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Writing a letter in English - how to write. We analyze the exam in English: the section "Letter

One of the tasks in the exam in English is writing a letter to a pen friend. In real life, many people write letters to friends spontaneously, not particularly respecting punctuation marks and capital letters, i.e. chat, but this is not allowed for the jobC1. There are certain requirements for the design of the letter, which must be strictly adhered to.

How to get "6" points for the USE letter?

If you break the letter into parts and practice writing each of them, then writing letters will not seem like such hard work as many people perceive it to be.

One way to do this task as efficiently as possible is to memorize well-written letters. Your attention is given to 120 letters to a friend, voiced by a native speaker and provided with two files with Russian and English translations. The method of memorizing letters and essays through rewriting is described here.

What are the criteria for evaluating a letter to a friend?

The maximum number of points you can score for an essay is - 6 points.

	2 points
Text organization	2 points
Language design	2 points

Your letter must contain 100 – 140 words plus minus 10%. What does 90 – 154 the words.

What happens if you write more?

The verifier will count 154 words, the rest will not be checked.

All words are counted, including articles, auxiliary verbs, particles including address, date and signature.

What is the purpose of writing a letter?

The purpose of writing a letter to a friend is to show that you have written English at the level of communication, you can ask and ask questions in writing.

To better prepare for this part of the test, we recommend that youwork through each of its sections

Where to begin?

Unlike an essay, where it is sometimes difficult to figure out where to start in a letter, you need to start with standard phrases. These are phrases of greeting, apologies for the late reply, etc. The writing of the letter is highly structured. If you write a set of required phrases that are used in writing a letter, then this will amount to more 50% off my letter. It remains only to tune in a little to the questions themselves.

What is the best way to write a letter: on paper or printed on a computer?

It is better to prepare in the same format in which you will have an exam. If you write a letter with a pen on a sheet of paper, then you better prepare yourself. If you have to write it on a computer, then it is better to train on a computer. Pen and keyboard have their own motor memory, so it is better to train in the format of the exam. In our case, a letter to a friend and an essay are written on a piece of paper.

What is the structure of a letter to a friend?

Divide the text of the letter into several parts. Start each part with a paragraph.

Let's look at writing a letter using a real example.

You have 20 minutes to do this task.
You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen friend Rob, who writes:

...We are doing a project at school on how computers are changing people"s lives. Please could you tell me how computers are changing things and what people think of them? Have you got a computer at home? What do you use it for?
As for me, I "m going on holiday with my parents next weekend...

Write back to Rob. In your letter:
- answer his questions about computers
- ask 3 questions about his holiday
Write 100-140 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.

Part 1

So the first part is writing addresses . In the upper right corner, enter the address in the following order:

street and house number
city	Moscow
country	Russia

Under the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:

	June 4th, 2015

	04.07.2015

36 Novoslobodskaya
Moscow
Russia

December 7th, 2014

Part 2

The letter starts with appeals . If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, it should be invented:

Dear Tim	Dear Tim ,
Dear Rebeca	Dear Rebecca ,
Tim, hi	Hi , Tim ,
Rebecca, hello	hello , Rebecca ,

After applying, be sure to put comma , not an exclamation point, as in Russian language!

Dear Tim ,

Part 3

Gratitude friend for a letter. Possible gratitude options.

Thank you very much for your letter	Thanks a lot for your letter!
Thank you very much for your last letter.	Thanks a lot for your last letter!
I was very glad to receive your letter.	I was really happy to get your letter!
I was glad to get your letter.	I was glad to get your letter!
I was glad to hear from you!	It was great to hear from you!

You can add a few more lines here if you delayed response by explaining the situation.

Sorry I didn't reply to your email right away. I'm very busy lately.	Sorry, I didn't respond/reply to your letter right away. I've been really busy lately.
Sorry I haven't written for so long.	Sorry, I have not written for so long.
Excuse me for not answering earlier. I was very busy preparing for my exams.	Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I've been really busy at my school preparing for my exams.
Sorry I haven't been in touch for so long.	Sorry, I have not been in touch for so long.
I'm sorry that I didn't reply to your letter the day I received it. I'm not very good at writing letters.	I am really sorry for not responding to your letter the day I got it. I am not good at writing letters.
I'm sorry I didn't answer earlier but I've been very busy at school.	I am sorry I have not answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.

respond to your letter right away. I am dyeing

Part 4

In the fourth part you must answer basic questions your pen friend.

a) Express your attitude to the main problem of the letter.

I am very happy to hear that…	I am really glad to hear that…
I'm very sorry that...	I am sorry to hear that….
I'm glad you're going...	I am glad that you are going to …

b) And then you can continue with a confirming sentence.

In the table below, we will write what words are good to use for writing letters.
They will make your letter lively and easy to read.

