In the OGE, starting from 2020, the letter is planned to be canceled, it is still unknown about the USE.
Due to the irrelevance of the letter to the OGE, given below the instruction is relevant only for the exam. However, the only difference with the OGE is that:● at the Unified State Examination they are asked to ask 3 questions, but not at the Unified State Examination;
● the volume of writing for the USE is 100-140 words, and for the USE 100-120.
Writing a letter in a foreign language is a simple task that must be completed as quickly as possible in order to leave time for other tasks. So, consider the uniform rules for writing a personal letter.
In the upper right corner enter the address in the following order:
house number, street name
city
country
It is allowed to indicate the address in a short form, for example:
Moscow
Russia
Under the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:
June 4th, 2019
June 4, 2019
or less formally:
04/06/19
The letter begins with an informal address. If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, it should be invented:
Dear Tim,
Dear Rebecca,
A comma must be placed after the appeal!
Divide the text of the letter into several logical paragraphs, each of which start with a red line.
1. In the first paragraph, you should thank your friend for his letter:
Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
Your last letter was a real surprise.
I was glad to get your letter.
It was great to hear from you! / It was great to hear that… / I was happy to hear…
You can also apologize for not writing earlier:
Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
I"m sorry I haven"t answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
and / or mention any fact from the received letter:
I'm glad you passed your History test!
Sounds like you had a great time in London!
Great news about your…!
2. The body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). In it, you must disclose all the aspects indicated in the assignment. Don't forget to ask the necessary questions.
The letter is supposed to be written in an informal style, so you can use informal linking words such as well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions like Guess what? Or Wish me luck! as well as exclamation marks.
3. The last paragraph should explain why you are ending the letter:
Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
Anyway, I have to go now because my Mum asked me to help her with the washing up.
I've got to go now! It's time for my favorite TV show.
and mention further contacts:
Write (back) soon!
Take care and keep in touch!
Drop me a letter when you can.
Hope to hear from you soon.
I can't wait to hear from you!
At the end of the letter on a separate line the final cliche phrase is indicated, which depends on the proximity of the author and the addressee. It is always followed by a comma! Below are the possible options from the least formal (1) to the more formal (7):
1) Love,
2) Lots of love,
3) All my love,
4) All the best,
5) Best wishes,
6) With best wishes,
7) Yours,
On the next line, under the final phrase, the author's name is indicated (without a surname!). For example:
Andy or Kate
Thus, a letter to a friend looks like this:
So, here are some successful examples of completing an assignment in English. For convenience, we will not include the address and date on the right.
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Mary who writes
... It was great to hear that you went to Italy during your spring holidays. I have always wanted to visit this wonderful country. Did you enjoy your journey? What places of interest did you visit? What are you most impressed with? Did you like your hotel?
As for me, I am awfully tired because we've got too many tests at school. Can't wait for the summer break...
Write a letter to Mary.
In your letter
tell her about your journey to Italy
ask 3 questions about her plans for the summer
Dear Mary,
Thanks a lot for your letter. I hope you passed all your tests!
First of all, let me tell you about my one-week package holiday to Rome. Everything was OK, but we didn't like our hotel. It was too noisy and the food was awful. We even had a stomachache and consulted a doctor. However, all the excursions were extremely interesting. We visited the Vatican and were impressed by the famous St. Peter's Cathedral. I also enjoyed the Colosseum and other sights of Rome. All in all, we enjoyed our holiday.
And what about you? What are your plans for the summer? Will you come to visit us? Russia is a unique country and I'll show you lots of interesting things. If you make up your mind, let me know what cities you would like to visit.
Hope to hear from you soon.
lots of love,
Lucy
...Do you often have arguments with your parents? I do. My mother thinks that I spend too much time hanging around with my friends. Do you often meet your friends?
What do you usually do together? And what do you do when you disagree with your parents about how you spend your free time?
Write back soon.
love,
Ann
Write back to Ann.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her relations with her younger sister
Dear Ann,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you passed your History test!
I'm sorry you don't get on well with your parents. As for me, I have practically no problems with mine, although we do quarrel sometimes because I spend too much time playing computer games. In this case I try to talk to them and find the way out. Unfortunately, I can meet my friends only at weekends and we usually play football together. It's our favorite game.
And how do you get on with your sister? Do you play together? Do you help her with her homework? I wish I had a sister or a brother!
Anyway, keep smiling whatever happens! I'd better go now as I've got loads of homework to do (as always).
Write back soon!
lots of love,
Kate
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend who writes
...We moved to a new house a few weeks ago and I changed school. At first I was a bit afraid but I made new friends sooner than I expected. The teachers are nice and everything seems to be working out well. And what about you? Have you made any friends in your new school? Do you enjoy studying there? Have you got any new subjects this year?
I've got to go now! It's time for my music lesson. Drop me a line when you can.
lots of love,
Emily
Write a letter to Emily.
