Letter to a friend about clothes in English. Letter in English to a friend

People have been writing letters to each other since time immemorial. From letters one can judge a person’s character, his education, hobbies, and most importantly, how well he speaks the language in which he writes. Those who study the language will sooner or later be faced with the need to learn how to write letters in English correctly.

The letter may be needed when entering a higher education institution abroad, when passing a language exam, or when applying for a job. But not only in the world of business communication is it important to know how to write a letter in English. Informal correspondence can also have an impact on your life, communication with friends and acquaintances. Your letters will be used to judge you by those who read them. Do you want to leave a good impression? We will introduce you to the basic rules of correspondence in English. It's also worth repeating. Before you start writing a letter, you need to determine for what purpose you are doing this, and therefore determine the type of letter.

Types of letters in English

All letters can be divided into personal (Personal letter) and business (Business letter). We talked about correspondence with business partners and the main taboos of business correspondence earlier, today we will discuss the rules of personal correspondence in more detail. Are there general strict rules for writing letters in English? If we are talking about personal correspondence, the answer is obvious - no. In business documentation and communication with business partners, letter templates in English are often used. Personal correspondence is your own business, forgive the tautology. And yet, there are a few tips that will help make correspondence more enjoyable for you and the person with whom you are having an epistolary conversation. In addition, if you are new to the world of English, it is still better to try writing your first letters using templates.

Of course, stream of consciousness is a good thing, but only in the works of Joyce. If you want your letter to be read to the end, respect the addressee. Try to make the text easy to read. The construction of writing in English is as important an element as the meaning you put into the words you write.

As a rule, a letter contains the following structural elements:

• request – separate line
• a short introduction (in which you can refer to previous contacts, previously written letters, etc.) - a separate paragraph
• main part – several paragraphs
• conclusion – separate line
• the final phrase is a separate line
• signature (name only) – separate line
• in the upper right corner you should indicate the author’s address and the date under the address

We offer a sample letter in English, with the following structure:

The form of address always depends on the degree of familiarity with the person you are addressing in the letter. Let's give a few examples.

• Dear John! – appeal to a friend, relative
• Dear Sir- an appeal if this John is your boss. Official appeal.
• My dear Sir – an address that can be used ironically in personal correspondence
• Dear Mr. Smith- an official address to a stranger (you don’t know who John is)

Tip 3. A few important points to pay attention to

1. If you do not know the gender of the recipient, write his full last name: Dear T.K. Spinazola

2. If you don’t know which abbreviation is better to use: Miss or Mrs, since you don't know if the woman is married, use a neutral Ms.

3. If you are writing a letter to two people, include both names in the address.

4. These messages cannot be shortened: Professor, Dean, Governor, Captain, Admiral, JudgeSister, Senator

5. These addresses should never be used in full Mr., Ms., Mrs. and Dr.

In order to write a letter correctly the first time, it is a good idea to have a sample letter in English at hand.

Template phrases for writing letters

5 introductory phrase templates:

• It was great to get your letter….
• Thanks for your letter. It was great/lovely to hear from you.
• Thanks for your long letter. It was really great to hear all your news, after not hearing from you for ages….
• Sorry I haven’t written for so long but….
• I was really pleased to hear that…

These phrases are neutral; you can start a letter with them to any addressee. Sometimes it can be difficult to find words, especially if you are not writing in your native language. Template phrases will help you structure the text of your letter and correctly formulate your thoughts.

5 Closing Phrases Templates:

• I would really like you to visit me this summer. Write to me and tell me your plans.
• Please give/send my regards (love) to your….
• And write and tell me your plans for….
• Write back soon!
• If you want to know anything else, just drop me a line.

Template for a letter asking for advice (5 options):

• I am writing to ask for your advice
• Can you give me your advice?
• I've got a problem and I need your advice.
• What do you think I should do?
• Do you think I should...?

Phrases for different letters:

To begin with, dear readers, let's define the goals of our lesson. So, we must determine what a personal letter is and how it differs from a business letter, study its structure, and most importantly, learn how to independently write a letter to a friend in English using ready-made templates.

People use letters as a way to exchange information around the world. Letters can be written to friends, relatives, acquaintances or people with whom we are unfamiliar, for example, business partners. It is the person to whom your letter is addressed that determines whether it belongs to business or personal correspondence, and the form, structure and style of writing your letter depends on its affiliation. You could familiarize yourself with the rules for writing business letters in our previous article, letter in English, and now we will get acquainted with the features of writing personal letters in English.

Stylistics of a letter to a friend in English

So, friendly or personal letters are usually addressed to people you know personally (friends, relatives, loved ones). The language used to write such letters may be colloquial. For example, 1st and 2nd person pronouns (I, you) are used very often. It is possible to use dialect words, slang words, exclamations, interjections, vernacular, modal verbs, affectionate forms, etc. In personal letters, you can freely express your opinion, i.e., a subjective assessment of any situation is not prohibited. Personal letters can have a strong emotional overtones. As you can see, friendly correspondence does not have such strict stylistic restrictions as business correspondence.

As for the structure of a personal letter in English, its form is practically no different from a business letter; it’s just that some points can be neglected at your discretion. You can familiarize yourself with the structure of a letter in the article “Learning to write letters correctly in English.” If you have to write a personal letter to a friend in English, for example, during an exam, then of course the form of the letter cannot be neglected.

