This document provides guidance on writing formal emails and letters. It discusses including standard phrases for openings, middles, and closings. Characteristics of formal writing are also outlined, such as using formal vocabulary, longer sentences with linking words, passive structures, and formal punctuation. Specific examples are given for each of these elements to demonstrate proper techniques for composing formal correspondence.

1. FORMAL EMAILS AND LETTERS
 You need to be able to write a formal email or letter
for a range of situations:
 Job application
 Requesting information about a course
 Complaining about bad service
 Making contact with a company
 Characteristics of formal writing
 Standard phrases
 Formal vocabulary
 Longer sentences with linking words
 Passive structures
 Formal punctuation

2. STANDARD PHRASES FOR FORMAL WRITING
 Beginnings
 Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Mr/Ms Smith
 I am writing to apply for a job/request information
about/complain about
 Further to our telephone call, I would like to
 Middle
 Requests – I would be grateful if you could send me ..
 Questions – Would it be possible to stay for two weeks?
 Complaints – The service was unsatisfactory
 Job applications – I have a wide range of experience in …
 Endings
 I look forward to hearing from you.
 Yours faithfully (when beginning Dear Sir/Madam
 Yours sincerely (when beginning Dear Mr/Ms Smith)

3. FORMAL VOCABULARY
 Use more formal expressions and not many phrasal
verbs or idioms
 To postpone/cancel or confirm a meeting or trip
 To make arrangements to be collected at the airport
(not pick up)
 I would like to book
(not I want to book)
 Formal adjectives
 It was very large (not big)
 The temperature was very high (not I was so hot)
 I am efficent and hardworking (not I’m the best!)

4. LONGER SENTENCES AND
LINKING WORDS
 And linkers
 In addition, I would like to know the price of the trip
 Furthermore, I have a B2 level of English
 Moreover, we were unhappy with the quality of the food.
 Could you also provide us with some free samples?
 But linkers
 Although the music was wonderful, car parking was awful.
 However, I have some experience of project leading
 On the other hand, I would prefer to stay in a student
residence than with a family.
 Because linkers
 Consequently, we decided to change hotels.
 As a result, I have acquired good teamworking skills

5. PASSIVE STRUCTURES
 Instead of saying
Somebody made a mistake with the reservation = active
A mistake was made with the reservation= passive
PASSIVE = BE + PAST PARTICPLE
is a more impersonal and formal structure.
Other examples of the passive:
Somebody stole my passport > My passport was stolen.
Will they take us to the airport?>Will we be taken to the
airport?
A company has offered me a job >I have been offered a job.

6. FORMAL PUNCTUATION
 Do not use contractions
 I don’t smoke> I do not smoke
 They can’t > They cannot attend the meeting
 We won’t go > We will not go there
 Use commas
 After adverbs at beginning of sentences
 e.g. Additionally, Consequently, Finally, However,
 In non-defining clauses
 Tenerife, which is located off the coast of Africa, is a popular
tourist destination.
 Before and or but if the subject of the sentence changes
 I would like to know when the course starts, and how long it lasts.
 He asked me to finish the report, but I had to leave early.
 Do not use exclamation marks !! or dashes - in formal
writing.