In fact	actually
It's obvious that)	obviously
Although	although / though
However	however
Nonetheless	still
For this reason	therefore
That's why	that's why
Besides	besides
By the way	by the way
But or however
Anyway	anyway / anyhow
maybe	perhaps
Probably	probably
That's why
Sometimes	sometimes
For sure	surely
In this way	thus
Unfortunately	fortunately
Luckily	fortunately
Basically (generally)	as a matter of fact
Usually	as a rule
As far as I know	as far as I know
As long as I remember	as far as I remember
As far as I understand	as far as I understand
Frankly speaking	frankly speaking
Anyway	in any case
In my opinion	in my opinion
One side	on the one hand
On the other hand	on the other hand
Generally	on the w hole
The fact is that	the matter is that
Because
Because
Bye	as long as
Because	since
As for me)	as for (me)
Because of	because of
Unlike	Unlike
With the exception of	except (for)
Like	Like
Thanks to	thanks to
According to	according to
And……….and	both ……… and
Or or	either ………...or
No no	neither………nor

With a more extended list of linking words or linking words you can check here.

Read by Neil Geitz

for doing any kind of task easily. I have a computer at home too. I use it for doing my homework, watching movies online and finding useful for learning English, finding interesting information

Part 5

Ask 3 questions on the specified topic.

When you …?	When do you…?
Where are you … ?	Where do you…?
Your brother …?	Does you brother … ?
How long have you…?	How long do you…?
How often do you …	How often do you …?

btw

Part 6

Explain why are you ending the letter .

Well, I'd better go now, since I have a lot of work to do.	Well, I'd better go now for I have a lot of work to do.
Well, I'd better go now, since I have to do my homework.	Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
Long story short, I'm going to stop now because my mom wants me to help her with dinner.	Anyway, I am going to stop now for my mum wants me to help her with dinner.
Actually I have to go now. Time for my favorite program.	Actually
I must run now! I have to pick up my little brother from school.	I "ve got to run now! I have to pick my little brother from school.

Actually , I've got to go now. It's time for my favorite TV show.

Part 7

Need to write a few words about the next letter .

Write soon!	Write (back) soon!
Stay healthy and stay in touch!	Take care and keep in touch!
Write me a letter when you can!	Drop me a letter when you can!
Hope to hear from you soon!	Hope to hear from you soon!
I can't wait to hear from you!	I can't wait to hear from you!
Looking forward to your letter!	I am looking forward to getting your letter!

Write me when you can!

Part 8

It is written here final phrase .
Note that they are separated by a comma.

Best wishes,

All the best

love,

With love,

lots of love,

Best wishes,

best wishes,

Best wishes,

With best wishes

Summing up

December 7th, 2015

Dear Rob,

I am glad to see your letter. Sorry, I couldn't respond to your letter right away. to know more about your school project.

As for computers, computers are being used in just about every field and people find them very useful for doing any kind of task easily. I have a computer at home too. I use it for doing my homework, watching movies online and finding useful for learning english, finding interesting information on Google. As a matter of fact, my parents also use it.

btw , where are you going on holiday with your parents? What will you be doing there? Is it far from where you live?

Actually , I've got to go now. It's time for my favorite TV show.

Write me when you can!

love,

Igor

140 words

And now you can relax!

The exam asks for an excerpt from a letter from your potential pen pal. The letter contains some news and several questions where you are asked for opinions, advice, etc.

You are required to write a response letter, starting with your short return address in the upper right corner, the date below the address, greetings and ending with a farewell phrase and name.

First of all, in order to write a letter, you need to know the rules of spelling and punctuation of the English language and try to follow them - the person to whom you addressed the letter will be pleased to read a well-written letter.

One of the tasks in English both in the USE and in the USE is writing a personal letter in response to a letter from an “English-speaking pen-friend.” It is included in part C, as is writing an essay in English. At the same time, if in the Unified State Examination the length of the letter is 100-140 words, then in the Unified State Exam a limit of 100-120 words is set, because. in the exam, the task is to ask 3 questions, and in the exam - just answer the letter, although, in any case, if you write questions, it will be a plus.

Writing a letter in a foreign language is a simple task that must be completed as quickly as possible in order to leave time for other tasks. So, consider the uniform rules for writing a personal letter. To make it easier to understand everything, watch a specially selected video site:

In the upper right corner specify the address in the following order (reverse order to Russian):

flat
house number, street name
city
country

It is allowed to indicate the address in a short form, for example:
Moscow
Russia

Under the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:
June 4th, 2012
June 4, 2012
or less formally:
04/06/12

The letter begins with an informal address. If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, it should be invented:
Dear Tim,
Dear Rebecca,
You need to put a comma after the call!

Divide the text of the letter into several logical paragraphs, each of which start with a red line.

