You are living in a University residence, and you have a problem with the high levels of

noise from a new campus restaurant which is open late at night. Write a letter to the
governor of the University. In your letter,

Complain about the situation

Say why this is a problem
And propose ways to reduce the noise

Dear Mr Smith,
I am writing regarding the amount of noise coming from the new canteen which has just
opened near my University residence. Although I am pleased that we have this facility, the
restaurant remains open up to midnight each night, and as a result there is considerable
talking, shouting and the sound of motorbikes continuing until about 12.30 each night.

This causes me and my neighbors in the residence a serious problem, because at that time we
are either trying to sleep, or in some cases trying to study in our bedrooms. In both cases, the
noise and commotion disturbs us, making us tired in the mornings or affecting the progress
of our studies. I am sure you will appreciate that this is a very worrying situation for us all.

I would like to suggest that the campus authorities restrict the canteen’s opening to 11pm at
the latest on weekdays, leaving it at midnight during the weekend. I propose that we also put
up some signs reminding users to be considerate and to keep their noise to an absolute
minimum. These are simple steps which would make us all very grateful indeed.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Kind Regards,
Claudia Maggioni

1
You are living in a city in a foreign country, and a friend from your home country is soon
coming to visit you for several days. Write an email to your friend,

Asking him or her to bring some things from home which you need
Saying why you need them
Making arrangements to meet

Dear Peter,
I’m so glad that you’re coming to Montreal next week, as it seems ages since we last saw
each other. I hope your family and girlfriend are all well. I actually have a favour to ask you,
and I hope you don’t mind. The fact is that I need a few things from my parents’ house, and
I’d be so grateful if you could bring them along in your suitcase.

The first thing is the book of maths calculations which I had at high school – don’t worry,
it’s only a small book. I need this because it has all the material I studied for my exams, and
I can’t get another copy here in any of the bookshops or on the Internet. The second thing is a
packet of those biscuits from the bakery in my old street. I’ve told everyone here how
delicious they are, and my new friends are very keen to try them!

I do hope that is manageable for you, as it won’t take up much space at all. In the meantime,
I’m very excited about seeing you again at the airport on Monday at midday. I’ll be in the
arrivals hall, wearing my blue jacket.

I can’t wait to see you then.

All the best,

Simon

2
You have received a bill from a mobile phone (or cell phone) company for international call
charges relating to a time when you did not use your phone for international calls. Write a
letter to the company,

Complaining about this

Giving your reasons
Asking for the bill to be changed
Dear Sir or Madam,
I have been a satisfied customer for several years, but I am writing regarding the cell phone
bill I received on 17th March 2015, which includes a total of $900 for international call
charges. In fact, these charges are completely unjustified, for the following reason.

At no time have I used this phone to make international calls, either to my home country or
to any other country. I used the phone purely for local calls and for calls to government
departments in London, which are national calls. I have checked my call summary, and there
is no record of any international connections. As you see, there is no possible reason for me
to be charged for international calls, and this is easily confirmed by my phone records.

I therefore request that you withdraw these charges and change my bill accordingly. I also
ask you to confirm to me in writing that this has been actioned, by sending a copy of the
revised bill to me at this address.

I look forward to receiving your confirmation that all is in order.

Kind Regards,
Mandeep Singh

3
A friend has told you that he or she feels lonely in their new city away from their family.
Write to your friend, and

Explain why people can feel this way

Give some ideas on how to solve the problem
Ask your friend to contact you and tell you if this works
Dear Petra,
I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling rather isolated in your new home, especially as you
have always been such an outgoing person!

I think that people tend to feel lonely because they don’t have enough opportunities to meet
new friends. This leads to them staying at home more, so that the situation becomes even
worse.

If I were you, I would join some of the clubs and societies which exist at your college, for
example the ballroom dancing club – because I know how much you love dancing. This
means you will meet people with similar interests and abilities, and you can share the
enjoyment of ballroom. I would also try to use the Internet more, to meet people safely
online and see if they are local to you in your new city. You have to be very careful, of
course, but if you use Internet sites as they are intended I’m sure you will find some new
friends - not necessarily of the romantic type!
Please do keep in touch, and let me know how you get on with these suggestions. If you let
me know how this goes, I can try to think of other ways to help you in your situation at the
moment.

Take care and do stay in touch.

All the best,

Anjelika

4
A friend who is planning to visit you has asked you to describe the most interesting and
enjoyable things to do in the community where you currently live. Write an email to your
friend, telling them about these things. In your email,

Say what these things are

Say why they are interesting/enjoyable
Suggest what you can do together
Dear Nikolai,
Thanks for your email last week, and I’m so happy that you are arriving next weekend.

