Useful Phrases for Informal Letters

On this page we will look at some useful phrases for informal letters (PET Writing Part 3).

Phrases
The words and expressions below are often used by native speakers when writing to friends and
relatives. Using them will help you write in an informal style and will also help you organise your
letter into clear paragraphs.
Starting your letter (Paragraph 1)

Thanks for your letter.

Lovely to hear from you.
How are you?
How are things?
Hope you're well.

Commenting on something (Paragraph 1)

I'm sorry to hear/learn ...

I'm so pleased to hear ...
It's great to hear ...
What wonderful news about ...

Moving the topic on (Paragraph 2)

Anyway, the reason I'm writing ...

I thought I'd write to tell/ask you
Anyway, I was wondering ...

Ending your letter (Paragraph 3)

Well, that's all for now

Write back soon
Looking forward to hearing from you again
All the best
Best wishes

See you soon

Take care
Yours
Love
Lots of love

Contractions in Informal Letters for the Preliminary

English Test
On this page we will look at using contractions in your informal letter (PET Writing Part 3).

Contractions
In the Part 3 Writing task you have the choice of writing an informal letter. Using contractions
like 'I'm' instead of 'I am' or 'she's' instead of 'she is' will help create an informal style.

Contract the words in brackets in the following letter:

Dear Claire
(It is)

great to hear from you. (I am)

(You are)

a very clever student!

Anyway, (I have)
(you would)

so pleased that you passed your exam.

got my summer holiday coming soon and I was wondering if

like to come and stay with me for a week. (We will)

be able to

do some travelling and hopefully enjoy some lovely weather. And as (we are)
planning to take FCE next year we can practise our English!
Write back soon and tell me what you think. My parents send their love and say
(they would)
love to meet you.

Best wishes
Karen

You got 0 right out of 8.

The correct answers are: It's great ..., I'm so pleased ..., You're a very
clever ..., I've got my summer ..., you'd like to come ...., We'll be able
to ..., we're planning ..., they'd love to meet you!

Paragraphs in Informal Letters

On this page we will look at using contractions and paragraphs in your informal letter (PET
Writing Part 3).

Paragraphs
In Part 3 of the Writing Paper you have the choice of writing an informal letter of around 100
words. Informal letters need to be well organised and one way to show your organisation is
through the use of paragraphs.
A letter of of 100 words can easily be organised around 3 paragraphs.
Paragraph 1 - the introduction. When we are replying to a letter we usually say something
about what was in the original letter.
Paragraph 2 - the main content.
Paragraph 3 - the conclusion which usually ends with something like 'Write back soon'.

Practise Using Paragraphs

The letter below has been written without the use of paragraphs. How would you organise the
sentences into paragraphs?

Dear Mikel
It was nice to hear from you.
Of course I will help you with your school
project!
You wanted to know about a typical
morning.
Well, on days when I go to college I
usually get up about 7.00 o'clock.
My mum always asks me to sit down and
have breakfast before I leave.
Unfortunately, I don't have much time and
I eat breakfast at college.
I go to college by bus.
It takes about 30 minutes but sometimes
it's longer if there's a lot of traffic.
As soon as I arrive I meet my friends and

get the latest news.

Anyway, give my love to your family.
Write back soon.
Best wishes
Steve

Here's the letter written with paragraphs.

Dear Mikel
It was nice to hear from you. Of course I
will help you with your school project!
You wanted to know about a typical
morning. Well, on days when I go to
college I usually get up about 7.00 o'clock.
My mum always asks me to sit down and
have breakfast before I leave.
Unfortunately, I don't have much time and
I eat breakfast at college. I go to college
by bus. It takes about 30 minutes but
sometimes it's longer if there's a lot of
traffic. As soon as I arrive I meet my
friends and get the latest news.
Anyway, give my love to your family. Write
back soon.
Best wishes
Steve

PET Writing Part 2

Writing Part 2 is worth 5% of your total PET mark

You have around 10 minutes to complete Part 2.

You have to write a VERY short note, only 35 - 45 w

for writing more.

You DON'T lose marks for small spelling and gramm

You MUST include ALL three points in the question

Use the question as your PLAN. Write 10 words for

Check out the model answer below. "Guess what?"

start because notes are normally written in an infor

Practise answering these questions.

1. You recently did a homework project about 2. You have jus

life in France and your French friend Pierre
helped you by sending you some
Write an email t
information.
email, you shou
Write an email to Pierre. In you email, you
should
thank him for his help
explain which information was most useful to
you
say what your teacher thought about your
project.
Write 35 - 45 words on your answer sheet.

3. You are going to be absent from your next

maths class.
Write a note to your maths teacher. In your
note, you should

tell Jane wha

say where yo
explain why

Write 35 - 45 w

 explain why you are going to be absent

apologise to your teacher
ask your teacher for information about next
week's class.
Write 35 - 45 words on your answer sheet.

Introduction to PET Reading Part 5

PET Reading Part 5 is NOT a

vocabulary and grammar.
There is a text with gaps. Yo
with option A, B, C or D.

There are 10 gaps to fill. In t

worth 7% of your final PET m
You have 10 - 15 minutes to
5.

Top ics an d Gap Exercises

The list is in order of the most f

Introduction to PET Writing Part 1

PET Writing Part 1 is NOT about

GRAMMAR.
The questions are TRANSFORM
changing a sentence from passi
ONE, TWO, or THREE words ON
1

Their father was given his first pony b

Their father's
grandmother ...................................
pony.

There are five transformation qu

question is worth 1% of the total
A spelling mistake in an answer
question. :(
You only have 5 - 10 minutes to

have to be quick.

Grammar topics yo
study

The list is in order of the most fr

grammar.

#1 Comparatives, as... as, the same as & t

of these in nearly every exam!)

#2 Past simple, present perfect, never and

constitute around 12% of questions.)

#3 Passive to active and occasionally acti

(These constitute around 10% of transf

#4 Antonyms [opposites] and Synonyms

of Part 1 questions).

#5 Quantifiers: a few, not many, most, all e

8% of Part 1 questions).

#6 Have/has => there is/are (These constit

questions).

#7 So do I/So does she (These constitute

questions).

#8 Close to/far from/near (These constitut

questions).

#9 Reported speech to direct speech (The

Part 1 questions).

#1 Infinitive of purpose eg I went to the sh

0 (These constitute around 4% of Part 1

#11 Indefinite pronouns [nothing, anyone e

4% of Part 1 questions).

#1 Unless/as long as, providing (These co

2 questions).

#1 Second conditional (These constitute a

3 questions).

#1 What about + -ING =>Shall we... (These

4 1 questions).

#1
Other types of transformation occasion
5

Have versus have got

During and While
Negative infinitives eg I decided not to
One of my friends => a friend of mine
To be keen on + Verb+ING
She goes there in 10 minutes => It TAK
there.