Formal versus Informal writing

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Slide 1: Slide
EngelsMiddelbare schoolhavoLeerjaar 4

This lesson contains 26 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

time-iconLesson duration is: 50 min

Items in this lesson

Slide 1 - Slide

Dear Sir/Madam,
Your address
recipient's adress

The date
Introduce yourself + reason of writing
Explanation of the situation
Conclusion
Closing sentence
Your name
signature
1
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Slide 2 - Drag question

Match the formal expressions (right side) with the informal expressions (left side) .
Obtain
Request
Inexpensive
Children
Reside 
Contact
Finally
Inform
Live
Ask for
Get in touch
Kids
In the end
Cheap
Tell 
Get 

Slide 3 - Drag question

Match the formal expressions (right side) with the informal expressions (left side) .
At first
Begin
Chance 
So
Seem like
Wrong
Show
Need
Appear 
Commence 
Incorrect 
Therefore 
Demonstrate 
Opportunity 
Require 
Initially 

Slide 4 - Drag question

Match the formal expressions (right side) with the informal expressions (left side) .
Buy 
Try 
Take 
Family 
By accident 
Lucky 
Help
Look into
Accidentally 
Attempt 
Fortunate 
Relatives 
Assist 
Accept 
Investigate 
Purchase 

Slide 5 - Drag question

Match the formal expressions (right side) with the informal expressions (left side) .
Big
Better
Change 
Call of
Put off
Put forward
But  
And 
Postpone 
Superior to
Propose 
Cancel
While 
Transform
As well as
Large

Slide 6 - Drag question

Study the definitions of the words you did not know 

Slide 7 - Slide

Match the expressions on the left with the paragraphs on the right.
Yours sincerely,
Yours,
I was wondering if I could ask you a favour?
 I regret to advise you that ...
Signing off (informal letter)

Giving bad news (formal letter)
Asking for help (informal letter)
Signing off (if you begin with a name, formal) 

Slide 8 - Drag question

Match the expressions on the left with the paragraphs on the right.
Dear Sir,
Please contact me if you have any further questions.
Dear Peter,
I would be grateful if you could ...
Closing (formal letter)
Asking for help (formal letter)
 Beginning (informal letter)
Beginning (formal letter)

Slide 9 - Drag question

Match the sentences with formal or informal.
Hello Sabrina,
Dear Mrs Collins,
I'm writing to find out about ...
 I look forward to hearing from you.
 I apologise for not getting in contact with you ...
See you soon.
I'm not happy about ...
Sorry, I haven't written for ages, but ...
Formal 
Informal
I am writing to enquire about ...
 I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...

Slide 10 - Drag question

Study the language (left: informal right: formal)

Slide 11 - Slide

What is the correct opening greeting if you DO NOT know who will read your letter?

Slide 12 - Open question

How do you end a formal letter?
A
Greetings,
B
Yours sincerely,
C
Sincerely,
D
Yours faithfully,

Slide 13 - Quiz

How do we start paragraph 1?
A
Hello!
B
I'm ...
C
My name is ...
D
Good day

Slide 14 - Quiz

Frequent mistakes
Capital Letters:

When you talk about "ik", "i" is wrong, it is always ā€œIā€ 

Days of the week, months : Monday, Tuesday, August, October

Slide 15 - Slide

DOs
  1. Make it neat.
  2. Use signal words and the appropriate tenses, wherever necessary
  3. Use paragraphs ( and use blank lines to clearly separate them)
  4. Use a difficult grammar item every now and then (passive, relative clauses)
  5. At the end, check your work!

Slide 16 - Slide

Don'ts
  1.  DON'T forget about the lay-out
  2.  DON'T use abbreviations / contractions (like I'll, didn't)
  3.  DON'T use the first translation you find in a dictionary without checking. 
  4. DON'T forget content elements 
  5. DON'T use swear words or street language 
  6. DON'T use dumb language (gonna, kinda, u, ur, w8, like ... you know, etc.) 

Slide 17 - Slide

Frequent mistakes
Word Order

Wrong:  
In my opinion is it great to live in New York.

Right: 
In my opinion it is great to live in New York

Slide 18 - Slide

FORMAL
INFORMAL
Long sentences
Short sentences
Active voice
Passive voice
Email
Application letter
No contractions

Slide 19 - Drag question

Slide 20 - Slide

Slide 21 - Slide

Slide 22 - Slide

Slide 23 - Slide

Slide 24 - Slide

You are writing a letter of application to Alice Duncan, who works at a Hotel. How should you adress her in your letter?
A
Dear Alice,
B
Dear Mrs A. Duncan,
C
Dear Mrs Duncan,
D
Dear Sir/Madam,

Slide 25 - Quiz

You are writing a letter of application to Alice Duncan, who works at a Hotel. With which 2 words should you end your letter (groet)?

Slide 26 - Open question