WRITING TIP 2:
WRITING AN INFORMAL LETTER
Teacher: Natalia Delbono
Colegio Sagrado Corazón

WRITING AN INFORMAL
LETTER
 Informal letters are personal letters, postcards,
notes and messages
 Characteristics of an informal letter:
 Shorter sentences
 Personal tone
 Shortened verb forms
 No specially polite phrases
 Active verbs
 Some slang could be included

LAYOUT
Your Write your address in the
address top right hand corner
The date Write the date directly
below
Dear…..,
Write the first line next
…….………………………………………..… to the left hand margin
…………………………………………………….. Begin the next line
……………………………………………………… under the name
…………………………………………………
Ending
Your name

Let’s have a look to an example…
22 York Street
Never put your name before
Bridewell your address
BR8 4SO
24th Nov 19 Write the house number first,
followed by the street, town
(and post code, if you know
it)
Dear Ken,
Many thanks for your letter and for the photographs –
they brought back very happy memories of our holiday. Never begin with Dear Friend.
I’m glad to hear that your new job is going so well. It Always use a name
must be very exciting for you to have the chance of working there.
I’m very happy for you. With closer friends, you could
Do let me know when you’re coming to England. It just put Write soon
would be lovely to see you and you’re most welcome to stay here –
there’s plenty of room!
Hope to hear from you soon. Best wishes and Yours are
useful general endings. For
Best wishes, close friend, you can end
Sue with Love

Some vocabulary and expressions
you can use…
 Beginnings…
 Many thanks for your letter
 It was very nice to hear from you recently
 I was glad to hear that…
 I hope you ….
 It seems ages since I last wrote
 I’ve been meaning to write to you for ages
 I’m writing just to let you know…

Some vocabulary and expressions
you can use…
 Thanking…
 Thanks for the invitation
 Thanks a lot for inviting me…
 Thank you so much…
 I’m writing to thank you / Thank you so much for (+noun/-ing)
 It was very kind of you to …
 Apologizing
 I’m sorry but I can’t …
 Sorry, I can’t make it
 I’m sorry to say I can’t…
 I’m writing to apologise about…/for the fact that (+clause)/ for not
(+ing)
 I’m terribly sorry that…

Some vocabulary and expressions
you can use…
 Requests…
 I’m writing to / I wonder if I could ask you a favour
 I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me?
 I’d be terribly grateful…
 Please don’t hesitate to say no if you can’t manage it.
 Endings…
 Looking forward to hearing from you / seeing you
 Hope to hear from you soon / see you soon
 Write soon / See you soon

Good luck
in your writings!