Application in English sample with translation. How to write a letter of request and a letter of application in English. Be Talkative Where Appropriate

Let's talk about the nuances of business correspondence and typical phrases that will help make the letter polite and natural.

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Business correspondence is the basis of communication in any business. Even today, when communication is conducted via email, the rules of business correspondence remain unchanged.

When writing a business letter, it is important to adhere to a number of formalities. Correspondence is conducted between unfamiliar or completely unfamiliar people; rules make writing polite and effective.

General business writing style

Business correspondence is very formalized, so it's important to keep the tone of the letter respectful. Even in the case when you write a stinging complaint.

To make the letter look polite, modal verbs are often used. For example, instead of the phrase "Please write me an answer" (please send me an answer), you can use "I would be grateful if you could write me an answer" (I would be glad if you sent me an answer).

In business style, slang phrases and slang expressions cannot be used. Also, do not use words with a strong emotional background - terrible (terrible), marvelous (amazing), rubbish (nonsense) and the like.

Abbreviations are also not allowed - all phrases must be used only in full.

• Wouldn't - would not
• I'm - I am
• I'd like to - I would like to

Do not use phrasal verbs either. It is better to replace them with synonyms. For example, instead of "give up" - "surrender", instead of "put together" - "compose". Phrasal verbs are the prerogative of conversational style; in business they are out of place.

Specialists of the EnglishDom school of English advise using only those constructions and phrases in business correspondence, the meaning of which you are 100% sure. You shouldn't get carried away with multi-level composite applications either - it's easy to make a mistake in them, which will negatively affect your image.

However, everything is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Let's take a look at each part of a business letter.

Address in a business letter

Greeting - the first part of the letter, according to which the addressee will make his impression of you. It only takes one mistake in a greeting, and the effectiveness of the letter drops to almost zero.

Dear Sir or Madame

Use this spelling when you don't know the recipient's name. Such an appeal is acceptable, for example, if you send email to corporate mail, which is used by several employees.

Dear Mr Black (Mrs Black, Ms Black)

Standard address to the addressee. Used in most business letters:

• Mr - an appeal to a man;
• Mrs - to a married woman;
• Ms - to a woman without a marital status;
• Miss - to an unmarried woman.

Appeal should be used only in abbreviated form. Don't spell Mister or Mistress in full.

When addressing by last name, it is permissible to indicate the name: Mr John Black. But in correspondence between unfamiliar or unfamiliar business partners, it is quite possible to confine oneself to only a surname.

If the addressee has an academic degree, we recommend that you indicate it in the appeal instead of Mr and Ms:

Dear Dr. Black

Dear Prof. black.

Dear John

Nominal address. Can only be used when communicating with close business or work partners. And only after mutual agreement to call each other by name.

Remember that addressing by name does not save you from the formalities of business correspondence - it is just one way to show respect and show trust.

Dear Valued Customer

Anonymous address is most often used in standardized letters designed to be sent to a group of people.

It is also acceptable to use it when you want to emphasize a certain position of a person: Mr Editor-in-Chief.

Despite the fact that such an appeal is considered correct, we recommend using a personalized one whenever possible - it works better.

Punctuation and spelling in circulation

British and American English have slightly different rules for business punctuation.

In the British version, punctuation marks are not put after Mr or Ms, but a comma is required at the end of the appeal:

mr black,

American English requires a full stop after Mr, Mrs, and Ms, and a colon at the end.

Mr. Black:

However, it is acceptable not to use punctuation at all in an address. This option is very popular in online correspondence.

Mr Black

Be sure to check that the recipient's name is spelled correctly. This is especially true for complex and long surnames. After all, a mistake in the name can greatly spoil the impression of correspondence.

Letter body

First offer
In the very first sentence, it is worth indicating the reason for writing the letter. To do this, we recommend using the following phrases:

• I am writing to enquire about… (I am writing to you to find out about...)
• In reply to your request ... (In response to your request ...)
• Further to our conversation… (In continuation of our conversation)
• I would be grateful if ... (I will be very happy if)
• I received your address from… and I would like to…
• Thank you for your email from 14 May…

Previously, in business correspondence, it was considered bad manners to immediately get down to business, so introductory phrases “about nothing” were often used. It was customary in them to make a reference to previous meetings or conversations with the addressee, to write neutral phrases about the weather or questions about the family.

Today, such phrases are not perceived very well, because they do not carry a semantic load. We recommend that the letter be limited to a small introductory phrase and immediately move on to the essence of the issue, without undue scraping.

The sentence following the introductory phrase should reveal the subject and essence of the letter. It should be short and concise so as not to distract the addressee from the main idea of ​​the message.

Main part
State the purpose of the letter using small paragraphs. Short sentences are welcome, but you don't have to use them.

Do not try to solve several diverse issues in one letter at once. Follow the rule: "One letter - one request." However, you can ask multiple related questions that deal with the same topic.

If the main idea fits in one paragraph - do not try to expand it without special need.

In a business letter, you need to write everything only on the case. Such is the pun.

