Asking for advice /Giving advice

Letters/Emails asking for or giving advice can be formal, informal or semi-formal depending on the situation. A letter/An
email asking for advice can be sent to a friend, a consultant or an advice column in a magazine. Details of the problem
should be mentioned. A letter/An email giving advice should contain suggestions introduced with appropriate language.

Introduction Introduction
Paragraph I Paragraph I
A reason for writing thanks for tetter/express
understanding of problem
Main Body
Paragraph* II – III Main Body
description of problem(s) Paragraph* II – III
suggestion(s) + reason(s)
Conclusion
Final paragraph Conclusion
Final paragraph
Closing remarks
Full name Closing remarks
Full name
Dear Miss Pierson,

Thank you for your letter asking for my advice about what you should do now that you have finished school. I realise how difficult this
stage must be for you, but there are a range of options for you to choose from.

If I were you, I would make a list of all the careers which I may interest you and then decide which one you feel you are best suited to
in terms of exam grades or subject interest. I would also suggest that you see a careers officer who would be I able to give you
professional advice. Furthermore, it would be a good idea to write to some universities and ask them to send you a prospectus; you
may find a course which really appeals to you.

I hope these suggestions will be of help to you. I wish you well in whatever course of action you decide upon. Do let me know what you
decide to do; it is always good to hear from former pupils.

Yours sincerely,
Abdullo RAhmatullayev
  Useful Language for Letters/Emails Asking for Advice
Opening Remarks:
(Formal) I am writing to ask if you could help me with / 1 would appreciate it if you could give me some advice about / 1
am writing to ask for your advice / 1 would be grateful if you could offer your advice / Could you possibly offer your
advice / I wonder if you could help me with a problem, etc.
(Informal) I’m writing to ask for your advice / Can you give me your advice / I’ve got a problem and I need your advice,
etc.
Closing Remarks:
(formal) I would appreciate it if you could give me your advice as soon as possible / 1 look forward to receiving your
advice / It would be of great help if you could advise me, etc.
(Informal) What do you think I should do? / Please let me know what you think I should do. / Please tell me what to do,etc.

 Useful Language for Letters/Emails Giving Advice

Opening Remarks:
(Formal) Thank you for your letter/email requesting / 1 am writing in reply to your letter asking for advice about / 1 hope
the following advice will be of some help to you, etc.
(Informal) I just got your letter and I think i can help you / 1 was sorry to hear about your problem. Here’s what I think you
should do, etc.
 Suggestions can be introduced with expressions such as:
(formal) I strongly recommend that / 1 would suggest that / 1 believe the best course of action is / 1 would advise you to /
You should / You ought to / If I were you I would….
(Informal) Why don’t you / You should / You ought to / It would be a good idea to / What you should do is ... / How
about... I think you should ... / The best advice I can give you is..., etc.
Closing Remarks:
(formal) I trust you will accept this advice / 1 hope this will be of help / 1 would very much like to know if this was helpful
(Informal) Hope this has helped / Let me know what happens, etc.

Homework:
Write the following in the appropriate style using 120 - 180 words.
1) Your parents will not let you go on holiday as they want you to study for your exams. Write a letter to a friend
asking for his/her advice on this matter.

2) The extract below is part of an email you received recently from a friend. Write a reply giving her some
advice
about what she should do.
“ I failed all my A-level exams so now I can’t get into university. I feel like such a failure; I ’ll never get a degree
now.”

3 You feel that you and your mother cannot agree on anything. Write a letter to a problem page asking for
advice.