SAMPLE LETTERS
11. You are an international student and have borrowed a book from the local public library.
You left the book on a bus and when you contacted the bus company, they could not find it.
Write a letter to the librarian explaining the situation and asking what you should do.
Model answer:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Last week I borrowed an English grammar book, "English Grammar Exercises" from your library to
help me improve my knowledge of English. It was extremely useful, so when I went to visit a friend I
took the book with me to show her how good it was.
Unfortunately, when I was on the bus going home, I fell asleep and missed my bus stop. I woke up at
the next stop and rushed forward to the driver to ask him to stop but forgot to bring the book. As a
result, the book was left on the bus. When I rang the bus company the next day, they could not find it
and suggested that somebody must have picked it up.
Could you please let me know what I have to do now? As I am an international student I do not have
very much money, but of course I will pay for a new copy of the book if this is necessary.
Yours faithfully,
Tom Smith
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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SAMPLE LETTERS
II. Letter of Description
1. Write a letter to an English-speaking friend. In your letter
- explain why you changed jobs
- describe your new job
- tell him/her your other news
Dear John,
I am writing to let you know that I finally got a Software Engineer position in Google. I am so happy to
share this news with you. As I told you earlier, my previous job was so boring for me. I kept working
on fixing uncountable bugs of an existing system. Thus I started seeking new job opportunities 2
months ago.
Since I walked in Google’s office during my first interview, I immediately knew that this was my ideal
work place. My major responsibility is tuning search results on several Google products. The most
exciting thing is that my supervisor is a pioneer in this area around the world. I believe that I can get
enormous cutting-edge knowledge from him.
Furthermore, I have bought a new house near my office. I would love to invite you to visit next month
if you are free at that point of time.
With best wishes,
Michael
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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SAMPLE LETTERS
2. A family member is coming to stay with you. He/she will be arriving by train in the morning,
but you won’t be home until the evening. Write a letter to your relative. In your letter:
- explain the arrangements you have made for them to get keys and enter the house
- tell your relative how to get from the train station to your house
- say when you will be home and suggest what you could do together that evening
Dear Tanya,
How are you? I hope your journey was comfortable. I have an appointment with my dentist at 4 pm
today; this is why I will not be at home when you will arrive. However, I have left the keys with Mr
Sharma at house #14. You can take the keys from him and enter the house. I have made some Chicken
Biriyani for you and prepare the guest room upstairs so that you can get some rest.
When you arrive, your train will stop at the Central railway station. You need to take the exit towards
Roma Street. Once you come out of the station, you need to turn right and walk 100 metres. You will
find the bus stop number 58 on the opposite side of the road. You need to catch bus number 333 and
get off at Robertson Stop. My address is: #27, Fleetwood St, Macgregor.
I will be home by 5:30 pm, and so will be Sam and Harry as well. We have planned to watch “The
Dark Knight” at home. I will make smoked salmon with chicken salad and we can have some wine
with the dinner as well. See you soon.
Love,
Tanay
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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SAMPLE LETTERS
3. You have decided to leave your current employment. Write a letter to your employer. Include
the following in your letter:
- Explain why you are writing
- Explain why you have decided to leave the company
- Tell your employer what you plan to do after leaving your present employment
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing this letter in regard to terminating my contract with the organization as a Guest Service
Agent. The employment contract states a requirement of two weeks’ notice. Therefore, my last day of
employment will be on 25th of May 2012.
The decision was made due to personal reasons, as my family and I will be migrating to Singapore.
Recently my husband has been offered a managerial position in a five-star hotel, which we thought
would be a better prospect for his career.
Once my family and I have settled down in Singapore, I plan to look for a “work at home” job. This
would allow me to have flexibility with my time and would be able to take care of my children too.
Leaving the company is a great loss for me as I have learnt a lot and was given opportunities to grow.
Finally, I would like to thank you for the guidance provided during the period of my employment.
Yours faithfully,
Eve
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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SAMPLE LETTERS
4. You play sport (e.g. football) for a local team. You recently heard that a player in your team is
in a hospital. Write a letter to your team-mate. In your letter:
- Say how you feel about the news
- Ask about the treatment in the hospital
- Suggest some ways of cheering him/her up
Dear John,
I am sorry to hear that you have fallen and fractured your leg. It is extremely unfortunate that you had
this accident, especially when we are having a big match next week.
I understand that you are admitted in St. John’s Hospital and will be there for a week. I hope you’re
taken care well at the hospital. Although there had been some complaints about St. John’s in the past, I
heard they have improved a lot. Did you get to consult their chief orthopaedician? His specialty is in
sports medicine and he could probably suggest a particular treatment that will help you.
I would like to share some good news with you. Our university has granted a sport scholarship for your
studies. I heard it from our coach and you should be getting a letter shortly. So it is not all gloom!
Do let me know if you need any help. I will visit you at the hospital next week. Till then, bye.
Regards,
Prasad
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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SAMPLE LETTERS
5. Your friend is coming over to stay with you. However, you will be away on vacation for a
month. Write him/her a letter and say:
- How to get the keys to your flat
- How to operate the equipment in the flat, and
- Suggest a few places of interest to visit
Dear Susan,
Hope this letter finds you well. As I wrote to you in my previous letter, I am unable to cancel the
finalized trip to visit my parents. But, soon after you arrive in Melbourne, contact Jessie, a good friend
of mine on 0425680256. She offered her help to pick you up from the airport and you can collect the
key from her.
I must say that sometimes, the hot water geezer turns off automatically so, you might have to make sure
it is switched on before having a shower. Also, the gas heater fixed in the lounge does not work, but
you can use the oil heater in my bedroom instead.
If you have time you might enjoy visiting the Aquarium, the Queen Victoria Market and the Botanical
Gardens as these places are not that far from where I live. I hope you are happy with this arrangement,
but if you need more help or information please let me know.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
With love,
Amber.
Prepared by Longchen, ULIS-VNU, 0985.227.867
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