Final Thought
The last phrase in the body of the letter plays the role of a polite gesture and ends the thought. In business correspondence, we recommend using one of the standard phrases:

• Looking forward to your answer. (Looking forward to your reply)
• I look forward to your reply. (Waiting for your reply.)
• If you require more information, please contact me. (If you need more information, write to me about it.)
• Please respond at your earliest convenience. (Please reply as soon as possible.)
• Feel free to contact me by email. (You are free to contact me by e-mail.)
• Thank you for taking it into consideration. (Thank you for taking this into account.)
• I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. (I would appreciate your prompt reply).

The final phrase should express respect. However, its wording can be arbitrary. You can use different options for a phrase for different recipients, or choose one standard for all types of letters.

In the final phrase, you can also make a link to additional materials that are attached to the letter.

• Enclosed you will find… (Attached to the letter...)
• Attached to the letter is ... (The attachment to the letter has ...)
• Please find attached…

The end of the letter
To end a business letter, several standard phrases are used. In Russian, the phrase "respectfully" is used throughout, but in English things are a bit more complicated.

Yours faithfully(sincerely yours) - this phrase should be used if you are not familiar with the addressee. Also, this ending should be written if you wrote “Dear Sir or Madam” in the appeal.

Yours sincerely(sincerely yours) - use the phrase if the addressee is known to you, and he knows you.

If you are well acquainted with the addressee or have been communicating in correspondence for a long time, you can slightly reduce the degree of formality and use warmer endings:

best wishes

kind regards

warmest regards

All 3 phrases translate as "best regards".

It remains to write only your full name - and the letter is completed.

An example of a well-written business letter:

Use these rules and tips when conducting business correspondence, and your letters will be as effective as possible.

Bonuses for readers

In the modern world, e-mail is no longer so popular for personal correspondence - this niche has been occupied by social networks and instant messengers. However, for business communication, it is still widely used and is not going to retreat. In this article, you will learn the main features of business correspondence in English, what elements an email consists of, and what should be avoided in business communication.

Two types of business correspondence in English

Who needs to be able to write business letters in English anyway? As a rule, people who need it for work. Suppose you got a job in a certain company, your duties include correspondence in English on various work issues. All business letters can be divided into two broad categories:

1. Letters in free form.
2. Template letters: applications, reports, etc.

In my opinion, it makes sense to learn to write free form letters, and template letters are easier to learn already in the process of work, because they are different everywhere and there is simply no point in trying to learn all the templates. As a rule, each company has a certain “settle down” idea of ​​​​how to write different application reports, even congratulations, and in 90% of cases it’s just a set of ready-made forms in doc or xls format, in which you only need to substitute numbers and names.

What is an email in English

English letter sender sender, recipient - recipient, technically an email consists of several elements:

• subject- topic of the letter. It is written briefly and clearly, for example: Payment Confirmation - Payment confirmation. If the content of the letter is tied to a date, they also try to include it in the subject: Farewell Party on April 21 - Farewell party on April 12th.
• Body- the body of the letter, that is, the content, the text itself. Let's take a closer look below.
• attachment- an attachment, an attached file. Try not to make attachments with heavy files.
• CC- a copy of the letter. If you add an address in the “CC” field, this recipient will also receive the message.
• BCC- hidden copy. The recipient added in the “BCC” field will receive the message, but other recipients will not know about it.

By the way, CC deciphered as carbon copy- Typewritten copy. On typewriters, if it was necessary to make two identical documents, carbon paper and a second sheet were placed under the main sheet. The output was two identical documents. A carbon copy copy was called carbon copy.

Abbreviations "CC" and "BCC" - hello from the era of typewriters

BCC deciphered as blind carbon copy. On typewriters, it was sometimes necessary to make two identical documents, but for different recipients. In this case, the document was completely carbon-copied, but the field with the name of the recipient was left empty. It was filled in on each copy separately. Such a copy without a name was called blind carbon copy, literally “blind typewritten copy”.

How to read aloud an email address in English?

An important point that is sometimes overlooked. Sometimes you need to dictate an email verbally, for example, over the phone. Here's what you need to know:

• Symbol ' @’ reads like at, by no means dog!
• A dot in an email address is called dot, but not point, full stop or period(read about the difference between these words).
• Symbol ‘-‘ reads like hyphen, sometimes incorrectly named dash(dash is a dash, that is, a longer version of hyphen).
• Symbol ' _’ reads like underscore, less often: understrike, low dash, low line.

[email protected]– support at hotmail dot com

[email protected]– help hyphen me at gmail dot com (gmail reads “ji mail”, not “gmail”)

As you can see, the words in the addresses are read just like words, and not by letter, as happens with names and surnames. However, if the email includes , or incomprehensible sets of letters, it is better to spell them:

[email protected]– a l y o n u s h k a at nomail dot net

I think that if you read an article about business correspondence, you know for sure 🙂

Well-known domain zones com, net, org are read as a word, not by letter. Less well-known ones, such as ru, are usually spelled.

[email protected]– example underscore address at mail dot r u

Email text composition in English

An email is longer than “text” (this is how SMS and messages in instant messengers are generally called, the process of correspondence itself is texting) and contains traditional ones, but you should not beat around the bush, express your thoughts more clearly.