You asked about the interesting things to do around here. Well, firstly, we have the
downtown area, which has many old cafés and bars, and some sights such as the statues and
the colonial houses. Apart from that, there is the park, which has a theatre, more eating
places, and an outdoor music venue. All in all, these places offer a lot of variety, with options
for dining, sightseeing and good quality live entertainment, and all within an easy walk of the
central area where I live.

Here is an idea. When you get here, let’s have an early night so that you get over the jet lag,
and then go to the downtown area in the morning. We can have a traditional breakfast at one
of the old cafés, and see some of the sights. Then we can see a show at the theatre, have
dinner in the park if it’s sunny, and finally listen to the music in the outdoor arena. I think we
might need another early night after such a long day!

Please get in touch before the weekend just to let me know if that sounds ok, and also your
flight number.

All the best,

Mikhail

5
You wish to apply for a new college course, but you are unsure about the details of cost,
duration and subjects posted on the college website. Write an email to the relevant person in
admissions at the college, asking them to clarify these points for you. In this email,

Say what your interest is

Explain why the website is unclear
Request the information that you need
Dear Mr Smith,
I’m interested in the photography course this year, and I have seen your name on the college
website as the contact for admission queries. I have several questions for you, and I hope you
can help.

Firstly, regarding the cost of the course, is the fee of $99 per month or for the whole course?
Is it possible to pay in monthly installments, or is the fee paid in full up front? The website
says that ‘other payment methods are possible,’ but there is no explanation.

Secondly, can you tell me what the exact dates of the course are? Your website says
‘Summer to Autumn,’ but I can’t see any specific dates relating to this. I would be grateful
for the precise dates, including when I need to pay for the course and buy the books and so
on.

Finally, I’d appreciate some information about the course content itself, including details of
the equipment to be used and the wording of the certificate I will receive at the end. The
website says that I should contact you for this.

Thank you for your help, and I look forward to receiving the information requested.

Kind Regards,
Aftab Iqbal

6
You recently took a plane to a holiday in a foreign city, and on arrival you found that your
luggage was lost. You did not receive your luggage until the last day of your holiday. Write
to the airline,

Complaining about this situation

Saying why it caused you problems
Seeking suitable compensation
Dear Mrs Smith,
As you are the head of Customer Services, I am writing regarding the loss of my baggage at
Istanbul airport on April 3rd 2015. My baggage consisted of two suitcases, both being clearly
labeled in the accepted way, and both being correctly locked.

On arrival at Istanbul, I found that both suitcases were listed as ‘missing’ and the airline staff
could give me no information about their location. This caused me substantial inconvenience,
as the suitcases contained my clothing, toiletries and books, and I was obliged to buy all
these items from local shops at a very high price. Even when I finally received the suitcases,
I found that they were opened, and many items were missing, including clothes and personal
effects. This meant that I had to replace these items at my own cost when I returned home.

I am requesting, therefore, that you kindly reimburse me the cost of $495 for all these items,
and I have attached all relevant receipts. As you see, this sum does not include compensation
for my inconvenience and wasted time, which I am prepared to forgo if you settle the charge
promptly.

I look forward to receiving your confirmation of this payment.

Kind Regards,
Eileen Dubois

7
You are studying at a college which has very limited sports and leisure facilities for students.
Write a letter to the principal. In your letter,

Outline the situation

Propose ways to improve this situation
Request a meeting to discuss this

Dear Ms Smith,
I thought you might be interested in some thoughts about the amenities for sports and other
free time pursuits here at the college. Although we have a table tennis room, there are no other
facilities for students, and this seems a great shame as so many of us would like to socialize
after study hours.

If I may suggest some improvements, I think we could adapt classroom 12 (which is rarely
used) as a games room, perhaps with Wi-Fi and electrical charging points. I also wonder if we
could agree the use of the nearby park on certain afternoons, for team sports, yoga and
running. These are quite straightforward steps which would immediately give the student body
far greater scope for leisure, with all the benefits this would bring us.

I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to discuss this proposal with you in person, and I
hope it will be acceptable if I contact your office assistant to arrange a convenient time.

Kind Regards,
Maria Campos-Costella

8
You recently attended a party, where you saw one of the guests being rude to a neighbour in
the next house. Write an email to the guest,

Complaining about their behavior

Suggesting that the guest apologizes to the neighbor
Asking them not to behave like this again

Dear Peter,
I think I need to write to you because of your behavior at the party last week. This was meant
to be a relaxed and friendly occasion, but I must say that you spoiled it by the way you spoke
to the neighbor, Mrs Smith. This lady is much older than you, and deserves to be treated with
respect by all of us. We were all pretty shocked when you refused to turn down the music
when she asked you to.

