a) Writing formal letters generally:
Greetings:
- Dear Sir
- Dear Madam
- Dear Sir/Madam
- Dear Mr Brown
- Dear Ms Jones
Reason for writing:
- I am writing in response to your article/advertisement/letter
- I am writing with regard to your article/advertisement/letter
- I am writing regarding your article/advertisement/letter
Ending the letter:
- I look forward to receiving your reply
- I look forward to your reply
- I look to hearing from you
- I am, yours faithfully (if you don't know the name of the person you are writing to)
- I am, yours sincerely (if you know the name of the person you are writing to)
- Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
b) Writing formal letters to complain:
Reason for writing:
- I am writing in order to complain about
- I am writing to complain about
Introducing the complaint:
- Firstly
- In the first place
- First of all
- My first complaint is
- The first problem is
- The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is
- My first concern is
Introducing further complaints:
- Secondly
- In the second place
- Not only …….but also
- In addition
- In addition to this
- Added to this
- …….was also unacceptable
Demanding action:
- I suggest that you replace the item
- I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund
- I would be grateful if my money was refunded
- I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund
Ending the letter:
- I look forward to hearing from you
- I look forward to receiving a full refund
- I look forward to receiving a replacement
- I look forward to receiving your explanation
c) Writing formal letters to make suggestions:
Reason for writing:
- I am writing to suggest
- I am writing to arrange
- I am writing to offer suggestions
- I am writing make arrangements
Making first suggestion:
- My first suggestion is
- First of all I suggest
- I would like to suggest
Making further suggestions:
- Another possibility is
- A further possibility is
- I further suggest
- I would further suggest
- Secondly
Offering a choice:
- Would you therefore mind choosing between ….?
- Either……or
- You might choose either ……. Or
d) Writing formal letters to request information
Reason for writing:
- I am writing to receive further information about
- I am writing to enquire about
- I am writing to receive more detailed information about
- I am writing to receive further details about
Requesting first piece of information:
- The first thing I would like to know is
- First of all I would like to know
- I wonder if you would mind telling me first of all ….?
Requesting further information:
- Could you also tell me….?
- Could you also inform me ….?
- Would you also mind informing me ….?
- Would you also mind telling me ….?
- Do you know ….?
- I would also like to know if
- I would also like to know whether
- I hope you might also let me know about …
Thanking for information:
- I would like to thank you in advance for this information
- Thanking you in advance for this information
- Thanking you in advance
e) Writing formal letters to give information:
Reason for writing:
- I am writing to inform you about
- I am writing to provide you with information about
- I am writing to let you know that
Providing first point:
- The first thing I would like to inform you of is
- The first thing I would like to tell you is
- The first thing I wish to inform you of is
- I would like to begin by informing you
Providing further points:
- I would also like to let you know that
- I would also like to inform you that
- You might also find the following information useful
- It might also be useful for you to know that
- Another piece of information that might be useful
Ending the letter:
- If you require further information, please do not hesitate to ask
- If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask
- I will willingly provide further information on request
- I am at your disposal should you require further information
- I am at your disposal should you need further assistance
- Please do not hesitate to ask should you require further information
f) Writing formal letters to request permission
Reason for writing:
- I am writing to ask permission for
- I I am writing to ask permission to
- am writing to request permission to
- I am writing to request permission for
- I am writing to ask if I might
Making first request:
- Firstly I wonder if you would
- First of all I wonder whether you would mind
- The first request I would like you to consider is
Making further requests:
- I would be grateful if you would also consider
- I wonder if it might be possible for me to
- I would also like to request permission for
- I would also like to request permission to
Thanking for permission
- Many thanks for kindly considering my requests
- Thank you for considering my requests