In your letter
answer her questions and tell her about your new school
ask 3 questions about her preferences in music
Dear Emily,
Thank you for your letter. It was great to hear about your new house!
As for my new school, it's very big! It has three computer rooms and wonderful sports facilities. Actually, it seems a nice place and I enjoy studying there. The kids in my class are very friendly. I've already made some new friends and we often meet after classes. I've got only one new subject this year. It's Economics and I'm beginning to think that it's not difficult, after all!
By the way, what music styles do you enjoy? Have you got any favorite bands? Would you like to go to their concert? As for me, I prefer Radiohead. They are cool!
I'd better go now. Mum wants me to help with the housework. Take care and stay in touch!
lots of love,
Ann
This is part of a letter from Harry, your English pen-friend.
...I'm fine but I've got a very busy week ahead. I'm a member of the school team and we are preparing for an important match in the National Championship. Are you fond of football? Do you watch football matches on TV? What other sports do you enjoy?
Well, I'd better go now. I've got to do some more training - I don't want to lose this match.
Take care and write back soon.
Write back to Harry.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his preparation for the match
Dear Harry,
Hi! How's it going? Thanks for your last letter. I'm glad you are in your school football team now!
In your letter you asked me about football. Well, I'm really fond of it. It's a great game and I'm always happy when my team wins. But I don't watch football matches on TV because it's rather boring. I prefer playing to watching as it's more exciting. I'm also keen on roller-skating. It's fun to take part in street competitions and to perform different tricks.
Anyway, what about your preparation for the National Championship? Do you work hard? How many times a week do you train? Do you get on well with your teammates?
Well, I'd better go now as I have to tidy up my room. Write back soon!
All the best
Ivan
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend George who writes
...At school we are doing projects on famous singers from different countries. Could you telI me about any famous Russian singer? What is he or she famous for? How long has he/she been singing? Do you enjoy his/her songs? Have you ever been to his/her concerts?
As for my school trip to London last week, it was really wonderful...
Write a letter to George.
In your letter
tell him about the singer you admire most of all
ask 3 questions about his trip to London
Dear George,
Thanks a lot for your letter. Sounds like you had a great time in London! What are you most impressed with? Did you take any pictures? Were you tired?
I'm glad I can help you with your project on famous singers. Well, my favorite singer is Dima Bilan. He made his debut at the festival ‘New Wave’ in 2002 so he has already been singing for 10 years. Now Dima is a famous pop singer known for his songs like ‘Never Let You Go’ and ‘Believe’. I enjoy his songs because of his beautiful voice. Un-fortunately, I've never been to his concerts but I'd love to.
Anyway, let me know if you have any other questions. I'd better go now as I have to take my dog for a walk. Write soon!
yours,
Alex
This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.
...So you see that I enjoy films based on true historic facts whereas most of my friends are fond of soap operas. Do you agree that soaps don't show life realistically? What kind of films do you like watching? Do you prefer watching films in the cinema or at home? Why?
We all miss you, too. Everybody sends their love. Can't wait to see you in the summer. Write back soon.
All my love
Tina
Write back to Tina.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her family
Dear Tina,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you liked the postcard I sent you!
In your letter you asked me about my attitude to soaps. Well, I agree that soaps don't show life realistically because their plots are rather unbelievable and all emotions are exaggerated. As for me, I prefer whodunits, which keep me in suspense till the very end. I usually watch films at home but I never miss a chance to go to the cinema with friends. It's much more exciting to watch films together.
I miss you much! Write back soon and tell me all your latest news. How is your sister? Has she passed her driving test? And what about your mother? Has she got over the flu?
I'd better go now as I promised mum to help her with the washing.
love,
Ann
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Rob who writes
...and then there's this chess tournament on Saturday. If I win, I'll be the champion of our school. Who knows?
Oh yeah. I wanted to ask you something. We have to write a report on technology for school. Could you tell me a few things about how you use technology in your life? You know, computers, mobiles, TV, that sort of things. Oh, and tell me something about the other members of your family, too, and how they use technology.
Anyway, I was talking to Sam the other day and he says that...
Write back to Rob.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about playing chess
Dear Rob,
It was great to hear from you! I'm glad you managed to talk to Sam. Please give my best regards to him.
You asked me about technology. Well, I've got a new mobile. It's got a camera so I'm taking lots of pictures at the moment. I've also got a computer but I use it mainly for surfing the Net. Of course we've got things like a TV, a DVD player and a music centre. My parents usually watch TV whereas my brother spends hours playing computer games.
Anyway, I'm glad you've made such progress in chess. Is it difficult to learn how to play it? Will I be able to do it on my own? How can I get started?
I've got to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the garage.
All the best
Andrew
This is part of a letter from Jane, your English pen-friend.
...My home town is rather small but I like it. The people here are very friendly and they try and keep our town clean and beautiful. And do you enjoy living in a big city? How do you spend your spare time there?
Anyway, I'm thinking of traveling around Russia next summer. Could you tell me what weather to expect? Should I take warm clothes with me?..
