Writing

1
Writing informal letters
2
Discuss these questions

• Who do you write informal letters to?
• What kind of things would you write in a letter
  to a new pen friend?

3
Before you read a sample letter consider the
following questions

• Effect on the target reader
• What is the purpose of an informal letter?
• To advertise sth / to entertain the reader / to
  explain sth?
• Register
• What register should you use?
• Format
• What is important about the format of an
  informal letter?

4

• Dear Roger,
• Thanks a lot for your Letter it was great to
  hear from you again and were delighted you can
  come and stay with us.
• As you can imagine, everythings very quiet here
  then. We normally spend the time just relaxing at
  home, getting over all the celebrations and
  finishing off the Christmas food! We either read
  or play games, and occasionally go out for a walk
  in the snow.
• When youre here, though, wed like to take you
  to the mountains for a few days theyre really
  beautiful at this time of the year. We can go
  cross country skiing during the day and then in
  the evenings we can try out the different
  restaurants. The place is famous for its good
  food.
• The temperatures drop to minus 10 in December,
  so make sure you bring some warm clothes. A pair
  of walking boots would be ideal, as well as some
  waterproof trousers if you have them just in
  case you fall over in the snow.
• Thats all for now, then. See you at the airport
  on the 27th.
• Love,
• Katrina

5

• Dear Roger,
• Thanks a lot for your Letter it was (1)
  ________ to hear from you again and were (2)
  _________ you can come and stay with us.
• As you can imagine, everythings very (3)
  _________ here then. We (4) __________ spend the
  time just relaxing at home, getting over all the
  celebrations and finishing off the Christmas
  food! We either read or play games, and (5)
  ________ go out for a walk in the snow.
• When youre here, though, wed like to take you
  to the mountains for a few days theyre really
  (6) ________ at this time of the year. We can go
  cross country skiing during the day and then in
  the evenings we can try out the (7) __________
  restaurants. The place is (8) __________ for its
  (9) __________ food.
• The temperatures drop to minus 10 in December,
  so make sure you bring some (10) ________
  clothes. A pair of (11) __________ boots would be
  (12) ________ , as (13) ________ as some (14)
  ________ trousers if you have them just in case
  you fall over in the snow.
• Thats all for now, then. See you at the airport
  on the 27th.
• Love,
• Katrina

• beautiful
• delighted
• different
• famous
• good
• great
• ideal
• normally
• occasionally
• quiet
• walking
• warm
• waterproof
• well

6

• Dear Roger,
• Thanks a lot (1) your Letter it was great (2)
  hear from you again and were delighted you can
  come and stay (3) us.
• (4) you can imagine, everythings very quiet
  here then. We normally spend the time just
  relaxing (5) home, getting (6) all the
  celebrations and finishing (7) the Christmas
  food! We either read (8) play games, and
  occasionally go (9) (10) a walk (11) the snow.
• When youre here, though, wed like (12) take
  you (13) the mountains (14) a few days theyre
  really beautiful (15) this time (16) the year. We
  can go cross country skiing (17) the day and
  then (18) the evenings we can try (19) the
  different restaurants. The place is famous (20)
  its good food.
• The temperatures drop (21) minus 10 in December,
  so make sure you bring some warm clothes. A pair
  of walking boots would be ideal, (22) well (22)
  some waterproof trousers if you have them just
  (23) case you fall (24) in the snow.
• Thats all (25) now, then. See you (26) the
  airport (27) the 27th.
• Love,
• Katrina

7
Fill in the gaps with the correct form of these
verbs behave, come, cost, eat, enjoy, feel, go,
have, have, have, like, love, realise, say,
serve, show, smile, stay, take, visit

• Dear Stefan,
• How are you? Were fine. Our trip round the
  States (1) well and we (2) ourselves very much.
  One good surprise is that things (3) less here
  than back home. For example, this weekend we (4)
  in a motel beside a lake. We (5) a room with a
  beautiful view for only 35 per night. The only
  thing we (not) (6) is the food. Restaurants (7)
  dinner rather early. We (never) (8) at six
  oclock at home so we (not) (9) hungry then and
  Americans (10) very big meals. Apart from that,
  we (11) wonderful time. We (12) lots of
  interesting little towns and we (13) the scenery.
  People here (14) in a very friendly manner
  towards strangers, all the shop assistants (15)
  at us, and everyone (16) Have a nice day! At
  home, the TV (always) (17) us bad news stories
  about the States, but in fact, when you (18)
  here, you (19) its a really great place. We (20)
  lots of photos to show you.
• Much love,
• Gienia and Henia