Step-by-step letter structure with template phrases

So, a personal letter to a friend in English must, according to all the rules, include 5 points:

The first point is the “header” of the letter, i.e. the sender’s address and date. (Heading: address and date)
The address is written in the upper right corner and has the following sequence: house number with the street name, separated by a comma, apartment number. The next line shows the city and postal code, and the next line shows the country. Do not use commas or periods.

46 Riverview Park
New York 542 210
USA
15th February, 2008

On the next line or every other line immediately below the address the date is written. Several spelling options are possible:

May 12, 2014
May 12th, 2014
May 12, 2014
May 12, 2014

The 2nd point is “appeal”. (salutation or greeting) The appeal is written on a new line on the left. After the address, as a rule, a comma is placed.
Very often the address begins with the word Dear + the name of the person to whom you are writing.

Dear Rima, Dear Karan
Dear Daddy, Dear Mammy
Dear Uncle Ray
Dear Mr. Green

Various options are possible. It all depends on who you are writing to.

My dear Jim
dearest
My darling
Or simply - Hello, my dear Olya

The 3rd point is “the main text of the letter”. (body/message)
The first paragraph of the main text is an introduction or an opening sentence, where you can thank your friend for the previous letter, tell him why you haven’t written for so long, or simply write that you were very glad to hear news from your friend. It roughly looks like this:

I’m writing to (thank/ tell/ ask/ congratulate/ apologize/ etc.) - I am writing to you to (thank, say, ask, congratulate, express regret, etc.)
I’m writing to thank you very much for the nice post card... - I’m writing to you to thank you for the wonderful postcard...
Many thanks for your letter... - Thank you very much for your letter...
I was very glad to get your letter... - I was very glad to receive your letter...
Thanks for your recent letter. It was good to hear from you... - Thank you for your last letter. I was glad to hear from you...
I've been meaning to write to you for ages but somehow just haven't been able to find the time I really should have written sooner…- I was going to write to you a long time ago, but somehow I never found the time, I really late with the answer...
I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long but I’ve been really busy with... - Sorry for not writing for so long, but I was really busy...
I must apologize for not writing earlier... - I must apologize for not writing earlier...
I’m sorry I’ve taken such a long time to reply to your last letter... - Sorry that it took me so long to answer your last letter...

In the second paragraph you can answer your friend's questions. If you are writing a letter to a friend in English as an assignment for an exam, the assignment will usually include questions that you must answer.

You are asking me about... I"ll do my best to answer your questions. - You asked me about... I will try to answer your questions.
That's about all I can tell you on this problem. - That's all I can tell you about this.

In the third and fourth paragraphs, you talk about events in your life, share news and ask your questions to a friend.

Nice is some news about... - I have news about...
I think you are studying hard now. Have you already chosen the university where you are going to apply? Will it be difficult to study there? “I think you’re studying hard now.” Have you already chosen the university you will attend? Will it be difficult to study there?
How has your summer been? — How was your summer?
What have you been up to? — What interesting happened to you?
Are you playing any sports? - Do you do any sports?
Have you been traveling? -Have you traveled?
I am preparing for entrance exams to the university. — I am preparing for the entrance exams to the university.
We are going to travel to Turkey. — We are going to go to Turkey.

The fifth paragraph is the closing sentence, where you bring your message to a close and can wish success, ask for something, or express hope for something. You can also write that you are in a hurry somewhere or it’s time for you to go somewhere.

Anyway, I must go and get on with my work. - In any case, I have to go to work further.
Well, got to go now. - Well, that's probably all.
I’ve got loads of homework to do tonight. — I have a whole bunch of homework for today.
I must finish my letter because it is very late and I must go to bed (because my Mum is calling me / because I have to do my homework). — I’m finishing my letter because it’s late and it’s time for me to sleep (because my mother is calling me / because I need to do my homework)
Hope to hear from you soon. “I hope to hear from you soon.”
Drop me a line when you are free. - Write me a few lines when you are free.
Looking forward to hearing from you. - I look forward to hearing from you.
Write soon. - Write as soon as possible.
See you soon! - See you soon!
Do keep in touch! - We'll be in touch!
Don't forget to write! - Don't forget to answer!
Looking forward to seeing you. - I'm looking forward to meeting you.
Write back to me soon. - Answer as soon as possible.
Let me know what happens. - Let me know what's going on.
I hope this advice is of some help to you. — I hope that my advice will be useful for you.

The 4th point is the final polite phrase (subscription/ closing). A comma must be placed after the final phrase.

Love,
Best wishes,
All the best,
Yours,

The 5th final point is your signature. You put your signature on the next line under the final phrase without a period.

So, as you noticed, a letter to a friend in English has the same structure as a business letter. The main difference lies in the style of the language. This is why template phrases for personal and business letters are completely different.

I want to give you a couple more tips for successfully writing a letter to a friend in English. To ensure that the text is complete and sounds good, use linking words and conjunctions: just now, and, at all, but, that's why, also, as for me, maybe, though, so, not only, to tell the truth, besides, now, first, also, finally, but, however, so that, such as, for example as, because, when, while, Well, Right… Use short forms of verbs: I've, there's, I'd...

