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Nowadays the study of foreign languages. And it’s not just about broad horizons and communication. It's about getting a profession and choosing a high-paying job. Informal writing is an essential part of the English language. So let's get to know her better.

Informal letter

Translated, it means “informal letter,” in other words, a letter that you wrote in simple words, without particularly bothering with the design and culture of expressing thoughts. In this article we will try to consider in detail what an informal letter to friend is, an example of such a letter, as well as several common phrases and expressions that you can freely use. Let's go!

Some general information

Speaking about the example of an informal letter, we should note that it is usually written to a friend or acquaintance, one way or another, a person whom you know well and with whom you freely communicate on a first-name basis. In fact, the most common area where writing a structured informal letter is required is a variety of English writing exams: from the OGE, which schoolchildren take in the 9th grade, to international exams for admission to foreign universities or to confirm their level of a foreign language.

Structure

The structure of such a letter is as follows:

1. On the right top corner The address is written separated by commas, starting with small (home) and ending with large (country);

2. Write date on the line below

3. Then, very important, one line is skipped! After this, the letter itself begins with the red line of the next line.

4. Address in the format "Dear, (addressee's name)".

6. We write the main part on a new line.

7. From a new line, a conclusion, which, according to the rules, should contain several questions for your interlocutor, but if you want, you can skip and write a conclusion without questions (although, this is a personal letter, so most likely you will still have questions) .

8. From a new line, we apologize that it’s time for us to go.

9. From a new line, a special phrase, which will be discussed later.

10. And the last new line is the signature (your name).

It is these ten points that make up any informal letter to friend. We will look at an example of an informal letter with translation a little later, but for now we will find out what stable phrases and phrases are usually used when writing an informal letter.

Linking words & phrases

Important and useful words and phrases for writing an informal letter in English quite a lot, so let's divide them into several groups:

• expressions for introduction;
• introductory words and phrases for the main part;
• phraseological units for conclusion.

Introduction

• Thank you for your letter.
• Your last letter was a real surprise.
• I was glad to get your letter.
• It was great to hear from you! / I was happy to hear…

If you wish, as mentioned earlier, you can apologize for waiting so long for your response and do this using the following expressions:

• Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
• I’m sorry I haven’t answered earlier but I was really busy with...

Main part

Here is a flight of your imagination, ideally divided into 2-3 paragraphs. Dilute it with introductory words and phrases:

• Well...
• From my point of view,... / To my mind,... (from my point of view).
• As I know... (how I know).
• Do you know that...? (do you know what...?).
• You know,... (you know...).
• Look...
• By the way,... (by the way).
• anyway (in any case).
• so/therefore (so/therefore).
• Nevertheless (nevertheless).
• Besides... (besides).
• Unfortunately/Fortunately,... (Unfortunately/Fortunately...).

Conclusion

Almost the last paragraph of our letter should contain questions and the reason why we need to go. Of course, with apologies.

• Well, I’d better go, because unfortunately, I have to do my homework.
• Anyway, I have to go now because my mom has already called me.
• Sorry, I will leave you for a while. My favorite TV show is about to begin.

As we remember, the next line should contain the traditional closing phrase. It could be:

• Drop me a line as soon as you can!
• Write me!
• Hope to listen from you soon.
• Love, (name).
• Sincerely yours, (name).
• Let's keep in touch!
• Can't wait to see you!
• Best wishes, (name).
• Hope to see you soon!

So we have analyzed the structure of a traditional informal letter for, relatively speaking, a friend. Now all that’s left to do is show a ready-made example of an informal letter to friend.

An example

Nizhny Novgorod,

7/12/2017

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your letter! Sorry for not writing for so long, I was really busy with my exams. You asked me about my school projects.

Well, for sure I have some quite interesting projects at school. Usually, a teacher asks me to make reports once a two or three weeks, so this is a normal practice. Of course, it is an enjoyable process from time to time, and I truly appreciate this experience. As you know, I participate in the school theater meetings and rehearsals, so making orals is not such a complicated presentation for me. But, you can easily guess that writing reports is much easier. You are allowed not to hurry and think about the topic. Moreover, you have not to learn your report by heart - just give it to a teacher and forget for some time about it! You know this is really cool. But anyway this is quite a controversial issue as so as you remember how I appreciate memorizing new information. In fact, this is much more useful for the further studying. But anyway I prefer writing my projects.

It"s really amazing to hear your brother"s news! Tell me more about it. How does he do? Is he going to visit you in the nearest future? And you?

Oh, sorry, I should go. My mom asked me to wash dishes. Write me as soon as you can!

Best wishes,

Translation

Nizhny Novgorod,

Russia
7/12/2017

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your letter! Sorry I haven't written for so long. I was very busy with exams. You asked me about my school projects.

Well, I sure did have some pretty interesting projects in school. Usually the teacher asks me to give reports once every two to three weeks, so this is normal practice. Of course, it is a really enjoyable process at times and I really appreciate the experience. As you know, I participate in rehearsals and meetings of our school theater, so public speaking presentations are not such a big problem for me. But it won’t be difficult for you to guess that making written reports is much easier. You can take your time and think about the topic. Moreover, you don't need to learn your report by heart - just give it to your teacher and forget about it for a while! You know, it's really cool. But anyway it's enough controversial issue, because you remember how much I value memorizing new information. In fact, it is much more useful for further learning. But be that as it may, I prefer written work.

