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Formal Email

1. The document discusses using formal language in emails, with examples of formal and informal expressions. 2. It provides an example email requesting hostel information and analyzes its structure and language. 3. Guidelines are given for using indirect language to sound more polite in formal emails, such as replacing direct questions with indirect questions using "if" or changing word order.

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Doğukan sever
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103 views2 pages

Formal Email

1. The document discusses using formal language in emails, with examples of formal and informal expressions. 2. It provides an example email requesting hostel information and analyzes its structure and language. 3. Guidelines are given for using indirect language to sound more polite in formal emails, such as replacing direct questions with indirect questions using "if" or changing word order.

Uploaded by

Doğukan sever
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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USING FORMAL EXPRESSIONS

A. Read the email below. Is the language in the email formal or informal? Why?

Dear Sir/Madam, 1. _______________

I am writing to ask for some information about your hostel. I am planning to 2. _______________
stay in Malta for one month to study English and I am interested in booking a
room. Before I do that, I would like to check some information.

Firstly, I would like to know if it is possible to travel easily to the city centre by
public transport. Also, I wonder how long it takes to go to the city centre.
Secondly, could you inform me about the rooms? I would like to know how 3. _______________
much a room costs and where I can spend my free time in your hostel. Finally,
as I plan to stay for the whole month, could you tell me if it is possible to have
a discount on the price.

I look forward to hearing from you. 4. _______________

Yours faithfully, 5. _______________

Kristina Paoli 6. _______________

B. The e-mail has a structure. Match the parts (a-f) below with the numbers (1-6) above.

a) Signature
b) Asking for information
c) The reason for writing
d) Final remarks
e) Greetings
f) Closing remarks

C. Find formal expressions in the email which have similar meanings to the informal expressions in the table.

INFORMAL FORMAL
Hi … / Hello …
This is just a quick note to say …
I want to …
I want to know if …
Can you …
See you soon / Speak to you soon.
Best wishes / Love

D. In formal e-mails we use INDIRECT expressions to sound more formal and polite. Look at the sentences
below. Are they DIRECT or INDIRECT?

1. a) Is it possible to travel by public transport? __________


b) I would like to know if it is possible to travel by public transport. __________
2. a) I wonder how long it takes to go to the city centre. __________
b) How long does it take to go to the city centre? __________
3. a) Where can I spend my free time in the hostel? __________
b) I would like to know where I can spend my free time in the hostel. __________
4. a) Could you tell me if it is possible to have a discount? __________
b) Is it possible to have a discount? __________
HOW TO USE INDIRECT EXPRESSIONS

The use of “IF”: In YES/NO questions, we use “if” to change the sentence from direct to indirect.

Direct: Do you plan on traveling this summer?


Indirect: I’d like to know if you plan on traveling this summer. (Do not use auxiliaries)

Direct: Are your parents joining us for dinner?


Indirect: Could you tell me if your parents are joining us for dinner?

WH- Questions:

In indirect questions with is/are, the verb comes after the subject. For example;

Direct: Where is Market Street?


Indirect: Could you tell me where Market Street is?

In indirect speech, we don’t use the auxiliary verbs do/does/did. For example;

Direct: What time does the hostel open?


Indirect: I would like to know what time the hostel opens.

Direct: Why did you move to Europe?


Indirect: I was wondering why you moved to Europe.

Direct: How much discount do you offer?


Indirect: I would like to learn how much discount you offer.

E. Change the sentences from DIRECT form to INDIRECT form.

1. Are there any foreign students in the hostel?


I wonder ……………………………………………………………………………………………
2. How much does a double room cost?
Could you tell me ………………………………………………………………………………?
3. Is it possible to pay by credit card?
I would like to know …………………………………………………………………………..
4. What kind of services do you offer for your guests?
I wonder …………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Where can I have breakfast?
Could you tell me ……………………………………………………………………………….?
6. Did you get my email that I sent last week?
I was wondering …………………………………………………………………………………..

F. Imagine you are going to spend a month in another city studying English. Where would you go? You need
some information. Write a formal email to the school. Include these things:

* the reason for your letter

* a question about the language course

* a question about the accommodation

* a request for information about the city

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