If your English vocabulary is not that great, you can still easily cope with a task such as writing a letter to a friend in English. To do this, you will have to visually remember the structure of the letter and memorize a ready-made template, which will need to be supplemented with a couple of sentences.
You can create a template yourself using the phrases that we have selected for each item.

Letter template to a friend in English

46 Riverview Park
New York 542 210
USA

My dear Jim,
Thanks for your letter. I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long but I’ve been really busy with…
You are asking me about… I’ll do my best to answer your questions. (answer questions)
Nice is some news about... (telling the news)
What have you been up to... (ask your questions)
I must finish my letter because it is very late and I must go to bed. Hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Mary

Here's how to easily write a letter to a friend in English using template phrases! All you have to do is add a couple of sentences and the letter is ready!

Study the following letters to a friend in English with translation in order to better understand the structure of such letters.

Examples letters in English with translation

46 Riverview Park
Glentown
Dublin 23

Dear Jim,
How are things in Wicklow? I have not seen you for ages so I decided to write and give you all the news from Glentown.
The football team is doing really well this season. We have reached the semi-final of the Cup. The new goalkeeper we got after you left is great. He has not let in a goal in the last three matches.
My sister, Sandra, Has just had a baby girl, so I am now an uncle. Maybe I will be able to make some money from baby- sitting and then I can come down on the train to visit you.
Write soon and let me know all the news.

Your friend,
Martin

46 Riverview Park
Glentown
Dublin 23

Dear Jim,
How are things in Wicklow? I haven't seen you for ages, so I decided to write to you and tell you all the news about Glentown.
The football team is really doing well this season. We have reached the semi-finals of the Cup. The new goalkeeper who joined us after you left is great. He hasn't conceded a single goal in his last three matches.
My sister, Sandra, just had a baby girl, so I'm now an uncle. Perhaps I can earn some money as a nanny and come by train to visit you.
Reply to me as soon as possible and tell me all the news.

Your friend
Martin

12 Hill Drive
Navan
Co. Meath

Dear Susan,
I hope everything is well with you. It has been ages since we saw you here in Meath.
I am writing to ask you to come and stay with us the weekend of the 6th June. We are having a little get together because John is going to Australia for a year. It would be lovely for him to see you before he goes, you are his godmother after all. Let me know if you can make it, don’t worry if not, any weekend before then is fine.
We are all in good form here. Very busy trying to get John organised. I will miss him while he's away.
I do hope all the family are well.

12 Hill Drive
Navan
County Meath

Dear Susan,
I hope you are doing well. It's been forever since we've seen you here in Meath.
I am writing to ask you to come and stay with us on the weekend of June 6th. We're all getting together because John is going to Australia for a year. It would be great for him to see you before he leaves, after all, you are his godmother. Let me know if you manage to come, if not, don’t worry, you can come any weekend before he leaves.
We're doing well. Constantly busy trying to get John ready for the trip. I will miss him very much when he leaves.
I really hope everything is okay with your family.

With love,
Mary

12 Hilly Drive
Navan
Co. Meath

Dear Susan,
I am writing to say thank you for the lovely flowers. I can’t believe you remembered my birthday! You are so thoughtful.
We are all in good form here. I do hope all the family are well. Paul is starting a new job next week. I hope to get down to Cork to visit you soon.
Thanks again.

12 Hill Drive
Navan
County Meath

Dear Susan,
I am writing to thank you for the beautiful flowers. I can't believe you remembered my birthday! You are so attentive.
We're doing well. I hope everyone is doing well too. Paul starts a new job next week. I'm thinking of coming to visit you in Cork soon.
Thank you very much again.

With love,
Mary

46 Riverview Park
New York 542 210
USA

Hi Sophie,
I’m writing this from the cutest little café in New York! Mum’s been making sure we don’t miss one sight in the whole city, so we’ve been walking almost all day. So far we’ve seen Times Square, Broadway, Central Park and The Plaza. I caught a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty but we’re going to go and see it properly tomorrow!
The streets are super busy here and everyone looks amazing in their winter coats and hats. I had to buy mittens today! I miss being able to feel my fingers!
Hope you're enjoying your holidays.
Miss you times a million, see you back in Adelaide on the 20th!

Love,
Ashley

PS: I’m bringing you back a souvenir!

46 Riverview Park
New York
USA

Hi Sophie,
I'm writing to you now from the cutest little cafe in New York! Mom does everything possible to ensure that we never miss anything interesting in the city, so we spent almost the entire day on our feet. So far we have already seen Times Square, Broadway, Central Park and the Square. I caught a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty, but we're going to explore it properly tomorrow!
The streets here are super busy and everyone looks amazing in their winter coats and hats. Today I had to buy mittens! I'm losing the ability to feel my fingers!
I hope you enjoy your holiday.
Miss you like crazy, see you again in Adelaide on the 20th!

With love,
Ashley

PS: I'll bring you a souvenir!

