IN ENGLISH
Moscow
Russia
18./06/18
Dear …,
Thanks a lot for your letter. It was nice to hear from you again! Sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school. I'm glad you're OK!/ I miss you much!
In your letter you asked me about…. Well, …. (we answer all questions)
By the way, tell me (about)… (set 3 question)
Actually, I'd better go now as I have to study for my exams/ I've got my aerobic class. Take care and stay in touch!/ Write back soon!
love,
Vlad
SAMPLE TASK AND READY LETTER FOR THE USE IN ENGLISH
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend who writes
..Last summer my parents and I went hiking to the mountains. We spent the whole week together and enjoyed it very much. How often do you take active holidays? Who do you think is the best company for you? What extreme sports would you like to try, if any, and why?
Last month our English class got an interesting project. We wrote a paper about interesting events in the past of our country …
Write a letter to Tom. In your letter answer his questions, ask 3 questions about his project paper. Write 100-140 words.
moscow,
Russia
10/06/17
Dear Tom,
Thanks for your letter. It was nice to hear from youagain! Sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was busy with my school project. Hope you didn't have accidents while hiking!
As for me, I don't have much time on active holidays because I have a lot of homework. My family is more the stay-at-home sort, so I can't spend the time with them somehow actively. My company is my friend and, you know, our trips are usually very jolly. I’d like to try rafting this spring, because it implies a well coordinated team work, good reaction and nerves of steel.
Anyway, you've mentioned a project. Do you like writing about events of the past? What events did you choose for your project? Are they from the same historical period?
I'd better go now as my Dad wants me to help him with his car. Write soon!
love,
- count the words
Be sure to meet the given volume: 100-140 words is the golden mean, but a deviation of 10% in both directions is allowed, i.e. 90-154 words. If there are ≤89 words in the letter, then 0 points are given for the task. If ≥155 words, then only the first 140 words are checked. This means that one extra word can lose a few points!
Remember that 1 word is everything between two spaces. Hyphens (-), apostrophes ('), and slashes (/) are not spaces, so words like that's, twenty-two, open-minded, UK, TV, and a date in the format 05/06/16 count as one word. Practice writing letters on exam papers - this way you will learn to determine the number of words by eye and spend less time counting them.
- Write informally
Bring your letter to life with abbreviations ( I’ m, can’ t, I’ d like), informal linking words ( well,also, by the way, anyway, so,actually), colloquial expressions ( Guess what? Wish me luck!) and interjections ( Hurray! Yahoo! Ha— ha! ).
- Get the timing right
Give yourself 20 minutes to complete this task: 8 minutes. for a draft, 8 min. for a clean copy and 4 min. for word count and verification. Be sure to check the letter before submitting!
Thanks to the site https://godege.ru/blog/angliyskiy-yazyik/ege-po-angliyskomu-yazyiku-pismo.html