1. In the first paragraph, you should thank your friend for his letter:
Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
Your last letter was a real surprise.
I was glad to get your letter.
It was great to hear from you! / It was great to hear that… / I was happy to hear…
You can also apologize for not writing earlier:
Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
and / or mention any fact from the received letter:
I'm glad you passed your History test!
Sounds like you had a great time in London!
Great news about your…!

2. The body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). In it, you must disclose all the aspects indicated in the assignment. Don't forget to ask the necessary questions.

The letter is supposed to be written in an informal style, so you can use informal linking words such as well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions like Guess what? Or Wish me luck! as well as exclamation marks.

3. In the last paragraph, explain why you are ending the letter:
Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
Anyway, I have to go now because my Mum asked me to help her with the washing up.
I've got to go now! It's time for my favorite TV show.

and mention further contacts:
Write (back) soon!
Take care and keep in touch!
Drop me a letter when you can.
Hope to hear from you soon.
I can't wait to hear from you!

At the end of the letter, a final cliche phrase is indicated on a separate line, which depends on how close the author and the addressee are. It is always followed by a comma! Below are the possible options from the least formal (1) to the more formal (8):

love,
lots of love,
All my love
All the best
best wishes,
With best wishes
yours,
warm regards,

On the next line, under the final phrase, the author's name is indicated (without a surname!). For example:
Andy or Kate

Thus, a letter to a friend looks like this:

Writer's address (indicated in the upper right corner)
Date of letter (under address)

appeal,
At the beginning of the letter, the author usually a) thanks the addressee for the previously received correspondence; b) apologizes for not writing earlier.
The main body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). It must be disclosed
all aspects specified in the task.
Be sure to ask all the necessary questions.
At the end of the letter, the author usually mentions the reason for the end of the letter, as well as further contacts (cliché phrases are used).
final phrase,
Signature of the author (name)

Template for writing a letter in English

13 Ostozhenka street

I was so happy to get your letter! I can't wait to meet you in July! I'm sorry I haven't answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.

You asked me to tell you about… Well, …

By the way, …? …? …?

Unfortunately, I'd better go now as I've got loads of homework to do (as always). Take care and keep in touch!

Topic: task 39 - writing a personal letter.

Kabanova Olga Ivanovna, English teacher, MBOU "School No. 91 with in-depth study of individual subjects", Nizhny Novgorod.
Material Description: Your attention is invited to the rules for writing various types of letters of a personal nature.
Purpose of material: this material will be useful for teachers, students, tutors who seek to achieve a certain level of foreign language training for students in order to pass the unified state exam in English.
Target: preparation for the exam in English.
Tasks:
- to acquaint with the strategy for completing task 39 - writing a personal letter;
- to acquaint with the volume and structure of writing a letter;
- pay attention to the types of letters;
- indicate the characteristic features of personal letters;
- recommend using the language repertoire when writing various letters of a personal nature;
- pay attention to the clarification of the criteria for assessing task 39.

USE in English. Personal letter - task 39.

The main purpose of the USE in foreign languages is to determine the level of training of secondary school graduates in a foreign language for the purpose of their final certification and selection for admission to higher educational institutions.
In the basic level task, it is necessary to write a personal letter to good acquaintances, friends, relatives or a foreign pen friend in response to a letter, an excerpt from which is given in the task. It talks about the latest news, personal problems, requests the necessary information or advice. These types of letters are usually written using a colloquial (informal) style of speech.
The required volume of a personal letter in task 39 is 100-140 words. A deviation from the given volume is allowed, but it should not exceed 10% (154 words), only that part of the work that corresponds to the required volume is subject to verification. Thus, when checking task 39, 140 words are counted from the beginning of work and only this part of the letter is evaluated. If the volume of the task is less than 90 words, then the task is not subject to verification and is estimated at 0 points.
When determining the compliance with the volume of the submitted work, all words are considered, from the first word to the last, including auxiliary verbs, prepositions, articles, particles. In a personal letter, the address, date, signature are also counted. Wherein:
- contracted forms don't, won't, can't, it's, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, for example 25, 2017, 134 900, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in numbers, together with the symbol for percentages, for example 90%, 5%, etc. are counted as one word;
- numerals expressed in words are considered as words;
- compound words, such as fifty-five, good-looking, are considered as one word;
- abbreviations such as TV, UK, CD count as one word.
This task is evaluated (maximum 6 points) in terms of solving a communicative task (2 points), organization of the text of the letter (2 points), language design of the text of the letter (2 points).

Letters are written for many different reasons. They may include e:
- giving information or asking information;
- writing to apologize;
- making complaints or arrangements;
- offering suggestions;
- asking for permission or information;
- giving advice or asking for advice;
- expressing gratitude etc.
Two or more reasons for writing could appear in the same letter. We write letters to keep in touch with our friends and relatives. Writing a letter to a friend is like a conversation on paper.

Letter of information
- I am just writing to tell you that…
- This is just to let you know that…
- I am writing to let you know that…
- You must be wondering what's happened to us all.
- Here is our news at the moment.