So cool to hear news about your brother! Tell me more about this. How is he? Going to visit you soon? And you him?

Oh, sorry, I have to run. Mom asked me to wash the dishes. Write to me as soon as you can!

All the best,

Daria.

Actually, this is what informality looks like or to a person with whom you have free communication. Please note that if you are writing such a letter as part of an assignment, you must adhere to the established word limit, otherwise your work will not be credited.

In fact, there is a wide variety of written work in the English language. Essay, letter, note, email - each of them has its own requirements and restrictions, so be careful! But it is worth noting that, for example, informal letters and emails have almost the same spelling. We will not give examples of informal electronic messages; we will only say that their structure and the structure of informal letters are practically the same.

Conclusion

So we looked at the structure of writing an informal letter and an example of an informal letter in English. In conclusion, we will only say that to compose such letters, in fact, as for other written and oral work in the English language, you need a wide vocabulary and the ability to easily and freely use not only introductory words, but also a wide range of grammatical constructions, which so loves this language. Learn English and remember the famous TED talks motto: "Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Stay tuned."

People have been writing letters to each other since time immemorial. From letters one can judge a person’s character, his education, hobbies, and most importantly, how well he speaks the language in which he writes. Those who study the language will sooner or later be faced with the need to learn how to write letters in English correctly.

The letter may be needed when entering a higher education institution abroad, when passing a language exam, or when applying for a job. But not only in the world of business communication is it important to know how to write a letter in English. Informal correspondence can also have an impact on your life, communication with friends and acquaintances. Your letters will be used to judge you by those who read them. Do you want to leave a good impression? We will introduce you to the basic rules of correspondence in English. It's also worth repeating. Before you start writing a letter, you need to determine for what purpose you are doing this, and therefore determine the type of letter.

Types of letters in English

All letters can be divided into personal (Personal letter) and business (Business letter). We talked about correspondence with business partners and the main taboos of business correspondence earlier, today we will discuss the rules of personal correspondence in more detail. Are there general strict rules for writing letters in English? If we are talking about personal correspondence, the answer is obvious - no. In business documentation and communication with business partners, letter templates in English are often used. Personal correspondence is your own business, forgive the tautology. And yet, there are a few tips that will help make correspondence more enjoyable for you and the person with whom you are having an epistolary conversation. In addition, if you are new to the world of English, it is still better to try writing your first letters using templates.

Of course, stream of consciousness is a good thing, but only in the works of Joyce. If you want your letter to be read to the end, respect the addressee. Try to make the text easy to read. The construction of writing in English is as important an element as the meaning you put into the words you write.

As a rule, a letter contains the following structural elements:

• request – separate line
• a short introduction (in which you can refer to previous contacts, previously written letters, etc.) - a separate paragraph
• main part – several paragraphs
• conclusion – separate line
• the final phrase is a separate line
• signature (name only) – separate line
• in the upper right corner you should indicate the author’s address and the date under the address

We offer a sample letter in English, with the following structure:

The form of address always depends on the degree of familiarity with the person you are addressing in the letter. Let's give a few examples.

• Dear John! – appeal to a friend, relative
• Dear Sir– an appeal if this John is your boss. Official appeal.
• My dear Sir – an address that can be used ironically in personal correspondence
• Dear Mr. Smith- an official address to a stranger (you don’t know who John is)

Tip 3. A few important points to pay attention to

1. If you do not know the gender of the recipient, write his full last name: Dear T.K. Spinazola

2. If you don’t know which abbreviation is better to use: Miss or Mrs, since you don't know if the woman is married, use a neutral Ms.

3. If you are writing a letter to two people, include both names in the address.

4. These messages cannot be shortened: Professor, Dean, Governor, Captain, Admiral, JudgeSister, Senator

5. These addresses should never be used in full Mr., Ms., Mrs. and Dr.

In order to write a letter correctly the first time, it is a good idea to have a sample letter in English at hand.

Template phrases for writing letters

5 introductory phrase templates:

• It was great to get your letter….
• Thanks for your letter. It was great/lovely to hear from you.
• Thanks for your long letter. It was really great to hear all your news, after not hearing from you for ages….
• Sorry I haven’t written for so long but….
• I was really pleased to hear that…

These phrases are neutral; you can start a letter with them to any addressee. Sometimes it can be difficult to find words, especially if you are not writing in native language. Template phrases will help you structure the text of your letter and correctly formulate your thoughts.

5 Closing Phrases Templates:

• I would really like you to visit me this summer. Write to me and tell me your plans.
• Please give/send my regards (love) to your….
• And write and tell me your plans for….
• Write back soon!
• If you want to know anything else, just drop me a line.

Template for a letter asking for advice (5 options):

• I am writing to ask for your advice
• Can you give me your advice?
• I've got a problem and I need your advice.
• What do you think I should do?
• Do you think I should...?

Phrases for different letters:

We wish you only good and warm letters!

