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IELTS informal letters are more difficult than they first appear. If you rarely write informal English, your tone might be inappropriate. You can fix that.
Learn how to develop a more friendly, informal tone in this lesson.
Here are my top 10 tips.
Last week I was marking my students’ General Training Writing Task 1 Informal Letter. The question was:
You can no longer attend your gym class next month. Write a letter to your instructor
and say what you have enjoyed about their classes.
One of my students wrote this really excellent letter:
Dear Mr Jones,
It is with utmost regret that I have to inform you I can no longer attend your classes.
It has been 3 months since I commenced my ‘Tums and Bums’ training at your residence. Your instruction has had an enormous impact on my physique and I have found your methodology extremely motivational, as you are constantly encouraging us to give of our best and to push our bodies beyond our natural boundaries. This has resulted in a level of fitness I could not have imagined previously.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control (I have been temporarily redeployed to a neighbouring town) I will be unable to attend your classes for the remainder of the term.
However, I look forward to renewing my membership next year and resuming my fitness regime.
Best regards
Fiona
I posted two sample sentences (formal and informal) on Instagram and asked people to choose which one they thought was best).
Which one would you choose?
Yes 73% said the FORMAL version was correct.
This means that 73% of my followers would get 5 for Task Achievement.
Why? Because the TONE is inappropriate.
Although it’s very nicely written, it’s TOO FORMAL for writing to someone that you know.
I have a really hard time trying to convince people to write informal letters in the test.
Someone even corrected me, with a version that was even MORE FORMAL than the one I wrote!
‘I beg your pardon but owing to unavoidable circumstances I cannot continue taking exercise at your gym anymore. However, as soon as circumstances permit, I am going to resume the fitness classes’.
Everything about this example is the OPPOSITE of what you should write.
Often, after a person has served part of his sentence, the remainder is commuted owing to specific circumstances.
And formal notices:
Due to unavoidable circumstances, the Black Eyed Peas will be unable to perform at this Saturday’s event, (The New York Times)
And other scientific journals:
Two participants in the schizophrenia group were instructed to discontinue the collection for 1-2 weeks due to unavoidable circumstances.
There are also these problems:
It doesn’t matter if your gym instructor is strict or serious, you still KNOW them (I guess you know their first name).
Why don’t you try it yourself?
Here is how I would write a letter to my gym instructor:
Hi Claudia
This is Fiona from your Zumba class (the one at the back, who has to sit down sometimes!). Just a quick note to let you know that I’ll have to miss a few classes in December but will be back in Jan.
I’ve really enjoyed coming to your classes every week – it gets me out of the house in the winter and I love the way you just let us do as much as we want without putting pressure on us to get all the complicated moves right. There’s a lovely atmosphere in the class and I’ve been feeling much fitter and healthier since I started going regularly.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to come for the rest of the term though – my son’s swimming classes have changed and now they clash with the Zumba timetable. It’s a 30-minute drive, so I won’t make it in time for 7.
Luckily it’s only for December, and I’ll definitely be back in January with some New Year Resolutions!
Hope you have a great Christmas,
See you soon
Fiona
179 words
This letter uses my 10 tips for writing Informal, friendly letters:
*’Dear’ is ok but not for close friendships.
My 30–Day General Training Writing Course is designed to help you develop your ability to write in both formal, informal and semi-formal styles.
It takes you step by step through both Task 1 and Task 2 with
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