Part 4WritingSection 4 of 8
4.4Phrase bank by purpose
Saying why you are writing
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| I am writing to enquire about ... | I'm writing to ask about ... |
| I am writing to complain about ... | I wanted to let you know about ... |
| I am writing with regard to ... | I thought I'd write and tell you about ... |
| I am writing to request ... | Just a quick note about ... |
| I am writing to apply for the position of ... | Guess what happened last week! |
Making a request
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| I would be grateful if you could ... | Could you do me a favour and ...? |
| Would it be possible for you to ...? | Is there any chance you could ...? |
| I would appreciate it if you could ... | Do you think you could ...? |
| I would like to request that ... | Any chance of ...? |
Complaining
- I am afraid I was extremely disappointed with ...
- Unfortunately, the service did not meet the standard I had expected.
- The problem was made worse by the fact that ...
- I trust you will understand my frustration in this matter.
Apologising
- I would like to apologise for ... (formal)
- Please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused. (formal)
- I'm really sorry about ... (informal)
- I feel awful about missing it. (informal)
Explaining a reason
- This was due to ... / This was caused by ...
- The reason for this is that ...
- Owing to a family commitment, I was unable to attend.
- I couldn't make it because ... (informal)
Closing the letter
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| I look forward to hearing from you. | Write back soon and let me know. |
| I would appreciate a response at your earliest convenience. | Can't wait to hear all about it. |
| Thank you for your time and assistance. | Give my love to everyone. |
| Please contact me if you require any further information. | Let me know what you think. |