Corresponding with foreign friends has always been considered an effective method of increasing your knowledge and improving your English language skills. But not every person easily decides to take such a step - many are tormented by lack of confidence in their abilities. Today we will correct this shortcoming and learn to write a letter to a friend in English. Believe me, this is not at all difficult, especially since the article contains standard phrases and sample letters to different topic, with which you can create a full-fledged template and easily write your personal letter. So, let's learn to write in English and make pen pals!

Writing a personal letter in English - style, structure and standard phrases

Beginning of the letter: address and personal address

According to generally accepted rules, an English letter always begins with a standard header: indicating the address of the writer and the date. It is usually located in the upper right corner and has the following format*:

• 1 line – house number and street name;
• 2 line – indication of the city and postal code;
• 3 line – name of the country;
• 4 line – date of writing.

*Detailed sample correct design The beginning of a letter can be found in the material “How to start a letter in English” and in examples of letters.

If you are writing a personal letter to a friend or friend and it is not the first in your correspondence, then, of course, you can omit the address. But keep in mind that while writing letters for exams, you need to strictly adhere to the official standard i.e. in this case, the address cannot be neglected.

After designing the header, we move to the left side of the sheet and address the interlocutor from a new line. Informal greetings have many variations, but the most popular expressions are combinations Dear+name or Hello Hi + name . As a rule, a comma is placed after these words, and the main part of the letter is written on a new line.

Phrases for the introduction and body of the letter

The main text of the letter begins with an introductory part. If you are writing a reply letter to a friend in English, be sure to thank him for the letter he received or express your attitude towards the news conveyed in it. If you decide to write a letter to a foreign friend first, then instead of an introductory part, briefly tell about what prompted you to do this. For example, you want to tell about something, or apologize, or wish good luck, or congratulate on the upcoming holiday, etc. Typical English words will help you briefly express your thoughts. introductory phrases for writing a letter, which are presented in the following table.

Gratitude and apology (for a response letter)
Phrase	Translation
Thank you for your letter!	Thanks for the letter!
Lovely to hear from you!	Nice to hear from you!
Many thanks for your letter!	Thank you very much for your recent letter!
It was nice to hear from you again!	Nice to hear from you again!
I’ve just received a letter from you! I am so glad to hear…	I just received your letter. I'm so glad to hear that...
I am sorry to hear…	I'm so sorry to hear that...
It was good to hear from you that...	It was so nice to hear from you that...
I was surprised to hear that...	I was surprised to hear that...
I must apologize for not writing earlier…	I must apologize for not writing earlier...
I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long but…	Sorry that I haven't written for so long, but...
I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch for such a long time.	I apologize for taking so long to get in touch.
I’ve been meaning to write to you for ages but…	I've been meaning to write to you for a long time, but...
I’m writing to apologize for…	I am writing to apologize for...
I’m sorry I’ve taken such a long time to reply to your last letter.	I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to your last letter.
A story about news or congratulations on something (for independent writing)
I'm writing to ask…	I am writing to you to ask (ask) about...
I thought you might be interested to hear about…	I thought you might be interested in learning about...
Here is some news about…	I have some news about...
It's ages since I've heard from you. I hope you're well.	I haven’t heard you for 100 years, 100 winters. I hope you're doing well.
I’m writing to tell you…	I am writing to tell you about...
I’m writing this letter to congratulate you…	I am writing this letter to congratulate you on...

Sometimes you can start your letter with the most standard questions about work, family, affairs, etc.

The main thing to remember is that the introduction of an English letter is usually short: only 2-3 sentences.

By the way, if in the received letter your interlocutor asked you questions, then you can also use the following phrases for a response message.

If you are writing your first letter, then after the introductory words, start immediately on a new line to present its main topic. The range of topics is unpredictable: it could be a story about yourself and your family, a story about how your summer holidays went, a description of a trip to another country, and much more. Or vice versa - not stories and stories, but a set of questions about how your English friend and his family members are doing, or what is the way of life among the people of Great Britain.

You can also chat with a friend about foreign music and cinema: discuss film premieres, new music albums, concerts of your favorite bands. The subject of the letter depends only on your imagination. Therefore, it is impossible to select standard phrases for this part. But don’t be alarmed, writing a personal letter in English is not difficult even for beginners, because it uses short sentences and popular colloquial expressions. To create an example letter on a free topic, you can take any text and transform it into short story, adding the necessary introductory elements for writing.

Final part

When you have already told your foreign girlfriend or friend all your stories, news and impressions, you need to end the letter with a short concluding paragraph.

The format of this final part is exactly the same as the introductory one. In other words, you need to briefly (in 1-2 sentences) summarize the topic and politely say goodbye. The following expressions will help you create the correct ending.

Well, got to go now.	I guess that's all.
I must finish my letter because…	I must conclude my letter because...
Give my best regards to your family!	Give my warm regards to your family!
Looking forward to hearing from you!	I look forward to your response!
Don't forget to write!	Don't forget to answer!
I can’t wait to hear from you!	I can't wait to hear from you!
Drop me a line when you are free.	Drop me a line when you're free.
Hope to hear from you soon.	Hope to hear from you again soon.
Write back to me soon.	Write me an answer soon.