Letter of apology (Letter of apology)
- I am really sorry that I forgot about…
- I am writing to apologize for (in anything)… to (in front of someone)…
- I am sorry I couldn't make it…
- It will never happen again...

Letter of complaint (Letter of complaint)
- I am writing to complain to (to someone)… of (to something)…
- I must express my dissatisfaction with…
- I am afraid I must ask you…

Letter of invitation
- I am writing to invite you to…
- I am having a party. Would you like to come?
- I hope you will be able to join us.
- I hope you will be able to make/do it.
- I would be pleased if you could accept my invitation.

Thank you letter (Thank you letter)
- I have just read your letter. Thank you for it.
- Thank you for …ing. It seems to me that …
- I am very grateful for your answer. in my mind,
- I am writing to thank you so much / very much for…
- It was very kind / nice of you to ...
- The party was great! You were very kind / helpful / hospitable for which I am very grateful.
- I really appreciated your opinion. I agree / disagree with the idea that…
- I would like to thank you for ...
- I thank you for your help in this matter.

Congratulations letter
- Congratulation on…!
- I am writing to congratulate you on passing your exams.
- You really were the best…
- You deserve…

Letter of request
- I wonder if it is all possible for you to ...?
- Could you please…?
-I wonder if you could...?
- I would be very grateful if you would / could ...
- Would it be possible for you to…?
- I am writing to ask you for help.
- I am writing to ask you to do me a favour.
- I wonder if I could ask you to…
- I would so/really grateful if you could…

Letter of advice
- If I were you, I would…
- I would recommend...
- My advice is to…
- It would be a good idea to…
- You should/shouldn't...
- Why don't you…?
- Don't forget to...
- Have you thought of …ing?

Useful Vocabulary of a Personal Letter
Language repertoire of personal writing

I.Address
You can indicate your personal address briefly - only the city and country.
The address is written in the upper right corner of the letter: Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
II.Date
The date is written under the address in the upper right corner 29/05/2017, the expert counts the date as one word when checking a personal letter. Other options are possible: May 29 th, 2017 or May 29, 2017.

III. greeting
Dear Sally,
The appeal is written not in the middle of the sheet, but on its left side, without indenting the red line one line from the address. Title: Dear + the name you find in the assignment. Don't forget to put a comma after the call. After the appeal, proceed to write the main part of the letter. Each new paragraph should be written with a red line.

IV. introduction.
In the first paragraph, gratitude is written for the letter received and a link to previous contacts is indicated.
Regret:
I have not heard from you for some time but I hope…
It has been a long time since I last heard from you;
As I haven't heard from you for ages I thought I would write to see how you are / how you are getting on.
Joy:
I got your letter yesterday, and decided to write back straightaway;
It was so good /nice to hear from you;
I always enjoy reading what you have been doing;
I "m so / really glad / happy / pleased to hear from you;
It "s very nice / kind of you to write about ... and send me your funny / excellent photos.
Gratitude:
Thank you / Thanks /A lot of thanks for your recent letter;
Thanks for your letter. It was interesting / good to hear that… (give example);
Thank you for writing such a long and funny letter.
Apologies:
I "m so / really / awfully sorry that I haven" t written for so long / ages, but ... (give reason);
Excuse me for not writing so long;
First I want to apologize for not writing so long.
News message:
Now about what has happened to me /all of us;
A few things have happened since I wrote last;
Here's our news at the moment.
Astonishment:
Just imagine!
I don't believe it!
Have you heard that...?
Do you know what?

V. Body of the letter.
The second paragraph is the body of the letter or the purpose of writing. Answers to three questions.
In your letter you ask me about … / you wanted to know if...
So I'm going to answer your questions.
Anyway, I"m writing to tell you about .../to answer your questions about...
Anyway, let me answer your questions now.
I personally think... / as for me…
It is possible to use informal style and expressions such as “By the way”, “Also”, “So”, “Well”, “That is why”, “Oh”, “Besides”, “As for”, “Anyway”.

VI. Asking questions.
The third paragraph - we ask our three questions in accordance with the assignment.
Questions to a pen-friend should be detailed. It is advisable to use different types of questions.
I also have a few questions for you.
I'm curious about…
Could you tell me about…?

VII. Reason to stop writing.
The fourth paragraph is the reason for the impossibility of further writing the letter.
Well, that's all my news.
Well /Sorry but /It "s a pity but /unfortunately / unluckily I can"t write any longer /I have to stop writing because … I must ... /have to …;
Excuse me but it "s time for me to ... (go to bed; do homework; sit for my tomorrow"s exam; tidy my room; do a project in English, etc.

