Letter Style: Formal Letters (1)
Read the Task One-style question, then click to answer the questions below.
Writing Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have a job interview next week. However, you cannot attend the interview at the arranged time.
Write a letter to your prospective employer. In your letter
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write your own address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear …………………………,
The style of a letter is determined mainly by the relationship between the writer and the recipient, and the structure and vocabulary that are appropriate for the relationship. A letter may be formal or informal in style. In formal letters the greetings are more standard (e.g. “Dear Mr Smith”) and the vocabulary is more serious (e.g. “I apologize for the delay.”) In informal letters the greetings and vocabulary are more casual and colloquial (e.g. “Hi Mary” and “Sorry to keep you waiting.”)
Formal letters have formal structure, style and vocabulary. One example of formal style is the fact that formal letters do not have contractions. Formal style and vocabulary are appropriate when you are writing to a person in authority, to a person you do not know, or to an organization.