I do feel that you should go to see Mrs Smith, and apologize for being so impolite. If you’re
embarrassed to do so, then you should at least write her a note saying that you’re sorry, and
saying that you hope she was not too offended or upset by your actions.

I also think that you need to make a greater effort to control your temper, and not to speak to
people without thinking first of the way your words might be received. There’s another party
coming up next weekend, and I hope that you’ll be there to show us all how well you can
behave when you really want to.

Best wishes,
Aftab

9
 You have arranged a weekend holiday with a group of friends, but due to your studies you
will now be unable to go with them. Write to your friends, and

Tell them why you are unable to go

Say sorry for this
Suggest an alternative activity at another time

Dear Peter and Anna,

I’m sorry to say that I have some bad news, which is that I won’t be able to go with you on
the camping trip as we agreed. The reason is that I am running very late with two of my
college assignments, which both have to be handed in on the Monday after the trip. This
means that if I go away, I might fail these projects, and so I’d have to wait another six
months before going on to the next module of studies.

I’m very sorry for the short notice and for letting you down like this. I can understand it’s
probably quite annoying for you both, and I can only sympathize with your feelings. If it’s
any comfort, I feel terrible about it too.

To make up for it, here is an idea you might like. My uncle has a farm in the mountains
which would be perfect for another trip in the summer. I could make all the arrangements,
book the bus tickets and ask my uncle to show us around the area in his Jeep, which would
be a lot of fun. I hope that sounds like a good alternative for you!

Do let me know what you think and sorry for the trouble once again.

All the best,

Marcus

10
You recently bought an expensive electronic product from a store, and found that the product
does not work properly. Write a letter to the store manager. In your letter,

Complain about the problem

Propose action for the store to take
Request confirmation that this is agreed
Dear Ms Smith,
I believe you are the customer services manager of City Electronics in Cambridge, and so I
am writing to complain about a digital camera I bought from you on 12th March 2015.

Although I have followed all the directions in the manual, I find that the camera does not
focus or zoom properly, meaning that is not fit for purpose. I have emailed and phoned your
store several times to complain, but nobody has taken ownership of the problem so far.

I therefore ask you to issue an immediate refund of the price (my receipt is attached) onto the
credit card that I paid with. I am also requesting that you send a courier to collect the camera
from my home address, as I am reluctant to use the regular mail to return it to you in case of
further damage.

Would you kindly reply in writing by return, confirming that these steps will be taken and
that the refund and collection are planned to go ahead, with the anticipated dates.

I have been a loyal customer for the past three years, and I am confident that you will take all
steps to keep my custom.

Kind Regards,
Adoula Mktele

11
You are currently trying to improve your knowledge of a language which is not your original
language. You have a friend who speaks this new language perfectly. Write to your friend,

Explaining why you want to learn this new language

Asking him/her for suggestions on how to learn more quickly
Proposing that you meet your friend to talk about these steps
Dear Peter,
I thought it was time to get in touch, especially as I remember you’re a fluent speaker of
Italian. I might have mentioned this before, but I’m working for an Italian company now, and
so I need to speak quite a lot of Italian when I have meetings with the staff.

I wonder if you could give me a few tips on how to speed up my Italian learning? Do you
think I should have lessons, or are there any self-study books which you can recommend?
Sometimes I think about doing a crash course in Italy, but I think this might be too intensive,
and I’d be interested to hear your view on that too.

Maybe, if you’re going to be in the area in the next few weeks, we could get together and I
could pick your brains about this subject. There is actually a very well-known Italian
restaurant in my street, so dinner would be my pleasure, and the surroundings would be
perfect!

Let me know what you think, and I hope to see you at some point soon.

All the best,

Nestor

12
One of your neighbor’s children has accidentally broken the front window of your car.
You should write a letter to his/her parents and in your letter you should
• introduce yourself
• explain how it happened
• and what they should do.

Dear Ms. Grimes,

I am your next door neighbor and I am writing to inform you that your daughter, Sarah,
broke the front passenger window of my Chevrolet Caprice while playing softball yesterday
afternoon. The car is brand new. As you know it is winter now and this also aggravates the
situation since I am not able to use the car. Hopefully, your homeowner's insurance will
cover this kind of damage. Please check with them to see if it is covered. If they do not pay
for it, I will get two repair estimates for you so that you can determine how you will pay for
the repair.