12 Tulip Road
Flowertown
Dublin 20

Dear Sally,
How are you settling down in your new school in Cork? Our class is quite different since you left. It’s much quitter for a start. All the teachers are remarking on it!
We had an English test yesterday. WhenMrs. Byrne came in today with the results she was so mad there was nearly smoke coming out of her ears!
Phil Martin and Sandra Byrne have split up. Phil is really down in the dumps. But otherwise everyone is in great form. We are all going down to the club in the Sports Center on Friday night. It’s a pity you won’t be with us.
Write soon and tell us all about Cork. Goodbye for now.

English culture is unthinkable without the art of correspondence. For centuries, English ladies and gentlemen exchanged elegant messages, written in accordance with strict etiquette - it determined what to write, when and why, in what terms, at what time of day, and on what paper. Letters played, and still play, the most important role in people’s lives: they make people laugh, surprise, intrigue, fall in love, offend people to death and fill them with happiness.

7 Basic Types of Informal Letters

In a personal letter you can

1. Appeal: by first name, last name or using the words “ Sir/Madam”:

2. Opening sentence. This is where you explain the purpose of your letter. This could be a complaint, agreement or refusal to accept an invitation, or a response to a letter received.

3. Body of the letter: one or two paragraphs covering the topic.

4. Final paragraph in one or two sentences. Summarize what you have written and express your readiness to continue the correspondence. You can also thank the recipient in advance for the favor or prompt response.

5. Final wording:

6. Date and signature(optional).

What to pay attention to

• Informal writing allows you to use expressions from different styles, both business and informal, depending on the situation. You can even use colloquial style, slang, abbreviations and abbreviations. Just don’t overdo it with vernacular so that your letter doesn’t look cheeky or impolite. Some expressions sound acceptable in conversation but are inappropriate in writing, even if the letter is informal.
• Idioms and colloquialisms will enrich the language of your letter - feel free to use them.
• Follow the structure of your letter, do not overload your sentences with complex structures, and develop your thoughts consistently.
• It is customary to leave a blank line between paragraphs for visual convenience. For the same reason, it is advised to start each paragraph with a small indent at the beginning of the first line if you are writing by hand.
• Use the tense when you want to communicate your expectations (“ I am looking forward to hear from you…” - “I look forward to your response...”) or about the purpose of your letter (“ I am writing to you on behalf of/with regard to…” - “I am writing to you at the request / occasion...”). Use or when reporting news or describing recent events.
• Try break the body of the letter into at least two or three paragraphs instead of trying to fit everything you want to say into one big paragraph. Information is perceived much better when divided into logical parts.
• You can end the letter with a question to the recipient to initiate further correspondence. This way you will show that you are interested in communication and are waiting for his response - and this will be the logical conclusion of the letter.

1. Letter of invitation

There are unofficial, semi-official and... Such a letter should contain additional information about the event (address, date and time, dress code of the event) and, if necessary, clear directions on how to get to the venue.

Opening phrase:

Final phrase:

2. Letter of acceptance of invitation

There are informal, semi-official and business. Contains clear and unambiguous consent to attend the event.

Opening phrase:

Final phrase:

*Stylistically, in this case, the definition of “reception” rather than “party” is more suitable for translating the word party, since the construction of the phrase is quite formal and we are most likely talking about an official and semi-official reception.

3. Decline letter

There are informal, semi-official and business. Expresses refusal to accept an invitation.

Opening phrase:

Final phrase:

4. Letter of apology

There is also business and informal. The letter should include an apology and an explanation of why anyone was inconvenienced or why responsibilities or promises could not be kept.

Opening phrase:

Final phrase:

5. Letter responding to an advertising offer

There is business and semi-formal.

Usually contains a request for additional information or a request to clarify and supplement information received previously.

Opening phrase:

Final phrase:

​

"Yes" and "no" of a personal letter

These rules must be followed:

• No matter how informal your letter is, always remain polite.
• Communicate the purpose of the letter from the beginning.
• Use adverbs and conjunctions to connect your thoughts into a logical chain: then(then), later(Later), but(But), at the same time(at the same time), finally(finally).
• Start a new thought on a new line: text that is not divided into paragraphs is difficult to comprehend.
• Be restrained in expressing emotions, especially in semi-formal letters (complaint, congratulations, invitation, etc.).

And this should be avoided:

• Do not overuse exclamation marks, even if you are writing to a friend or close relative.
• Don't forget about opening and closing phrases - if the letter has a clear logical structure, it is easier to read and understand.
• Don't jump from thought to thought, don't write haphazardly. Thoughts must be arranged in a logical sequence.
• Do not use long ones with numerous minor members and . The purpose of a letter, including an informal one, is to convey your thoughts to the addressee the first time, and not to force him to re-read every sentence in order to understand the meaning of the message.

Now that you are familiar with the basic rules for writing informal letters, we offer you a rather interesting example of an informal letter in English. Such letters have become a real flash mob on the English-speaking Internet: actors, singers, and famous bloggers write them to themselves. Write yourself a letter like this too: it’s a great way to tap into your inner self (even your sixteen-year-old self) and take stock of a certain period of your life:

Correspondence is an old method of communication, which even now, in the age of modern technology, does not lose its relevance.

Do you agree that letters written by hand and sent by mail have their own special magic?

In England today there is a good tradition of exchanging letters. These could be congratulations on important events in life, invitations to a meeting, or just a letter of gratitude. There are no hard and fast rules on how to write such letters. But still, there is a certain etiquette that should be observed when writing personal letters.

