Informal letters: a friend coming to stay
You can write an informal letter that covers all three bullet points and sounds like one friend writing to another.
A friend from abroad is coming to stay. Your letter has to get them ready: how to reach you, what you will do together, and what to pack.
Your reader is a friend, so the whole letter is informal. The band 7 descriptor for letters asks for a tone that stays consistent and suits the task. One stiff, formal paragraph in a friendly letter breaks that.
Warm-up
Friend or stranger?
Would you write this sentence to a friend? Decide before you read the task.
Kindly inform me of the time your flight is due to arrive.
How it works
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
A friend from another country is coming to stay with you in your city for a few days next month.
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
- explain how to get from the airport to your home
- suggest some things you could do together
- tell your friend what clothes to bring
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear ............,
Write at least 150 words.
Every General Training Task 1 asks for a letter. The situation says who will read it, and that decides how formal you should be.
Planning the letter
- 1Find the reader
The situation says who you are writing to. A friend means informal: a first name after Dear, contractions and everyday words.
- 2Plan a paragraph for each bullet
Three bullets, three middle paragraphs. Note two or three details for each before you write.
- 3Open with the reason for writing
There are no addresses to write. Start with Dear Anika, and one or two friendly sentences that show why you are writing.
- 4Close like a friend
A last friendly line, then Best wishes, Love or See you soon, and your first name.
- 5Check the length
At least 150 words. Two opening sentences, about 50 words for each bullet and a closing line come to about 180.
Formal and informal, side by side
I am writing to inform you that the most convenient way to reach my residence is by train.
The easiest way to get to my flat is the airport train. It only takes twenty minutes.
What makes it informal
I'm, you'll, it's, don't. A formal letter writes them out in full.
Phrasal verbs a friend would use: pick you up, get in, sort out. I'll pick you up at the station.
Questions and suggestions: Do you still like seafood? How about a boat trip on Saturday?
Best wishes, Love or See you soon, then your first name. Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely close formal and semi-formal letters.
Watch me do one
The reader is a friend, so I plan an informal letter: Dear Anika, contractions, and a friendly ending.
Bullet 1, getting from the airport: the airport train to the last stop, twenty minutes, then a five-minute walk. I'll offer to meet her at the station as well.
Bullet 2, things to do: two ideas, each with a reason. A boat trip, because she loves the sea, and the night market, because the food is cheap and good.
Bullet 3, clothes: I start from the weather. Warm days, cool evenings, some rain. So summer clothes, a light jacket and comfortable shoes.
Then one line to open, saying I'm glad she's coming, and one line to close. Five short paragraphs, and each bullet has its own.
A model answer
Dear Anika, I'm so glad you've finally booked your flights. I've already cleared out the spare room, so it's all ready for you. Getting here is easy. When you come out of arrivals, follow the signs for the airport train and take it to the last stop, which is right in the city centre. It only takes about twenty minutes. Send me a message when you land and I'll meet you at the station. My flat is a five-minute walk from there. There's lots we could do. As you love the sea, how about a boat trip out to the islands on Saturday? They're a bit off the beaten track, so they're never crowded. I'd also like to take you to the night market near my flat, where the food is cheap and very good. The days are still warm next month, but the evenings can be cool and it sometimes rains, so bring a light jacket as well as summer clothes. You'll need comfortable shoes too, because we'll be walking a lot. I can't wait to see you. Love, Jun
- TaskThe first line shows why Jun is writing, in a friendly way.
- CoherenceA short first sentence shows which bullet point this paragraph answers.
- TaskA practical instruction and an offer of help. Together they complete bullet 1.
- GrammarA reason clause with as links the suggestion to Anika herself.
- VocabularyHow about is a friendly way to suggest something.
- TaskThe clothes follow from the weather, so bullet 3 gets a reason as well as an answer.
- VocabularyA warm last line in everyday English, before the sign-off.
Coloured text shows what the examiner is looking for.
Your own letter usually sounds friendly to you, so tone is hard to check on your own. Kriti and Christine read letters in their classes and point out where the tone slips.
Practice with Elita6 questions
Five quick questions on tone and the bullet points, then a whole letter of your own.
The first line
Choose the best opening sentence for the letter to Anika.
Which opening fits best?
One formal line
One sentence in this letter sounds wrong for a friend. Choose it.
Which sentence contains the error?
A paragraph for each bullet
Match each part of the letter to a sentence that belongs in it.
An everyday phrasal verb
Complete the phrasal verb a friend would use. One word in each gap.
Don't worry about a taxi. I'll you at the airport and drive you home.
Write no more than 1 word in each gap.
The sign-off
Choose the right way to end the letter to Anika.
Which ending fits this letter?
Write a whole letter
Now a whole letter for a new task, 150 words or more. Plan a paragraph for each bullet point first.
A friend is coming to your city for a job interview and will stay with you for two nights. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: offer to help on the day of the interview; suggest what you could do on the evening after it; ask about any food your friend does not eat. Begin your letter: Dear ...
0 / 150 words
Set up your learning path at the top of this lesson to get band-specific feedback.
Words to keep
A bedroom kept for guests. I've cleared out the spare room for you.
The part of an airport where passengers come out after landing. Follow the signs from arrivals to the airport train.
Collect someone, usually by car. I'll pick you up at the station.
A friendly way to suggest something. How about a boat trip to the islands?
And also. Bring a light jacket as well as summer clothes.
Be excited about something that is coming soon. I can't wait to see you.
Before you go
Check who the reader is first. A friend means an informal letter, from Dear Anika to your first name.
Give each bullet point a paragraph of two or three sentences, opening with a line that shows which bullet it answers.
Keep the tone friendly all the way through. One formal phrase stands out in a letter to a friend.
End with a warm line, then Best wishes, Love or See you soon, and your first name.
Next: That is the end of Unit 7. Unit 8 is about culture, and it starts with words for culture and relative clauses.