Crafting Effective Letters and Place Descriptions
Formal Letter Writing
DETAILS: Address of person writing the letter.
DETAILS: Name / Title and address of person being written to.
GREETING: (Dear Sir/ Madam),
OPENING: I am writing to complain about the unsatisfactory service I received from your company.
BODY: On 25th March, I purchased an HB1 Smartphone from your London branch. The problems began the first day when the phone wouldn’t charge. I returned to the shop and was given a new charger. A week later, the same problem occurred. Then, yesterday, the battery died. This time, a customer service representative informed me that the battery was faulty and that I could buy a new one. I was shocked because my phone had a one-year guarantee. The representative explained that the guarantee did not include the battery. I purchased a new battery, as I felt I had no choice. To make matters worse, each time I returned to the shop, I had to wait for about an hour in the queue.
I would like to point out that when someone purchases a new phone, they presume that the battery will work, and in my opinion, it is unacceptable that you do not guarantee the batteries for all the phones you sell. Furthermore, I suggest that you hire more customer-service staff, so that customers don’t have to wait in such long queues.
CLOSING: I trust that you will seriously consider changes to your current policies. I look forward to your reply.
SIGNING OFF: Yours faithfully,
Robin Leeds
CONNECTORS: Moreover,… / For example, … / In my opinion,.. / In conclusion,.. / Firstly,…/Secondly,…/Finally, / To sum up,… / Personally, I think… / It’s a fact that … / It’s true that…/ On the one hand,… / On the other hand,… / In contrast,… / In addition,….
Describing a Place: Bled, Slovenia
OPENING:
Bled is a beautiful town, about one hour’s drive from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Many tourists only spend one day there before moving on. However, the town offers plenty of things to see and do, so it’s worth spending at least two or three days there.
BODY:
Bled is located on the edge of a lake. For about €20, you can hire a boat and row out to the small island on the far side of the lake. Once there, climb the 99 stone stairs to the top of the cliff and visit the picturesque Assumption of Mary Church. There is also an ancient castle that you can tour. If you’re hungry, you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner in the castle restaurant.
It’s worth taking the time to explore the hills around Bled. There are excellent hiking trails and the views are spectacular, making it a great way to experience the peaceful atmosphere of the area. What’s more, in winter, there are several places where you can go skiing.
CLOSING:
If you’re in the area, you shouldn’t miss a visit to Bled. However, it’s best to go in the spring or autumn as Bled can be very noisy and crowded in July and August.
CONNECTORS: It’s well known for… / It offers… / It’s popular with tourists because… / The views are… / You can see… / It’s located…/ It’s got… / You shouldn’t miss… / The atmosphere is… / peaceful / beautiful / crowded / quiet / ancient / noisy / colourful.