From this article you will learn the rules for writing and formatting informal letters in English. Get acquainted with the structure and types of letters in English, and also find live examples and templates with translation.

Types of Informal Letters

Among personal letters, there are several main types, or rather, reasons for writing them:

• Congratulations on your wedding day, birthday, birth of a child, graduation from university, etc.
• Invitation to a wedding, housewarming or other celebration
• Gratitude for an invitation, favor or good advice
• Declining an invitation
• Apology or condolences

Letter structure

The structure of a personal letter is simple and consists of several main parts:

Appeal

You can address the recipient by last name or first name if you have a close relationship with him. The choice of address depends only on the degree of your acquaintance with the addressee and can be anything. The most common options:

• (My) dear... - (My) dear…
• (My) dearest… - (My) dear… / (My) dearest
• Dear Mr. Brown - Dear Mr. Brown
• Dear Kate - Dear Kate

After the address, a comma or exclamation mark is placed, and the letter itself continues with a new paragraph.

Note: Dear sir / Dear madam are used only in formal or business letters, and also when we do not know the name of the person to whom we are writing.

Remember that, unlike the Russian language, in formal letters it is considered bad form to put an exclamation point after an address. So, a note to a friend can begin with “Dear John!..”, but in a wedding invitation it is better to write “Dear John,...”.

Opening phrase

This is a short sentence after the address in which you need to indicate the main purpose of the letter or the reason why you are writing to the addressee.

An introductory phrase could be gratitude for an invitation to a holiday, a request for a meeting, and so on. With this phrase we indicate our intentions towards the recipient of the letter.

Main part

Several paragraphs in which you can reveal the purpose of the letter in more detail. They are drawn up in free form and may contain clarifications, time and place of meeting, or other important information.

Note: In official correspondence, it is not advisable to use abbreviations of auxiliary verbs, such as don"t, it"s, etc. Use the full form: do not / it is, etc. The same rule applies to invitations to events, congratulations and other types of formal letters. If you are writing to a close friend or loved one, abbreviations are quite acceptable.

Conclusion

One or two sentences that summarize the letter. In conclusion, you can express your intention to continue correspondence or ask the recipient for a response if you are sending an invitation to a meeting or event.

Farewell and signature

Similar to the address, it is better to choose the signature and final phrase based on the degree of closeness of the relationship with the recipient. The most common and universal phrases:

• Love / With love / With all my love / Lovingly yours / Lovingly / All my love - With love (Loving you, your loving)
• Yours ever / Ever yours / Always yours - Always yours (yours)
• Sincerely yours / Yours sincerely / Sincerely / Yours - Sincerely yours
• Faithfully yours / Faithfully - Best regards
• Best wishes / With best wishes / (Best) regards - Best wishes
• Cordially yours / yours cordially - Cordially yours
• Devotedly yours / Truly yours / Yours truly - Devoted to you
• Your very sincere friend - Your sincere friend
• Lots of love / kisses - With love / Kisses

After any phrase, place a comma, and then the sender’s name on a new line.

Rules for writing letters in English and postal etiquette

• Be polite and not too emotional

Whether you're writing to a friend in London or responding to an invitation to a party, be nice and friendly. Even if you refuse the addressee's request, do it politely. Also, there is no need to put a lot of exclamation marks and emoticons in emails.

• Communicate the purpose of the letter from the beginning and write coherently

Briefly express the main idea and purpose of the letter in the first lines - this will help the recipient better understand what you want from him. In addition, you should not “jump” from thought to thought and write incoherently. Think over the text of the letter in advance and reveal the main ideas briefly and one after another.

• Break the letter into paragraphs and do not overuse long sentences

Large text is much easier to read when it is broken down into short passages with main ideas. You should not overload the letter with long and complex sentences - it is better to break such phrases into several parts. The meaning will not suffer from this, but the structure of the letter will improve significantly.

• Write correctly

Phrases for personal letters for all occasions (in English with translation)

Gratitude in response to the previous letter and continuation of correspondence:

Thank you so much for your warm letter... - Thank you so much for your warm letter...

Many thanks for your kind and warm letter - Thank you very much for your kind and warm letter...

I received your letter yesterday... - Yesterday I received your letter...

I was delighted to receive your letter - I was glad to receive your letter

I appreciate your kind words - I appreciate your kind words

It was nice to have a letter from you after so long and to hear that... - It was nice to receive a letter from you after such a long time and to hear that...

I have just received your letter and... - I just received your letter and...

This morning, to my great astonishment, I received a letter from you - This morning, to my great surprise, I received a letter from you

So much has happened since I wrote you - So much has happened since I wrote to you

What a long time it has been since we last met! - How much time has passed since we last met!

It’s been a long time since I heard from you and I am anxious to know how you are getting on - It’s been a long time since I heard anything from you, and I really want to know how you are doing

As soon as I heard… - As soon as I heard...

How are you these days? - How are you doing now?

You will be wondering why it has taken me so long to reply... - You will ask why I waited so long to answer...

Now that I am finally able to sit down and write you again... - Now that I can finally sit down and write to you again...

By now everyone in the world except me seems to have written to congratulate you, but I have been... - It seems that everyone in the world, except me, has already written to you and congratulated you, but I was...

