Handout for English Enrichment 2 - Fast track course Date:

WRITING LESSON
[INFORMAL LETTERS]
Informal language is the kind of language we use when we are talking or writing to our family or friends. For
example, you would use something like ‘From…with love’, ‘All the best’, or ‘Lots of love’ at the end of an
informal letter, and would sign the letter using your first name or a nickname.
How to sound informal
You writing will sound much more informal if you…
1. Remember you are writing to a friend. Imagine a real person.
 Be friendly and jockey: How’s your diet going?
 Refer to common friend
- Have you heard from Sybilla? - Give my love to the baby
- Say hello to Edward for me
 Refer to things your friend already knows
- As you know… - Just like you said…
2. Write in ‘spoken’ English: Use personal constructions (phrases with/and you)
 I know this sounds silly but…  You’ll never guess…
 I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but…  ….if you know what I mean.
3. Use informal vocabulary, including phrasal verbs and informal linking words such as:
 Expressing your opinion
To be quite honest To tell you the truth As I see it
To my mind From my point of view In my experience
Frankly Actually I’d say
 Expressing surprise
Believe it or not Funnily enough To my surprise
You’ll never believe this, but Guess what! This may surprise you, but
 Changing the subject
Anyway, … Talking of which, … That reminds me, …
Incidentally, … By the way,… Before I forget,…
 Listing reasons
To start with First of all What’s more
And another thing And besides Plus
Sample of an informal letter

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Handout for English Enrichment 2 - Fast track course Date:

Read the letter below and answer the following questions.

3636 Shaston Drive, Shaftesbury

Dorset SH2 3AB
Tel (0747)5286
Mon Sept 4th
Dear Aranxta,

Thanks very much for lending me your flat while you were away. I hope you enjoyed your holidays in
Morocco as much as I enjoyed my stay in Victoria. (I’ll tell you all about it when I see you at my party
on Nov 5th – I do hope you haven’t changed your mind about coming!)

Now you’ve probably been wondering what has happened to your goldfish. (I’m sorry, I meant to leave a
note about this, but I forgot). You will have noticed that they used to be. This may have come as a bit of
a surprise to you, but I expect you have guessed what happened. It’s bad news, I’m afraid. The fish
you’ve got now are a pair I bought to replace yours which, I’m sorry to say, were both dead when I
arrived in your flat on Aug 10th.

If I’d arrived on the 8th as planned I don’t suppose this tragedy would have happened, but the thing is, I
got caught up in the strike and had to spend a couple of days at Heathrow. That’s life, I suppose, but I
still feel rather bad about it, both for myself (48 hours at Heathrow is no joke) and for the fish. Perhaps I
should sell my story to the newspaper- ‘Innocent Suffer in Heartless Strike!’, ‘Holiday Chaos Hits
Heathrow: Two Die!’

Anyway, thanks again for the loan of the flat. I hope I left everything in the right place, and enough
money by the phone to cover the few local calls I made- I’m sure you’ll tell me if there are any problems.
I’m really looking forward to seeing you again, so I do hope you can make it to the party. If not, see you
in Bilbao at Christmas.

Love,

Rachel

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Handout for English Enrichment 2 - Fast track course Date:

1. Why did Rachel write this letter? What are the three different subjects she covers?
2. What features of informal style can you find in the letter?
- vocabulary:
- grammar:
- punctuation
- sentence structure
- cohesion/linking words:
- tone (what aspects of the writing show that Arantxa is a friend?)

Some types of informal letters

1. Postcards
Postcard is a card used for sending messages by post without an envelope, especially one that has a picture on
one side.
Aims When to send Why to send
To keep in touch Around the year, when the sender… Postcards are convenient,
To inform - Is on vacation easy to create, easy to use,
To express feelings - Arrives a new place relatively inexpensive and
- Receive a new post, etc. offer a fast way to deliver
To congratulate On special occasions of the receiver your message

Remember that in a post card

- Language style: informal, spoken language, use of abbreviations accepted
- Format: short and condenses
- Layout: neat and tidy
Here is an example:

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Handout for English Enrichment 2 - Fast track course Date:

