FIRST Writing paper - Useful Expressions
- 1. Letter of invitation FORMAL Introductions 1. The pleasure of your company is requested at ……… 2. We would be honoured if you could attend …..which will take place……. 3. Your presence at …..will be a great pleasure for us…. 4. The reason for my writing to you is to invite you to ….which will be held on……….. EDITOR: KATE MALLI
- 2. Conclusions 1. Ending, we would like you to confirm your attendance in advance, since it will be very helpful. 2. We wish to see you at ……and we hope that you will spend an unforgettable evening. 3. We will be looking forward to seeing you at……….since your presence will be highly appreciated. 4. Ending, we will be looking forward to receiving a favourable reply and we would like you to know that attending the ……will be our honour.
- 3. LETTER OF INVITATION INTRODUCTIONS INFORMAL Dear Mary, Dear Mary, Hi! How are you? I hope everything Hi! How are you? I hope everything is ok with your family and you. My is ok with your family and you. My letter will surely surprise you, since letter will surely surprise you, since I’m inviting you to ……I know that I’m inviting you to ……I know that you wouldn’t like to miss out on the you wouldn’t like to miss out on the fun so, read on. fun so, read on.
- 4. CONCLUSION CONCLUSION I will be waiting for your positive I will be waiting for your positive reply to my invitation. I’ll not reply to my invitation. I’ll not accept a no. If you want to have accept a no. If you want to have the time of your life, just say the time of your life, just say “yes”. “yes”. Hugs and kisses, Hugs and kisses, Mary Mary
- 5. ACCEPTING AN INVITATION ACCEPTING AN INVITATION Introductions FORMAL • Dear Sir, In reply to your letter of invitation I am writing to inform you that I will be most glad to attend….. • Dear Sir, The reason for my writing to you is to tell you that your invitation to ….really honours me and I gladly accept to attend.
- 6. FRIENDLY FRIENDLY Dear Catherine, Dear Catherine, I was really surprised to get your letter of I was really surprised to get your letter of invitation to ….and I am writing to tell you invitation to ….and I am writing to tell you that I’ll be able to come there and join that I’ll be able to come there and join you/celebrate this beautiful event. you/celebrate this beautiful event.
- 7. FORMAL FORMAL Once again, I would like to tell you that I am Once again, I would like to tell you that I am really honoured by your kind invitation and I really honoured by your kind invitation and I will be looking forward to seeing you and will be looking forward to seeing you and celebrate this beautiful event. celebrate this beautiful event. INFORMAL INFORMAL Anyway, I’d like to thank you for inviting me Anyway, I’d like to thank you for inviting me to ….I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’ll be to ….I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’ll be there and join you and I’m sure that we’ll there and join you and I’m sure that we’ll have a great time together. have a great time together.
- 8. REFUSING AN INVITATION REFUSING AN INVITATION FORMAL FORMAL 1. I was really honoured to receive your kind invitation to……but unfortunately, professional/family/personal reasons oblige me to decline/make me unable to attend. 2. The reason for my writing to you is to inform you that due to professional/family/personal arrangements I will not be able to attend….
- 9. REFUSING AN INVITATION REFUSING AN INVITATION INFORMAL INFORMAL 1. I just received your kind invitation to..but I 1. I just received your kind invitation to..but I really can’t make it. Let me really can’t make it. Let me explain how explain how things are. things are. 2. Your letter of invitation to ….really 2. Your letter of invitation to ….really surprised me since we haven’t spoken to surprised me since we haven’t spoken to each other for such a long time. However, I’ll each other for such a long time. However, I’ll not be able to come and I hope you’ll forgive not be able to come and I hope you’ll forgive me . me .
- 10. CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS FORMAL • Once again, I would like to thank you for your kind invitation to ……….and apologize for the fact that I will not be able to attend. I hope that we will be able to arrange to meet each other soon. • Ending, I would like to thank you for your kind invitation to …but as I have explained, serious reasons prevent me from attending.
- 11. FRIENDLY FRIENDLY • Anyway, you know how much I’m dying to meet you and have fun together, but I really can’t make it. Hope you’ll forgive me. I’ll try to meet you soon.
- 12. ASKING FOR INFORMATION ASKING FOR INFORMATION INTRODUCTIONS INTRODUCTIONS • Dear Sir/Sirs, I am writing with reference to your advertisement, which I saw published in……… on… I am interested in …and therefore I would like you to supply me with further information about the services you offer. • Dear Sir, Having seen your advertisement in my morning newspaper, I am writing to indicate my interest in ………and therefore enquire further information about it.
- 13. CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS • Ending, I will be looking forward to receiving your letter providing me with the information I have required, for I urgently need it to reach my final decision. • Ending. I will be looking forward to receiving your reply since I would gladly cooperate with you/join your club to…./offer my services…. REMEMBER: It depends on what we have been asked to write about. You have to adjust the last part.