I have delayed answering this letter because... - I was delayed in responding to this letter because...

I am so pleased that you... - I'm so glad that you...

I am writing you... - I am writing to you...

I have not heard from you... - I haven’t heard from you...

How nice to hear that you... - How nice it is to hear that you...

Gratitude for a gift or meeting:

This is just a brief note to thank you for... - This is just a short note to thank you for...

I don"t know quite how to thank you for... - I don’t even know how to thank you for...

I am sincerely grateful to you for... - I am sincerely grateful to you for...

How very kind of you to remember my birthday and what a lovely present! - How nice of you to remember my birthday, and what a lovely gift!

Now that I am back home I want to write straightaway and thank you for... - Now that I am back home, I want to immediately write and thank you for...

I regret very much that I did not have an opportunity to thank you personally for... - I really regret that I did not have the opportunity to personally thank you for...

What exciting / wonderful / thrilling / happy news! - What exciting/wonderful/exciting/joyful news!

What a pleasant surprise! - What a pleasant surprise! / What a pleasant surprise!

Ask for a favor:

I should be grateful if you would... - I would be grateful if you...

I want to ask you for a very great favor - I want to ask you for a very big favor

Could you do me a favor? - Could you do me a favor?

I hope you will forgive me for troubling you, but it has occurred to me that you are the only person who may be able to help me - I hope you forgive me for disturbing you, but it so happened that you are the only one who could help me

Please forgive me for troubling you but I would be very grateful if you would help me in a very delicate matter - Sorry, please, for disturbing you, but I would be very grateful if you would help me in a very delicate matter

Apologies and condolences:

I am terribly sorry that I could not meet you as planned - I apologize that I could not meet you as planned I was sorry to learn that... - I regretfully learned that...

Please accept my deepest / sincere condolences - Please accept my deepest / sincere condolences

There are no words that can express my great / deep sorrow about... - There are no words that would express my great / deep sadness on the occasion...

I was extremely / terribly sorry to hear of... - I was extremely / terribly sorry to hear about...

We were very sorry to hear about your loss - We were very upset to learn about your loss

I feel I must write to tell you how very sorry I am... - I consider it my duty to write to you how sorry I am...

Letter to a stranger or pen pal:

You don"t know me so let me introduce myself - You don’t know me, so let me introduce myself

I obtained your name and address from... - I received your name and address from...

I am writing because as I understand you would like to have a pen friend in my country - I am writing because, as I understand, you would like to have a pen friend in my country.

Phrases to end a letter:

Please write soon - Please write as soon as possible

I am looking forward very much to hearing from you - I look forward to hearing from you

You have no idea how much I am looking forward to hear anything from you - You have no idea how much I want to hear anything from you

I hope to have a letter from you before long - I hope to receive a letter from you soon

I would be delighted to hear about you - I will be glad to hear something about you

I would appreciate an early reply - I would appreciate an early reply

Please write and tell me all the news of... - Please write to me and tell me all the news about...

I am looking forward to seeing you and will keep all my news until then - I really want to see you and therefore I will not talk about any news until the meeting

Please write to me before long if you have time - Please write to me as soon as possible if you have time

I enclose a stamped, addressed envelope for your reply - I enclose a stamped and addressed envelope for your reply

Wishes and expressions of love:

All the best! - All the best!

Best of luck to you! - Good luck!

With all good wishes! - Best wishes!

With best wishes from all of us on… - Best wishes from all of us on the occasion…

Take care of yourself - Take care of yourself

Give my love to... - Give my heartfelt regards...

I will love you forever - I will always love you

Kiss the children for me - Kiss the children for me

My thoughts are always with you - My thoughts are always with you

All your old friends send their love - All your old friends send their heartfelt regards

I want you to know I am thinking of you - I want you to know that I am thinking about you

Apologies and requests:

Please forgive me for troubling you this way - Sorry for bothering you this way

I do hope you will accept my heartfelt apologies - I hope you accept my sincere apologies

Edward joins me in apologizing for troubling you and we both send you our best wishes - Edward joins me in apologizing for troubling you and we both send you our best wishes

Forgive me for having to write such a letter, but, believe me, I have no alternative - Sorry that I had to write such a letter, but believe me, I have no choice

Please forgive me, but my decision is quite irrevocable - Please forgive me, but my decision is completely final

While I greatly regret the inconvenience, I am sure you will understand it was due to circumstances quite beyond my control - I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you and I hope you will understand that circumstances were stronger than me

If you do not reply within two weeks, I will have to change my mind and... - If you do not answer within two weeks, I will be forced to change my mind and...

Let me know what you decide - Let me know what you decide

I am sorry to bother you with this, but I don"t know what to do - I’m sorry to bother you with this, but I don’t know what to do.

