Writing Task 1 - General

Writing Formal and Informal Letters

Explanation of Task 1:
Writing a 150-word letter in response to a given situation
➢ formal, semi-formal, or informal

Time allocation:
20 minutes for Task 1

Assessment criteria:
Task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy

Formal letters:
Writing to someone you don’t know well
➢ a company, government agency

Informal letters:
Writing to someone you know well
➢ a friend, family member

Semi-formal letters:
Writing to someone you know but with a degree of formality
➢ a landlord, a colleague

Opening:
Addressing the recipient appropriately based on formality

Introduction:
Stating the purpose of the letter

Body:
Developing the main points - usually 2-3 paragraphs

Closing:
Polite sign-off and closing statement

Formal language:
Polite, professional, and clear
➢ I am writing to inform you...

Informal language:
Friendly, casual, and warm
➢ Hey, it’s been a while since we last talked...

Tailoring tone to the recipient:
Formal for business, informal for friends and family

Formal letter task
Complaining about a service

Task
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You recently purchased an item from an online store, but when it arrived, it was damaged.

Write a letter to the customer service department of the online store. In your letter:
  ⁕ Describe the item you bought and the problem
  ⁕ Explain what you want the company to do about it
  ⁕ State how you would like to resolve this issue if there is no satisfactory response

Write at least 150 words.

Introduction:
Start by introducing yourself and the reason for writing the letter.
Mention when you purchased the item and briefly describe it.

Body:
Detail the problem with the item when it arrived (damaged packaging, broken parts, etc.).

Specify what action you would like the company to take (replacement, refund, etc.).

Conclusion:
Politely state how you would like the issue to be resolved if the company does not respond satisfactorily (escalate the complaint, take legal action, etc.).

Close the letter with an appropriate sign-off.

Informal Letter Task
Inviting your friend

Task
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You have recently moved to a new city and your friend wants to visit you.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
  ⁕ Tell your friend about your new city and what you like about it
  ⁕ Suggest some activities you can do together during their visit
  ⁕ Invite your friend to stay with you

Write at least 150 words.

Introduction:
Start with a friendly greeting and express your excitement about your friend’s upcoming visit.
Mention that you’ve recently moved and briefly describe your new city.

Body:
Share some of the things you enjoy about the new city (great restaurants, beautiful parks, vibrant nightlife).

Suggest specific activities you can do together when your friend visits (sightseeing, trying local cuisine, visiting museums).

Conclusion:
Invite your friend to stay with you and mention any arrangements you've made.

Close the letter with a warm, friendly sign-off.

➢ Using incorrect tone for the type of letter
➢ Neglecting to include all required information date, address, etc.
➢ Overcomplicating the language or making grammatical errors

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☛ Next Class Writing Task 2 - Essay structure and planning.