And the final touch is a short farewell. You can finish a letter in English with standard phrases, of which there are many in English, just like in Russian:

• Your friend – yourFriend;
• Yours – your;
• Warm regards – with warm wishes;
• Best wishes - best wishes;
• Love - with love;
• All the best – totalthe best;
• Take care - Take care;

A comma is placed after these words, and then the sender's name is added on a new line.

That's all, the standard English writing scheme is ready. Using this template, you can easily compose both a paper and an email letter. If you are still not confident, we suggest looking at examples of letters in English on various topics, and understand that they are actually very easy to compose.

Letter to a friend in English - sample letters

In this section we will give a couple of examples of letters to a friend in English with translation into Russian.

A story about vacations and travel

46, Komsomolskaya Street, Thank you for your letter! It was nice to hear from you again! You want to know how I spent the summer. Well, I’ll do my best to answer your questions. I spent my summer vacation very well. In June I went to my grandparents’ house. They live in Smolensk. I have a lot of friends in this city, so I had a good time with them. We went to a forest camp, which is located not far from Smolensk. We were there for three weeks, and it was very fun. We lived near a large lake. Every time, when the weather was fine, we walked to the shore and swam in the lake. Also we fished, went hiking, picked mushrooms and berries. We had English lessons too. Then we returned to Smolensk and every day played basketball, went to the cinema and danced in the evening. Sometimes we visited museums and zoos too. In August I had to go home. Next summer I’ll definitely go to Smolensk again because I very miss my friends. When I returned home I found out that my father bought tickets to London for all our family! It was a surprise for me! I was in seventh heaven at that moment! So, in a few days we went to England. I have got many impressions from this trip. England is such a beautiful and bright country! And there are so many green meadows and fields here. As for London, I am very impressed by the beauty of this city. We have visited many famous places: the Trafalgar Square, the Tower Bridge, the Westminster Abbey, the museum of Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, the Piccadilly Circus and many others. So, it was the best summer in my life! And what about you? Tell me how do you spent your summer!

st. Komsomolskaya 46,

Orel 345040

Dear John,

Thanks for your letter! I'm very pleased to hear from you again!

You want to know how I spent my summer. Well, I will try to answer your questions in detail.

I spent my summer holidays very well. In June I went to my grandparents. They live in Smolensk. I have a lot of friends in this city, so I had a great time with them. We went to a forest camp, which is located near Smolensk. We spent three weeks there and had a lot of fun. We lived next to a large lake. Every time the weather was good, we went to the coast and swam in the lake. We also fished, went hiking, and picked mushrooms and berries. We also had English lessons.

Then we returned to Smolensk and played basketball every day, went to the movies and discos. Sometimes we also visited museums and zoos. I had to return home in August. Next summer I will definitely come to Smolensk again, because I really miss my friends.

When I returned home, I found out that my father had bought tickets to London for our whole family! It was a surprise for me! At that moment I was simply in seventh heaven! So, a few days later we went to England. This journey left me with many impressions. England– a beautiful and vibrant country. And there are so many green meadows and fields. As for London, I am impressed by the beauty of this city! We visited many famous places: Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Madame Tussauds, London Ferris Wheel, Piccadilly Circus and much more.

So it was the best summer of my life! What do you have? Tell me how you spent your summer.

With love,

Letter to a friendabout your family in English

Hello Andrew, How are you? I’m writing to tell you some news about my family. Do you remember my elder sister Olga? She has recently married! Her husband is a Swiss national, so they will live in Switzerland. Next week they will go to Switzerland and I will move to my sister’s room. Now it is mine! I am very glad that I’ll have my own room, finally. My mother is very happy, but she is a little sad too. Switzerland is so far from our home, so we won’t be able to visit our sister often. But we hope that she will often call us and write letters. Oh, and another thing! My brother Alex will finish school next year. And my sister’s husband says that Alex can live with them, if he wants to study in Switzerland. Alex is very surprised by this offer and dreams about life in Switzerland for days on end. Well, got to go now. Drop me a line when you are free.

Hello Andrew!

How are you doing? I am writing to tell you some news about my family.

Do you remember my older sister Olga? She recently got married! Her husband is Swiss and they will live in Switzerland. They're leaving for Switzerland next week and I'm moving into my sister's room. Now she's mine! I'm very happy that I will finally have my own room.

My mother is very happy, but also a little sad. Switzerland is very far from our home, so we will not be able to visit our sister often. But we hope that she will call us and write letters often.

Oh, and one more news! My brother Alex will graduate from school next year. And my sister's husband says Alex can live with them if he wants to go to university in Switzerland. Alex is very surprised by this offer and spends his days dreaming about life in Switzerland.

Well, it's time to finish. Write me a few lines when you are free.

Your friend

We hope now that all your self-doubts have disappeared and you have a clear understanding of how to write a letter to a friend in English. Good luck and see you again!

The ability to express one’s thoughts in writing is an important component of learning foreign speech. So, writing a letter or short essay in given topic is even a separate task in the English language exam. Learning to competently perform written work in a foreign language is not so difficult, thanks to the abundant use of standard speech patterns and cliches in them. We will develop writing skills in today's lesson. First, we will study the design of letters, then we will become familiar with the basic phrases and expressions, and, finally, we will consider a sample letter in English for different cases. Let's get to work!

