Writing a formal letter

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

H4 Writing a formal letter 

Thursday 30 January 2025

After completing this writing course you can:

• respond adequately in writing with native speakers of English
• ask for and give information in English
• complain about purchases or events in English
• apply for a job in English.

Last week: you wrote a formal letter to a relative.

What's the plan today?

• We look at differences between formal and informal letters.
• Remember the writing conventions: what should a formal letter look like?
• Letter writing practice: Write and improve.

 
At the end of this lesson

• You can use formal and informal language appropriately.
• You can use the writing conventions.
• You can write a formal letter.

What kind of language would you find here?

Formal

Informal

Letter to a cousin

Text message to a friend

Letter of complaint

Application

Social media post

Formal letter

Informal letter

Gonna

Wanna

Greetings, 

Yours faithfully, 

Dear Ms de Bruijn, 

Dear Inez, 

I would like

polite and specific

Salutation = Aanhef

When you know the name:

Dear Mr Tremadoc,

When you don't know a name or who you are writing to:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Do not use:

Dear Peter, Dear Sir,

Dear Mr P. Tremadoc, 

Dear Sir Tremadoc,

Dear Mr Peter Tremadoc, 

Hi Peter,

but use:

Dear Sirs, Dear Sir/ Madame,

Dear (company name),

Dear reader, etc.

I want to know....
(What would you write in a formal letter?)

Extra information salutation

A name in the salutation? End letter with  Yours sincerely,
Dear Sir/Madam in the salutation? Use Yours faithfully, 
No first names or first letters before the name (Dear Mr P. Tremadoc = wrong).
Mr for man, Mrs for married woman, Miss for unmarried woman, Ms for any woman (not known whether she is married or not)

(no full stop = Mr./Mrs./Ms.

Put the parts of a formal letter in the correct order

Steps:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Your address

Date

The address of the person who receives the letter.

Dear sir/madam,

Reason for writing and the main points

Thank you for consideration/I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely/yours faithfully/kind regards

Check the letters you are given

Look at the lay-out/structure of the letter:

Mark and improve errors in

• Salutation (Dear...)
• Addresses
• Ending of the letter

Compare your improvements with your neighbour.

Open "Writing a formal letter" 

(document in Classroom)

• Read page 2 - 7 (Chapter 1 & 2) for yourself.
• Do quiz on page 4, rewrite the passage of task 1, 2 or 3.
• Mark new information or things you find difficult to remember.
• Compare rewritten passages with a partner

To practise your writing:

Work on improving your own writing with Write and Improve.

Workbook code is G4TP2FRG.

Link and workbook code are in Classroom as well.

Short quiz on formal language

How to improve your listening skills?

How to improve listening skills?

Podcasts, for example Short History of... (listen...)

British/American/Australian 

Watch films/series with English subtitles

Read books

Tomorrow

CNN10 - listening practice & speaking - discussion

WaspReporter - reading practice

Homework:

Start listening to English podcasts or find other ways to improve your listening skills

What's the plan today?

• We look at differences between formal and informal letters.
• Remember the writing conventions: what should a formal letter look like?
• Letter writing practice: Write and improve.

 
At the end of this lesson

• You can use formal and informal language appropriately.
• You can use the writing conventions.
• You can write a formal letter.