Basic elements of email:

• Greetings– may include addressing the addressee by name, if known.
• Introduction If you don't know the recipient of the letter, briefly introduce yourself.
• Purpose of the message Get down to business and explain why you are applying.
• Details– if necessary, mention important details. If it is intended that the recipient of the letter should do something after reading it (follow an instruction, call someone, reply, forward the letter, etc.), write about it politely but unambiguously.
• Signature- the letter traditionally ends with some kind of farewell formula of politeness, your name, surname, sometimes indicating the place of work, address and telephone number, if appropriate.

Let's take a closer look at the greeting and the signature - they are written in a template.

Greeting options in an email in English

Most often they simply write “Hello + name”:

More formally:

“Dear” is not “dear / dear”, as when referring to a husband or wife, but an analogue of our “respected”. Note that there is no comma after "hello" or "dear". If the addressee is unknown, for example, you are writing to a certain “HR department”, you can simply contact “Hello”, “Dear Colleagues” (if they are colleagues), “Dear All” (a group of colleagues), “Dear HR department”.

There are also generally accepted appeals to an unknown man or woman: Dear Sir, Dear Madam or Dear Sir or Madam (if you don’t know sir there or madam), To Whom It May Concern (to everyone who may be affected). The first two are undesirable as you might accidentally refer by misrepresenting gender, the second two are used but are considered a bit old fashioned, very formal. If possible, it is better to address by name (Dear Margaret) or to the department/department (Dear Marketing Department).

It is not uncommon to use a first name without a "welcome word", just "James". This is how they write to familiar colleagues (the person at the next table) or when this is not the first letter in the correspondence and there is no point in saying hello every time.

How to end an email

The letter can be completed by simply writing your first name or first and last name, but usually some kind of polite wish is added before this. Most popular:

• Best regards! (or just “Regards!”) – Best regards!
• Kind regards! - same.
• Best wishes / Warm wishes - the same thing again.

Some manuals also mention “Sincerely yours” or “Faithfully yours” (sincerely yours), but personally I have hardly seen such signatures, and I heard from foreigners that these formulations sound not only funny, but very old-fashioned. Actually, like “sincerely yours” in Russian. However, it is quite common to simply write “Sincerely” at the end of a business letter.

Useful phrases for business correspondence in English

In addition to template greetings and goodbyes, there are a few more phrases that can be used in correspondence.

• I hope you are doing well- "I hope you are fine". A simple but hackneyed way to start a letter. The written analogue of the duty phrase “How are you?”. More official version: I hope this email finds you well.
• I just wanted to update you on… –“I just wanted to add that…” A good way to communicate additional information about what the recipient already knows.
• I just wanted to let you know that…– “I just wanted to inform you that…” Similar to the previous one: we supplement the already known information. It can also be used as a universal introduction to a short message about some important facts, details.
• Please be informed / advised- "Please note".
• FYI- abbr. from For Your Information, which can also be roughly translated as “take note”. Abbreviations are appropriate to use between colleagues, communicating on routine work issues. It is better not to write to a stranger, a client.
• Please find (see) attached- literally “find in the attachment” (so, of course, no one speaks Russian). This is how you let know that the letter has an attachment. For example: Please find attached the report - The report is attached.
• For future details– “in more detail”, “for more detailed information”. Appropriate at the end of the letter with a link to the contact person: For futher details please contact my assistant - For more information, please contact my assistant.
• I look forward to your reply / hearing from you- "Looking forward to your response". A polite way to make it clear that it would be nice to answer your letter.
• Thank you for your time"Thank you for your time." A universal formula that would be appropriate to put before the signature.

Sample business letter in English

Here are some examples of letters written with varying degrees of formality. In the letter, I will inform the recipient that the meeting on Friday has been rescheduled from 9:00 to 10:30. All emails will have the same subject line: Meeting Time Changed to 10:30 a.m.

1. Very formal.

Dear Mr. jefferson,

I hope this email finds you well. This is Sergey Nim from Roga and Kopyta Inc. I wanted to update you on the meeting we are having on Tuesday. Due to the weather conditions it has been moved from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Would you be so kind as to let me know if you will be able to attend it? Please accept my apologies for the inconvinience.

sincerely,

Sergey Nim

Roga and Kopyta Inc.

The formalities of this letter are given by:

• Appeal Dear Mr. Jefferson.
• Phrase I hope this email finds you well- a more formal version of the phrase I hope you are doing well.
• turnover would you be so kind as – would you be so kind.
• Apology Please accept my apologies please accept my apologies.
• Sincerely at the end of the letter, the name of the company.

2. Less formal.

Hello Alex,

This is Sergey from Roga and Kopyta Inc. I wanted to update you on the meeting we are having on Tuesday. Due to the weather conditions the meeting has been moved from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Please let me know if you will be able to attend it. Sorry for the inconvinience.

best regards,

Formality is reduced by:

• A simpler address, address by name.
• Sorry instead of "accept my apologies".
• A less solemn end to the letter: best regards.

Most business letters are written in this tone. Medieval formulas of politeness, in fact, are no longer needed by anyone.

