FORMAL LETTERS III. PRACTICE

✉️ Formal Letter Upgrade Activity (B2)

Read the letter and replace the bold numbered parts with more formal expressions. Then click the button after each paragraph to check the answers.

Dear Sir or Madam,

1. I’m writing to complain about my recent stay at your hotel from 10 to 12 March. 2. I had a lot of problems during my visit, and 3. I want to explain them in this letter.

Answers:

1. I am writing

2. I experienced several problems

3. I would like to outline them

First of all, 4. the room was very bad. It was noisy and not particularly clean. 5. I didn’t like the bathroom because the shower was broken. 6. And also, the air conditioning did not work properly, which made the room extremely uncomfortable.

Answers:

4. the room was unsatisfactory

5. I was dissatisfied with the bathroom facilities

6. In addition

7. The people at reception were rude and did not deal with the situation professionally. When I asked for assistance, 8. they told me to wait and did nothing. 9. This made me really angry, as I expected a much higher standard of customer service.

Answers:

7. The reception staff were unhelpful

8. they asked me to wait but took no action

9. This was extremely disappointing

10. I want some money back because the service I received was unacceptable. 11. Fix this problem soon and 12. send me an answer quickly. I believe this would be a fair way to resolve the matter.

Answers:

10. I would like to request a partial refund

11. I would appreciate it if you could resolve this matter promptly

12. I would appreciate a prompt response

13. Thanks for your help. 14. I’ll wait for your answer.

Answers:

13. Thank you for your attention to this matter

14. I look forward to your reply

Yours faithfully,
Maria López

FORMAL LETTERS II. UPGRADE YOUR LANGUAGE

⬆️ Upgrade Your English: Formal Phrases (B2)

Click the button to reveal the formal version.

❌ I want to know...

✅ I would like to know...

❌ I need more information.

✅ I require further information.

❌ Can you send me...?

✅ Could you please send me...?

❌ Tell me about...

✅ I would like to inquire about...

❌ I’m writing about...

✅ I am writing regarding...

❌ I think this is bad.

✅ I find this unsatisfactory.

❌ This is a big problem.

✅ This is a significant issue.

❌ Fix this.

✅ I would appreciate it if you could resolve this matter.

❌ Send it soon.

✅ I would appreciate a prompt response.

❌ I didn’t like it.

✅ I was not satisfied with it.

❌ The staff were rude.

✅ The staff were unhelpful.

❌ I’m not happy.

✅ I am dissatisfied.

❌ I want a refund.

✅ I would like to request a refund.

❌ Give me details.

✅ Could you please provide further details?

❌ Let me know.

✅ I would appreciate it if you could inform me.

❌ Thanks for your help.

✅ Thank you for your assistance.

❌ Sorry for the problem.

✅ I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

❌ I’ll wait for your answer.

✅ I look forward to your reply.

❌ Write back soon.

✅ I would be grateful if you could respond at your earliest convenience.

❌ I hope you answer me.

✅ I look forward to hearing from you.

FORMAL LETTER I. USE FORMAL LANGUAGE

✉️ Formal Letter Mistakes (B2 Practice)

Click the button to reveal a more formal option.

🟢 Greeting

❌ Hi Sir,

✅ Dear Sir or Madam,

❌ Hello Mr Brown,

✅ Dear Mr Brown,

❌ Hey,

✅ Dear Sir or Madam,

🟡 Opening Sentences

❌ I’m writing about your course.

✅ I am writing regarding your course.

❌ I want to ask about prices.

✅ I am writing to inquire about prices.

❌ I want to complain.

✅ I am writing to complain about...

❌ I’m writing because I have a problem.

✅ I am writing regarding a problem I encountered.

🟠 Body

❌ Your service was very bad.

✅ I was dissatisfied with the service provided.

❌ The room was dirty and I was very angry.

✅ The room was not clean, which was unacceptable.

❌ And also the staff were rude.

✅ In addition, the staff were unhelpful.

❌ Fix this problem quickly.

✅ I would appreciate it if you could resolve this issue promptly.

❌ Send me the details.

✅ Could you please send me further details?

❌ I need a refund now.

✅ I would like to request a refund.

❌ Tell me what happened.

✅ I would like to know what occurred.

🔵 Closing Sentences

❌ Answer me soon.

✅ I look forward to your reply.

❌ Write back quickly.

✅ I would appreciate a prompt response.

❌ Thanks for your help.

✅ Thank you for your assistance.

❌ Let me know soon.

✅ I would be grateful if you could respond at your earliest convenience.

