HAVO 5 Application letter

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

HAVO 5 - Writing an application letter

Leerdoelen

• Ik weet hoe ik een sollicitatiebrief in het Engels moet opstellen. 

Formal letter/email outline

1. Your own address without your name, with the country

 

 Marinus Postlaan 1

 8264 PB Kampen

 Netherlands

Formal letter/email outline

2. Date of writing

 

 15 December 2020

 December 15, 2020

 December 15th, 2020

 15th December 2020

All options are correct; the first one is the easiest. Remember to write months with capital letters in English!

Formal letter/email outline

3. Subject line

  

 subject: application for English teacher

Do not use capital letters, except when you use names

Do not use punctuation, except for the colon (:) 

Formal letter/email outline

4. Salutation

 Dear Mr Jones / Mrs Jones, (if you know who you are writing to)

 Dear Sir/Madam, (if you do not know who you are writing to)

• Use capital letters
  
• Never use a first name.
  
• Do not write ‘Mister/Missus’
  
• Always end with a comma
  

Formal letter/email outline

5. Three paragraphs

   

More information later on

Formal letter/email outline

6. Final sentence

  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

This is a sentence you can almost always use. 

This is a seperate 'paragraph'. Blank lines before and after this sentence. 

Formal letter/email outline

7. Closure

   Yours sincerely, (when you used a name in the salutation) 

   Yours faithfully, (when you used Sir/Madam in the salutation)

Formal letter/email outline

8. Your signature and full name

 

 [signature]

 Renske van Dijk

Formal letter/email outline

9. If necessary: enclosures 

Encl.: CV 

Basic rules

Between each new part of your letter you leave a blank line

It is okay to start a letter with “I” in English

Always continue writing until the end of the line. A new sentences does not mean you should start on a new line. You only start on a new line when you start a new paragraph / part of the letter. 

Basic rules

This is a formal letter, so you have to use formal language.

• Don't start a sentence with informal linking words, such as and, but, because, or, so, also. 
• Do not use contractions, such as don't, isn't, I'm, etc.
• Do not use slang, such as wanna, gonna, ain't, u, etc. 
• Be polite 

Application letter

You will have to write an application letter. 

This is a 'handelingsdeel', so you will have to get a pass mark. 

We will practise this once, so you can get feedback. Then you will write your assignment. 

Paragraph content application letter

Paragraph 1: state what position you are applying for, state you are interested and explain where and when you read the vacancy 

Paragraph 2: introduce yourself, explain why you are suitable for this position 

Paragraph 3: name your hopes, expectations, ask any questions you might have, redirect them to your CV, and explain how they can contact you 

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 1: 

• I would like to apply for the position of...
• I read your advertisement in...
• I am writing in connection with the job advertisement in...
• I am very interested in...

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 2: 

• Let me introduce myself.
• I believe I am suitable for this position, because...
• I would be very suited for this position, since...
• People tell me I am... (list your qualities)
• I am currently a student at...
• I feel I have the necessary qualities for this job, because...

Useful sentences and phrases

Paragraph 3: 

• I would really appreciate it if you would...
• I do have some questions about... 
• Could you give me an indication of...
• If you have any questions, you can contact me on....
• I have enclosed my CV for...

Tips

• Always write your age in full; i.e. sixteen-year-old girl / seventeen-year-old boy 
• Write numbers up to twenty in full, except when you are talking about dates (i.e. I attend school five days a week / I read your vacancy on 3 February 2021). 
• havo = higher general secundary education (I am in my final year of higher general secondary education) 
• Translate everything into English, so the names of papers and your education should be written in English, not in Dutch. 
• If you must say something in Dutch, make sure to write the Dutch inbetween quotation marks. 

What to do? 

Schrijf de brief uit de volgende dia's. 

Situatie

Over een aantal maanden hoop jij jouw havo diploma op zak te hebben. Je bent bezig met onderzoeken wat je daarna wilt gaan doen. Het lijkt je fijn om tijdens de zomervakantie in het buitenland te werken. Tijdens het zoeken naar opties, kwam je een advertentie tegen van Camp America. Een organisatie die baantjes regelt voor zomerkampen in de Verenigde Staten. (zie volgende dia)

Camp counselor wanted

summer 2021

You will...

• ... be overseeing a group of 8 - 12 years old during their daily activities. 
• ... plan activities and supervise the campers. 
• ... guide the campers, and make sure they have a safe environment while at camp.

You have to be...

• 17 - 19 years old
• creative
• good at organising activities 
• responsible
• good with children

You need...

a highschool diploma and good English skills

 

Opdracht

Volg de formele brief outline en schrijf een complete solliciatiebrief naar Camp America. 

• Noem in de brief tenminste 3 kwaliteiten die aansluiten bij de advertentie.
• Geef aan wat voor werkervaring jij hebt.
• Stel ten minste 3 vragen.
• Verwijs naar jouw CV.