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am very enjoying my time in China. The ancient
towns here are marvelous and the food is wonderful. I
visited the Great Wall of China yesterday and was so tired
of walking, but the view was spectacular.
I have lots to tell you when being back. I can’t speak
Chinese so there are many funny things happening. If only
U were here! You can help me a lot with your Chinese,
dad.
Take care and I’ll write you at the next stop.
Yours,
John

2. Letter of invitation
A letter of invitation may have an informal style. More formal invitations often follow some forms. In the first
part of a letter of invitation, the purpose of the letter is often stated. The writer should explain the reason for
his/her writing and give the invitation. There are various ways of inviting, some examples are:
- I’d like to invite you to dinner this Saturday.
- I was wondering if you’d like to come to our house next Friday.
- We’re going to have a few friends over on Saturday, and we’d love you to come.
- Would you like to see a movie?
In the following part, the writer may discuss more about the detailed arrangement for the event, such as time
and place, what to prepare and who to come.
The last part is for ending the letter. Here the writer expresses his/her hope that the receiver would be able to
accept their invitation. They also ask for confirmation from the receiver.
Here is an example of an invitation letter:

Dear Katerina,

Thank so much more your letter which arrived yesterday. I’m very happy that you’re coming to
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You said that your English course in Cambridge would last a month, so would
you like to come and see us?

We have a spare room, so there’s no problem about putting you up, and you’re welcome to stay as
Handout for English Enrichment 2 - Fast track course Date:

3. Letter of acceptance/refusal

If you can’t, or prefer not to, thank someone in person or over the phone, for an invitation or offer, then it will
be necessary to write a letter, either accepting or refusing. Such letters are quite simple to write and can be quite
short, but not too short because they will seem impolite!
Accepting invitation
Accepting an invitation is ways. The person who is invited just show appreciation to the person who has invited
them and ask for the details of place and time. In many informal cases, the invited person can bring something
along such as a plate of cookies or some fruit, even though the host might have said that it was not necessary.
Useful expressions of acceptance are:
-I’d be very pleased/delighted/very happy to come to…/to accept your…
- Your invitation to….is very welcome / was a lovely surprise...
-Thank you/ Thanks for your… The answer is ‘yes’…
Here is an example:

Dear Sybil,

It was very nice to get your invitation to spend the weekend after next with you. Luckily, I’m
completely free then, so I’ll say ‘yes’- and I’ll be arriving in Bristol at around 9 p.m. on Friday
evening. The idea of a party on Saturday sounds marvelous and I promise to bring you a cake for it-
a German speciality! Well, see you then.

Love,

Renata

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Refusing invitation
When an invitation is refused, a reason should be given. In general, the sequence is to begin with an apology,
then the reason for refusal, and finally thanks for the invitation.
Useful expressions for refusals are
Informal: I’m very sorry but I’ll still have to refuse../ I simply can’t make it…
I’m terribly sorry to have to..
More formal: Thank you for your… but unfortunately…
It’s not possible for me to…
I’m quite unable to…
Here is an example:

Dear Margarita,

Thank you for your invitation to your wedding at the beginning of December. I was pleased to learn
that you and Franz have decided on ‘something’ at last.

Unfortunately, much as I’d like to be at the wedding, especially as Dutch wedding (!), it simply isn’t
possible for me to take that weekend off; I have to work fairly late on Friday night, and friends are
coming down to stay from Sunday lunchtime so there would be no way in which I could squeeze a
wedding in Holland in between.

So all I can do is to wish you the happiest of days and also of future.

Love,

Michael

PRACTICE: Choose one of the topics below and write a letter:

1. Imagine you are travelling to Thailand and met your idol there. Write a postcard to your best friend in
Vietnam to tell him/her that you had a chance to talk to your idol and how your trip has been so far.
2. You are having a party before the end of the Lunar Year. Write a letter of about 120 words to invite your
friend to your party. In the letter, you should include: an invitation, the arrangement of the party, your hope that
your friend will accept the invitation.
3. A girl you know has written offering you a ticket to a concert next Friday evening with her. Write a letter of
acceptance or refusal.

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