Write a letter to Jane.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her hometown
Dear Jane,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you're going to visit Russia. The weather in summer is usually hot so I don't think you'll need lots of warm clothes. However, you'd better take a jacket as nights can be quite cool.
In your letter you asked me about the life in a big city. As for me, I enjoy living in Moscow as there are lots of parks and cozy cafes, museums and galleries. In the evenings I usually go for a walk with my friends and at the weekend we go to the theater or visit a museum. Have you got any museums in your town? Are they free for students? Are there any sports facilities?
I'd better go now as I've got to do my homework - boring! Can't wait to see you!
lots of love,
Rita
This is part of a letter from your German pen-friend.
...I find it a bit difficult to understand English grammar. What about you? Do you do grammar exercises? Do you think that it's necessary to remember all grammar rules?
Have you got any plans for the summer? I was thinking of going to a language school in the UK to improve my English. It would be a lot more fun if we went together. What do you think?
Anyway, I have to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the shop.
Hope to hear from you soon.
All the best
Kerstin
Write back to Kerstin.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about the trip to the UK
Dear Kerstin,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad your arm is out of plaster now!
I agree with you that English grammar is rather difficult so I think it’s necessary to learn grammar rules and to do exercises. As for me, I do it on a regular basis.
Going to a language school together is a great idea! We could practice our English and visit lots of places of interest. I'm absolutely free this summer so I can go whenever you like.
Write and tell me what dates suit you best. Which course would you like to do? What level do you think we are? Where would you prefer to stay? Meanwhile, I'll make some enquiries about language schools in the UK. I'll get in touch soon. I hope it all works out!
lots of love,
Helen
This is part of a letter from Adam, your English pen-friend, whom you're going to visit in summer.
...As for me, I'm crazy about skateboarding and I love rock and pop music. I think my favorite band at the moment is Radiohead. Do you know them? What kind of things do you like doing and what music do you enjoy?
Is there anything you particularly want to do while you're here? / guess you'll be busy at the language school during the day, but we can do something in the evenings and at weekends. Also, let me know if there are any kinds of food you don't like...
Write back to Adam.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his family and the language school
Dear Adam,
Thanks for your letter. It was great to hear from you. I can't wait to meet you and your parents in July!
Well, we've obviously got a lot in common. I'm also crazy about rock music and my favorite band is Radiohead, too! I've never done skateboarding, though, but I'd love to try. I enjoy basketball and I love playing computer games. Do you?
I'm a bit worried about the language school. Is it far from your house? Should I bring any books with me? Will I have to do much homework? If I have, I'm afraid I'll be busy in the evenings. Actually, I wouldn't mind any activity. It will be fun just to be in another country.
Anyway, I know we're going to be really good friends. Please write back soon.
All the best
Sasha
It will be very useful to write a letter template before passing the exams, according to which you will complete the task on the exam.
In our selection of materials, in addition to many useful materials, you can find 31 completed letter, as well as template for writing a letter:
Materials in English (USE)
Materials in English (OGE)
Looking for answers to the OGE in English? Did you know that all tasks are already available for a long time? Yes, and officially, on the official website of FIPI. It is from there that they give options on the real OGE. The catch is that there are a lot of tasks (hundreds), and it takes a very long time to solve them. But we've got it all figured out:
| 11.11.2014Many today use to communicate and connect with friends Email – email . Let's try to figure it out and remember the basic principles of writing informal letter to a friend.
What you need to pay attention to when writing a letter to a friend.
1. Write in short sentences about the subject of the letter.
2. Start your letter with a normal greeting: Hello, “Here” or "What's up?"
3. Ask your friend about his life. Ask questions about specific people, cases, work.
4. Write a few words about your life. You can write about your studies, work, school, whatever is close to your heart. Be frank.
5. Invite both of you to meet in the near future in a cafe, or for a cup of coffee. Specify at what time it will be convenient for him, write when it is convenient for you.
6. Finish your letter with the words: “Hope to see you soon”, “Love” or “Talk soon” Be sure to write your name at the end.
7. Send an email and wait for a response.
For example:
Hello Bob,
Well, I am very glad that you have passed all the exams! Congratulations! I guess you should relax your body and mind after exams. And the best way to do it is to go for a walk!
I am writing to tell you about my next winter holidays. I want to spend them in mountains. Skiing is a very popular sport in my country. It is very interesting. Even our president likes skiing, it is his hobby. I began to ski with my father and sister in my childhood. We often go to the forest and spend our time there. I think that the fresh air, clear nature and sport are very healthy for me. That's why my hobby is skiing.
So, that is all about my holidays.
It would be very nice if you join us!Write to me more often. good luck.
Truly Yours,
Tips & Warnings
- When texting a friend, use emoticons or other funny icons.
- Do not write "hi" or "hello" in the subject line of the email, it can automatically end up in "Spam".
- Write in simple language so that a friend cannot understand him differently. People perceive the meaning of certain words differently. If you doubt that the letter can be misunderstood, it is better to call.
