Vocabulary for letters

Informal Formal

To ask for help To request assistance

To tell, to let know To inform, to notify

Problem Issue

Speak to Address smb.

Talk about Discuss, consider

Fix, take care of, put right Rectify, amend

I think that … I believe/hold it that …

I want to … I wish to …

I’m ready to … I am willing to …

I’m angry about … I am dissatisfied with …

Deal with, take care of Manage, resolve, settle

Put up with Tolerate, bear, endure

Bring up Mention

Take away Remove

Thanks I am grateful/thankful for …

I’m sorry about … I regret about …

I’m writing about I am writing regarding

I’ll get in touch … I will contact …

If you have any questions Should you have any questions

General formal and informal vocabulary

Informal Formal
And As well as …

But Whereas/While

So, in this manner Thus

If … Should … /Whether …

If … or not Whether … or not

For sure Definitely/Assuredly/Certainly

Many Numerous/Several

Get Receive

Keep Retain

Verbs – Informal & Formal

Informal Formal
say sorry apologize, apologise

go up increase

go down decrease

set up establish

look at examine

blow up explode

find out discover

bring about cause

put off postpone, delay

rack up accumulate

make up fabricate

stand for represent

find out discover, ascertain

leave out omit

point out indicate

go against oppose
 Informal Formal
get in touch with contact

It’s about It concerns, It’s in regards to

need to required

think about consider

get obtain

put up tolerate

deal with handle

seem appear

show demonstrate, illustrate, portray

start commence

keep retain

free release

get on someone’s nerves bother

ring up call

show up arrive

let permit

fill in substitute, inform

block undermine

give the go ahead, greenlight authorize, authorise

Transitions – Informal & Formal

Informal Formal
Anyways Nevertheless

Plus/Also Moreover/ Furthermore

But However

So Therefore/Thus

Also In addition, Additionally

as soon as possible/at your earliest

ASAP
convenience

Okay, OK acceptable

In the meantime In the interim

 Informal Formal
I think In my opinion,

In the end, Finally

To sum up In conclusion,

In a nutshell/Basically To summarize,

Anyway, Notwithstanding

All right Acceptable

Well,

To top it all off, Furthermore,

On top of it all, In addition,

To In order to

Emphasis Words – Informal & Formal

Informal Formal
lots of/ a lot of much, many

tons of, heaps of large quantities of, a number of

totally completely, strongly

really, very definitely

Letter Expressions – Informal & Formal

Informal Formal
Hi Robert, Dear Sir or Madam/Dear Mr Smith

Just wanted to let you know… I am writing to inform you…

Yours sincerely, (if you know the recipient’s

Love, name), Yours faithfully, (if you don’t know the
recipient’s name

Cheers,

Yours Truly, Best regards, kind regards

Hope to hear from you soon I look forward to hearing from you

You can call me if you need anything Please do not hesitate to contact me

Abbreviations – Informal & Formal

 Informal Formal
ASAP as soon as possible

T.V. television

photo photograph

cell cell phone

net Internet

Slang – Informal & Formal

Informal Formal
kids children

bad negative

good positive

really big considerable

right correct

wrong incorrect

smart intelligent

cheap inexpensive

loaded rich

Formal Greetings

 Dear Sir

 Dear Madam

 Dear Sir/Madam

 Dear Mr Brown

 Dear Ms Jones

 Dear Sirs
Informal Greetings

 Hello Claire,

 Hi John,

 Dear Mum,

Formal opening lines

 I am writing in response to your article/advertisement/letter

 I am writing with regard to your article/advertisement/letter

 I am writing regarding your article/advertisement/letter

 With reference to your letter of 8 June, I … .

 I am writing to inquire about … .

 After having seen your advertisement in … , I would like … .

 After having received your address from … , I … .

 I received your address from … and would like … .

 We/I recently wrote to you about … .

 Thank you for your letter of 8 May.

 Thank you for your letter regarding … .

 Thank you for your letter/e-mail about … .

  In reply to your letter of 8 May, … .

Informal opening lines

 I wanted to let you know that .. .

 I wanted to tell you about .. .

 I wanted to ask you if .. .

 Thanks for your e-mail, it was wonderful/great to hear from

you.