Perhaps we could meet this Saturday afternoon to discuss our options. In case you are no
available at that time please let me know so that we would be able to make an appointment
for some other time.

Thank you in advance for your kind and considerate attention towards the matter.

Yours sincerely,
Ms. Green
(163 words)

Letter Practice
You recently had your car repaired and now it is not working properly. Write a letter to
your mechanic and in your letter,
• Introduce yourself
• Explain the problem
• And say what you need him to do

13
You recently received your grade from your instructor and you are dissatisfied with your
score. Write a letter to your instructor and

• introduce yourself.
• let him know that you are dissatisfied with your grade.
• mention the reasons to convince him that you deserve a better grade.

Dear Mr. Sockman,

This letter is to express my dissatisfaction with the grade that I received for my class
project. I know you made it clear that individuals in each group would all receive the same
grade; but I would like to ask you to reconsider your decision about my grade.

I put a lot of effort into this project. I spent numerous hours in the library and at the
computer working on my research. My project partner, Jack, apparently did not approach
the project with the same dedication as I. Enclosed, you will find copies of my notes and
sources that I used in my research.

You encouraged us to speak with you if we encountered any problems within our groups,
and I made two appointments with you to discuss the situation. Unfortunately, you were
unable to attend either one. Considering that I did attempt to contact you, and that I put a lot
of effort into this project, I hope that you will be generous enough to raise my project grade.

I would like to thank you for your considerate attention in advance.

Yours sincerely,
S. Dent

Letter Practice
One of your friends has just had a twin and for some reason you cannot go visit them in
their town. You should write a letter to your friend and in your letter you should
• congratulate them on the new-born babies
• explain why you cannot go visit them
• offer to help in case they need help

14
You recently went shopping at a department store and you were disrespected by one of the
employees. Write a complaint letter to the sales manager of the department store. In your
letter you should

• let him/her know about the rude behavior of the clerk

• Clearly state how it happened
• And tell the manager about the bad behavior

Dear Sales Manager,

This letter is a complaint concerning the actions of one of your salespersons. On Tuesday,
May 1, 2009, around 3 PM. I went to your store to look for an outfit. When I asked an
available salesperson, Ms. Maria Johnson, for help in finding my size, she informed me that
she was busy and that I would have to find it myself. I explained that the reason I came to
her was because I couldn't find it. She then said in a rude tone that if I couldn't find it, it
means that your store did not have it, and that I needed to look somewhere else.

I felt that Ms. Johnson was rude and unnecessarily curt with me. If she was busy, she could
have simply and politely told me that she would be able to help me in a moment. I hope that
you will confront Ms. Johnson about her behavior. I shop frequently at your store and I look
forward to a more pleasurable shopping experience next time.

I appreciate your wholehearted concern with regard to this issue in advance.

Regards,
Mrs. Betty Arthur
(190 words)

Letter Practice
Write a letter to one of your colleagues has recently been appointed as the new manager of
the company. In your letter you should,
• introduce yourself
• congratulate him/her on the promotion
• And ask for an appointment to discuss the problems in your section

15
You have recently moved to a new company and you want to write to the manager. In your
letter,

• introduce yourself,
• mention what you have done since you moved to the company
• And ask to meet the manager to discuss your needs and concerns.

Dear Mr. Stevenson,

The purpose of this letter is to briefly introduce myself as Dynatek's new Sales
Representative, Business Accounts. I very recently joined the company and am taking over
your account from Jack Winters who has moved on to other challenges in this industry.

I have just completed Dynatek's management orientation program and am now keen to meet
face-to-face with all of my key customers.

Accordingly, as the first step in my customer familiarization process, I would like to meet
with you personally, for about an hour or so, to discuss Office-Tech's needs and concerns.

To set up a meeting at your convenience, I propose to call your office by the end of this
week. It is my hope that we will be able to arrange to meet at your office before the end of
the month.

I look forward to meeting with you and learning more about your company in the near
future.

Sincerely,
Jim O'Malley
(158 words)

Letter Practice
You just used a website to gain some information about an issue; write an email to the
institute and in your letter,
• appreciate the institute for the informative website
• ask if they can help you with your problem in other ways
• make some recommendations in order to improve the website

16
You recently heard about the pass-away of your colleague’s father. Write to your colleague
and in your letter

• offer your condolences,

• mention how honorable his father was
• mention the reasons to let your friend know that you understand the situation.

Dear Robert,
I would like to express my sincere condolences on the recent passing of your father. Pamela
and the children also send their thoughts and prayers to you and your family at this difficult
time.

Although I didn't know your dad that well, on the half dozen or so occasions that I spent
time in his company over the years, I did come to realize his great kindness and compassion
towards those less fortunate than him. And I do know that he was very highly respected
throughout this community and profession, and his good works changed the lives of many.
You were truly fortunate to have such a man as a model in your life.

As you know, it was not that long ago that my own father passed away, so I have some idea
of what you and your family are going through. No comfort is quite enough to replace the
loss.

Please pass my deepest sympathies on to your mother, and brother, and sister, and to all of
your father's grandchildren.

Yours sincerely,
Gord Henderson
(178 words)

Letter Practice
Last night you attended a party thrown by your manager. Write a letter to him and in your
letter
• appreciate for the party
• say that you particularly enjoyed the party
• and apologize for arriving late at the party

17
Write a letter in response to a job advertisement of a company, in your letter,

• let them know that their advertisement has interested you,

• tell them about your qualifications
• and try to convince them that you fit in the position.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to apply for the position you advertised in today’s newspaper. I found the
wording of your advertisement with emphasis on leadership, innovation and change quite
intriguing. It is in response to such challenges that I have excelled during my career.

Most recently, I was the President of a troubled company which I turned around and led to
the best performance in its history. Before that, I had worked successfully in a variety of
unusual situations, including the startup of a significant division of a large insurance
company in London. In each of these situations, the problems (or opportunities) differed
widely. They had in common, though, a requirement of an ability to size up the situation,
assess the reasonable alternatives and execute a plan of action. I have also worked 14 years
in mining and milling operations, where I obtained an in-depth exposure to production
problems.

I am free to travel and open to relocation. I would welcome the opportunity to meet you and
to further discuss your requirements. Thank you for your interest.

Sincerely,
Robert S. Rosenthal
(182 words)

Letter Practice
You just saw the advertisement of a course in a newspaper and you are willing to attend the
course. Write a letter to the institute; in your letter you should
• introduce yourself
• say why you are interested in the course
• and ask for some more information about the course

18
Write a letter to someone you met at your company’s meeting. In your letter you should

• thank him for taking part in the company's meeting.

• try to elaborate on the importance of his role in the meeting
• and let him know about another meeting to be held next month.

Dear David,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to you for your very
active and influential participation in our recent meeting in Montreal.

Your skill in chairing the controversial panel was very much appreciated by those
representing all sides of that extremely sensitive topic. As well, we have received numerous
post-conference requests for the paper that you delivered in the beginning of the conference.

On both a professional and a personal level, I really appreciated the time that the two of us
were able to spend together for fun and reflection during conference down times. I certainly
learned a lot about the unique aspects of your profession (not to mention the things you
taught me about the backhand on the squash court!).

I would also like to let you know that another meeting is going to be held next month in
New York and I would be glad to see you at the meeting.

I am looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Very Sincerely,
Peter Smithfield
(176 words)

Letter Practice
You just received a product you had ordered a few days ago. You just found out the product
does not work properly. Write a letter to the company and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• say what the problem is
• and mention what action you need the company to take

19
Write a resignation letter to your manager to let him know that you have started to
cooperate with another company. In your letter,

• Let him know the exact time that you are leaving
• the actions you took in order not to cause the company any problems
• and also let him know that you appreciate the time you cooperated with the company.

Dear Mr. Hopkins,

This is to advise you that I have accepted the position of Marketing Manager, with an oil
company, based in Buffalo New York. Accordingly, please regard this as my official letter
of resignation.

My last day of work here will be June 28, 2008. This will give me three full weeks from
next Monday to complete the current marketing program design that I have recently been
putting the finishing touches on. In addition, during this period I will be able to bring you
all of the operations and outstanding issues in the department.

In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you as my manager, as well as

to my many friends and colleagues. I have truly enjoyed my years working with all of you,
and am grateful for the many learning and growth opportunities I was given over the years.

I wish all of you success.

Sincerely,
Ryan Alexander
(156 words)

Letter Practice
You are going to throw a birthday party for your new-born son and you are writing to invite
your friends. Write a letter to an old friend of yours and in your letter
• have a warm greeting
• invite him to the party
• give him the direction so as to find your new house

20
You want to sell some of your furniture. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from
you. Write a letter to your friend, In your letter

• explain why you are selling

• describe the furniture
• and suggest a date when your friend can come and see the furniture.

Dear Jane,
As you know, we’ll be moving to a new house soon and there are a few things that I won’t be
able to take with me. The new house is a bit smaller so I have to sell some furniture and I
was wondering if you might be interested.

In particular I want to sell my big dining table. Do you remember it- the one in the living
room? It has wooden legs and a grey glass top and it’s big enough for six people. There are
six matching chairs to go with it. I know you’ve always liked this furniture so I could let you
have it at a good price. I’d rather sell it to you than a stranger!

Why don’t you come around and take another look at them on Saturday? We’ll be here all
day, so maybe we could have some lunch together?

Give me a ring and let me know,

Love,
Katherine
(159 words)

Letter Practice
You are going to take a tour of a historic place. Write an email to a travel agency you
usually travel with and in your letter

• introduce yourself as a regular customer

• ask for more information about the city
• ask them for more information about the tour (e.g. price, dates etc.)

21
You borrowed some books from your school or college library. Unfortunately you have to
go away to visit a sick relative and cannot return the books in time.

Write a letter to the library.

• introduce yourself
• explain what has happened
• and tell them what you want to do about it.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to explain why I have been unable to return the three books I have
out on a three-day loan, which are now overdue.

After taking the books out on 16th March, I had an urgent call from my elderly aunt’s
neighbor to say that my aunt had had a fall and had been taken into hospital. I am her only
surviving relative in this country, so I felt I had to go and see her immediately. I traveled
down to Dallas the following morning, thinking I would stay for only two or three days.
Unfortunately my aunt’s condition has only improved very slowly, so I have had to stay
here longer than I expected. However, the hospital says that if all goes well, she should be
able to go home in two or three days’ time, in which case I will be back at the beginning of
the next week.

Bearing in mind the circumstances, I trust you will kindly waive any fines that may have
accumulated.

I would like to apologize for the inconvenience that I have caused you. And I trust that you
understand.

Yours sincerely,
Thomas Anderson
(199 words)

Letter Practice
You have already booked a tour of London and for some reason you are not able to take the
tour. Write an email to the travel agency and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• say why you cannot take the tour
• apologize for the inconvenience caused.

22
 You have had a bank account for a few years. Recently you received a letter from your bank
stating that your account is $240 overdrawn and that you will be charged $70 which will be
taken directly from your bank account. You know that this information is incorrect.

Write a letter to the bank. In your letter

• introduce yourself
• explain what has happened
• and say what you would like them to do about it.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am your bank customer and I am writing in reply to a letter I received from you a few days
ago. In your letter you state that I am $240 overdrawn and that you will be charging me
$70.

I would like to point out that the reason I am overdrawn is because of a mistake made by
your bank. If you look through your records you will see that I wrote several weeks ago
explaining the situation. For the last twelve months, I have been paying $300 a month for a
car I bought last summer. The monthly payments were taken directly from my bank
account. However, two months ago I sold the car and I wrote to you instructing you to stop
paying the monthly installments. I received a letter from you acknowledging my request,
but for some reason, nothing was done about it. Another $300 installment has been paid this
month and this is the reason why I am overdrawn.

I would like you to contact the garage where I bought the car explaining your error. I would
also like you to ask them to return the money.

I am looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours Faithfully,
P. Stoft
(212 words)

Letter Practice
You recently travelled to New York and you were completely dissatisfied with the hotel
service you stayed at. Write a letter to the hotel manager, in your letter
• introduce yourself
• mention the problems you had at the hotel during your stay
• say what action you need the hotel manager to take

23
You have just been qualified for a position in a company. Write a letter to the manager, in
your letter you should

• show your willingness to accept the job

• mention when you can start the new job
• ask for an opportunity to discuss your employment terms.

Dear Mr. Happy,

I am pleased to inform you that I will accept the graphic designer position you have offered.
Thank you for choosing me. I will follow up with a phone call to discuss other issues
related to the job, including when you will need me to start, salary, and accommodations
while I am relocating. Please keep in mind that I will need adequate time to resign from my
current job. As I said before I have been working there for quite a long time and I definitely
have to take care of a few issues before leaving.

I am excited about starting at your company and I look forward to talking to you again. If
you need to contact me for any reason, please feel free to call me, fax me, or send me an
email.

I would like to thank you again for your offer and I hope to have great cooperation with
your company.

Yours sincerely,
Marisa Bookman
(162 words)

Letter Practice
As a public relations manager of your company trying do a public survey on your
company’s public image, write a letter to your customers. In your letter.
• introduce yourself
• say what you are trying to do
• and ask what your customers suggest the company should do to better satisfy the
customers

24
Write a complaint letter to a telephone company and let them know how their services
failed to fulfill your expectations. In your letter you should

• introduce yourself
• mention what the main problem is
• and say what you want them to do

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain in the strongest terms about the poor service that I have
received from your company.