I posted in the article:
– real examples of emails to communicate with foreigners,
- what "they" write at the beginning of the letter and at the end,
- how to sign your letter - examples,
- how to wish a good weekend and a good day in English,
- what lovers write at the end of the letter.
How to say in English: "Write an email to a friend in English"
Email to your friend in English.
Write a message/email to your friend.
How to start an email in English
If you are writing a letter for the first time to a stranger, write:
Hello Tom or Hello Sarah.
Hello Tom. Hello Sarah.
Is it possible to write Good evening in a letter in English
Good Morning, Good Day, Good Evening
Of course they write, but these are more very formal phrases.
Usually, Americans, British, Australians write simply: Hi, and this is considered normal.
So how do you address them in a letter?
Focus always on the style of the foreigner himself.
If he prefers officialdom - stick to the same if you want to keep in touch with him.
If, however, a person writes simply and briefly, answer the same way.
What you shouldn't do is pick up the style and break to a new line.
Then we briefly write about ourselves:
- My name is Masha, My name is Masha.
- I'm learning English, I'm learning English.
- I'm 27 years old, I'm 27 y.o.
- I work as a doctor, I work as a doctor.
- I would love to communicate via email and look forward to talking with you. I'd be happy to talk to you through e-mail and I am looking forward to it.
If you have already communicated with a person on a third-party resource, and then switched to personal correspondence, we write:
Hi Jessica, Hi Jake.
Hello Jessica. Hello Jack.
Dear is NOT used in personal correspondence.
I strongly advise you to clearly write the "Subject" of the letter.
This is necessary in order to subsequently find the questions you need, which you discussed with your foreign friend. Over time, the correspondence is gaining large volumes and it is sometimes very difficult to understand it.
How to say in English "I received/la letter"
I received your email.
I got your message.
I received your letter.
Let's take a closer look at what
Ending a letter in English to a friend - examples
I made a selection from my personal correspondence with the Americans, Australians and the British, what they usually write at the end of the letter, and how they sign it. These are the most common phrases that are used in writing when communicating with friends.
Keep the following points in mind when writing:
Formal signature at the end of the letter:
Best - All the best!
Bye - Bye!
Bye for now - Bye!
If the weekend is ahead, then we wish a friend a good weekend in English:
Have a great weekend!
If there is a whole working week ahead, we wish you a good week:
Have a great week!
If there are a couple of days left before the cherished weekend, we wish you a good rest of the week:
Have a great remainder of your week!
If you need to emphasize your desire to communicate as soon as possible:
Until next time - See you soon!
See you soon - See you soon! See you! See you!
Talk to you soon. 🙂 We'll talk another time. See you later!
On to your next email! - See you later!
Until your next letter, if literally.
Looking forward to talking to you. I look forward to communicating with you.
If you are busy and cannot quickly write a response, then it is polite to write:
More later. I will write you later.
More later unless work is extremely busy.
I will write later if there is no strong load at work.
More later today… too busy this morning.
I'll write more later .. a lot of work now / in the morning /.
If you asked your friend for help with English in a letter, then thank him:
Thanks - Thank you!
If you helped your friend with Russian or something else:
Hope this helps. Hope this helps. I hope I helped.
Please let me know if that helps. Let me know please if this helped.
Hope that helps to clarify it for you. I hope I helped you clarify your question.
If you helped your friend and are happy to help him further:
I'm always glad to answer any questions!
Always happy to help you. (answer any of your questions).
As always, feel free to ask any questions.
As always, feel free to ask any questions.
Send any questions you have.
Send in any questions you have. (happy to answer).
Completion of the letter with the wishes of a good day, Monday, evening
Have a great Monday! Good Monday!
Have a great evening! Have a nice evening!
Have a great Tuesday evening! Have a good evening /Tuesday/!
Have a good day! I wish you a good day!
enjoy your day! Have a nice day!
Have a nice weekend in English
All the best for the weekend:-) All the best for the weekend!
Have a good day and enjoy your weekend! Have a nice day and have a nice weekend!
Hope you have a nice weekend! Hope your weekend goes well.
I hope you are having a relaxed weekend! Hope you have a relaxing weekend.
Lovers / and not only / usually write to each other:
Lots of love Sea of Love!
Have a good evening! Have a nice evening!
Have a fantastic day Irina! Have a fantastic day, Irina!
Have a good afternoon and evening! I wish you a good day and evening!
Your emails are always a bright spot in my day!
I always welcome your letters. I always enjoy receiving letters from you.
Your letters bring joy to my day.
Looking forward to talking to you again.
I look forward to talking with you again.
Always good to hear from you!
Always glad to hear from you!
I hope all is well with you!
I hope you're doing well.
I hope you're having a great weekend and the remainder of it will be great as well.
I hope you're having a good time and the rest of the weekend is great too.
Have a good rest of the day.
I wish you a pleasant evening.
Showing formal concern
Take care - Take yourself.