If you look closely at the examples of letters in English, you will see that absolutely all of them have the same format.

First, the sender's address and the date the message was written are written in the upper right corner of the sheet. You need to fill out the address in order from specific to general: first name, last name/apartment, house/city, country. Choose the date format at your discretion, but we do not recommend using a purely numeric option, because in the USA the month, rather than the day of the week, is often indicated first. Therefore, it is most optimal for English writing to use this recording format: 28 July 2018 .

Then there is a transition to the left side, and the main content of the letter is also drawn up in strict order:

• Greetings;
• Main idea;
• Completion of the story;
• Signature.

Thus, the structure of a letter in English dictates a certain framework for writing, which applies to all components of the message: address, greeting, content, conclusion. These rules apply to absolutely all communication styles and types of correspondence: from the formal tone of business correspondence to messages of a friendly and romantic nature.

Standard expressions, speech cliches and introductory words

The English language has a practical approach to many things. So, in addition to the strict structure, which already shows how to write letters in English correctly, standard speech cliches and common phrases will help you compose a message. Here are typical introductory words for each structural part of a personal letter in English.

Greetings

We have already discussed how to write down the address and date in a letter, so let’s move straight to the content. Any English letter begins with a standard greeting and ends with a polite farewell.

Depending on the purpose of the message, the greeting can be formal or informal. There are a lot of subtleties on this matter in business correspondence, but since we are more concerned with writing a personal letter in English, we will make do with the usual informal greeting formula: Dear+ recipient's name. This template is used in a letter to a man and a woman, as well as when addressing several people.

• DearJohn, (Dear John,)
• DearMary, (Dear Mary,)
• Dearparents, (Beloved parents,)
• Dearfriends, (Friends,)

It is no coincidence that in the examples there is a comma after each reference. There is a special punctuation rule for writing a letter: the greeting is separated by a comma, and the main text of the letter begins strictly on a new red line.

Dear Nick,

I am writing you to…

You can also often find a sample of a personal letter in English, in which, instead of Dear, they simply call the recipient by name or use standard hello and hi.

Main idea

After the greeting, you can immediately move on to presenting the essence of the message, but according to the rules of English etiquette, it is considered good form to write a short introductory remarks. It expresses gratitude for the letter received or, conversely, worries why there is no news. Also in this part they apologize for the late response, etc. However, it is easier to explain in practice. Let's look at a few introductory expressions in English with translation, and you will understand how the first paragraph of letters is composed.

For the introductory part, 1-3 sentences are enough. Next, we indent a new paragraph and move on to the main content of the letter.

The main idea, depending on the expected volume of the story, is concluded in one or several paragraphs. Here we answer questions asked, we tell our own news and life events, ask our interlocutor questions or ask for advice. The following words and introductory constructions will help you start a personal letter written in English.

Phrase	Translation
You asked me about…	You asked me about...
As for your question,	Regarding your question,
You are asking me about…	Are you asking me about...
I’ll do my best to answer your questions.	I will try to fully answer your questions.
As for me,	As for me,
Listen, did I tell you about …	Look, I told you that...
I thought you might be interested to hear about…	I thought you might be interested in learning about...
Here is some news about…	I have some news about...
I’m writing to ask for…	I am writing to ask/ask about...

In general, in the main part you write a short story on a topic that you were asked about, or simply list the latest events in your life to the Englishman. For example, tell news about your family in English, describe your plans for the summer, share how your vacation went, or describe how your trip to another country was and what you remember from the excursions.

Since this is the most difficult part of the letter, let's give useful advice: To avoid making grammatical mistakes, try to write letters in English simple sentences. And introductory constructions, abbreviations, conjunctions, etc. will help you formulate a coherent speech. Here are the most common of them:

• Well(Well, well, okay, ok);
• Unfortunately(Unfortunately, it's a pity that);
• Although(although, despite);
• So(so, here);
• By the way(by the way, by the way);
• Guesswhat(you know what, guess what).

We also note that in informal correspondence, various colloquial abbreviations are considered normal, so you can safely use them to enrich your speech.

Completion

The rules for writing a personal letter say that the text must also contain a beautifully designed conclusion. This means a separate paragraph in which we describe the reasons that prompted us to finish the message, express hopes for further correspondence, and greet the family or friends of the interlocutor. Typically, an informal letter ends in English with the following phrases.

Phrase	Translation
Well, I’d better go now as I have to…	Well, it's time for me to go, because... I have to...
I must go now	I have to go now
Anyway, I have to go now because…	Anyway, I need to finish because...
Well, got to go now.	Well, I guess that's all.
It's time to finish.	Time to finish.
If you want to know anything else, just drop me a line.	If you want to know anything else, just write to me.
Please give my regards to your…	Please convey my regards to yours...
Looking forward to hearing from you!	I look forward to hearing from you!
Hope to hear from you soon!	Hope to hear from you again soon!
Do keep in touch!	See you in touch!

Concluding phrases take up 2-3 lines at most. At this point we can assume that we have already figured out how to write a letter in English. All that remains is to say goodbye and subscribe.

