Letters, emails and messages in English
An informal letter has three main parts:
Write about what you want to tell the person. Use natural language and include interesting details.
Just your first name (or first and last name if less formal).
| Function | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Ask for something | "Could you...?" / "Would you mind...?" / "Can you help me with...?" |
| Invite someone | "Would you like to...?" / "Do you want to come to...?" / "Why don't you...?" |
| Give advice | "You should..." / "I think you should..." / "Why don't you try...?" |
| Announce plans | "I'm going to..." / "We're planning to..." / "I've decided to..." |
| Hope/closing | "I hope to hear from you soon." / "Looking forward to seeing you." |
Hi Maria,
How are you? I hope you're doing well! I haven't written for ages — sorry about that!
Listen, I'm planning to visit Munich during Oktoberfest in October, and I think it would be amazing if you could come with me! It's such a fantastic festival with music, traditional food, and lots of fun. The beer tents are huge, and there are amazing bands playing every night. We could stay in a hostel to save money and explore the city together.
What do you think? Are you free in October? Let me know as soon as possible because I need to book accommodation soon. If you can't come, at least we could have a video call and you can tell me what I should absolutely see!
Can't wait to hear from you!
Best wishes,
Sarah
Annotations:
| Aspect | Informal | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Hi / Hello [Name] | Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Mr/Ms [Name] |
| Contractions | I'm, don't, can't | I am, do not, cannot |
| Tone | Friendly, conversational | Professional, respectful |
| Language | Simple, natural | Complex, formal vocabulary |
| Slang | Allowed (cool, awesome, etc.) | Not allowed |
| Closing | Best wishes / Lots of love | Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully |