Writing a letter

Letter to the pressThe EditorThe Daily NewsP.O. Box 75Johannesburg0919

_____________________________Sir – A recent…

Woeful Waiter

_____________________________E. James111 Church StreetJohannesburg091912 April 2012

Note the capital letters in: The EditorSkip two lines after thenewspaper’s addressand draw a line

xx Salutations

Followed by a dash

The first paragraph startsnext to the dash

There is no complimentaryEnding. Use a penname or Pseudonym if you do notwant to reveal youridentity

Skip two lines after your name and draw a line

xx

Everything between thelines is what you wouldlike published

Add your own name &address & the date

Formal letterJames Foster

69 Charles StreetPretoria North

0155

The Chief of PoliceP.O. Box 5296Pretoria North0155

Dear Sir

COMPLAINTS: SAFETY IN OUR STREETS

It has come to our attention…..

We hope to receive a reply from you soon.

Yours faithfully

J FosterJames Foster

Your name andaddress on the rightSkip a line

x

Address and title of the recipient on theleft.

Skip a line

x

Salutations – write ‘Dear Sir’ unless youknow it is a woman,then ‘Dear Madam’

Skip a line

x

Topic lineGives a brief indicationof your businessUnderline or in BlockLetters

Skip a line

x

BodyStart each paragraphagainst the margin.Skip lines betweenparagraphs.

Skip a line

x

Complimentary closureSkip a line

x

Ending – ‘Yours faithfully’ or ‘Yourstruly'

Your signature &Full name

Friendly letter69 Charles Street

Springs1560

South Africa26 January 2012

Dear Mary

Guess what happened to me today!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Give my regards to your family.

Yours sincerelyJanet

Your address,Country and The date.Skip a line.x

Salutations

Skip a line.x

Body of your letter.Skip a line betweenparagraphs.Start all paragraphs against the margin.Skip a line.

x

Greeting to end theletter.Skip a line.x

EndingYour first name

Homework

• Look at the letter on p72 of your English in Action, then write a letter to the press in which you refer to a recent incident that happened in a restaurant and express your opinion.

• Write a formal letter to the management of the restaurant, regarding the incident in your letter to the press. (p183 EiA)

• Write a friendly letter to a friend telling him/her about the incident in your letter to the press. (p18 –EiA)

• Complete the fill-in exercise on p18 in your English in Action