We signed up to your telephone and internet service package two months ago because your
advertising suggests that you are better than Telco. In addition, you promised to deal with
problems quickly and efficiently, something that Telco was unable or unwilling to do.
However, in the first month of service you managed to cause me to lose two days worth of
business because of poor administration. The main problem was that you failed to provide
me with the correct telephone number, 9818 8747, that you had promised when I completed
the contract. This phone number was an established business line which I had been using
for the last three years. Obviously this meant that my clients were unable to contact me and
it cost me many hours of phone calls to resolve the matter with your support centre.

I would appreciate it if this situation could be resolved and a substantial rebate offered on
my first three month's account.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours Faithfully,
Charlie Williams
(197 words)

Letter Practice
Your father underwent a medical operation and now he has completely recovered. Write a
letter to your father’s surgeon and in your letter
• appreciate the surgeon
• and explain some of the post-operation complications your father has been facing
• ask the surgeon what action you should take

25
Write a letter to a magazine and express your opinion about a problem you are faced with
in your neighborhood. In your letter

• introduce yourself
• say what the problem is
• and recommend a solution to the problem

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am one of the senior citizens and I have lived in the city of Pertshire since I was born. I
would like to give my opinion on the environmental impact of tourism as someone who has
traveled throughout Asia on business and holiday. Having visited Indonesia, Thailand and
Malaysia I understand that tourism can bring money to developing countries. However, I
cannot ignore the environmental problems that are affecting my hometown’s ecosystem.
Unfortunately the department of tourism has not taken any effective measures to counteract
the adverse effects of tourism in our town.

I would like to warn the local people of the possible dangers and I want to urge them to
check that any tours or excursions we offer have minimal effect on the natural
surroundings. Besides, we even need to attempt to change the behavior of tourists by
sharing our environment-friendly opinions with them. If we follow these simple steps we
can be sure that our business is not causing any harm to our town’s ecosystem.

I would like to appreciate your concern in this regard.

Yours faithfully,
Charlie Williams
(187 words)

Letter Practice
You have been working for a company for some time, and other rival companies are willing
to employ you with a higher salary for all the practical experience you have gained. Write a
letter to your company manager and in your letter
• Explain the situation
• Say what you would like the manager to do (increase the salary etc)
• say what action you would take in case the manager fails to meet your demands

26
You saw a job advertisement on a website. Write a letter and apply for the job;
• let them know your qualifications for the job.
• also mention the places you have worked for
• and try to convince them that you are the one they are looking for.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing this letter to apply for the position of student assistant that I saw advertised on
your website. I am interested in working in the teachers' resource library, or in the
accommodation department.

I have recently graduated from the WSB Business School in Warsaw and received high
grades in both my English and Business Courses. In addition, we had to use all of the
Microsoft Office programs in the preparation of our finished assignments, so I am able to do
most things with computers.

Since I was 15 years old I have helped my father to run his small import export business. I
have been involved in helping a variety of clients and also the general administration of the
business. In the past 2 years I have worked in the WSB library, helping teachers and students
to find and use the resources there. This experience has given me the ability to deal with the
needs of all types of people.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Powel Herbert
(174 words)

Letter Practice
You are faced with an increasing workload in your company due to a growth in the number
of orders placed daily. Write a letter to the company manager and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• explain the problem you are facing
• and ask if the company could hire a new employee to help you with the job

27
Write a letter to a friend whom you haven’t met for some time.

• let your friend know what is going on to you.

• also ask your friend to tell you about himself/herself
• and ask him the questions you want to know.

Dear Leo,
It's been a while since we wrote, so I thought I'd drop you a line to bring you up to date with
what's been happening here.

I suppose the most important thing is that Jane's job is more secure than we thought. At the
beginning of the year, when she got the job, we thought it might only be for one semester,
but we just found that she has a permanent contract. Obviously this is great, as it means we
can relax a little. I still don't have the job I really want, but it will happen soon. You have to
stay positive, don't you?

So, what about you these days? Are you still stuck in that old job? Since I've been having so
much trouble getting a job I understand your reluctance to change. There's nothing worse
than filling in endless application forms, with no idea of what it will lead to.

Anyway, I've got another form to fill in so I'll love you and leave you.