🟣 Signing Off

❌ Bye,

✅ Yours faithfully,

❌ See you,

✅ Yours sincerely,

INFORMAL EMAIL

Write an informal email (120–150 words) to your friend Sarah telling her that another friend called Victor is moving to a new town. Suggest organising a farewell party, include some ideas, and ask for her opinion.

TERM 2. TOTAL GRAMMAR REVISION

Grammar Revision Quiz – 40 Questions

Type your answer (or A/B/C/D for multiple choice) and press "Check Answer" to see the correct answer immediately.

NARRATIVE TEXTS FOR EXPERTS

Narrative Text – Structure, Language & Practice

Introductions, developments, conclusions + translation practice with solutions

A. Use a good sentence to start

Elige una frase inicial potente para enganchar al lector.

• You won’t believe what happened to me on my way home yesterday.
• I still can’t forget what happened that cold winter morning.
• Everything changed the moment I opened that door.
• It all started on a day I thought would be completely normal.
• At first, I didn’t realise that this would be the most unforgettable day of my life.
• What began as an ordinary afternoon quickly turned into a real adventure.
• I never imagined that such a small decision would cause so many problems.
• Looking back now, I wish I had listened to my instincts that day.
• The strangest experience of my life happened when I least expected it.
• That was the day everything went wrong.

Tip: empieza con sorpresa, emoción o misterio.

B. Introduction (Beginning / Orientation)

Function: Introduces the characters, place, and time.

Example 1

WHEN Last Friday afternoon, WHO Tom WHAT was finishing his homework WHERE in the school library.
DETAILS Most of the students had already gone home, and the building was unusually quiet.
NARRATIVE INCIDENT As he packed his bag, he heard a strange noise coming from the corridor.

Example 2

One cold evening in December, I was walking home from school through the empty streets of my town. The sun had already set, and the streetlights flickered above me. I felt nervous because I had heard strange noises in that area before.

Example 3

On a rainy Monday morning in September, Sofia arrived early at her new school. The hallways were empty and silent, and she felt nervous as she looked for her classroom. It was her first day, and she didn’t know any of the other students yet. Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from a classroom.

Introducción = tiempo + lugar + personajes + situación inicial.

C. Development (Middle / Events)

Function: Describes the main events and problems.

Example 1

Tom froze and listened carefully. The noise came again, louder this time, like footsteps moving slowly toward the library door. His heart started beating faster, and he wondered if someone else was still in the building. He stood up quietly and walked toward the door to look outside. Suddenly, the noise stopped, and the corridor became completely silent. Tom hesitated, unsure if he should open the door or stay where he was.

Example 2

As I continued walking, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but the sound grew louder and closer. I turned around quickly, but no one was there. My hands began to shake, and I walked faster, trying to reach my house as soon as possible. Then, I heard a low whisper coming from the dark corner of the street, and I stopped, too afraid to move.

Example 3

Sofia stopped walking and looked toward the classroom door. The noise came again, like something falling on the floor. She felt scared but also curious, so she slowly walked closer. Her heart was beating fast as she reached the door and gently pushed it open. Inside, the lights were off, and she couldn’t see anyone clearly. Suddenly, a chair moved in the corner of the room, and Sofia gasped, not knowing who—or what—was there.

Desarrollo = tensión + problema + acciones + suspense.

D. Conclusion (Ending / Resolution)

Function: Explains how the story finishes.

Example 1

Taking a deep breath, Tom slowly opened the library door and looked into the corridor. To his surprise, he saw the school janitor picking up a box of books from the floor. The janitor smiled and explained that he had accidentally dropped them. Tom laughed in relief, realizing there was nothing to be afraid of. He left the library feeling calmer and a little embarrassed by his imagination.

Example 2

Summoning my courage, I slowly turned toward the dark corner and stepped closer. Suddenly, a small cat ran out from behind a trash bin and crossed the street. I sighed with relief and laughed at myself for being so frightened. I realized that the strange noises had not been dangerous after all. Feeling calmer and safer, I continued walking home, leaving my fear behind me.

Example 3

Sofia stood frozen for a moment until the classroom lights suddenly turned on. A girl stepped forward and smiled warmly at her. She explained that she had come early to prepare some materials for class. Sofia felt relieved and smiled back, happy to meet someone friendly on her first day. At that moment, she knew that her new school might not be so scary after all.

Conclusión = solución + emoción final + aprendizaje.

VERB TENSES USED IN NARRATIVE TEXTS

Past Simple: Used for completed actions.
• I walked to the park. / • She opened the door.

Past Continuous: Used for actions in progress in the past.
• I was walking in the street.