- 14. LETTER OF ASKING FOR ADVICE LETTER OF ASKING FOR ADVICE INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION • PHRASES TO BREAK THE ICE. (How are you? Is everything ok? How are things going? Is life treating you well? I hope you are doing well.) • Categorise the problem. (family, business, a problem with my best friend, school problem,…) • Express my emotional condition. (I feel down in the dumps. I am desperate/helpless/frustrated. • Emphasize the other person’s value of advice. (I trust your advice. I know you can advise me best. I have faith in your judgement, so you can best give me valuable advice.)
- 15. I INTRODUCTIONS NTRODUCTIONS • Dear Mary, Sorry I haven’t written you earlier, but I’ve been feeling down in the dumps lately, because of some personal problems. I really need your valuable advice since I know that you are a dependable friend. • Dear Nick, I’m sending you an S.OS. message for help. You see, I have been having some problems at school and I want you to save me out of my misery with your helpful advice.
- 16. MAIN BODY MAIN BODY 1st paragraph DESCRIBE HOW IT ALL STARTED AND HOW IT ROLLED. • It all started when…………. • Then/Afterwards, ……………. • As things went on • Not a long before that………………. • Let me explain you how things went on. • But that’s not all. • Where do I start.
- 17. 2nd paragraph DESCRIBE OTHER PEOPLE’S REACTIONS AND WHAT I HAVE TRIED SO FAR. • At first/In the beginning I didn’t realize that… • Although I tried hard to…..nothing happened. • No matter how hard I tried……….nothing seemed to go well. • To my disappointment, my efforts were in vain. • All my efforts so far have been unsuccessful. • I thought I could… • I reacted badly…. • I was at a loss. • I was all at sea………. • Seeing myself in this situation ……………….
- 18. ENDING ENDING • EMPHASIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION • EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OTHER PERSON’S ADVICE. • ASK FOR A PROMPT REPLY 1. Anyway, I think that I’ve come to a dead-end. That’s why I trust that you can give me the right advice. Don’t forget that I depend on you, so write back to help me get out of all this. 2. Anyway, things couldn’t be worse. This is why I desperately need your valuable advice. Think of something to help me see the bright side of it.
- 19. LETTER OF GIVING ADVICE LETTER OF GIVING ADVICE INTRODUCTIONS Show that I have received a letter. Try to mention the problem in brief. Express my first reaction to the content of the letter. Encourage. Show willingness to help.
- 20. INTRODUCTIONS INTRODUCTIONS • Dear Tom, I just received your letter and I was really sad to hear that you’ve been feeling down in the dumps, because of family problems. Things are not so bad for you and I’m willing to give you my advice. • Dear Helen, I was really unhappy to read the terrible situation you are in/you’ve been in. Don’t worry,though, because I was in the same boat as you, years ago and I know exactly what you should do.
- 21. MAIN BODY MAIN BODY • If I were you, I would………………. • If I were in your position, (in your shoes) I would……… • It would be a good idea to ………….. • You should/shouldn’t……………….. • I think the best thing you should do is to……. • Why don’t you……….. • Have you thought of ……. • Another idea is to …….. • I’ts advisable to ……….. • I suggest that you should…………….. • How about…………….. • Don’t you think you could………… • My advice is to ……………………… • Try +ing
- 22. I HAVE TO SHOW THE RESULTS I HAVE TO SHOW THE RESULTS OF MY ADVICE OF MY ADVICE In this way you’ll see that………. Try that and soon you’ll find out that……. By +ing Then……… That way…………. If you do this…………. I think the results will be obvious, since… Thus, you’ll be helped a lot to………….
- 23. CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS Encourage Hope my advice helped Express my concern about the result Express my willingness to help any time. As you can see, things can go better.Just be patient and don’t lose your courage. Try to see things on the bright side. I hope I’ve been of some help and I promise always to be by your side. Let me know how it goes Well, try to keep your head, so you can see things clearly. Otherwise you will take the wrong decisions. Everything will be plain sailing If you follow my advice. Don’t forget to let me know how it goes
- 24. LETTER OF COMPLAINT LETTER OF COMPLAINT REMEMBER: WE HAVE TO PREDICT ALL POSSIBLE EXCUSES. E.G. Although I understand that it was high season, I can not see the reason why you had not hired more personnel. We have to adopt either a strong or a mild tone. Do not mix them.
- 25. LETTER OF COMPLAINT LETTER OF COMPLAINT INTRODUCTION Dear Sir/Sirs, I am writing in connection with your advertisement, which I saw in your mail order catalogue on 15th June. I would like to express my strong dissatisfaction with the jacket I received just yesterday. Dear Sir/Sirs, The reason for my writing to you is to express my dissatisfaction with the treatment I received at your restaurant last week. Mildly put, your service is unacceptable for many reasons. Dear Sir, I am writing in connection with your advertisement concerning the courses in English. I would like to tell you that its content is totally misleading.