Best wishes,
John
(173 words)

Letter Practice
You have been faced with an increasing number of wild animals in your neighborhood.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• say what the problem is
• and mention what you would like the city authorities to do

28
There is an institution that is offering a free journalism course and you have applied for it.
They want to talk to one of your friends who know you well as a reference.

Write a letter to your friend in your letter,

• explain the situation
• say why you chose him as a reference
• ask him if you can give them his/her name as a reference

Dear mark,
I'm writing this letter because I really need your help. You're the only person who knows
me well enough to give me a reference for a course I want to do.

I saw an advertisement in a paper recently offering a free journalism course to successful

applicants. I sent in an article I wrote for the student newspaper, you know, the one about
legalizing drugs? Anyway, they really liked it, but as there are only five places they want a
reference as well. I haven’t given them your name yet, as I expect this would be the first
reference you've been asked to give. Is it OK if I send them your phone number? I think
they want to phone you so they can have a proper conversation with you and really check
me out.

I know it's been a while but if you could do it, it'd really help me out. I've got a new phone
number, 09957 234 563, so you can get me on that, and my address is still the same.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,
Patrick
(185 words)

Letter Practice
As a teacher, you would like to take your students on a field trip to a museum.
Write a letter to the museum manager and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• say what you are planning to do and why
• and finally ask for a discount

29
You are about to leave your company. Write a farewell letter to one of your colleagues, in
your letter, you should write

• let him know that you are leaving

• also let him know how much you appreciate the time you have been working together
• let him/her how he/she can contact you at your new place

Dear John,
I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I am leaving my position at Simpson's
Corporation. I will be starting a new position at Newville Company next month.

I have enjoyed my tenure here and I appreciate having had the opportunity to work with
you. Thank you for the support, guidance and encouragement you have provided me during
my time at Simpson's Corporation. Even though I will miss my colleagues and the
company, I am looking forward to this new challenge and to starting a new phase of my
career. I think the position they are offering at this new Company is what I have been
looking for since the beginning of my career.

Please keep in touch; I can be reached at my personal email address (Sama13@gmail.com)

or at my new place, 555-121-2222.

I would like to hear from you and once again I would like to thank you.

Yours truly,
Samantha
(158 words)

Letter Practice
You have recently opened up a shop in your area and as an advertisement campaign you
would like to send a letter to all potential customers
• introduce your shop
• introduce your services
• and offer a special discount for the new customers

30
Write a letter to a colleague who is hospitalized at the moment. In your letter you should

• ask about his/her health

• let him/her know what changes occurred since he/she has been hospitalized
• also try to make him/her happy in some ways

Dear Jane,
I hope you are feeling better. Are you able to sit in the garden and enjoy the sunshine? We
all miss you in the office and look forward to your return. There have been a few changes
since you went into hospital. Eric Johnson has now retired (lucky man) and Matthew has
taken over Eric's job. He is struggling at the moment. As you know he is not as experienced
as Mathew was. He hopes you will return soon to rescue him from the muddle.

I thought you would like the book I'm sending you with this letter I saw it in the bookshop
and thought it would make you laugh. I know you’ve always wanted to live in Greece.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and find time to read it before you return to work

Take it easy and look after yourself I'll write again soon.

Best regards,
Sheila
(153 words)

Letter Practice
You live on the fourth floor of a five-storey building which is not equipped with an elevator
(lift). Write a letter to your neighbors and in your letter
• introduce yourself
• say what the problem is
• ask the neighbors to agree on the installation of an elevator.

31
You recently registered for a course, and you cannot attend the class for some reasons.
Write a letter to your course instructor and in your letter

• introduce yourself
• explain the situation
• and say what action you would like to take.

Dear professor Moss,

I am Sandy Lee, an undergraduate student of the department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering. At the beginning of this semester, I registered for one of your courses, African
Literature and Culture. It is a two-hour course held on every Thursday afternoon.
Yesterday, I received a notice from my department that a major course, Computer Principle,
would be changed to Thursday afternoon. This major course conspicuously influences my
credits and it is very important to me. Unfortunately, I can not study your course this
semester.

Because of your reputation and my enthusiasm in literature, I hope I could study this course
in the next semester. I also heard that another course of yours, China Literature, is held
every Friday afternoon. If the registration of this course has not closed yet, I will be so glad
to participate in your class.

Sorry to bother you, your help will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,
Sandy Lee
(157 words)

Letter Practice
You and classmates have been trying to find a book for a while and the book is out of stock.
Write a letter to the publisher. Write a letter and in your letter
• say why you need the book
• mention what the problem is
• and ask the publisher to republish the book or provide you with copies of the book

32