I don"t know what I would do without you - I don’t know what I would do without you

You know you can always count on me - You know that you can always count on me

Please let me know what I can do to help - Please let me know how I can help

Please call on me if there is anything I can do to help - Please contact me if I can help with anything

Love letter: how to write about your love

Do you want to confess your love? We know how difficult it is sometimes to express the depth of your feelings on paper, but there are some beautiful phrases that will help you in composing a romantic letter:

I "m yours - I am yours (yours)

I adore you - I adore you

There is no other like you - There is no one like you anymore

You complete me - You complete me

I love you from the bottom of my heart - I love you with all my heart

I yearn for you - I yearn for you

I"m under your spell - I am fascinated by you

You"ve put a spell on me - You bewitched me

I was smitten with you - You struck with you

You make me feel young again - You make me feel young again

With you, forever won't be too long - With you, forever won't be too long

If you need to hear why I love you, I can go on all night - If you need to hear why I love you, I can talk all night

I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I"m with you - I love you not only for who you are, but for who I am next to you

I love you more and more every day - Every day I love you more and more

I cherish you above anything else in my life - I cherish you more than anything else in my life

I’m more in love with you today than I was yesterday - I’m in love with you more today than yesterday

Examples and samples of letters in English with translation *

Letter of invitation:

Dear Kate and Nick,

We are looking forward very much to your visit to our country this summer. We are expecting you at the beginning of July and are hoping that you may stay until the end of the month or longer.

We consider it a privilege for us to receive you as guests in our house. We are very grateful indeed to you for consenting to come and stay with us. We are looking forward to offering you hospitality in return for the hospitality you have kindly given us on many occasions.

We want you to understand that we will see to all your needs while you are with us and to any expenses that may arise.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Kate and Nick!

We look forward to seeing you this summer. We are waiting for you at the beginning of July and hope that you will stay with us until the end of the month or longer.

It is a great honor for us to host you at our home. We are very glad that you agreed to come and stay with us. We want to return the same hospitality that you have so kindly extended to us on more than one occasion.

You should know that we will provide you with everything you need during your stay with us, including financial expenses that may arise.

Sincerely yours,

John and Mary

Reply to the invitation:

Dear John!

It is very kind of you and your wife to offer to invite us to stay. I do hope we will not cause you too much trouble. London is a city I have heard so much about, and I am delighted at the chance to see it.

Once more lots of thanks. See you in July!

Yours cordially,

Dear John and Mary!

It was very kind of you and your wife to invite us to visit. I hope we don't cause you too much trouble. London is a city I've heard a lot about and I'm excited to see it.

Thank you very much again. See you in July!

Yours cordially,

Letter of gratitude for a good time:

Dear Mark,

Now that I am back in Moscow, I feel that I must write to thank you most warmly for all your kindness and hospitality shown to me in Dallas. It was a great pleasure to meet such nice people as you and your wife.

I hope that before long I shall be receiving you in Moscow.

Let me thank you once again.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Mark!

Now that I am back in Moscow, I feel that I must write to you to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your kindness and hospitality shown to me in Dallas. It was very nice to meet such nice people as you and your wife.

I hope that I will soon be able to host you in Moscow.

Let me thank you again.

Sincerely yours,

Letter to a friend:

Dear Edward

I shall be in London for a couple of days next month, and I was wondering if we could meet together. We haven’t seen each other for ages and I am very anxious to hear how things are with you.

What about Monday, April 7? If this would suit you I suggest we meet at the entrance to my hotel, which is "Armour Inn", at 12.30.

Please let me know if this is convenient for you.

Dear Edward!

I'm going to London for a couple of days next month and thought we could meet. We haven't seen each other for ages, and I'm really worried about how things are going for you.

How about Monday, April 7th? If this suits you, then I suggest meeting at the entrance to my hotel

Armor Inn at 12.30.

Please let me know if you are happy with this option.

Yours, Lucy.

Dear Charles,

It was good of you to think of writing to me, and I appreciate it very much.

I am indeed keeping well and enjoying comparative leisure. I try to divide my time about equally between reading and recreation.

The weather here in St. Petersburg has been rather changeable lately. In the morning the sun shines warmly, but by noon the sky clouds over and it usually starts to rain. Sometimes a storm blows up, but it never lasts very long.

It must be very hot now in Europe, so take care of yourself.

Dear Charles!

You are so good for writing to me, I am very grateful to you.

I feel good and enjoy relative idleness. I try to have time to read and have fun at the same time.

The weather here in St. Petersburg has been constantly changing lately. The mornings are warm and the sun is shining, but by midday the sky becomes gloomy and it usually starts to rain. Sometimes there are thunderstorms, but they pass quickly.

It must be very hot in Europe right now, so stay safe.

Best wishes.

Your friend

Congratulations:

Dear Mabel and Kevin,

Best wishes for a merry Christmas! I wish you a happy and healthy New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Mabel and Kevin!

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas! I wish you happiness and health in the New Year.

Sincerely yours,

Dear Isabel,

It seems only yesterday that you told me that you were engaged, and now you are married! I haven’t met George, but from your letters I know that both of you will be happy.

Congratulations to George and my best wishes to the two of you for a marriage filled with all the good things in life.

Dear Isabel!

It seems like just yesterday you were telling me about your engagement, and now you’re already married! I don't know George, but from your letters I understand that you both will be happy.

Congratulate George for me, I wish you all the best in your married life.

With tenderness,

Apologies:

Dear Leonard,

I must apologize for not writing sooner. I have been kept busy lately preparing for my exams. The last of my exams was successful yesterday, and now I am comparatively free again. I will try to keep in closer touch with my friends, and with you in particular.

Dear Leonard!