VIII. final phrases.
The conclusion in which the final phrases are written. For example:
I "m looking / look forward to hearing from you;
I cannot wait to hear how you did in your exams, so write as soon as you know;
Write back soon, telling me what you have been up to;
Please write to me again soon, and tell me all your news;
That's about all from me. What about you? Write back soon, telling me what you have been doing recently;
Give… my regards if you see…, and tell… to drop me a line;
Say hello to …from me. I am looking forward to your next letter, so write soon!
Write and tell me your decision.

IX. signature.
Personal signature. For example:
Having chosen one of the phrases, you need to write the name after a comma on the next line and do not put a period after it.
All the best
yours sincerely,
With best wishes
Lots of love/love,
So long
Olga

Recommendations:
- carefully read the instructions and an excerpt from a friend's letter in English;
- plan your response letter;
- do not forget to write the address and date in the upper right corner;
- write the appeal on the left and put a comma;
- in the introductory part of the letter, express gratitude for the received letter and, possibly, an apology for not immediately writing a response;
- in the main part of the letter, answer all the questions asked and ask your questions to a pen-friend in accordance with the task;
- indicate the reason for the impossibility of further writing a letter;
- mention in the final part of the letter about future contacts, induce to a response letter;
- write a personal signature by selecting a phrase and putting a comma, on the next line write a name (do not put a dot after it);
- check the content of the letter and the correctness of its organization.
I wish you success!

In the light of the requirements of the GIA for ninth-graders and the Unified State Examination for school graduates, teaching and mastering writing skills has become very relevant. Teachers and high school students pay special attention to developing the skills of writing personal letters and essays in English, because it is these types of written work that are laid down in the KIMs of the GIA and the Unified State Examination. This page is designed to help you successfully complete these types of assignments.

So, how to properly draw up and write a letter in English in order to score the most points when passing the GIA and the Unified State Examination?

1. You need to know the rules for the design and structure of letters of a personal nature.

2. It is necessary to know the criteria and schemes for evaluating writing, prescribed in the materials for the exam.

3. You need to have a basic vocabulary. To write a letter you do not need to know English perfectly, moreover, a letter can be written even if you have a limited vocabulary.

1. Rules for the design and structure of a personal letter

1. Your address and date are written in the upper right corner of the letter.

house number / apartment number, street name

city, index

For example:

145/4 Esenin Street

Cheboksary 428000

There is an abbreviated version of the address and date that is also correct. Only the name of the city and country can be included in the address, and the date can consist of only digits:

2. Introduction-greeting.

This part usually consists of 3.4 sentences. First, you write an appeal to the person to whom you must address the letter based on the task. For example: Dear Mike,. Please note that a comma is placed after the appeal and the next sentence (that is, in fact, the first sentence of the letter) is written from the red line. But what to write in a greeting? In a greeting, you can thank for the letter, write that you are very glad to receive news from your friend, explain why you have not written for a long time, etc. Roughly it should look like this:

Thanks for your letter, it was nice to hear from you. Sorry I didn't answer for a long time. I was very busy with my schoolwork.

3. The main part.

This part usually consists of two paragraphs. The first one contains answers to a friend's questions. In the second paragraph, it is your turn to ask questions to the interlocutor, this is said in the task. It is usually stipulated how many questions should be asked.

4. Final part. Parting.

Here you can logically complete your letter, wish good luck and say goodbye. It is usually said that it is time for you to go somewhere. It looks something like this: Oh, I have to go now. Mum wants me to do some shopping for her.

On the next line, don't forget to say goodbye to your imaginary friend. The closing sentence of the letter should look something like this:

Hope to hear from you soon

Please note that there is no dot after the name!

Diagram of the structure of a letter of a personal nature:

Criteria and schemes for evaluating a letter

To begin with, before performing any task from the exam, you need to carefully read the task for it.

The task looks like this:

Task C1. You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Tom who writes:

Write a letter to Tom.

In your letter

answer his questions

ask 3 questions about his trip to Scotland

Write 100 - 140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

a) we read the task itself (highlighted in bold), important things are stipulated in it: 1. the number of words that we must comply with, 100-140 words, as we see. 2. what we should do: read an excerpt from the letter and write a response in which we must answer the questions asked of us and ask 3 of our own.

c) taking into account the requirements for the structure and content of the letter, we write the answer

Criteria for assessing the performance of task C1 (maximum 6 points)

Additional grading scheme for task C1 "Personal letter"

How to write a letter if my vocabulary is small?

The answer is simple - use a ready-made template! It can and should be learned by heart. The template usually already contains 60-70 words, that is, it remains only to add it based on the task and using only 40-50 words. Not such a difficult task, is it?

Template example:

145/4 Esenin Street

Cheboksary 428200

Dear(name),

Thanks for your letter, it was nice to hear from you. I "m sorry I couldn't reply straightaway. I was busy with my schoolwork.

You asked me about(we write about the topic that the person who wrote us the letter is interested in). Well, (answer his questions).

