Informal letter with formal conventions

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

WRITING AN INFORMAL LETTER

WITH FORMAL CONVENTIONS

Today's goals

- I know how to format the conventions (address, date, signature etc.) in an informal letter

- I know how my informal letter will be scored

- I can practice writing a informal letter

At the end of class:

What is a formal letter? Explain and give an example.

Conventions and layout 

Order of an informal letter using formal conventions

1. Your Address

Including Country (The Netherlands)

2. Recipient's full name

Address

Including Country (English spelling of country and capital letter)

3. Date

day Month year (Month written out in full with English spelling and starts with capital letter)

4. Dear Name,

(Start name with capital letter. Don't forget the comma)

5. Body of letter

-Introduction paragraph

-Body paragraph

-Concluding paragraph

(Includes all 8 - 10 elements you are supposed to write about in your letter. Be polite)

6. Best regards, / Best wishes, (comma!!)

Your Full Name

Tips and tricks - use a dictionary!

- Write out words in full, no contractions e.g I'm - use I am 

- Do not use slang - wanna / gonna etc. use want to / going to

- Write short sentences but use linking words (and, but, because)

- The word 'I' is spelt with a capital letter

- Start sentences with a capital letter

- Country, city, & people names (including your own) start with a capital letter

- Use punctuation (commas and fullstops)

- Greetings - Never use this word to end letter!!!!

-  Best regards,  or Best wishes, = safest closing for informal letter

Line spacing between salutations and paragraphs

Include everything asked for!!!

Example of a good letter

Example of a good letter

Example of scorecard of a good letter

Full marks!!!

FORMAL

INFORMAL

Dear Mrs. Brown,

Hi Molly,

Jenny,

Dear Sir or Madam,

Hey you,

To whom it may concern,

Dear colleagues:

FORMAL

INFORMAL

Yours sincerely,

Cheers,

Love,

Yours faithfully,

See ya,

Best regards,

Yours faithfully,

When do yo use ''Dear Sir or Madam''?

1. When you don't know the person you're writing to
2. When you do know who you're writing to
3. You can always use it
4. Never

How do you end a formal letter?

1. Greetings,
2. Yours sincerely,
3. Sincerely,
4. Yours faithfully,

Structure the application letter 

Formal Expressions

I am writing to you to apply to the post of part-time job assistant.

My responsibilities there included serving customers as well as shelf-filling.

I consider myself to be a trustworthy, hardworking and enthusiastic person.

If necessary, I can supply you with references.

I would be grateful for the opportunity to visit your shop.

I will be available to start work from 22 July.

I am enclosing my CV.

• Use adverbs and adjectives to make your writing come alive

What are personality traits that will get you hired?

Linking Words

Other Words

In short

In other words

Anyway

What

Similarly

More

Could

Although

Might

Moreover

Yet

Always

Like

No

For example

Doubt

Then

Why

Most of those heroes have spend half there lifes trying to be ordinary people. (3)

Ones they where traveling threw South America whit some friends when too of them were kidnaped. (6)

Those lady’s were trying to get some potato's, tomato's and loafs of bread for free. (4)

Their are five books about wit here; this one is a lot funnyer then the other once, don’t you think so too? (4)

Write down 5 mistakes in this letter 

Write down 3 mistakes from the previous letter

Write down 5 mistakes in this letter 

Practice writing a formal letter. Hand in for feedback

Write a 160 word letter as practice and send to me by email (attach word document)  I will give you feedback on your email.

Situatie:​  Harry zoekt een stageplaats bij Unilever Research. Bob is de Human Resources assistent manager bij Unilever Research in Vlaardingen. Harry schrijft een brief naar Bob Johnson. Schrijf de Engelse brief van Harry aan Bob Johnson.​

Harry's adres is:​  Coolsingel 40​, 3000 KP Rotterdam​

Het adres van Unilever is:​  Unilever Research​, Olivier van Noortlaan 120​, 3133 AT Vlaardingen​

Opdrachten: ​

• Leg uit waarom je schrijft; een stageplaats (internship).​
• Vertel wie je bent (bijvoorbeeld een third-years MBO student in Rotterdam).​
• Schrijf waarom je juist daar stage wilt lopen (interested in research and practice or gaining experience).​
• Schrijf wat je sterke punten zijn (bijvoorbeeld dat je een team player bent.  Verzin wat competenties).​
• Vraag of jullie een afspraak kunnen maken.​ 
• Vraag ook of je een rondleiding kunt krijgen door het laboratorium (tour of the lab).​
• Sluit de brief af met een bijpassende slot (don't forget your name)
• Zorg voor een goede brief structuur (see example of layout under "bestanden" - formal letter in Teams)