VWO 5 Writing class 1 2324

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

VWO 5 - Writing (class 1)

VWO 4 - Unit 3 lesson 1 (a)

Today

Class work

• Explanation writing test 
• Explanation application letter
• Overview application letter

Individually 

• Practise writing outline application letter

Goals

• Ik weet wat er van mij wordt verwacht op de 'writing toets'.
• Ik weet wat een application letter is. 
• Ik weet de basisregels voor elke sollicitatiebrief. 

Explanation writing test

• week 4
• 90 minutes
• on computer (without internet!)
• writing an application letter 
• according to a set assignment
• dictionary Dutch-English

Application letter

What is it? 

An application letter is important to include when you're submitting your resume for a job. This type of letter allows you to elaborate on your qualifications and explains why you want the position. A well-written application letter can inspire hiring managers to call you for an interview, propelling you forward in the application process.

Application letter

Why are we doing this? 

More and more universities use English as the main language. Learning how to use formal English will help you when writing reports. Furthermore, more and more businesses use English as the main language, and sometimes writing your application letter in English will be a requirement. 

Application letter

What should be in it? 

• why you want to be hired for a certain job
• your good qualities, why they should hire you
• your previous work experience relevant to the new job 
• contact information 
• any questions you might have 

Application letter

How to get started (when writing a real application letter): 

1. Research the company you are applying to. Make sure you know something about the past and present situation of the company, what kind of work they do, what kind of people they hire. 
2. Use a professional format to write your letter
3. State the position you are applying for, explain why you would fit this job
4. Mention your best qualities, and mention why you want this job 
5. Include a professional closing (end of your letter) 

Overview application letter

In the past, all application letters used to be actual letters. 

Nowadays, you apply through email. 

The professional format has changed, since you no longer need to include addresses. 

Overview application letter

Professional format:

• Date
• Salutation 
  
• Letter divided into three paragraphs 
• Closing sentence
• Closure 

Everything is outlined on the left side of your document! 

1: Date

There are four ways to write the date at the top of your letter: 

• Kampen, 29 March 2022      <----- easiest way! 
• Kampen, March 29, 2022
• Kampen, 29th March 2022
• Kampen, March 29th, 2022 

Remember! Include the place you are writing, write out the months in full, and use a capital letter for the English months.

1: Date

Just in case you do not remember:

January                                August
February                              September

March                                  October

April                                    November

May                                     December

June

July 

Pretend you are writing an application letter on your birthday. How would you write the date (make sure to include the place)?

2: Salutation 

There are two ways to write your salutation: 

1. When you know who you are writing to (last name), you can use:
   Dear Mr Jones, 
   Dear Mrs Jones, 

Do note!

• There is no full stop after Mr or Mrs
• You use the abbreviation exactly like this (so not: Mister or Misses)
• There is a comma after your salutation 

2: Salutation 

2. When you do not know the name of the person you are writing to: 
       Dear Sir/Madam, 

Do note!

• You write the salutation exactly like above. 
• You write Sir and Madam with a capital letter.
• There is a comma after the salutation 
• Make sure you do not use 'madame' which is French. 

In the application it says you have to address your letter to Laura Jameson. Please write the correct salutation.

There is no name in the application. Please write the correct salutation.

3: Letter divided into three paragraphs 

First paragraph: 

• state what advertisement you are reacting to
• where and when you read this advertisement (not like: when I woke up this morning I openend up my laptop and I saw your advertisement; but: I would like to apply to the position of ..., which I saw in the Telegraph of 15 January 2021)
• that you are interested in this job 

3: Letter divided into three paragraphs 

Second paragraph: 

• introduce yourself by stating your nationality, age, education 
• indicate why they should hire you
• name your qualities, previous work experience, etc

3: Letter divided into three paragraphs 

Do note!

When introducing yourself in the second paragraph you do not mention your name, since this can be found at the end of the letter. 

So not: My name is ..., I am 16 years old, I am from the Netherlands, ec. 

Instead use: I am a sixteen-year-old girl from the Netherlands. 

3: Letter divided into three paragraphs 

Third paragraph: 

• state when you would like to start working
• that you hope to be invited for an interview
• that you can answer any questions in an interview
• ask any questions you might have yourself

Which sentence would go where? 

PARAGRAPH 1

PARAGRAPH 2

PARAGRAPH 3

I would like to apply for the post of courier, which was advertised on your website. 

I feel confident that I have the qualifications required for this post. 

I am availabe for a job interview any weekday.

4: Closing sentence

Separate paragraph (thus a blank line before and after this sentence) 

Examples:

I look forward to hearing from you. 

I look forward to meeting you.

I look forward to your reply.

I hope to hear from you soon. 

5: Closure

• Your closure starts with a capital letter and ends with a comma
• Two options in formal letters:
  - If you used 'Dear Mr ... / Dear Mrs ...' you use: Yours sincerely, 
  - If you used 'Dear Sir/Madam' you use: Yours faithfully,

Things like 'Yours, Kind regards, 

Best wishes' are all informal and

should not be used! 

You directed your letter with 'Dear Sir/Madam,' how would you end your letter?

You wrote an application letter to Mr Green, what do you use as closure?

General rules

• Everything is outlined on the left side of your document
• There is 1 blank line inbetween the different parts of the letter (after date, after salutation, inbetween paragraphs, before final sentence, before closure, after closure)
• You should always fill the entire line, so no enters unless you start a new paragraph
• The general outline of your letter is always the same, so this is something you can and should study. 

Kampen,  15 December 2022

Dear Sir/Madam,

In this paragraph you will tell why you are writing, and where you read the advertisement and when. You will state that you are interested in the post that was described in the advertisement. 

In this paragraph you will introduce youreslf. Youwill also mention your good qualities and anything else that is important to know about you, so that they choose to hire youfor this job. You proof that you are the best candidate for this job. 

In the final paragraph you state that you would like to be invited for an interview. You will also ask all questions you might have.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Yours faithfully, 

Renske van Dijk  

Letter outline