研究生英语教材Socialletter.ppt

Social letterTwo kinds of lettersSocial letter (personal letter)Business letterCommunication purposes of social lettersSocial letters are letters you write to your friends, relatives or family members to express your feelings and thoughts, convey information and maintain relationship.Language of Social LettersSocial letter should be written in the conversational tone with natural, spontaneous sincerity:Write with clarityKeep your language simpleMake your letter sound conversationalWrite with ClarityTwo ways to achieve clarity:Try to avoid long involved paragraphsUse concrete and specific wordsWrite with ClarityTry to avoid long involved paragraphsA letter composed of short sentences and short paragraphs is not only more inviting to the eye, but also reads more easily and conveys your idea with greater speed.Two or three sentences are always better than one long sentence. e.g. Married to a former war correspondent who is now writing fiction, she is living with him and his family in New York and studying voice and dancing prior to going to Hollywood in the Spring for screen test. She is married to a former war correspondent who is now writing fiction. They are now living with his family in New York. She is studying voice and dancing, and will go to Hollywood in the Spring for a screen test.Keep Your Language SimpleOne of the most important factors in producing interesting letters with a pleasant, conversational tone to them is the use of simple, understandable language.Short words of everyday speech are usually more vivid and expressive than the bookish words.do is better than accomplishwrite is better than correspondoften is better than frequentlyfind is better than locateplease is better than will you be good enough tonow is better than at the present timeMake Your Letter Sound ConversationalUse contractionsPut occasional asides in your letter e.g. I went to see Marys new house yesterday. (remind she told us about it last Christmas?) Its a beauty! Its exactly the kind of house Bill and I would like to have some day.(if we ever have a house of our own)Several Types of Social LetterLetters of invitations and repliesLetters of request and repliesLetters of thanksLetters of congratulationsLetters of apologies and explanationsLetters of condolence and sympathyLetters of Invitations and RepliesUseful expressions: How about coming We think itd be a good idea Is there any chance of you We wondered if youd like to come Id be very pleased/delighted/very happy to come to/to accept your invitation to Your invitation to is very welcome Im very sorry but I have to refuse Im terribly sorry but I simply cant make it Thank you for your but unfortunately Thank you for your but its impossible for me toSample-invitation 250 Park Avenue New York April 5, 2002Dear Ann, As you may have already heard, Jim and I are going to be married at home on Sunday, April the sixteenth, at eleven in the morning. We hope you and your husband will be able to join us and to stay for the small reception afterward. We are asking only a few of our best friends. Jim wants me to say hes anxious to have you come as I am. So well see you, wont we? Ann-Sunday at eleven at Jims home! Affectionately yours, BettySample-acceptance 467 Hope Road New York April 6, 2002Dear Betty, Dick and I are delighted with your kind invitation to your weddingand the reception. We wouldnt miss it for anything in the world, and shall be at Jims on Sunday, April the sixteenth, at eleven for sure. Thank you so much for including us among the few you want to have with you at this important event. Affectionately yours, AnnLetters of Requests & RepliesThe request letter, whether for information or for help, is one type of letter that stands a very good chance of not being welcome. The approach will depend on how great the favor is and the person from whom it is asked.Letters of Requests & RepliesUseful expressions: Can I/Could I Id be most/very grateful if youd/I could Id like to know if Would it be possible (for you) to Could I (possibly) Is there any chance of me I wonder if you could Do you happen to know ifSample-request 136 Hill Street Kent CT6 2BX Tuesday, 29th August, 2002Dear Ann, I greatly regret having to write this letter. During the past few months I have had a very bad luck. The result is the debts have mounted up, and nowtotal 10,000 pounds. The position is only temporary. At the end of the year an endowment matures, and I shall be in funds again. I wonder if you could possibly lend methe 10,000 pounds. Shall you agree, I promise I shall repay it the moment Ireceive my endowment. Yours sincerely, Tom Sample-reply 57 Pentewen Road Downpatrick North Ireland 1st Sept., 2002Dear Tom, I was extremely sorry to hear of your bad luck and the financial mess in which it has left you. Remembering all your kindness in the past, I should have been only too pleased to give you any help I could. Unfortunately there is one serious drawback. I too have a series of expenses, and I jus