3. Informally, but within the decency of business correspondence, for example, to a familiar colleague.

I just wanted to let you know that the Friday meeting had beed moved to 10:30 a.m. m. I'm really sorry about that. Will you be able to attend it?

Short and to the point. Colleagues that you see at work every day do not have to ask each time in a letter how they are doing.

In conclusion, I will give a few general tips that did not fit into any of the points above.

1. State the essence of the letter in the subject line.

The topic should be extremely informative and at the same time short. A person comes into the office, opens Outlook and sees 20 emails. He quickly “scans” topics with his eyes - already at this stage it should be clear to him why you wrote to him. It is a very bad idea to write topics about nothing: “Please read it”, “Important”, “Hi”. Be specific: “Booking Approval”, “Flight Delayed to 12:00 a.m.”, “Orientation at 9:00 on Tuesday”, “Schedule for May”.

2. Be polite.

In business communication, courtesy is a must. It is important to observe etiquette, write “thank you” and “please”, otherwise, if you do not spoil relations with people, then you will make them a little more tense. In the business world, there is already enough tension, there is no need for more.

Note also that in English, the imperative mood without “please” can in many cases be regarded as a command, especially in writing, where, unlike oral speech, intonation is not reflected.

• Send me the annual report. - Send me the annual report (order).
• Please send me the annual report. – Please send me the annual report (request).

When you ask for something, offer something or give an order (and this is the content of 90% of letters), it is customary to do it within the bounds of decency, without switching to an arbitrarily commanding tone.

3. Avoid ambiguity, be precise.

In business correspondence there is no place for wit, sarcasm, especially when there is communication between people from different countries. Business language is extremely sterile, because all sorts of humor jokes can be misunderstood. Also, do not walk around for a long time, clearly and specifically state the essence of the message.

4. Keep it short and simple. Don't be smart!

Try to avoid long sentences, tricky wording. Write in simple words without complex sentences with a dozen subordinate clauses. The more complex you write, the more likely you are to make mistakes and confuse the addressee.

Do not try to show that you know “smart” words and phrases. It's useless. If you use a bunch of smart words correctly, it will sound somehow arrogant, if you use it incorrectly, it will be funny.

5. If necessary, structure the letter.

For example, you need to set out a wish list for the design of the wedding hall. Write them as a list, not as a single paragraph-sheet. Use a numbered list or bullets (dots).

6. Clearly let the reader understand what they want from him.

Sometimes there are letters, after reading which you can’t understand whether they want you to do something or just inform you? If the reader is supposed to respond, forward the letter, get up and go somewhere, etc., make sure that the letter (beginning, end, beginning and end) contains a clear statement of what needs to be done.

7. Check the letter before sending.

After writing a message, reread it. Make sure that the letter is written politely, without ambiguity, its essence is clearly clear. It's okay if the text is imperfect and you doubt some comma. Even native speakers can very rarely write in English with 100% literacy (as well as in Russian), but try not to make at least obvious mistakes and typos.

8. Learn from colleagues, read correspondence in the company.

This advice is for those who need the skill of business correspondence for work. Different companies may have their own local quirks about correspondence. For example, somewhere it is considered bad manners to address by name, and somewhere they will laugh if you write “Dear Paul” instead of “Hi Paul”. Ask your colleagues what and how it is customary for you, read their daily correspondence - this works better than any business English textbooks.

Friends! I don't do tutoring right now, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site- there are native (and non-native) teachers there 👅 for all occasions and for every pocket 🙂 I myself went through more than 50 lessons with teachers that I found there!

One of the tasks in the exam in English is writing a personal letter in response to a letter from an "English-speaking pen-friend". Writing a letter in a foreign language is an easy 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.

This manual is relevant for USE, but it can also be used OGE taking into account the fact that:
● at the Unified State Examination they are asked to ask 3 questions, but not at the Unified State Examination;
● the volume of writing for the USE is 100-140 words, and for the USE 100-120.

In the upper right corner enter the address in the following order:
house number, street name
city
the 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, 2019
June 4, 2019
or less formally:
04/06/19

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,
A comma must be placed after the appeal!

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. The last paragraph should 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 on a separate line the final cliche phrase is indicated, which depends on the proximity of the author and the addressee. It is always followed by a comma! Below are the possible options from the least formal (1) to the more formal (7):
1) Love,
2) Lots of love,
3) All my love,
4) All the best,
5) Best wishes,
6) With best wishes,
7) Yours,
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:

So, here are some successful examples of completing an assignment in English. For convenience, we will not include the address and date on the right.

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Mary who writes

... It was great to hear that you went to Italy during your spring holidays. I have always wanted to visit this wonderful country. Did you enjoy your journey? What places of interest did you visit? What are you most impressed with? Did you like your hotel?
As for me, I am awfully tired because we've got too many tests at school. Can't wait for the summer break...