Stay well Have a great week!
1. Banal inattention. Or you asked too many questions in one letter, and the person's attention went to the most important question for him. In such cases, you can very carefully ask your question in a different way.
2. Your foreign friend did NOT understand your question - this is usually found among beginners who cannot express their thoughts simply and clearly enough in English. We write too complex sentences that can be difficult for a foreigner to understand due to the differences in our mentalities, culture and the difference in the construction of phrases in English.
3. Not the correct question or the topic is not pleasant to your interlocutor. In such cases, you should not ask again, insist on an answer, etc. A person can completely withdraw from communication.
Try to keep your friendship with a foreigner in a very easy, simple and clear manner.
How to arrange a skype meeting with your foreign friend very soon in the next article.
Corresponding with foreign friends has always been considered an effective way to increase your knowledge and improve your English skills. But not every person easily decides to take such a step - many are tormented by self-doubt. Today we will correct this shortcoming and learn how to write a letter to a friend in English. Believe me, this is not at all difficult, especially since the article contains standard phrases and sample letters on various topics, with which you can create a full-fledged template and easily write your personal letter. So let's learn how to write in English and make pen pals!
Writing a personal letter in English - style, structure and standard phrases
Beginning of the letter: address and personal address
According to generally accepted rules, an English letter always begins with a standard heading: indicating the address of the writer and the date. It is usually located in the upper right corner and has the following format*:
- 1 line – house number and street name;
- 2 line - indication of the city and designation of the postal code;
- 3 line - the name of the country;
- 4 line - date of writing.
* A detailed example of the correct design of the beginning of a letter can be found in the material "How to start a letter in English" and in sample letters.
If you are writing a personal letter to a girlfriend or friend and it is not the first in your correspondence, then the address, of course, can be omitted. But keep in mind that when writing letters for exams, you must strictly adhere to the official standard, i.e. in this case, the address cannot be neglected.
After the design of the header, we go to the left side of the sheet and from a new line we turn to the interlocutor. An informal greeting has many variants, but the most popular expressions are combinations Dear+name or Hello, Hi + name . As a rule, a comma is placed after these words, and the main part of the letter is written from a new line.
Phrases for the introduction and body of the letter
The main text of the letter begins with an introductory part. If you write a reply letter to a friend in English, then be sure to thank him for the letter received or express your attitude to the news reported in it. If you decide to write a letter to a foreign friend first, then instead of the introductory part, briefly tell what prompted you to do this. For example, you want to talk about something, or apologize, or wish good luck, or congratulate you on the holiday, etc. The typical English introductory phrases for writing a letter, which are presented in the following table, will help you briefly state your idea.
| Thanks and apologies (for a reply letter) | |
| Phrase | Translation |
| Thank you for your letters! | Thank you for your letter! |
| Lovely to hear from you! | Nice to hear from you! |
| Many thanks for your letters! | Thank you very much for your recent letter! |
| It was nice to hear from you again! | Nice to hear from you again! |
| I've just received a letter from you! I am so glad to hear… | I just received your letter. I'm so glad to hear that…. |
| I am sorry to hear… | I'm so sorry to hear that... |
| It was good to hear from you that… | It was so nice to hear from you that... |
| I was surprised to hear that… | I was surprised to hear that... |
| I must apologize for not writing earlier… | I have to apologize for not posting sooner... |
| I'm sorry I haven't written for so long but… | Sorry I haven't posted for so long, but... |
| I'm sorry I haven't been in touch for such a long time. | I apologize for not being in touch for so long. |
| I've been meaning to write to you for ages but… | I've been meaning to write to you for a long time, but... |
| I'm writing to apologize for… | I am writing to apologize for... |
| I'm sorry I've taken such a long time to reply to your last letter. | I'm sorry it took me so long to reply to your last letter. |
| News story or congratulations on something (for self-writing) | |
| I'm writting to ask... | I am writing to you to ask (to ask) about ... |
| I thought you might be interested to hear about… | I thought you might be interested in... |
| Here is some news about… | I have some news about... |
| It's ages since I've heard from you. I hope you're well. | 100 years, 100 winters have not heard you. I hope you're all right. |
| I'm writing to tell you… | I am writing to tell you about... |
| I'm writing this letter to congratulations to you… | I am writing this letter to congratulate you on... |
Sometimes you can start your letter with the most standard questions about work, family, affairs, etc.
The main thing to remember is that the introduction English writing usually small: only 2-3 sentences.
By the way, if in the received letter your interlocutor asked you questions, then you can also use the following phrases for a response message.
If you are writing your first letter, then after the introductory words on a new line, immediately begin to state its main topic. The range of topics is unpredictable: it can be a story about yourself and your family, and a story about how your summer holidays went, and a description of a trip to another country, and much more. Or vice versa - not stories and stories, but a set of questions about how your English friend and his family members are doing, or what is the way of life of the people of Great Britain.
