WRITING: FORMAL E-MAIL

Formal Letters and Emails. Tips for Writing

Useful language:
Formal greetings
Dear Sir/Madam, (When you don't know the name) --> Finish with: Yours Faithfully.
To Whom It May Concern, (If your letter has multiple addressees) --> Finish with: Yours
Faithfully.
Dear Editor ( Finish with: Yours Faithfully.)
Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs/Miss, (When you know the name) --> Finish with: Yours sincerely.
Mr: for men
Ms: For women (married or single).
Mrs: for married women.
Miss: for single women.
Reason for writing
I am writing with regard/reference to...
I am writing to express (my concern about/disappointment with/disapproval of/apologies
for)...
I would like to draw your attention to/point out (certain inaccuracies)…
I am writing to ask/enquire/complain about...
I am writing to confirm that...
I am writing to apply/ apologise for...
I am writing to request...
I am writing in response to...
Thank you for your recent letter about...
With reference to your letter/ advertisement...
Introducing points
Firstly/To begin with/Moreover…
Furthermore/In addition/Finally…
I feel I must also (dis)agree with…
I should also like to point out that…
According to your (article)/Your article states that… However…
Request for action
I would appreciate it/be grateful if you would…
It seems only fair that you should…
I look forward to receiving/seeing/ hearing from you…
I trust/very much hope you will…
Thank you for your assistance/ help in this matter
Saying goodbye/Signing off
Yours faithfully, (if you don't know the addressee's name).
Yours sincerely, (if you know the addressee's name).
Remember to write a comma!
Signature
Sign and write your full name underneath your signature
Enc. or Encl
Below your name you can write Enc. or Encl., which means enclosed (used on business
letters to show that another document is being sent). E.g. Enc. CV
NOTES AND USEFUL LANGUAGE
BEGINNING AND ORGANISATION
Write Dear + the person’s name, if you know it (Dear Mrs Smith). If not, begin Dear Sir (for
a man), Dear Madam (for a woman), or Dear Sir or Madam (if it could be either). Don’t
use a title like Dear Manager.
In the first paragraph, clearly state your reason for writing. Use the middle paragraph to
explain the details, beginning a new paragraph for each main point. In the final
paragraph, sum up and/or say what action you want to be taken.

When is it okay to use To Whom It May Concern?

Let’s say you’re writing a letter of recommendation for a colleague. He’s going to be
making multiple copies to hand out at interviews, and those letters are meant to be seen
by anyone interested in hiring him. In this case, because the correspondence is generally
considered formal, and because there’s no single specific addressee or department, To
Whom It May Concern works.
Some cases where To Whom It May Concern is appropriate:
Letters of recommendation/reference
Formal complaints lodged with a company
Letters of introduction
Always format “To Whom It May Concern” with a capital letter at the beginning of each
word. Follow it with a colon. Double-space before you begin the body of your letter:
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to file a complaint about the service I received during my November 15 visit
to your store.
ENDINGS
Don’t forget! If you began with a person’s name, e.g. Dear Mrs Blake, you must end with
Yours sincerely, not Yours faithfully,. These endings are followed by a comma.
JOB APPLICATIONS
First make it clear which job you are applying for, and mention where you saw the
advertisement, and when. Give all the necessary information about yourself (including
age, qualifications, past employment and other experience). Say why you are particularly
interested in the job, and what you have to offer. Use a new paragraph for each main
topic. It may also be useful to mention when you would be available for an interview:
· I was interested in the advertisement in (newspaper/magazine) on (date) and I
would like to apply for the post/ position of (job title).
· I am 21 years of age and I have a Diploma in Business Administration.
· My reason for applying is that I am interested in tourism and I would like to be able
to use my foreign languages.
· I would be happy/able to attend an interview at any time which is convenient to
you.

APOLOGIES
Explain why you are apologising and what the reasons were for your behaviour. If
possible, offer to make up in some way (e.g. by paying for the damage) and/or promise
that the problem won’t happen again:
· I am writing to apologise for/offer my apologies for the things I said at our last
meeting/losing my temper
· I would like to say how sorry I am about the trouble I have caused/that you were
disturbed.
· The reason I missed the meeting was that my car broke down.
· Please let me know how much it cost and I will gladly replace it.
· I assure you that this will never happen again.
COMPLAINTS
State the subject of your complaint clearly in the first paragraph. Use the following
paragraphs to give all the necessary details (including dates and times, the people
involved, the inconvenience you’ve been caused, etc.). Try to be clear and factual rather
than emotional. Use the final paragraph to say what action you want to be taken now:
I am writing to complain about a holiday I booked with your company.
I am writing to say that I am not satisfied with the standard of service at your
restaurant.
I must insist that you refund the cost of the bill.
I must ask you to …
ENQUIRIES
In the first paragraph, explain what information you need. If you are responding to an
advertisement, mention where you saw this. Use extra paragraphs to mention any
specific questions you would like to answer to:
I am writing to enquire about…
I was interested in your advertisement in ‘The Daily News’ and I would like to have
further information about…
I would be grateful if you could send me full details of …
Could you send me your brochure/catalogue?
I look forward to hearing from you/receiving the information.
OPINIONS
Introduce the topic and give details of any letter, article, book or TV programme you are
responding to. Develop your argument in separate paragraphs and sum up in the final
one:
I would like to give/express my views on...
I strongly disagree with/ I completely agree with Mr Smith’s letter, which appeared
yesterday.
I was interested to read the article on immigration in Monday’s edition of your
newspaper but I don’t think it gave all the facts.
I was horrified/shocked/disgusted to …
 I would like to put forth my observations on the topic of...
I would like to put forth my observations. First, ...
It seems/appears to me that...
I am totally opposed to...
I am entirely in favour of...
Personally, I... As far as I am concerned,...
In my case,... In my view,...
In my opinion there is far too much violence in television dramas these days.
To my mind,...
I fully support...
In conclusion I feel/I believe …
BEING PERSUASIVE
To persuade people, present your view and then encourage them to agree with you.
It goes without saying that...
Of course, it is true that...
It would be difficult to argue that...
It is a given that...
Above all, there should be...
Is it not the case that...?
Having said that,...
Should we not...?
Despite this, such issues are not...
However far from this we are, ...
I would urge your readers to join me in seeking an immediate end to/ a solution to...
Were..., would...?
I would like to offer one or two suggestions concerning...
It might/would be to your advantage if you were to...
I feel the best course of action would be...
Consequently,...
Therefore,... As a result,... This means that,...
CLOSING REMARKS
Thank you for considering my views.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
I hope your (company) takes this into account.
I hope I have been of some assistance
Please do not hesitate to contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you.

EXAMPLE: JOB APPLICATION

Dear Sir or Madam,
I was interested in your advertisement in today’s edition of the ‘Evening Mail’ and I
would like to apply for the position of part-time sales assistant.
I am 19 years of age and have recently returned from six months’ travelling in the
United States. I have ‘A’ levels in French and Art History and I have gained some
work experience since leaving school, both as a waitress and as an assistant in a
newsagent’s shop.
My reason for applying for this position is that I hope to go to university next year
and I would like to combine part-time work with studying for a further ‘A’ level. I feel
that the work would be very interesting and that I would enjoy the opportunity to
meet people and help them with their enquiries.
I would be free to attend an interview on any day after 11 a.m.

Yours faithfully,
Hazel Smith (Ms)

PRACTICE: HOMEWORK
You had a very bad meal at a restaurant recently. Write a letter complaining about
the food and the service.