Write a letter to Mary.
In your letter
tell her about your journey to Italy
ask 3 questions about her plans for the summer

Dear Mary,
Thanks a lot for your letter. I hope you passed all your tests!
First of all, let me tell you about my one-week package holiday to Rome. Everything was OK, but we didn't like our hotel. It was too noisy and the food was awful. We even had a stomachache and consulted a doctor. However, all the excursions were extremely interesting. We visited the Vatican and were impressed by the famous St. Peter's Cathedral. I also enjoyed the Colosseum and other sights of Rome. All in all, we enjoyed our holiday.
And what about you? What are your plans for the summer? Will you come to visit us? Russia is a unique country and I'll show you lots of interesting things. If you make up your mind, let me know what cities you would like to visit.
Hope to hear from you soon.
lots of love,
Lucy

...Do you often have arguments with your parents? I do. My mother thinks that I spend too much time hanging around with my friends. Do you often meet your friends?
What do you usually do together? And what do you do when you disagree with your parents about how you spend your free time?
Write back soon.
love,
Ann

Write back to Ann.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her relations with her younger sister

Dear Ann,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you passed your History test!
I'm sorry you don't get on well with your parents. As for me, I have practically no problems with mine, although we do quarrel sometimes because I spend too much time playing computer games. In this case I try to talk to them and find the way out. Unfortunately, I can meet my friends only at weekends and we usually play football together. It's our favorite game.
And how do you get on with your sister? Do you play together? Do you help her with her homework? I wish I had a sister or a brother!
Anyway, keep smiling whatever happens! I'd better go now as I've got loads of homework to do (as always).
Write back soon!
lots of love,
Kate

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend who writes

...We moved to a new house a few weeks ago and I changed school. At first I was a bit afraid but I made new friends sooner than I expected. The teachers are nice and everything seems to be working out well. And what about you? Have you made any friends in your new school? Do you enjoy studying there? Have you got any new subjects this year?
I've got to go now! It's time for my music lesson. Drop me a line when you can.
lots of love,
Emily

Write a letter to Emily.
In your letter
answer her questions and tell her about your new school
ask 3 questions about her preferences in music

Dear Emily,
Thank you for your letter. It was great to hear about your new house!
As for my new school, it's very big! It has three computer rooms and wonderful sports facilities. Actually, it seems a nice place and I enjoy studying there. The kids in my class are very friendly. I've already made some new friends and we often meet after classes. I've got only one new subject this year. It's Economics and I'm beginning to think that it's not difficult, after all!
By the way, what music styles do you enjoy? Have you got any favorite bands? Would you like to go to their concert? As for me, I prefer Radiohead. They are cool!
I'd better go now. Mum wants me to help with the housework. Take care and stay in touch!
lots of love,
Ann

This is part of a letter from Harry, your English pen-friend.

...I'm fine but I've got a very busy week ahead. I'm a member of the school team and we are preparing for an important match in the National Championship. Are you fond of football? Do you watch football matches on TV? What other sports do you enjoy?
Well, I'd better go now. I've got to do some more training - I don't want to lose this match.
Take care and write back soon.

Write back to Harry.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his preparation for the match

Dear Harry,
Hi! How's it going? Thanks for your last letter. I'm glad you are in your school football team now!
In your letter you asked me about football. Well, I'm really fond of it. It's a great game and I'm always happy when my team wins. But I don't watch football matches on TV because it's rather boring. I prefer playing to watching as it's more exciting. I'm also keen on roller-skating. It's fun to take part in street competitions and to perform different tricks.
Anyway, what about your preparation for the National Championship? Do you work hard? How many times a week do you train? Do you get on well with your teammates?
Well, I'd better go now as I have to tidy up my room. Write back soon!
All the best
Ivan

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend George who writes

...At school we are doing projects on famous singers from different countries. Could you telI me about any famous Russian singer? What is he or she famous for? How long has he/she been singing? Do you enjoy his/her songs? Have you ever been to his/her concerts?
As for my school trip to London last week, it was really wonderful...

Write a letter to George.
In your letter
tell him about the singer you admire most of all
ask 3 questions about his trip to London

Dear George,
Thanks a lot for your letter. Sounds like you had a great time in London! What are you most impressed with? Did you take any pictures? Were you tired?
I'm glad I can help you with your project on famous singers. Well, my favorite singer is Dima Bilan. He made his debut at the festival ‘New Wave’ in 2002 so he has already been singing for 10 years. Now Dima is a famous pop singer known for his songs like ‘Never Let You Go’ and ‘Believe’. I enjoy his songs because of his beautiful voice. Un-fortunately, I've never been to his concerts but I'd love to.
Anyway, let me know if you have any other questions. I'd better go now as I have to take my dog ​​for a walk. Write soon!
yours,
Alex

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

...So you see that I enjoy films based on true historic facts whereas most of my friends are fond of soap operas. Do you agree that soaps don't show life realistically? What kind of films do you like watching? Do you prefer watching films in the cinema or at home? Why?
We all miss you, too. Everybody sends their love. Can't wait to see you in the summer. Write back soon.
All my love
Tina

Write back to Tina.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her family

Dear Tina,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you liked the postcard I sent you!
In your letter you asked me about my attitude to soaps. Well, I agree that soaps don't show life realistically because their plots are rather unbelievable and all emotions are exaggerated. As for me, I prefer whodunits, which keep me in suspense till the very end. I usually watch films at home but I never miss a chance to go to the cinema with friends. It's much more exciting to watch films together.
I miss you much! Write back soon and tell me all your latest news. How is your sister? Has she passed her driving test? And what about your mother? Has she got over the flu?
I'd better go now as I promised mum to help her with the washing.
love,
Ann

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Rob who writes

...and then there's this chess tournament on Saturday. If I win, I'll be the champion of our school. Who knows?
Oh yeah. I wanted to ask you something. We have to write a report on technology for school. Could you tell me a few things about how you use technology in your life? You know, computers, mobiles, TV, that sort of things. Oh, and tell me something about the other members of your family, too, and how they use technology.
Anyway, I was talking to Sam the other day and he says that...