Past Perfect:
• I had phoned the emergency services. / • They had already found the dog.

Combination:
• I was walking in the park when I saw a dog.
• When I arrived home, I noticed someone had already been there.

USEFUL CONNECTORS

Time connectors:
• First • Then • After that • Suddenly • Finally

Sequence connectors:
• When • While • Before • After

GOOD MORE ADVANCED LANGUAGE YOU CAN USE

a) Modal perfect verbs:
I was very worried because I might have lost my phone in the park.

b) Third conditionals:
If I had seen the warning sign, I would not have entered the abandoned house.
If we had brought a map, we would not have got lost in the forest.

c) -ING and -ED clauses:
Feeling scared, I stopped moving.
Shocked by the noise, she ran away.
Realising the danger, we left immediately.

FINAL EXERCISE: Translate into English

Traduce las 12 frases al inglés. Pulsa el botón para ver la solución.

Introduction (Beginning / Orientation)

1. Una mañana fría de invierno, Marcos llegó temprano a la escuela.

One cold winter morning, Marcos arrived early at school.

2. El sábado por la tarde, Ana estaba sola en casa con su perro.

On Saturday afternoon, Ana was alone at home with her dog.

3. Hace muchos años, una niña vivía en un pequeño pueblo cerca del bosque.

Many years ago, a girl lived in a small village near the forest.

4. El lunes por la mañana, los estudiantes entraron al aula muy nerviosos.

On Monday morning, the students entered the classroom very nervous.

Development (Middle / Events)

5. De repente, escuchó un ruido extraño detrás de la puerta.

Suddenly, he/she heard a strange noise behind the door.

6. Empezó a caminar más rápido porque tenía miedo.

He/She started walking faster because he/she was afraid.

7. Abrió la ventana lentamente y miró hacia afuera.

He/She opened the window slowly and looked outside.

8. En ese momento, las luces se apagaron y todo quedó en silencio.

At that moment, the lights went out and everything went silent.

Conclusion (Ending / Resolution)

9. Al final, descubrió que no había nada peligroso.

In the end, he/she discovered there was nothing dangerous.

10. Se sintió aliviado y empezó a reír.

He/She felt relieved and started to laugh.

11. Desde ese día, nunca volvió a tener miedo.

From that day on, he/she was never afraid again.

12. Finalmente, todo terminó bien y regresó a casa tranquilo.

Finally, everything ended well and he/she returned home calm.

Puedes usar esta sección como actividad en clase o como tarea.

4. FORMAL AND INFORMAL STRUCTURES WITH RELATIVE SENTENCES

Relative Clauses with Prepositions

Formal and informal structures practice

EXAMPLES

Formal: Mr Brown is the teacher for whom we prepared the presentation.

Informal: Mr Brown is the teacher we prepared the presentation for.

Formal: Cáceres is the town in which I spent my childhood.

Informal: Cáceres is the town I spent my childhood in.

Alternative: Cáceres is the town where I spent my childhood.

Exercise 1: Change formal → informal

1. The committee to which the proposal was submitted will announce its decision tomorrow.

The committee the proposal was submitted to will announce its decision tomorrow.

2. She is the candidate for whom the position was specifically created.

She is the candidate the position was specifically created for.

3. This is the university at which he completed his doctoral research.

This is the university he completed his doctoral research at.

4. The policy under which the company operates was revised last year.

The policy the company operates under was revised last year.

5. The colleague with whom I collaborated on the project has recently been promoted.

The colleague I collaborated with on the project has recently been promoted.

Exercise 2: Change informal → formal

1. That’s the movie I told you about.

That’s the movie about which I told you.

2. She’s the person I was talking to.

She’s the person to whom I was talking.

3. This is the café we usually meet at.

This is the café at which we usually meet.

4. That’s the problem I’m worried about.

That’s the problem about which I’m worried.

5. He’s the friend I grew up with.

He’s the friend with whom I grew up.

Exercise 3: Rewrite in formal and informal

1. This is the doctor. I told you about him.

Formal: This is the doctor about whom I told you.
Informal: This is the doctor I told you about.

2. That is the diet. She is interested in it.

Formal: That is the diet in which she is interested.
Informal: That is the diet she is interested in.

3. This is the hospital. He works at it.

Formal: This is the hospital at which he works.
Informal: This is the hospital he works at.

4. That is the exercise. They talked about it yesterday.

Formal: That is the exercise about which they talked yesterday.
Informal: That is the exercise they talked about yesterday.

5. She is the nurse. I spoke to her this morning.

Formal: She is the nurse to whom I spoke this morning.
Informal: She is the nurse I spoke to this morning.