By the way(we ask three of our questions in separate sentences)

Oh, I have to go now. I promised my Mum to clean the bathroom. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

That's actually the whole secret. Please note that the resulting template contains 67 words, and we only have to add 40-60 words.

Sample completed task C1:

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Tom who writes:

In Great Britain, most young people want to become independent from their parents as soon as possible. Could you tell me what you and your friends think about not relying on your parents? Are you ready to leave your family immediately after you finish school? Is it easy to rent a house or an apartment for students in Russia?

As for the latest news, I have just returned from a trip to Scotland...

Write a letter to Tom.

answer his questions

ask 3 questions about his trip to Scotland

Write 100 - 140 words.

Remember the rules of letter writing.

145/4 Esenin Street

Cheboksary 428000

I "m sorry I couldn't reply straightaway. I was busy with my schoolwork.

I "m only 16 and I can" t help relying on my parents now, but most of my friends and I dream to be independent. As soon as I leave school, I "ll go to university. If I find a part-time job, I" m ready to leave my family and start living on my own. Of course, it "s hard financially to rent a house or an apartment in Russia, especially if you are a student and don" t have much money, but I "m prepared for this.

Well, I "m happy to hear you" ve finally fulfilled your dream - a trip to Scotland! How long were you there? What places did you visit? Did you try on a kilt?

Oh, I have to go now. Mum wants me to do some shopping for her.

Hope to hear from you soon

Educational videos. USE in English. Personal letter. Rules of the game.

One of the tasks in English both in the Unified State Exam and in the OGE (GIA) is writing a personal letter in response to a letter from an "English-speaking pen-friend". At the same time, if in the Unified State Examination the volume of a letter is limited to 100-140 words, then in the Unified State Exam a limit of 100-120 words is set. The fact is that in the exam, the task is given to ask 3 questions, and in the OGE - just answer the letter, although, in any case, if you write questions, it will be a big plus.

In the upper right corner enter the address in the following order:
house number, street name
city
country
It is allowed to indicate the address in a short form, for example:
Moscow
Russia

Under the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:
June 4th, 2015
June 4, 2015
or less formally:
04/06/12

The letter begins with an informal address. If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, it should be invented:
Dear Tim,
Dear Rebecca,
A comma must be placed after the appeal!

Divide the text of the letter into several logical paragraphs, each of which start with a red line.
1. In the first paragraph, you should thank your friend for his letter:
Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
Your last letter was a real surprise.
I was glad to get your letter.
It was great to hear from you! / It was great to hear that… / I was happy to hear…
You can also apologize for not writing earlier:
Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
I"m sorry I haven"t answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
and / or mention any fact from the received letter:
I'm glad you passed your History test!
Sounds like you had a great time in London!
Great news about your…!

2. The body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). In it, you must disclose all the aspects indicated in the assignment. Don't forget to ask the necessary questions.
The letter is supposed to be written in an informal style, so you can use informal linking words such as well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions like Guess what? Or Wish me luck! as well as exclamation marks.

3. The last paragraph should explain why you are ending the letter:
Well, I'd better go now as I have to do my homework.
Anyway, I have to go now because my Mum asked me to help her with the washing up.
I've got to go now! It's time for my favorite TV show.
and mention further contacts:
Write (back) soon!
Take care and keep in touch!
Drop me a letter when you can.
Hope to hear from you soon.
I can't wait to hear from you!

At the end of the letter on a separate line the final cliche phrase is indicated, which depends on the proximity of the author and the addressee. It is always followed by a comma! Below are the possible options from the least formal (1) to the more formal (7):
1) Love,
2) Lots of love,
3) All my love,
4) All the best,
5) Best wishes,
6) With best wishes,
7) Yours,
On the next line, under the final phrase, the author's name is indicated (without a surname!). For example:
Andy or Kate

Thus, a letter to a friend looks like this:

So, here are some successful examples of completing an assignment in English. For convenience, we will not indicate the address and date on the right, although everything is completed and correct in the downloaded materials.

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Mary who writes

... It was great to hear that you went to Italy during your spring holidays. I have always wanted to visit this wonderful country. Did you enjoy your journey? What places of interest did you visit? What are you most impressed with? Did you like your hotel?
As for me, I am awfully tired because we've got too many tests at school. Can't wait for the summer break...