Write back to Rob.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about playing chess

Dear Rob,
It was great to hear from you! I'm glad you managed to talk to Sam. Please give my best regards to him.
You asked me about technology. Well, I've got a new mobile. It's got a camera so I'm taking lots of pictures at the moment. I've also got a computer but I use it mainly for surfing the Net. Of course we've got things like a TV, a DVD player and a music centre. My parents usually watch TV whereas my brother spends hours playing computer games.
Anyway, I'm glad you've made such progress in chess. Is it difficult to learn how to play it? Will I be able to do it on my own? How can I get started?
I've got to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the garage.
All the best
Andrew

This is part of a letter from Jane, your English pen-friend.

...My home town is rather small but I like it. The people here are very friendly and they try and keep our town clean and beautiful. And do you enjoy living in a big city? How do you spend your spare time there?
Anyway, I'm thinking of traveling around Russia next summer. Could you tell me what weather to expect? Should I take warm clothes with me?..

Write a letter to Jane.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her hometown

Dear Jane,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you're going to visit Russia. The weather in summer is usually hot so I don't think you'll need lots of warm clothes. However, you'd better take a jacket as nights can be quite cool.
In your letter you asked me about the life in a big city. As for me, I enjoy living in Moscow as there are lots of parks and cozy cafes, museums and galleries. In the evenings I usually go for a walk with my friends and at the weekend we go to the theater or visit a museum. Have you got any museums in your town? Are they free for students? Are there any sports facilities?
I'd better go now as I've got to do my homework - boring! Can't wait to see you!
lots of love,
Rita

This is part of a letter from your German pen-friend.

...I find it a bit difficult to understand English grammar. What about you? Do you do grammar exercises? Do you think that it's necessary to remember all grammar rules?
Have you got any plans for the summer? I was thinking of going to a language school in the UK to improve my English. It would be a lot more fun if we went together. What do you think?
Anyway, I have to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the shop.
Hope to hear from you soon.
All the best
Kerstin

Write back to Kerstin.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about the trip to the UK

Dear Kerstin,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad your arm is out of plaster now!
I agree with you that English grammar is rather difficult so I think it’s necessary to learn grammar rules and to do exercises. As for me, I do it on a regular basis.
Going to a language school together is a great idea! We could practice our English and visit lots of places of interest. I'm absolutely free this summer so I can go whenever you like.
Write and tell me what dates suit you best. Which course would you like to do? What level do you think we are? Where would you prefer to stay? Meanwhile, I'll make some enquiries about language schools in the UK. I'll get in touch soon. I hope it all works out!
lots of love,
Helen

This is part of a letter from Adam, your English pen-friend, whom you're going to visit in summer.

...As for me, I'm crazy about skateboarding and I love rock and pop music. I think my favorite band at the moment is Radiohead. Do you know them? What kind of things do you like doing and what music do you enjoy?
Is there anything you particularly want to do while you're here? / guess you'll be busy at the language school during the day, but we can do something in the evenings and at weekends. Also, let me know if there are any kinds of food you don't like...

Write back to Adam.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his family and the language school

Dear Adam,
Thanks for your letter. It was great to hear from you. I can't wait to meet you and your parents in July!
Well, we've obviously got a lot in common. I'm also crazy about rock music and my favorite band is Radiohead, too! I've never done skateboarding, though, but I'd love to try. I enjoy basketball and I love playing computer games. Do you?
I'm a bit worried about the language school. Is it far from your house? Should I bring any books with me? Will I have to do much homework? If I have, I'm afraid I'll be busy in the evenings. Actually, I wouldn't mind any activity. It will be fun just to be in another country.
Anyway, I know we're going to be really good friends. Please write back soon.
All the best
Sasha

It will be very useful to write a letter template before taking the exams, according to which you will complete the task on the exam.
In our selection of materials, in addition to many useful materials, you can find 31 completed letter, as well as template for writing a letter:
Materials in English (USE)
Materials in English (OGE)

Of course, email is the fastest and most convenient way to exchange routine business messages with English-speaking partners, but the classic "paper" business letter is still the preferred and solid way to convey important information.

A carefully crafted letter, printed on stylish letterhead, can be a powerful business communication tool. Perhaps it is not worth explaining that the impression of a letter, even with the most tempting commercial offer, can be spoiled if its appearance does not correspond to the generally accepted one.

To make sure that every letter bearing your company logo meets the format requirements that are considered the standard for business correspondence in an English-speaking environment, follow these rules for writing a business letter in English:

Rule #1: Break up email text into blocks.