You can also chat with a friend about foreign music and cinema: discuss film premieres, new music albums, concerts of your favorite bands. The subject of the letter depends only on your imagination. Therefore, it is impossible to pick up standard phrases for this part. But don't worry, composing a personal letter in English is not difficult even for beginners, because it uses short sentences and popular colloquial expressions. To write an example letter on a free topic, you can take any text and turn it into a short story, adding the necessary introductory elements for writing.
Final part
When you have already outlined all your stories, news and impressions to a foreign girlfriend or friend, you need to complete the letter with a small final paragraph.
The format of this final part is exactly the same as that of the introductory part. In other words, it is necessary to briefly (in 1-2 sentences) summarize the topic and say goodbye politely. The following expressions will help you to compose the correct ending.
| Well, got to go now. | Perhaps that's all. |
| I must finish my letter because… | I must complete my letter because... |
| Give my best regards to your family! | Give your family my warm regards! |
| Looking forward to hearing from you! | Can not wait for your reply! |
| Don't forget to write! | Don't forget to reply! |
| I can't wait to hear from you! | I can't wait for your reply! |
| Drop me a line when you are free. | Drop a line or two when you're free. |
| Hope to hear from you soon. | Hope to hear from you again soon. |
| Write back to me soon. | Please write me an answer. |
And the final touch is a short goodbye. You can finish a letter in English with standard phrases, which in English, as well as in Russian, are many:
- your friend – yourfriend;
- Yours – your;
- Warm regards - warmest regards;
- best wishes - with best wishes;
- Love - with love;
- All the best – Totalthe best;
- take care - Take care of yourself;
After these words, a comma is placed, and then the sender's name is added on a new line.
That's all, the standard scheme of English writing is ready. Using this template, you can easily compose both paper and email. If you are still not confident, we suggest looking at examples of letters in English on various topics, and understand that they are actually very easy to compose.
Letter to a friend in English - sample letters
In this section, we will give a couple of examples of letters to a friend in English with translation into Russian.
Vacation and travel story
| 46, Komsomolskaya Street, Thank you for your letters! It was nice to hear from you again! You want to know how I spent the summer. Well, I'll do my best to answer your questions. I spent my summer vacation very well. In June I went to my grandparents' house. They live in Smolensk. I have a lot of friends in this city, so I had a good time with them. We went to a forest camp, which is located not far from Smolensk. We were there for three weeks, and it was very fun. We lived near a large lake. Every time, when the weather was fine, we walked to the shore and swam in the lake. Also we fished, went hiking, picked mushrooms and berries. We had English lessons too. Then we returned to Smolensk and every day played basketball, went to the cinema and danced in the evening. Sometimes we visited museums and zoos too. In August I had to go home. Next summer I'll definitely go to Smolensk again because I very miss my friends. When I returned home I found out that my father bought tickets to London for all our family! It was a surprise for me! I was in seventh heaven at that moment! So, in a few days we went to England. I have got many impressions from this trip. England is such a beautiful and bright country! And there are so many green meadows and fields here. As for London, I am very impressed by the beauty of this city. We have visited many famous places: the Trafalgar Square, the Tower Bridge, the Westminster Abbey, the museum of Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, the Piccadilly Circus and many others. So, it was the best summer in my life! And what about you? Tell me how you spent your summer! |
st. Komsomolskaya 46,
Orel 345040
Dear John,
Thank you for your letter! I am very pleased to hear from you again!
You want to know how I spent my summer. Well, I will try to answer your questions in detail.
I spent my summer holidays very well. In June I went to my grandparents. They live in Smolensk. I have many friends in this city, so I had a great time with them. We went to a forest camp, which is located near Smolensk. We spent three weeks there and had a lot of fun. We lived next to a large lake. Every time the weather was nice we would go to the coast and swim in the lake. We also fished, went hiking, picked mushrooms and berries. We also had English lessons.
Then we returned to Smolensk and played basketball every day, went to the cinema and discos. Sometimes we also visited museums and zoos. In August, I had to return home. Next summer I will definitely come to Smolensk again, because I really miss my friends.
When I returned home, I found out that my father bought tickets to London for our entire family! It was a surprise for me! At that moment I was just in seventh heaven! So, a few days later we went to England. it travel left me with many impressions. England is a beautiful and vibrant country. And there are so many green meadows and fields. As for London, I am impressed by the beauty of this city! We visited many famous places: Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Madame Tussauds, London Ferris Wheel, Piccadilly Circus and much more.
So it was the best summer of my life! What do you have? Tell me how you spent your summer.
With love,
A letter to a friendabout my family in English
| Hello Andrew, How are you? I'm writing to tell you some news about my family. Do you remember my elder sister Olga? She's recently married! Her husband is a Swiss national, so they will live in Switzerland. Next week they will go to Switzerland and I will move to my sister's room. Now it is mine! I am very glad that I'll have my own room, finally. My mother is very happy, but she is a little sad too. Switzerland is so far from our home, so we won't be able to visit our sister often. But we hope that she will often call us and write letters. Oh, and another thing! My brother Alex will finish school next year. And my sister's husband says that Alex can live with them, if he wants to study in Switzerland. Alex is very surprised by this offer and dreams about life in Switzerland for days on end. Well, got to go now. Drop me a line when you are free. |
Hey Andrew!