Write a letter to Mary.
In your letter
tell her about your journey to Italy
ask 3 questions about her plans for the summer

Dear Mary,
Thanks a lot for your letter. I hope you passed all your tests!
First of all, let me tell you about my one-week package holiday to Rome. Everything was OK, but we didn't like our hotel. It was too noisy and the food was awful. We even had a stomachache and consulted a doctor. However, all the excursions were extremely interesting. We visited the Vatican and were impressed by the famous St. Peter's Cathedral. I also enjoyed the Colosseum and other sights of Rome. All in all, we enjoyed our holiday.
And what about you? What are your plans for the summer? Will you come to visit us? Russia is a unique country and I'll show you lots of interesting things. If you make up your mind, let me know what cities you would like to visit.
Hope to hear from you soon.
lots of love,
Lucy

...Do you often have arguments with your parents? I do. My mother thinks that I spend too much time hanging around with my friends. Do you often meet your friends?
What do you usually do together? And what do you do when you disagree with your parents about how you spend your free time?
Write back soon.
love,
Ann

Write back to Ann.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her relations with her younger sister

Dear Ann,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you passed your History test!
I'm sorry you don't get on well with your parents. As for me, I have practically no problems with mine, although we do quarrel sometimes because I spend too much time playing computer games. In this case I try to talk to them and find the way out. Unfortunately, I can meet my friends only at weekends and we usually play football together. It's our favorite game.
And how do you get on with your sister? Do you play together? Do you help her with her homework? I wish I had a sister or a brother!
Anyway, keep smiling whatever happens! I'd better go now as I've got loads of homework to do (as always).
Write back soon!
lots of love,
Kate

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend who writes

...We moved to a new house a few weeks ago and I changed school. At first I was a bit afraid but I made new friends sooner than I expected. The teachers are nice and everything seems to be working out well. And what about you? Have you made any friends in your new school? Do you enjoy studying there? Have you got any new subjects this year?
I've got to go now! It's time for my music lesson. Drop me a line when you can.
lots of love,
Emily

Write a letter to Emily.
In your letter
answer her questions and tell her about your new school
ask 3 questions about her preferences in music

Dear Emily,
Thank you for your letter. It was great to hear about your new house!
As for my new school, it's very big! It has three computer rooms and wonderful sports facilities. Actually, it seems a nice place and I enjoy studying there. The kids in my class are very friendly. I've already made some new friends and we often meet after classes. I've got only one new subject this year. It's Economics and I'm beginning to think that it's not difficult, after all!
By the way, what music styles do you enjoy? Have you got any favorite bands? Would you like to go to their concert? As for me, I prefer Radiohead. They are cool!
I'd better go now. Mum wants me to help with the housework. Take care and stay in touch!
lots of love,
Ann

This is part of a letter from Harry, your English pen-friend.

...I'm fine but I've got a very busy week ahead. I'm a member of the school team and we are preparing for an important match in the National Championship. Are you fond of football? Do you watch football matches on TV? What other sports do you enjoy?
Well, I'd better go now. I've got to do some more training - I don't want to lose this match.
Take care and write back soon.

Write back to Harry.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his preparation for the match

Dear Harry,
Hi! How's it going? Thanks for your last letter. I'm glad you are in your school football team now!
In your letter you asked me about football. Well, I'm really fond of it. It's a great game and I'm always happy when my team wins. But I don't watch football matches on TV because it's rather boring. I prefer playing to watching as it's more exciting. I'm also keen on roller-skating. It's fun to take part in street competitions and to perform different tricks.
Anyway, what about your preparation for the National Championship? Do you work hard? How many times a week do you train? Do you get on well with your teammates?
Well, I'd better go now as I have to tidy up my room. Write back soon!
All the best
Ivan

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend George who writes

...At school we are doing projects on famous singers from different countries. Could you telI me about any famous Russian singer? What is he or she famous for? How long has he/she been singing? Do you enjoy his/her songs? Have you ever been to his/her concerts?
As for my school trip to London last week, it was really wonderful...

Write a letter to George.
In your letter
tell him about the singer you admire most of all
ask 3 questions about his trip to London

Dear George,
Thanks a lot for your letter. Sounds like you had a great time in London! What are you most impressed with? Did you take any pictures? Were you tired?
I'm glad I can help you with your project on famous singers. Well, my favorite singer is Dima Bilan. He made his debut at the festival ‘New Wave’ in 2002 so he has already been singing for 10 years. Now Dima is a famous pop singer known for his songs like ‘Never Let You Go’ and ‘Believe’. I enjoy his songs because of his beautiful voice. Un-fortunately, I've never been to his concerts but I'd love to.
Anyway, let me know if you have any other questions. I'd better go now as I have to take my dog for a walk. Write soon!
yours,
Alex

This is part of a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend.