When receiving another letter from a foreign colleague, have you ever paid attention to the fact that it is very easy to “read”? The secret of its clarity and consistency is simple: today, all English-language business documentation uses a block structure. It is believed that this principle of structuring information is most consistent with the needs and demands of a modern super-busy person and helps to cope with the continuous flow of business correspondence. Firstly, you can save time at the stage of compiling a letter by assembling it, like a constructor, from separate semantic blocks - "Sender's address", "Date", "Recipient's address", "Greeting", "Header", "Ending", etc. .d. Secondly, by opening such a "block" letter, the recipient can quickly navigate its content.

The block structure provides the following design features:

1. the entire text of the letter is divided into paragraphs with a single indent between them;
2. the red line is not used;
3. punctuation is open, i.e. there are no non-functional periods and commas;
4. alignment is done to the left.

Rule #2: Write in simple and understandable language.

The very concept of "business letter" already causes discomfort for many. Many English learners live with the belief that their written language is not complex enough for business correspondence. We hasten to reassure them: the most effective business letter should be written in short and simple sentences, and the vocabulary used should not be too “abstruse”. A text overloaded with complexity is not perceived well, but you want your ideas and suggestions to be understandable, don't you? In business communication, it is not the richest vocabulary that is valued, but the clarity and consistency of presentation and impeccable logic. And here the so-called “transitions” and “linking words” will not help you - linking words that allow you to build ideas so that thoughts flow smoothly from one to another.

Rule #3: Get the sender's name and address right.

The first block of the letter, located in the upper left corner of the page, is information about the sender in the following sequence:

• The name of the company
• house number, street
• city, postal code
• the country

Online-school of foreign languages ​​"LINGVISTER"

Why is it recommended to include the sender's address in the letter? Even if your address is already in the recipient's address book, save your recipient from having to look for it. When the information comes in ready-made form, the chance to get the fastest response to your letter increases by 30%.

Rule #4: Pay attention to the date format.

According to the standard, the date is indicated three lines below the information about the sender.

The date in the letter is given in full, but the sequence of the elements is unique for each country. So, in the UK, the day / month / year are indicated, which are not separated by commas.

In the US and Canada, the sequence is different - month / day / year, and sometimes a comma is placed before the year.

December 16, 2014

Rule #5: Be sure to include the recipient's name and address.

Immediately after the date of writing the letter, the address of the recipient should follow. Pay special attention to the name of the addressee: the name must exactly repeat how your addressee indicates his name in the signature of the letter. So, if the recipient is signed by Christopher Nolan, this is how you should write his name, adding Mr. The full name and address of the recipient are located on different lines in the following sequence:

• full name
• position
• The name of the company
• house number, street
• city, postal code
• the country

Mr Christopher Nolan

executive producer

Syncopy Films Inc.

4000 Warner Blvd., Building 81, Suite 203

Burbank, CA 91522

Rule #6: Choose a greeting and address.

As we have already said, special punctuation standards are adopted in English-language business correspondence. So, a comma is usually put after the appeal in letters, and the main text of the letter begins on a new line after a single indent.

In emphatically official business correspondence and when addressing a person in a high position, it is customary to put a colon after the official address:

Dear Mr Vice President:

If you indicated the full name of the recipient in the recipient's address, and not just the name of the company, it is recommended to start the letter with a personal appeal:

Dear Christopher,

If the letter is addressed to the organization, and not intended for a specific employee, a more formal greeting should be used:

If you do not know the addressee's name, use the neutral form of address:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Rule #7: Put the subject line in the subject line.

The heading, which briefly informs about the content of the letter, is located one line after the address. In order to separate the subject of the letter from the body text and draw the attention of the addressee to it, upper case characters or underscores are used.

SAN DIEGO COMIC CON 2014

Rule #8: Don't forget the end phrase with a "call to action."

The closing paragraph of the letter includes requests for information, reminders, and calls for an early response. We offer you options for appropriate and energetic closing phrases:

• I would again apologize for the delay in replying and I trust that this has clarified the points you have raised, however, if you wish to discuss any points I have not clarified, or need any further information, you may wish to telephone or contact me accordingly.
• I look forward to hearing from you, and in the meantime, should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
• I regret that I cannot be of more assistance in this matter, and should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
• I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
• I appreciate any feedback you may have.

Rule #9: Use an appropriate ending and leave a caption.

The ending of the letter directly depends on what appeal you used at the beginning of the letter. Neutral options for ending a letter to a friend or colleague are:

If you know the name of the addressee, and you used a personal address at the beginning of the letter, only one ending will be appropriate:

Dear Mr Nolan…Yours sincerely,

When combined with Dear Sirs/Dear Sir or Madam, only one ending is used:

Dear Sir or Madam…Yours faithfully,

Don't forget to put a comma between the farewell and your signature!

Leave space for your own signature, stepping back from the end of 4-5 lines.

The sender's name can be written in its entirety using uppercase letters, or only the first letters can be capitalized. The position of the sender is indicated directly on the next line under the name. Pay attention to details: the abbreviation Mr is not used if the author of the letter is a man, but if the author is a woman, (Mrs) is usually added in brackets.

yours sincerely,

yours sincerely,

SUSAN HAYWARD (Mrs)

Rule #10: Mention attachments in email.