- 26. EXPLAIN WHAT THE CAUSE OF EXPLAIN WHAT THE CAUSE OF INCONVENIENCE WAS USING INCONVENIENCE WAS USING USEFUL EXPRESSIONS USEFUL EXPRESSIONS • To start with, • Furthermore, • To make matters worse, • On top of everything, • And as if that was not enough, • As I see it, • I realised that …….but such a treatment does not make sense. • Not until ……………..did I realise…… • Imagine my shock when……….. • I was at a loss for words, when I saw……………. • To my amazement…………………. • Your assistant failed to understand that…………… • Admittedly, ………but that does not mean that ……… • That was the last straw. • Something like that was totally unacceptable. • It was beyond our imagination to see…………… • Your behaviour was totally inexcusable……………….. • Your service did not meet our expectations. • Your products fell short of my expectations. • Although I was supposed to ………….. • In contrast to you advertisement….. • Your advertisement stated that ………but that was far from truth. • Although your advertisement promised that………………. • We were promised to ………………….but ……………….instead. • Instead of …………………we were given……………….
- 27. ENDINGS ENDINGS • Considering the above, I trust that you will give this matter your immediate attention. I will not demand a refund, but I would appreciate an explanation and apology for such a shabby treatment. • I think that you will not disregard my complaint, since it is shocking that a restaurant with such an excellent reputation could treat its customers so badly. • Ending, I would like to ask for an apology as well as a full refund otherwise I will be forced to take the matter further. • Ending, I would like you to give an apology for all the inconvenience caused. I hope you will take my letter of complaint into serious consideration and take certain course of action to avoid similar situations in the future. • Ending, I trust that you will shoulder the responsibility for everything that was caused to us and at least apologise. I also demand a compensation.
- 28. WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE CONCLUSION. WE ASK FOR : CONCLUSION. WE ASK FOR : • APOLOGY • COMPENSATION • FULL/PARTIAL REFUND ALTERNATIVELY WE: • THREATEN TO TAKE THE MATTER TO COURT • NEVER TO VISIT THE PLACE OR TO USE THE SERVICES OR TO RECOMMEND IT TO OTHER PEOPLE.
- 29. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS USEFUL EXPRESSIONS I regret that I feel I am obliged to complain about………………. I am completely dissatisfied with the ……. I am writing to draw your attention to a number of defects in your organisation… I am writing on the subject of ……… I am writing to express my objection to ….. I find it apalling to … I fell I must protest about…….. I insist you replace the item at once. I hope that I will not be forced to take further action. I hope the matter will be resolved promptly. I hope we can sort the matter out amicably. I hope you have no objection to replacing………… I think you can appreciate my point of view and take a certain course of action. It seems all that needs doing is replace.. I am looking forward to receiving a full cash refund…
- 30. LETTER OF APOLOGY LETTER OF APOLOGY • Dear Mr. Brown, I am writing in connection with/in reply to /in response to your letter of complaint, which draw my attention to a number of problems….. I am willing to render an explanation for what was caused. Dear Mr. Brown, In response to your letter of complaint, which just drew my attention, I am writing to render an explanation and apology for what was caused. Dear Mr.Brown, Having read your letter of complaint concerning…………….i feel that I am obliged to give you my point of view, since I have carefully assessed the situation.
- 31. MAIN BODY MAIN BODY • I realise that…….but I have to inform you • In your letter you pointed that.. • I fully understand your anger …. • I have to apologise for the delay .. • I was something that could not be avoided • I surely need to apologise for….. but it was, without a doubt, due to bad luck/human error/computer error…. • Owing to …………we were obliged to do something that had not been arranged.
- 32. LETTER OF APOLOGY LETTER OF APOLOGY REMEMBER: WE HAVE TO ACCEPT SOME THINGS, BUT THEN TRY TO GIVE LOGICAL EXPLANATIONS TO THE PERSON WHO HAS EXPRESSED THE COMPLAINT. AFTER THAT, A GOOD OFFER WILL BE PERFECT JUST TO MAKE THINGS UP. WE HAVE TO ADOPT EITHER A STRONG OR MILD APPROACH DEPENDING ON THE TONE OF THE LETTER WE HAVE RECEIVED.
- 33. ENDINGS ENDINGS All in all, I fully understand the reasons why you were disappointed with……… I am willing to rectify for the inconvenience caused by offering you a free meal….. Ending, I hope that you will accept my letter of apology and that you will trust my shop in future. As a token of my intention to rectify for this bad situation, I am offering you………….. Ending, I wish to compensate you for any inconvenience caused and offer you my deepest apologies. Taking all your points into serious consideration, I would like to apologise to you and promise that my employees and me will do our best to sort the matter out promptly.