...So you see that I enjoy films based on true historic facts whereas most of my friends are fond of soap operas. Do you agree that soaps don't show life realistically? What kind of films do you like watching? Do you prefer watching films in the cinema or at home? Why?
We all miss you, too. Everybody sends their love. Can't wait to see you in the summer. Write back soon.
All my love
Tina

Write back to Tina.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her family

Dear Tina,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you liked the postcard I sent you!
In your letter you asked me about my attitude to soaps. Well, I agree that soaps don't show life realistically because their plots are rather unbelievable and all emotions are exaggerated. As for me, I prefer whodunits, which keep me in suspense till the very end. I usually watch films at home but I never miss a chance to go to the cinema with friends. It's much more exciting to watch films together.
I miss you much! Write back soon and tell me all your latest news. How is your sister? Has she passed her driving test? And what about your mother? Has she got over the flu?
I'd better go now as I promised mum to help her with the washing.
love,
Ann

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen-friend Rob who writes

...and then there's this chess tournament on Saturday. If I win, I'll be the champion of our school. Who knows?
Oh yeah. I wanted to ask you something. We have to write a report on technology for school. Could you tell me a few things about how you use technology in your life? You know, computers, mobiles, TV, that sort of things. Oh, and tell me something about the other members of your family, too, and how they use technology.
Anyway, I was talking to Sam the other day and he says that...

Write back to Rob.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about playing chess

Dear Rob,
It was great to hear from you! I'm glad you managed to talk to Sam. Please give my best regards to him.
You asked me about technology. Well, I've got a new mobile. It's got a camera so I'm taking lots of pictures at the moment. I've also got a computer but I use it mainly for surfing the Net. Of course we've got things like a TV, a DVD player and a music centre. My parents usually watch TV whereas my brother spends hours playing computer games.
Anyway, I'm glad you've made such progress in chess. Is it difficult to learn how to play it? Will I be able to do it on my own? How can I get started?
I've got to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the garage.
All the best
Andrew

This is part of a letter from Jane, your English pen-friend.

...My home town is rather small but I like it. The people here are very friendly and they try and keep our town clean and beautiful. And do you enjoy living in a big city? How do you spend your spare time there?
Anyway, I'm thinking of traveling around Russia next summer. Could you tell me what weather to expect? Should I take warm clothes with me?..

Write a letter to Jane.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about her hometown

Dear Jane,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad you're going to visit Russia. The weather in summer is usually hot so I don't think you'll need lots of warm clothes. However, you'd better take a jacket as nights can be quite cool.
In your letter you asked me about the life in a big city. As for me, I enjoy living in Moscow as there are lots of parks and cozy cafes, museums and galleries. In the evenings I usually go for a walk with my friends and at the weekend we go to the theater or visit a museum. Have you got any museums in your town? Are they free for students? Are there any sports facilities?
I'd better go now as I've got to do my homework - boring! Can't wait to see you!
lots of love,
Rita

This is part of a letter from your German pen-friend.

...I find it a bit difficult to understand English grammar. What about you? Do you do grammar exercises? Do you think that it's necessary to remember all grammar rules?
Have you got any plans for the summer? I was thinking of going to a language school in the UK to improve my English. It would be a lot more fun if we went together. What do you think?
Anyway, I have to go now as I'm helping my Dad in the shop.
Hope to hear from you soon.
All the best
Kerstin

Write back to Kerstin.
In your letter
answer her questions
ask 3 questions about the trip to the UK

Dear Kerstin,
Thanks for your letter. I'm glad your arm is out of plaster now!
I agree with you that English grammar is rather difficult so I think it’s necessary to learn grammar rules and to do exercises. As for me, I do it on a regular basis.
Going to a language school together is a great idea! We could practice our English and visit lots of places of interest. I'm absolutely free this summer so I can go whenever you like.
Write and tell me what dates suit you best. Which course would you like to do? What level do you think we are? Where would you prefer to stay? Meanwhile, I'll make some enquiries about language schools in the UK. I'll get in touch soon. I hope it all works out!
lots of love,
Helen

This is part of a letter from Adam, your English pen-friend, whom you're going to visit in summer.

...As for me, I'm crazy about skateboarding and I love rock and pop music. I think my favorite band at the moment is Radiohead. Do you know them? What kind of things do you like doing and what music do you enjoy?
Is there anything you particularly want to do while you're here? / guess you'll be busy at the language school during the day, but we can do something in the evenings and at weekends. Also, let me know if there are any kinds of food you don't like...

Write back to Adam.
In your letter
answer his questions
ask 3 questions about his family and the language school

Dear Adam,
Thanks for your letter. It was great to hear from you. I can't wait to meet you and your parents in July!
Well, we've obviously got a lot in common. I'm also crazy about rock music and my favorite band is Radiohead, too! I've never done skateboarding, though, but I'd love to try. I enjoy basketball and I love playing computer games. Do you?
I'm a bit worried about the language school. Is it far from your house? Should I bring any books with me? Will I have to do much homework? If I have, I'm afraid I'll be busy in the evenings. Actually, I wouldn't mind any activity. It will be fun just to be in another country.
Anyway, I know we're going to be really good friends. Please write back soon.
All the best
Sasha

It will be very useful to write a letter template before taking the exams, according to which you will complete the task on the exam.
In our selection of materials, in addition to many useful materials, you can find 31 completed letter, as well as template for writing a letter:
Materials in English (USE)
Materials in English (OGE)