An indication that the letter has attachments is the inscription Enc or Encs (“Enclosures”) at the bottom of the letter, one line after the sender's title.

yours sincerely,

SUSAN HAYWARD (Mrs)

Following these simple rules, you will always be able to successfully compose business letters to your partners.

Do you need to write a business letter to a person who speaks English? Undoubtedly, Google Translate will help you with this. However, the translator will not tell you how to compose such a letter correctly, what rules for formatting and addressing exist in the English-speaking environment. Let's figure out together with you how to write a business letter in English.

Rules for writing a business letter in English

The general rules for writing a business letter are quite simple, remembering them will not be difficult for you. Exist standard expressions frequently used in business correspondence in English, which will give a polite and formal tone to your message.

1. Handling

• Dear Sirs, Dear Sir or Madam- if you do not know the recipient's name
• Dear Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms- if you know the addressee's name; in the case when you do not know the marital status of a woman, you should write Ms, a gross mistake is to use the phrase “Mrs or Miss”
• Dear Frank,- talking to someone you know

2. Introduction, previous communication

• Thank you for your e-mail of (date)…- Thank you for your letter dated (date)
• Further to your last e-mail…- In response to your letter...
• I apologize for not getting in contact with you before now…- I'm sorry I haven't written to you yet...
• Thank you for your letter of the 5th of March.- Thank you for your letter of 5 March
• With reference to your letter of 23rd March- Concerning your letter of 23 March
• With reference to your advertisement in «The Times»- Concerning your advertising in the Times

3. Indicate the reasons for writing the letter

• I am writing to ask about I am writing to you to find out...
• I am writing to apologize for I am writing to you to apologize for...
• I am writing to confirm I am writing to you to confirm...
• I am writing in connection with I am writing to you in connection with...
• We would like to point out that… We would like to draw your attention to...

4. Request

• Could you perhaps…- Could you…
• I would be grateful if you could …- I would appreciate it if you...
• I would like to receive- I would like to get...
• Please could you send me… Could you send me...

5. Agreement with terms

• I would be delighted to…- I would be glad…
• I would be happy to…- I'd be happy…
• I would be glad to…- I would be glad…

6. Breaking Bad News

• Unfortunately…- Unfortunately…
• I am afraid that…- I'm afraid that…
• I am sorry to inform you that… It's hard for me to tell you, but...

7. Appendix to the letter of additional materials

• We are pleased to enclose… We are happy to invest...
• Attached you will find…- In the attached file you will find...
• We enclose… We are applying...
• Please find attached (for e-mails)…- You will find the attached file...

8. Thank you for your interest

• Thank you for your letter of…- Thanks for your letter…
• Thank you for enquiring…- Thank you for your interest…
• We would like to thank you for your letter of… We would like to thank you for...

9. Switch to another topic

• We would also like to inform you… We would also like to inform you about...
• Regarding your question about… Regarding your question about...
• In answer to your question (enquiry) about… In response to your question about...
• I also wonder if… I'm also interested in...

10. Additional questions

• I am a little unsure about… I'm a little unsure about...
• I do not fully understand what… I didn't fully understand...
• Could you possibly explain…- Could you explain...

11. Transfer of information

• I'm writing to let you know that… I am writing to inform about...
• We are able to confirm to you… We can confirm...
• I am delighted to tell you that… We are pleased to announce...
• We regret to inform you that…“Unfortunately, we have to inform you about…

12. Offering your help

• Would you like me to…?- Can I (make)…?
• If you wish, I would be happy to… If you want, I'd be happy to...
• Let me know whether you would like me to…- Let me know if you need my help.

13. Appointment reminder or waiting for a response

• I look ahead to…- I am looking forward,
• hearing from you soon- when can I hear you again
• meeting you next Tuesday- meeting you next Tuesday
• seeing you next Thursday- meeting you on Thursday

14. Signature

• kind regards,- Sincerely…
• yours faithfully,- Sincerely yours (if you don't know the person's name)
• yours sincerely,- (if you know the name)

A few words about business English

English, undoubtedly, ranks first in popularity among those wishing to learn foreign languages. This international language is the official language not only in most countries of the world, but also in many international organizations. Large global companies with different fields of activity, having branches around the world, prefer to negotiate and correspond in English. Therefore, many business people who are interested in their own career growth begin to learn English, be sure to supplement it with a course Business English. This type of course is offered by almost all language schools in the city. When choosing a business English course, you can always choose with a teacher the necessary vocabulary for learning, suitable for your specific goals.

It is important to understand that this course is intended for people who already have a fairly good command of English. English for business is mainly the study of specific terms, the peculiarities of their use, the rules of business correspondence and negotiations. The grammar does not change. Therefore, before you start learning business English, you need to master the usual, colloquial, English language. Business English is perhaps most needed by those who already come into contact with it in their work and know exactly in which area their knowledge of the language is not enough.

Studying business English with an experienced teacher, you will get acquainted with both words and expressions commonly used in business correspondence, as well as ready-made examples on various topics.