FORMAL LETTER

Apt Blk 345 Greenview Ave 2

Senders
No. 14-124
address
Singapore 785623
_________________________________________________________________________________
Ms Elsa Pang
Recipients name, title,
Manager
Mimi Bubble Tea Pte Ltd organization and address
Date
Blk 40A Rangeford Plaza
No. 03-456
Singapore 671326
12th March 2013
Dear Ms Pang,

Salutation

Mimi Bubble Tea

The Title

I am writing to find out more about Mimi Bubble Tea.

The Body

2.
It has been about a year since I first tasted Mimi Bubble Tea. I enjoy its
genuine brews and exotic concoctions. However, I recently heard that the pearls
in bubble tea may contain carcinogenic ingredients. Reports say that German
researchers have found traces of PCBs in tapioca ball samples. These are
substances that should not be found in food at all.
3.
I hope to clear my doubts about the pearls in Mimi Bubble Tea. Therefore,
I wonder if you could provide me with full information about the ingredients
used to make these pearls.
4.

I really look forward to your reply.

We would like to thank you for all your cooperation

Complimentary
Thank you
Close
Yours sincerely,

Senders
signature

Alyssa King

(ALYSSA KING)

Senders Full
Name

Answer the following questions about the structure of Alyssas letter.

The Heading
1. When was the letter written?
______________________________________________________________________
Recipients name and address
2. Who did Alyssa write to?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
The Salutation
3. If Alyssa doesnt know the name of the recipient, what form of salutation can she
use?
______________________________________________________________________
The Subject
4. What is the letter about?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
The Body
5. What has Alyssa learned about bubble tea from reports?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. What does she want Ms Pang to do?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

The Closing
7. If Alyssa doesnt know the recipients name, how should she close the letter?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Grammar 1 : Mixed Tenses

Notice that Alyssas letter is written in a range of tenses present simple, present
continuous, present perfect and past simple tenses.
Tense
Present Simple
1. The verb takes the base
form when the subject is
I, you, we, they or a
plural noun.
The verb takes and s
ending when the subject is
he, she, it or a singular
noun.

Example

I enjoy its genuine brews

and exotic concoctions.

Use

To state something that is

true in the present.

Present Continuous
Form: am/is/are + verb ing

Present Perfect
Form: has/have + past
participle

I am writing to find out more To express an action that is

about Mimi Bubble Tea.
happening at the moment
of speaking.
Reports say that German
researchers have found
traces of PCBs in tapioca
ball samples

To give news or talk about

recent events.

I recently heard that the

pearls in bubble tea may
contain carcinogenic
ingredients.

To describe an action that

started in the past and
finished at a specific time in
the past.

Past Simple
For many verbs, we add
-ed to the base form of the
verb

Complete the letter below with the correct forms of the verbs in the brackets. Use the
following tenses: present simple, past simple and the will future.

Dear Mr Salleh,
I (1) _______________ (want) to complain about my last visit to Chef Zhaos
Kitchen on 1st June.
2.
It (2) _______________ (be) my first visit to Chef Zhaos Kitchen and likely to
be the last. I (3) _______________ (order) braised deer meat, stir fried sweet potato
leaves and ginseng tonic soup with black chicken. At first I (4) _______________
(find) the meal enjoyable. The deer meat )5) _______________ (be) succulent, and I
(6) _______________ (like) the spicy taste of the sweet potato leaves fried in
sambal paste. The ginseng tonic soup (7) _______________ (impress) with a rich,
clear broth. But I (8) _______________ (have) a shock when I (9) _______________
(finish) the soup. At the base of the soup bowl (10) _______________ (be) a large,
dead cockroach with wings, feelers and its six legs!
3.
I immediately (11) _______________ (complain) to the staff. However, the
staff (12) _______________ (be) rude and complacent. They (13) _______________
(not give) me a satisfactory explanation, yet they also (14) ________________ (tell)
me to pay the full cost of the meal.
4.
I (15) _______________ (ask) for a full refund of my bill for that day. I also
(16) _______________ (require) an apology for the poor service I (17)
_______________ (get), and the shock and disgust of seeing an insect in my food.
I hope you (18) _______________ (reply) as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph
(JOSEPH CHONG)