Closing phrase and signature

Like the greeting, the farewell letter in English has a standard template. An informal letter allows in English the use of phrases such as:

• Yours,(Your);
• Warmregards,(With warm regards);
• Bestwishes, (Best wishes);
• All the best, (Everyonegood);
• Take care, (Take care of yourself);
• Love, (With love);
• Allmylove, (With all my love).

The last two phrases are considered the least formal and are used only in very close relationships. Most often they contain friendly, love and romantic letters in English.

Farewells are written separated by commas, and the next line is signed. Since we are looking at an example of a personal letter, in this case the signature is simply the name of the sender.

Lotsoflove,

This concludes the theoretical part of the material. Now let's look at practical examples of messages and get a complete picture of how to write a letter to an English friend.

Sample letter in English

Structure and speech standards, of course, help in composing letters, but it is much better to have a ready-made sample of English correspondence in front of your eyes. In principle, one example is enough to write a text on any topic, be it a letter to your parents about how your vacation is going, a story to an English friend about your family, or a love letter to a foreign girl. But for greater efficiency, we will give examples of several messages. We will write the address only in the first of them to give a general impression of the complete structure of the letter.

Example No. 1 Summer holidays

Kuznetsov Nikolay 15, 6 Sirenevaya st., Novosibirsk 827193 Thanks for your letter, I was so happy to get it! Glad to hear that you have won the running competition! Congratulations on your first place, Jen! You are asking me about my plans for the summer holidays. Well, I am going to spend this summer together with my family. We like to travel, so all summer we will spend in different countries. We are going to visit Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Germany. I really dream to see the Coliseum. I am fond of ancient Roman history since my childhood. And I consider that it was a great empire which had no equal in all the world. And what about your summer holidays, Jen? Are you going to go abroad or will you stay home? And when do you have next competition? Send me a picture with your gold medal! Please give my warm regards to your parents and brother. I often remember my journey to New York and your hospitality. It was great! Well, got to go now. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for your letter, I was very happy to receive it. Glad to hear you won that running competition! Congratulations on your first place, Jen!

You are asking me about my plans for the summer holidays. Well, I'm going to spend this summer with my family. We like to travel, so we will spend the summer in different countries. We are going to visit Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Germany. I really dream of seeing the Colosseum. I have been interested in the history of Ancient Rome since childhood. And I believe that it was the greatest empire that had no equal in the whole world.

What about yours summer holidays, Jen? Will you go abroad or stay home? And when is your next competition? Send me a photo with your gold medal!

Well, it's time to finish. I look forward to hearing more from you!

With love,

Example No. 2 Favorite movies

Dear Paul, Thank you very much for your recent letter. Sounds like you had a good vacation in Mexico. Did you enjoy your journey? What impressed you most of all? Did you take any pictures? You wrote me about your project on famous Russian movies. I am glad I can help you with it. I’ll do my best to answer your questions. So, I very like movies directed by Leonid Gaidai. He was very talented person, and I consider he is the best Russian comedy director for all time. Such his movies like « Operation “y” and other adventures Shurik», « The diamond arm», « Caucasian captive», « Ivan Vasilyevich changes profession», « 12 chairs» and others, are very often broadcast on Russian television. In fact, now Russian holidays aren’t celebrated without these movies on TV. And Russian people very like to watch Gaidai’s comedies, though they have already known them by heart for many years. I also want to mention movies directed by Eldar Ryazanov. In 1975 he directed comedy film The Irony of Fate, which is broadcast on TV every New Year’s Eve. It is very interesting and funny movie. You should definitely watch this movie, if you want to better know the mentality of Russian people. Also worth attention on movies « Office Romance», « Beware of the Car», « Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia», « Promised Heaven." Well, it’s time to finish. If you want to know anything else, just drop me a line. And now I have to go because I promised my friend to help him with the repairing his car. Do keep in touch!

Expensive Floor,

Thank you very much for your last letter. I understand that you had a great vacation in Mexico. Did you enjoy your trip? What impressed you most? Did you take any photos?

You wrote to me about your project about famous Russian films. I'm glad to help you with this. I will try to answer all your questions as best as possible.

So, I really like films made by Leonid Gaidai. He was very talented person, and I believe that he is the best Russian comedy director of all time. His films such as “Operation “y” and other adventures of Shurik”, “The Diamond Arm”, “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, “Ivan Vasilyevich changes his profession”, “12 chairs” and others are very often broadcast on Russian television. In fact, not a single Russian holiday is complete without broadcasting these films on TV. And rusChinese people love to watch GIdaev's comedies, although they have known them by heart for a long time.

I also want to mention the films of Eldar Ryazanov. In 1975, he made the comedy film “The Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath,” which is now broadcast on TV on every New Year’s Eve. This is a very interesting and funny film. You should definitely watch this film if you want to better understand the mentality of Russian people. It is also worth paying attention to the films “Office Romance”, “Beware of the Car”, “The Incredible Adventures of Italians in Russia”, “Promised Heaven”.

Well, it's time to wrap things up. If you want to know anything else, just drop me a line. And now I have to go, because I promised to help my friend with the repair of his car. Stay connected!

All the best,

Alex

Example No. 3 Letter to a friend about yourself (About myself)

Hi Mike, How is going? I must apologize for notwriting earlier, but I was very busy with my exams. By the way, guess what?! I’ve already passed tests for Biology! It was not easy work, but I did it! As for your question, I decided don’t buy that car. It's too old. I think it will be better to save more money. Then I can buy something better, e.g. good BMW or Audi. Listen, did I tell you about my new job? It is just a dream job! I work from 10 till 16 for 4 days in the week. So, I have 3 days off and every my evening is free. How do I usually spend this free time? Well, in the evenings I play basketball with my friends. We have a good team and maybe we’ll even take part in street competitions. On weekends I drive out of town together with my girlfriend. We go to small cities, admire the sights, and arrange picnics in nature. Well, probably, now I have the best days for my whole life. And what about you? Are you playing any sport? When are you going to visit me? I and Monica are looking forward to hearing from you. Write back to me soon!

Hi Mike!

How's yours? I must apologize for not writing earlier, but I have been very busy with my exams. By the way, you know what?! I've already passed my biology tests! It was not easy work, but I did it!

Regarding your question, I decided not to buy that car. She's too old. I think it would be better to save up more money. Then I can buy something better, like a good BMW or Audi.

Listen, I told you about mine new job? This is just a dream job! I work from 10 to 16 four days a week. So I have three days off and every evening is free. How do I usually spend this free time? Well, in the evenings I play basketball with my friends. We have a good team and maybe we will even take part in street competitions. And on weekends I go out of town with my girlfriend. We go to small towns, admire the sights and have picnics in nature. Well, I'm probably having the best days of my entire life right now.

What's new with you? Do you do any sports? When will you come to me? Monica and I look forward to hearing from you. Reply as soon as possible!

Take care of yourself,

Andrey

This is how easy it is to write letters in English. Good luck in improving your knowledge and see you again!

One of the main tasks in English lessons is formation and development of skills writing. Arises current question how to write a letter to?

Students must be able to disclose any speech situation in accordance with the topic of the educational program. The rules for writing a letter in English will help school graduates who plan to pass exams well and continue their studies at a university. It is also interesting to know how many words a letter should contain, where it usually begins and how it ends.

When a graduate needs to, in one of the tasks he is asked to write a formal or informal letter, using 100-140 words. When we begin to complete such a task, we must remember that the structure of the letter should include introduction, main part and final part, as in the essay. If you need to write to a friend or relatives, then in this case we pay attention to the features of writing an informal letter in English. It uses abbreviations as well as clichés related to conversational style.

Friendly message

One of the most important ways of communication between people is correspondence. An informal letter in English is written by people who have known each other for a long time or who want to get to know someone. They are in it exchange news from their lives, consult, discuss personal issues, joke, use slang. Let's consider the outline of a letter to a friend, relatives, people we know well:

1. In address we use the phrase “Dear...”, substituting the name.
2. At the next stage we welcome “ Hi! How are you?” and thank you for receiving the message “Thanks for your letter”.
3. The beginning of the topic disclosure – “I’d like to tell you about ....”
4. The topic may consist of several paragraphs. To express your point of view, you can use the following phrases “In my opinion...” or “To my mind...”, as well as “As for me...”.
5. In conclusion, we say goodbye “Well, that’s all for now”, We hope to receive a response, for example, “Drop me a letter when you can!” or “Take care, and keep in touch!” The expression “Write soon!” is often used.
6. For the signature we use the phrases “Yours,...” or “All the best”, “Best wishes” - write on the left.

Writing a letter in English requires adherence to certain rules.

1. Shouldn't write paragraphs using red line. Skip a line between paragraphs.
2. After contacting don't forget to put a comma. We write the next sentence with a capital letter.
3. When writing an address, remember a certain sequence. First we indicate house number, and then street name and city, as well as the country. The date is written under your address.
4. Memorize phrases for writing messages that correspond to a specific paragraph.
5. Try to use short sentences.
6. Any personal letter may contain conversational cliché.

This outline is suitable for writing an informal letter in accordance with any chosen topic. For example, when you are asked to write to a friend about your vacation and your impressions, include the previously discussed set expressions in the message.

Example of a letter to a friend

18 King Street

Hi! How are you? Thanks for your letter. You asked about the weather in the letter. It's cool today. It’s raining and I’m writing near the fireplace. I’m glad that Sue has already visited some museums in Berlin.

I'd like to tell you about my last trip to Scotland. My relatives live in Edinburgh. Andrew and John were happy to see me last week. They are crazy about music.

The guys like listening to Mozart and Bach. They cannot imagine their life without classical music. Oh, they can play the violin all day! How's your cousin? Does he like modern or classical music?

The guys took me to the Scottish festival last Tuesday. There were a lot of musicians and actors. Scottish people are famous for their music. Andrew didn't like military bands. To my mind, they played unusual musical instruments called bagpipes very well. Then we had a wonderful picnic near the lake. John didn't want to stay for a long time. He was sure the monster Nessie lived there. Monkey nuts! I didn’t want to leave because the landscape and mountains made a great impression on me!

I hope that we'll meet in two weeks. I have to go now. Mum's birthday will be on Monday! I have to help Dad with shopping.

Drop me a letter when you can! Give my regards to your cousin!

