Writing a formal letter or email

BEFORE YOU START

1 Answer the questions
1 What are the most useful languages to speak?
2 What other languages would you like to learn?
3 How have you learnt the foreign languages that you know?
4 What do you look for in a language course?
Polite indirect questions
I would like to know/ ask ... … about the school
Can / Could you tell me ...? ... if /whether there is / are… / if the teachers are ...
Could you let me know ...? … how much it costs to ...
I would be grateful if you could tell me ... ... how long it takes to get to...
I am interested in finding out… ... where the school is
I wonder if you could give me some information ... ... about the course.
2 Rewrite the direct questions as polite indirect questions.
1 How much does the four-week course cost?
I would like
2 Are there any Spanish classes at the weekend?
Could you let
3 I want to know about the film club.
I wonder
4 Is there a bus into the city centre?
Could you tell
5 What time does the library close?
I would be grateful
6 Are there any places left in the Monday evening class?
I am interested
3 Read the advert and email and answer the questions below.
Alpha Language School
BRISTOL
Learn English, German, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese
Beginners to advanced
Qualified teachers • Modern methods • Reasonable prices • Enrolment throughout the year
Enquiries to Mrs K Jones at alphaschool@alpha.co.uk
Please state which language(s) you are interested in, your age, level of proficiency and reasons for learning
(eg professional, leisure, academic requirement).
NEW MESSAGE
TO alphaschool@alpha.co.uk
SUBJECT Enquiry
Dear Mrs Jones,
I am writing to enquire about language courses at the Alpha Language School, as advertised in this week's
Bristol Advertiser.
I am a 22-year-old business student and I am interested in learning Arabic and Mandarin. I am a complete
beginner in these languages, although I am used to learning languages as I studied French and Spanish at
school. My reason for learning new languages is to increase my employment opportunities when I finish
college.
I wonder if you could give me some more information about the courses. First of all, the advertisement
mentions reasonable prices, but could you tell me exactly how much a beginner's course costs? I would
also like to know the length of each course and how many hours' teaching it includes. In addition, could
you tell me if the teachers are native speakers? Finally, I would be grateful if you could tell me the days
and times of the Arabic and Mandarin classes, to enable me to decide whether it would be feasible to
combine both language classes with my studies.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Pamela Cooper
 1 Who is the email from, and who is it to?
2 What information does the writer give about herself? Why?
3 What specific information does she ask for?
4 Underline the polite indirect question forms she uses.
5 What salutations does she use to open and close the email? Why?
6 What phrases does she use to begin and end the main email message?
7 What linking words does she use? Are they used for addition, contrast or reason?
4 How is the email organised? Complete the paragraph plan below with these points.
a) information about myself
b) a question about class times
c) a question about course length
d) a question about course cost
e) my reason for wanting to learn these languages
f) my reason for writing
g) a reference to the advert and where it appeared
h) a set phrase to finish off the email
i) the languages I want to learn
Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3

Paragraph 2 Paragraph 4 h

PRACTICE
5 Find formal words and phrases in the email which mean the same as these informal ones.
1 to ask about 5 has the words
2 I want to learn 6 decide if I can
3 to get a better job 7 do both at the same time
4 tell me more 8 hope to hear from you soon
6 Decide which sentence in each pair is formal (F) and which is informal (I).
1 a) That's great! Thanks! 3 a) I am available to attend an interview at any time.
b) Thank you very much for your help. b) I'm free for an interview whenever you want.
2 a) I would like to ask a few questions. 4 a) I look forward to receiving your reply.
b) I've just got a couple of questions for you. b) I can't wait to get your email!
5 a) I am afraid I shall not be free to attend during the first two weeks of June.
b) I don't think I can make it till the middle of June. What a shame!
6 a) Do you get any food with the course (eg some sandwiches for lunch)?
b) Could you tell me if there is any food provided as part of the course?
NOW YOU
7 Read the writing task and follow the steps below.
You see this advert in a local newspaper and you are interested. Write an email to the school enquiring
about the courses, and giving information as required. Include some unusual or special requirement.
Write about 180 words in an appropriate style.
ACE International summer courses
Improve your English in the UK Enquiries to Mr P. Thomas at
· intensive courses pthomas@aceinternat.co.uk
· exam preparation Please provide the following information:
· convenient location level of English, preferred course dates,
· assistance with arranging accommodation accommodation preferences
· afternoon cultural and social activities
1 Think about the topic.
a) What kind of courses are advertised? d) What information will you need to give?
b) Who should you write to? e) What style will you use in your email?
c) What is the purpose of your email?
2 Think about questions you want to ask about the courses. Make a list, then choose the three or four
most important to use in your email.
3 Complete the paragraph plan.
KEY
2
1 to know I ask how much the four-week course costs
2 me know if l whether there are any Spanish classes at the weekend
3 if you could give me some information / tell me about the film club
4 me if I whether there is a bus into the city centre
5 if you could tell me what time the library closes
6 in finding out if/whether there are any places left in the Monday evening classes

3
1 From Pamela Cooper, to Mrs Jones
2 Her age, occupation, what language she wants to learn; her level, other language- learning experience,
reason for learning new languages. She gives this information because the advert asks for it.
3 How much the beginner's course costs; the length of and number of hours' teaching included in each
course; if the teachers are native speakers; the days and times of Arabic and Mandarin classes
4 I wonder if you could give me some more information about the courses;
could you tell me exactly how much a beginner's course costs?;
I would also like to know the length of each course and how many hours' teaching it includes;
could you tell me if the teachers are native speakers;
I would be grateful if you could tell me the days and times of the Arabic and Mandarin classes
5 Dear Mrs Jones, Yours sincerely (Because it's a formal email and the advert gave the name of the
specific person to write to.)
6 I am writing to enquire about ..., I look forward to hearing from you
7 addition: and, First of all, also, In addition, Finally
contrast: although, but
reason: as, to

4
Paragraph 1: f, g
Paragraph 2: a, i,
Paragraph 3: d, c,
Paragraph 4: h

5
1 to enquire about
2 lam interested in learning
3 to increase my employment opportunities
4 give me some more information
5 mentions
6 decide whether it would be feasible to
7 combine... with ...
8 look forward to hearing from you

6
1 al, bF 2aF bl 3 aF,bl 4 aF,bl 5aF,bl 6al,bF

7
A intensive English courses in the UK
B Mr P. Thomas
C to enquire about courses
D level of English, preferred course dates; accommodation preferences
E formal, polite