LETTER-WRITING EXPRESSIONS
We use different expressions for formal letters (e.g. to companies or to people we haven’t met) and informal letters (e.g. to friends or to people we know well.)
OPENING
FORMAL Dear Sir/Madam / Dear Mr Jones
INFORMAL Dear Maria
SAYING THANK YOU
FORMAL Thank you for
INFORMAL Thanks for
REASON FOR WRITING
FORMAL I am writing to inform you that… / enquire about… / apologize for…
INFORMAL I am writing to tell you…/ ask you about… / say sorry for…
ASKING FOR HELP
FORMAL Please could you…? / I woukd be grateful if you could…
INFORMAL Could you…? / Can you…?
OFFERING HELP
FORMAL We will be pleased/happy to… (send you)
INFORMAL I’ll (send you)
ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS
FORMAL Please find enclosed (my CV)… / I enclosed…
INFORMAL I’m sending you…
CLOSING REMARK
FORMAL I look forward to hearing from you. / meeting you. / seeing you .
INFORMAL (I‘m) looking forward to hearing from you ./ seeing you .
FINISHING
FORMAL Yours faithfully ( Brit.)/ Yours sincerely ( Brit.)/ Sincerely yours ( Am.) / Yours truly (Am)
INFORMAL Best wishes / Best Regards /Yours / Love
In British English,” Yours faithfully “ is used for letters which begin “Dear Sir/Madam”. “Yours sincerely” is used when the letter begins “Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss Jones”