How are you? I am writing to share some news about my family.
Do you remember my elder sister Olga? She recently got married! Her husband is Swiss and they will live in Switzerland. They are leaving for Switzerland next week and I am moving into my sister's room. Now she's mine! I am very happy that I will finally have my own room.
My mother is very happy, but also a little sad. Switzerland is very far from our home, so we won't be able to visit our sister often. But we hope that she will often call us and write letters.
Oh, and more news! My brother Alex will graduate from high school next year. And my sister's husband says that Alex can live with them if he wants to go to university in Switzerland. Alex is very surprised by this offer and dreams of living in Switzerland all day long.
Well, it's time to finish. Write me a couple of lines when you're free.
Your friend,
We hope now that all self-doubts have disappeared, and you have a clear understanding of how to write a letter to a friend in English. Good luck and see you soon!
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One of the main tasks in English lessons is formation and development of skills written speech. The actual question arises, how to write a letter to?
Students should be able to reveal any speech situation in accordance with the topic. educational program. The rules for writing a letter in English will help school graduates who plan to pass exams well and continue their studies at a university. It is also interesting to know how many words a letter should have, how it usually begins and ends..
In contact with
When a graduate needs to, then in one of the tasks he is asked to write a formal or informal letter using 100-140 words. When we begin to perform such a task, it must be remembered that the structure of the letter should include introduction, main body and conclusion like in the essay. If you need to write to a friend or relatives, then in this case we pay attention to the peculiarities of writing an informal letter in English (the informal letter). It uses abbreviations as well as clichés related to the colloquial style.
friendly message
One of the most important ways of communication between people is correspondence. An informal letter in English is written by people who have known each other for a long time or who want to get to know someone. In it they exchange news from their lives, consult discuss personal matters, joke, use slang. Consider the scheme of writing to a friend, relatives, people whom we know well:
- In the appeal we use the phrase "Dear ...", substituting the name.
- Welcome to the next step" Hi! How are you?” and thank you for receiving the “Thanks for your letter” message.
- The beginning of the disclosure of the topic is “I’d like to tell you about ….”
- The disclosure of the topic can consist of several paragraphs. To express your point of view, you can use the following phrases “In my opinion ...” or “To my mind ...”, as well as “As for me ...”.
- In conclusion, we say goodbye “Well, that’s all for now”, we hope to receive an answer, for example, “Drop me a letter when you can!” or “Take care, and keep in touch!” The most commonly used expression is “Write soon!”
- For the signature, we use the phrases “Yours, ...” or “All the best”, “Best wishes” - we write on the left.
Writing a letter in English requires compliance with certain rules.
- Shouldn't write paragraphs with red line. Skip a line between paragraphs.
- After treatment do not forget to put a comma. The next sentence is capitalized.
- When writing an address, keep the sequence in mind. First we indicate house number followed by street name and city as well as the country. The date is written under your address.
- Memorize phrases for writing messages that correspond to a particular paragraph.
- Try to use short sentences.
- Any personal letter may contain colloquial style cliché.
This scheme is suitable for writing an informal letter in accordance with any chosen topic. For example, when you are asked to write to a friend about your vacation and your experiences, include the previously discussed set expressions in the message.
Sample letter to a friend
18 King Street
Hi! How are you? Thanks for your letter. You asked about the weather in the letter. It's cool today. It's raining and I'm writing near the fireplace. I'm glad that Sue has already visited some museums in Berlin.
I'd like to tell you about my last trip to Scotland. My relatives live in Edinburgh. Andrew and John were happy to see me last week. They are crazy about music.
The guys like listening to Mozart and Bach. They cannot imagine their life without classical music. Oh, they can play the violin all day! How's your cousin? Does he like modern or classical music?
The guys took me to the Scottish festival last Tuesday. There were a lot of musicians and actors. Scottish people are famous for their music. Andrew didn't like military bands. To my mind, they played unusual musical instruments called bagpipes very well. Then we had a wonderful picnic near the lake. John didn't want to stay for a long time. He was sure the monster Nessie lived there. Monkey nuts! I didn't want to leave because the landscape and mountains made a great impression on me!
I hope that we'll meet in two weeks. I have to go now. Mum's birthday will be on Monday! I have to help Dad with shopping.
Drop me a letter when you can! Give my regards to your cousin!
Translation
18 King Street
United Kingdom
Dear Jane,
Hello! How are you? Thanks for your letter. You asked about the weather. Today it's cool. It's raining and I'm writing near the fireplace. I am glad that Sue has already visited several museums in Berlin.
I would like to tell you about my last trip to Scotland. My relatives live in Edinburgh. Andrew and John were glad to see me last week. They are crazy about music. Children love to listen to Mozart and Bach. They cannot imagine their life without classical music. Oh, Andrew and John can play violin all day long! How is your cousin doing? Does he like modern or classical music?
Last Tuesday the guys took me with them to the Scottish festival.
Many musicians and actors were present. The Scots are famous for their music. Andrew didn't like military bands. In my opinion, they played very well on unusual musical instruments, bagpipes. Then we organized a wonderful picnic near the lake. John
didn't want to stay there for long. He was sure of the existence of the monster Nessie there! Nonsense! I didn't want to leave because the landscape and the mountains made a big impression on me!
I hope to see you in two weeks. Now I must leave.
Mom's birthday is on Monday! I have to help dad with the shopping.
Write me a letter when you can. Say hello to your cousin.
Good luck,
Victoria..
This informal letter used:
- abbreviations: “I’d like” and “didn’t”, “we’ll”, “I’m” and “it’s”;
- conversational style words: guys, Mum, to be crazy about, Dad, thanks;
- imperative: “Drop me a letter when you can!” “Give my regards to your cousin!”
- idiom: Monkey nuts! (Nonsense!)
- interjection: Oh!
Their use is typical for writing any informal friendly letter.
Attention! All of the above items are not allowed when writing a formal message. When referring to an official, sometimes the imperative is used, but only with the word “please”, for example, “Please do not hesitate”. The abbreviated version of “Please don’t hesitate” is not used in business style.
Writing a friendly letter is different from a formal letter.
business message
Now let's look at how to write a letter in English in a more strict style. If you need to write a business letter in English, consider requirements for the design of any formal letter (the formal letter).
Consider the outline of a formal letter intended for any official or people we don't know well.
- In the first line we write the appeal “Dear Mr (Mrs)..., indicating the last name. If we do not know the last name, then we address as "Dear Sir\Madam".
- The expression “I am writing to … about…” reveals the reason for writing a letter in English.
- The cliché “I would also be grateful if you could…” helps express the request in a respectful way.
- We hope to receive an answer with the official phrase “I look forward to hearing from you”.
- We subscribe “Yours sincerely, …” or “Yours faithfully,…”
- When we indicate the recipient's address in the left corner, we first write the recipient's last name in front of it. Then we specify his position and address of the company.
- The main rule is the absence of abbreviations, abbreviations, phrases, colloquial style expressions, and interjections.
- Any business letter in English includes an official appeal and signature discussed earlier.
- The official message is characterized by the use of the agreed mood in a respectful form (If you could….).
- Do not forget about complex and complex sentences.
There are different types of business letters in English. During their registration, remember the previously listed requirements. Let's consider one of its options.
Official letter.
Sample business letter of complaint
39 Oxford Street
Director, Corporate Services
Cambridge, Il 70870
I am writing to complain about my trip and the service which I received in your hotel last week.
firstly, your advertisement states that accommodation is in a five-star hotel. The hotel where I stayed was clearly a three-star hotel. The best hotel has got a variety of facilities to the residents and guests. In your hotel there is not a swimming room, a jogging track, a bowling alley, a tennis court and a movie theater.
Secondly, your advertisement also states that the hotel is within two kilometers of Westminster. In fact, it is four kilometers away.
moreover, I had been told that the meals would be included in my package. When I went down to have breakfast I was asked to pay for it. Besides that, your waiters were very impolite.
I was not at all happy with my rest in the hotel. It was noisy at night. I could not sleep at all. The hotel is situated near the nightclub.
according to the facts, I therefore request a refund for the cost of my hotel room and all the bills.
I look forward to hearing from you.
yours faithfully,
Translation
39 Oxford Street
United Kingdom
Corporate Services Director
Hotel Lincoln
385 Green Road
Cambridge, Il 70870
Dear Mr Black,
I am writing to complain about my trip and the service I received at your hotel last week.
First, your ad claims that the room's location is in a five-star hotel. The hotel in which I stayed clearly corresponded to a three-star. The best hotel provides many opportunities for residents and guests. Your hotel does not have a swimming pool, jogging track, bowling alley, tennis court or cinema.
Other than that, I was told that meals would be included in my package. When I went down to have breakfast, I was asked to pay. In addition, your waiters were very impolite.
I am not at all satisfied with my stay at the hotel. It was noisy at night. I couldn't sleep. The hotel is located next to a nightclub.
Given all the facts, I ask you to return the money for the cost of my hotel room and all bills.
Waiting for an answer from you.
Sincerely,
John Baker.
In this reviewed sample, facts were listed using the phrases “Firstly,…Secondly,…Moreover,…Besides that…”, and also complex sentences were used, adhering to the official style.
Personal letter in English
Basic rules for writing a letter
Conclusion
When composing a letter, remember that when evaluating it, not only the disclosure of the topic is taken into account, but also compliance with the structure. Pay attention to the number of words in the messages. The rules for writing messages in English and the considered clichés will help to reveal any topic. We wish you creative success!