I apologize for not writing to you earlier. Lately I've been busy preparing for exams. Yesterday I successfully passed my last exam and am now relatively free. I will try to communicate more often with friends and with you, in particular.

Your Lana

Dear Frank,

My behavior at your house was deplorable. I can assure you that it will not happen again. I was wrong. I have no excuses.

I am very sorry.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Frank!

My behavior in your house was bad. I can assure you that this will not happen again. I was wrong. I have no excuses.

I beg your pardon.

Sincerely yours,

Requests:

Dear Henry

How are you these days? I haven"t heard from you for ages. I am writing to you because I really need your help. I am thinking of coming to Britain this summer to improve my English, and I would like to stay for about two months. Naturally I can "t afford a two months" holiday, and I am wondering if you know of any jobs I could apply for.

I am sorry to bother you with this. I have no idea where to make inquiries myself. It would be a great help if you could put me in touch with a firm or agency that I could write to.

Dear Henry!

How are you doing? Haven't heard from you for ages. I am writing to you because I really need your help.

I'm thinking about going to the UK this summer to improve my English and would like to live there for a couple of months. Naturally, I cannot afford a two-month vacation, and I am wondering if you have any place in mind where I could work.

Sorry to bother you, but I have absolutely no idea where to turn. It would help me a lot if you could put me in touch with a company or agency that I could write to.

Your friend

Condolences:

Dear Mr. Hailey,

We are deeply saddened by the news of your father's death. He was one of the best men, a fine citizen, a loyal friend, and a hearty companion. We all knew him well and loved him like a brother. Our family mourns with you.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Mr. Haley!

We are deeply saddened by the news of your father's death. He was a good man, an excellent citizen, a loyal friend and a sensitive comrade. We all knew him well and loved him like a brother. Our family mourns with you.

Sincerely yours,

John Lewis

Now you know how to write a personal letter in English for any occasion. Practice more and you will succeed!

Yours sincerely,

*From the manual by L.P. Stupina “Letters in English for all occasions”

write a letter to a friend in English with Russian translation 140 words

1. Dear Anton,

   I am writing to tell you about my next winter holiday.

   I wanted to spend it in the mountains. Skiing is very popular sport in my country. It is very interesting. Even our prime minister likes to ski and it is his hobby. I began to ski in my childhood with my father and sister. We very often have been in wood and spend our time there. I think the fresh air, clear nature and sport is very healthy to me. That's why my favorite hobby is skiing.

   The mountain-skiing base is located in Karpaty. It is near 200 kilometers from my city. This base is very popular and many people visit it every year. There are 4 skiing traces. Three of them are for the skiing and one for the snowboard. Also there is the elevator, cafe and the house, where you can take a rest. The trace is near 3 kilometers. The speed that you can develop there is very big. Then after this base I wanted to visit my grandfather that lives in another city. I miss about him.

   So that is my all holiday. Write me more often. Goog luck.

   Dear Anton,

   I am writing to you to tell you about my next winter holidays.

   I want to spend them in the mountains. Skiing is a very popular sport in my country. This is very interesting. Even our Prime Minister loves skiing - it's his hobby. I started skiing when I was little, with my dad and sister. We often go to the forest and spend our time there. I think that fresh air, clean nature and sports are very good for me. That's why my favorite hobby is skiing.

   The ski resort is located in the Carpathians. It's two hundred kilometers from my city. This base is very popular and many people visit it every year. There are 4 ski slopes there. Three of them are for skis, one is for snowboarding. There is also a ski lift, a cafe and a house where you can relax. The length of the route is approximately 3 kilometers. The speed you can achieve is very high. Then, after this base, I want to go to my grandfather, who lives in another city. I miss him.

   So that's it for my vacation. Write to me more often. Good luck.

   Devoted to you

2. I don't understand
3. WELL, WHAT'S UNCLEAR ABOUT HERE.
4. Dear Sasha,

   Thank you for your letter! Sorry for not written to you for so long but I was busy all this time.

   Well, I am very glad that you have passed all the exams! Congratulations! (I am very happy for you!) I guess, you should relax your body and mind after exams. And the best way to do it is to go for a walk!

   You know, my favorite sports are baseball and swimming, but your mum gave you a good piece of advice! Basketball is a good choice for you!

   As well, all teens in Russia prefer hockey and football. But everyone can choose something else

   Wow! Your brother has just come from Australia! That must be great! So, how was his trip? Was it successful? Did he enjoy the weather there?

   Sorry, I must finish now, because I have to revise for my tomorrow exam. Hope to hear from you soon.

   Translation of the letter into Russian:

   Dear Sasha,

   Thank you for your letter! Sorry I didn't write to you, but I was very busy.

   So, I'm very glad that you passed all the exams! Congratulations! (I'm very happy for you!). I think you should relax both your body and mind after your exams. The best way to do this is to go for a walk!

   You know my favorite sports are baseball and swimming, but your mom gave you good advice! Basketball is a good choice for you!

   Thus, all teenagers in Russia prefer hockey and football. But everyone can choose something of their own...

   Wow! Your brother just arrived from Australia! This must be cool! So how was his journey? What successes? Did he like the weather there?

   Sorry, I have to finish because I'm studying for an exam tomorrow. See you soon.

   Best wishes,

5. hi stupid