Translation

18 King Street

United Kingdom

Dear Jane,

Hello! How are you doing? Thank you for your letter. You asked about the weather. Today it's cool. It's raining and I'm writing near the fireplace. I'm glad that Sue has already visited several museums in Berlin.

I would like to tell you about my latest trip to Scotland. My relatives live in Edinburgh. Andrew and John were delighted to see me last week. They are crazy about music. The guys love to listen to Mozart and Bach. They cannot imagine their life without classical music. Oh, Andrew and John can play the violin all day! How is your cousin doing? Does he like modern or classical music?

Last Tuesday the guys took me to a Scottish festival.

Many musicians and actors were present. The Scots are famous for their music. Andrew didn't like military bands. In my opinion, they played unusual musical instruments, bagpipes, very well. Then we organized a wonderful picnic near the lake. John

didn't want to stay there long. He was sure of the existence of the Nessie monster there! Nonsense! I didn't want to leave because the landscape and mountains made a great impression on me!

I hope we will meet with you in two weeks. Now I have to leave.

Mom's birthday is on Monday! I have to help dad with the shopping.

Write me a letter when you can. Say hi to your cousin.

Best wishes,

Victoria..

This informal letter used:

• abbreviations: “I’d like” and “didn’t”, “we’ll”, “I’m” and “it’s”;
• words related to conversational style: guys, Mum, to be crazy about, Dad, thanks;
• imperative: “Drop me a letter when you can!” “Give my regards to your cousin!”
• idiom: Monkey nuts! (Nonsense!)
• interjection: Oh!

Their use is typical for writing any informal friendly letter.

Attention! All of the above items are not allowed when writing a formal message. When addressing an official, sometimes the imperative mood is used, but only with the word “please,” for example, “Please do not hesitate.” The shortened version of “Please don’t hesitate” is not used in business style.

Writing a friendly message is different from a formal letter.

Business message

Now let's look at how to write a letter in English in a more formal style. If you need to write a business letter in English, consider requirements for the execution of any formal letter.

Consider the outline of a formal letter intended for any official or people whom we do not know well.

1. In the first line we write the appeal “Dear Mr (Mrs)..., indicating the last name. If we don’t know the last name, then we address you as “Dear Sir\Madam.”
2. The expression “I am writing to... about...” reveals the reason for writing a letter in English.
3. The cliché “I would also be grateful if you could...” helps express the request in a respectful manner.
4. We hope to receive a response with the official phrase “I look forward to hearing from you.”
5. Subscribe “Yours sincerely, …” or “Yours faithfully, …”

1. When we indicate the recipient's address in the left corner, we first write the recipient's last name in front of it. Then we indicate his position and company address.
2. The main rule is the absence of abbreviations, abbreviations, phrases, colloquial expressions, and interjections.
3. Any business letter in English includes a formal address and signature, discussed earlier.
4. An official message is characterized by the use of the agreed mood in a respectful form (If you could....).
5. Don't forget about complex and complex sentences.

There are different types business letters in English. During their registration, we remember the previously listed requirements. Let's consider one of its options.

Official letter.

Sample business letter of complaint

39 Oxford Street

Director, Corporate Services

Cambridge, IL 70870

I am writing to complain about my trip and the service which I received in your hotel last week.

Firstly, your advertisement states that accommodation is in a five-star hotel. The hotel where I stayed was clearly a three-star hotel. The best hotel has got a variety of facilities to the residents and guests. In your hotel there is not a swimming room, a jogging track, a bowling alley, a tennis court and a movie theater.

Secondly, your advertisement also states that the hotel is within two kilometers of Westminster. In fact, it is four kilometers away.

Moreover, I had been told that the meals would be included in my package. When I went down to have breakfast I was asked to pay for it. Besides that, your waiters were very impolite.

I was not at all happy with my rest in the hotel. It was noisy at night. I could not sleep at all. The hotel is located near the night club.

According to the facts, I therefore request a refund for the cost of my hotel room and all the bills.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Translation

39 Oxford Street

United Kingdom

Director of Corporate Services

Hotel Lincoln

385 Green Road

Cambridge, IL 70870

Dear Mr. Black,

I am writing to complain about my trip and the service I received at your hotel last week.

Firstly, your advertisement claims that the room is located in a five star hotel. The hotel I stayed at was clearly three-star. The best hotel provides many opportunities for residents and guests. Your hotel does not have a swimming pool, jogging track, bowling alley, tennis court or cinema.

In addition, I was told that meals would be included in my package. When I went down to have breakfast, I was asked to pay. In addition, your waiters were very impolite.

I am not at all happy with my stay at the hotel. It was noisy at night. I couldn't sleep. The hotel is located next to a nightclub.

Considering all the facts, I ask you to return the money for the cost of my hotel room and all bills.

I am waiting for your answer.

Sincerely,

John Baker.

This sample reviewed listed facts using the phrases “Firstly,...Secondly,...Moreover,...Besides that...”, and also used complex sentences, adhering to the official style.

Personal letter in English

Basic rules for writing a letter

Conclusion

When writing a letter, remember that when evaluating it, not only the disclosure of the topic is taken into account, but also compliance with the structure. Pay attention to the number of words in messages. The rules for writing messages in English and the clichés discussed will help you cover any topic. We wish you creative success!