 Would you mind coming early to help me .. .. .. .. ?

 Can you call me/ get back to me asap? (as soon as possible)

 I’m happy to tell you that .. .

INFORMAL
FORMAL

Beginning ▪Dear Sir/Madam / Dear Mr/Ms Brown ▪Dear Mark/Laura

Ending ▪Yours faithfully / Yours sincerely ▪Best/kind regards

Reason for ▪I am writing ▪This is a short note

writing -with regard to … -to thank you
-to request -to apologise
-to enquire about … -to mention
-to inform you that… ▪I thought you might like to
-in response to … know that …

Recalling ▪As you may recall, we recently discussed ▪As you know, we talked
facts the possibility of … about…
▪As you know, our company is interested ▪You probably remember our
in … recent conversation about ...

What you ▪In order to develop this idea ▪If you agree, we could …
propose ▪To allow us to take the matter further, ▪It might be a good idea to …
 may I suggest that.. ▪What I suggest is …
▪To enable us to move forward on this, we ▪One /another possibility would
would like to propose … be to …
▪I/we/our firm would be pleased to …

Further ▪Please do not hesitate to contact us if ▪Feel free to contact me at any

contact you require further details / more time for more details.
information. ▪Let me know how you feel
▪We would be happy to provide more about my suggestion.
detailed information.

Signing off ▪We would be pleased to have an ▪We could discuss this over
opportunity to work with your firm. lunch one day.
▪I look forward to hearing from you. ▪Hope to hear from you soon.

Formal closing lines

 If you require any further information, feel free to contact

me.

 I look forward to your reply.

 I look forward to receiving your reply

 I look forward to hearing from you

 I look forward to seeing you.

 Please advise as necessary.

 We look forward to a successful working relationship in the

future.

 Should you need any further information, please do not

hesitate to contact me.
  Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience.

 We hope that we may continue to rely on your valued

custom.

 I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

Informal Closing Lines

 Hope to hear from you soon.

 I’m looking forward to seeing you.

Formal Closing Formula

 Unknown recipient’s name: Dear Sir or Madam … Yours

faithfully

 Known recipient’s name: Dear Mr Hanson … Yours sincerely

 Addressing whole departments: Dear Sirs … Yours faithfully

Informal Closing Formula

 Love,

 Thanks,

 Take care,

 Yours,

 Best regards, (semi-formal)

  BR, (Best regards)

https://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/3r8-formal-informal-letter.php

TASK

Read the following letter from one friend to another.

Then, read a similar but more formal letter. Fill each space with one of
the formal expressions you see in the table below. In each space in the
second letter, write the number that corresponds to the correct phrase.

Hi Darren,

Sorry I wasn't able to get to your house warming party last

Friday. I was really looking forward to it and I was all ready to
leave the house when my aunt from Ireland arrived at the house
for a surprise visit!! She was only in town for the one evening
before she went to my brother's house so I had to stay with her.
I'm really sorry Dazza.

I tried to telephone you but your line was busy the two times
when I telephoned. Then I was out with my aunt in town and
didn't have the chance to ring again.

I hope you understand. I know you wanted to get me to meet

that girl, Yvonne, who you work with. Oh well, next time maybe!
My evening was really boring...if that makes you feel any better.

See you soon

Regards

Nicholas.

_______________,

_________________to get to your business dinner last Friday. I was

really looking forward to it and I was all ready to leave the house
when_________________ . She was only in town for the one evening
before she went to my brother's house so I had to stay with
her. ________________.

I tried to telephone you but your line________________ when I

called. ____________________and didn't have the chance to ring again.

____________________. I know you wanted

to ___________________who you work
with._______________________ . _______________________.
 _________________________.

Nicholas

2. I hope this will be

1. Later, I was otherwise 3. I hope you can
possible at the next
engaged understand my difficulties
available opportunity

4. I hope the dinner went well 5. a relative arrived

6. I regret not being able
for all concerned. unexpectedly.

7. Please accept my sincerest 9. introduce me to Ms.

8. was twice engaged
apologies. Phoenix

12. I look forward to hearing

10. Dear Mr. Jones 11. Sincerely
from you soon.