Formal email writing and formal language

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Writing A Formal Email 

Formal language, email structure

and 

Finish Up vocabulary

What do you remember?

Are you ready for take off?

                                        Let's find out!  ;)

How many types of formal letters have we discussed in class?

1. 2
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5

Which 3 types of formal letters?

1. complaint, application, request
2. rectification, restitution, complaint
3. complaint, clarification, application

For an email, you don't know who you are addressing.
How do you do that?

1. Dear Sir/Madam,
2. Dear Mr./Ms.,
3. To whom it may concern,
4. Dear ...,

You are writing a formal email to Jessica Brown. How do you address her?

1. Dear Madam Brown,
2. Dear Ms. Brown,
3. Dear Jessica Brown
4. Dear Mrs. Brown

Keep in mind...

Mrs. for married women. 

Ms. for unmarried women (and quite a few feminists).

Only use Mrs. when you know that she is married and you know that she doesn't mind.

How many paragraphs should your letter consist of (at the very least) ?

1. 2
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5

At least 5 paragraphs

(opening)

Introduction         1      

Body 1                2

Body 2                3

Body 3                4

Conclusion       5

(closing + ending)

What should you do in the first paragraph (the introduction)?

1. introduce the problem, topic or question
2. introduce yourself
3. introduce the reason for your writing
4. introduce a solution

Which version should you use for your introduction?

1. The reason I am writing is that ...
2. The reason why I am writing is that ...
3. The reason I am writing is because ...

Don't repeat yourself

The reason why I am writing is that ...

The reason = why               -->      repeat

The reason I am writing is because ...

The reason = because      -->       repeat

The reason I am writing is that / The reason for my writing is that

What is a good example of a formal closing (after your conclusion)?
More than one answer possible!

1. Please reply asap.
2. I look forward to hearing from you.
3. I look forward to your swift reply.
4. Many thanks in advance.

You used the address
"Dear Ms. Brown,"
What should your ending be?

1. Yours faithfully,
2. Yours sincerely,
3. Yours forever,
4. Yours truly,

You used the address
"Dear Sir / Madam,"
What should your ending be?

1. Yours faithfully,
2. Yours sincerely,
3. Yours forever,
4. Yours truly,

What was it again?

You know the name:

Dear Ms. Brown,     -    Yours sincerely

You don't know the name:

Dear Sir / Madam,     -      Yours faithfully

It's time for ... Finish Up!

The way to level up on your English vocabulary.

A review of the chapters we have covered so far:

chapter 11-14

In the next four slides, fill in the English translation.

Mind your spelling and the verb tense!

The boy was .... (wegsturen) from school.

The ... (kraag/boord) of your shirt is dirty.

Do you think this new fashion will ... (aanslaan)?

Milk is a ... (voedzaam) drink.

The end of Finish Up

So far we've covered ....

standard formal phrases, 

email structure and vocabulary.

However, 

grammar also plays a part in formal writing.

For instance, the use of passive sentences. 

Active versus Passive

A thief has stolen my bike.  (=ACTIVE)

versus

My bike has been stolen (by a thief).   (=PASSIVE)

In the next slides, 

pay close attention to the different verb tenses.

Do you still remember them from last year?

Active

Subject Verb Object

Rihanna wears stolen rings.

Snowwhite is eating an apple. 

Sinterklaas kicked the child. 

Zwarte Piet was throwing pepernoten.

A monkey has stolen my bike.

Passive

Object (= now Subject)

Stolen rings are worn.

An apple is being eaten. 

The child was kicked.

Pepernoten were being thrown.

My bike has been stolen.

Which tense is this?

Rihanna wears stolen rings.

1. present simple
2. present continuous
3. present perfect

Turn into a passive sentence:

He kicks the ball.

1. The ball is being kicked.
2. The ball has been kicked.
3. The ball is kicked.

Which tense is this?

Zwarte Piet was throwing pepernoten.

1. present simple
2. present continuous
3. present perfect

Turn into a passive sentence:

They were cooking dinner.

1. Dinner was being cooked.
2. Dinner has been cooked.
3. Dinner was cooked.

Which tense is this?

A monkey has stolen my bike.

1. past perfect
2. past continuous
3. present perfect
4. past simple

Turn into a passive sentence:

They have buried the evidence.

1. The evidence is buried.
2. The evidence was being buried.
3. The evidence was buried.
4. The evidence has been buried.

That's all folks!

How was your flight?