In this lesson I will teach you how to write a letter. If you are going to write a letter you need to figure out the following: Are you writing formally or informally? Who is the letter intended for? If you know that person well and you call each other “you” in everyday life, then of course that is also allowed in the letter. If you do not know each other, then choose “you”. Determine the purpose of your letter. Invite someone? Ask for information? Give information? Try to convince someone of something? Keep the purpose clearly in mind while writing. What information must absolutely be included in the letter? Look that up in the exam assignment and use that information when creating your own sentences. My advice when writing a letter for a writing exam: Do not make sentences that are too complicated. Use words that you know. Check carefully whether everything from the assignment is actually in your writing product. (Use the same words/sentences, then you will not make any mistakes). Do not think endlessly, just start writing and only critically check when you are finished. You do critical checking as follows: Is the purpose clear and is nothing missing in terms of content? Did you put the commas in the right place? Does every sentence start with a capital letter? Is the verb spelling correct? Did you write words separately that should actually be written together? I'm now going to show you what a letter should look like. K. van Oudheusden Kinkerstraat 5 1023 PM Amsterdam Amsterdam, May 14, 2020 Mark de Boer Overtoom 8 1234 NM Amsterdam Subject: the writing exam Dear Mark, (or Dear Mr. De Boer, if you don't know someone,) Introduction: I am writing this letter to give you (you) more information about the writing exam. Middle section:.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Closing sentence: I hope I have provided you (you) with sufficient information. Kind regards, K. van Oudheusden Imagine that you have to write a letter to your neighbors to invite them to an information evening about the construction of a playground. The situation is as follows: you have been annoyed green and yellow by the screaming of small children your entire life. Now you have heard that the municipality wants to turn the quiet neighborhood square (near the Ten Katemarkt) into a children's playground. They want to install climbing frames and a swing. There will also be a large sandbox. You can already picture it. Screaming children every day, parents who shout and scream for hours, and in the evening dirty dogs that poop in that sandbox. You decide to write a letter to your neighbors to invite them to an information evening. During this evening you will discuss the municipality's plans. You hope to be able to gather enough arguments that evening to convince the municipality that it is a bad idea and that the neighborhood is against it. In the letter to your neighbors you already mention three arguments why you do not think it is a good idea. You also mention the date, time and location where everything will take place. You express the hope that many people will be present. You could work this out as follows: K. van Oudheusden Kinkerstraat 5 1023 PM Amsterdam Amsterdam, October 14, 2020 To: all residents of the Kinkerbuurt Subject: information evening Dear Madam, Sir, I am writing this letter because I would like to invite you to an information evening. The municipality is planning to turn the quiet neighborhood square (near the Ten Katemarkt) into a children's playground. They want to install climbing frames, a swing and a sandbox. Can you imagine it? Screaming children all day long, parents who shout and scream for hours, and dirty dogs pooping in the sandbox in the evening. We don't want that, do we? That is why I am calling on you to come to the information evening, so that together we can gather enough arguments to convince the municipality that it is a bad idea. I personally think that the playground will cause noise pollution, mess and perhaps also loitering youths. I hope we can make it clear to the municipality that the neighborhood is not waiting for this. Information evening details: Where: in community center Het Trefpunt When: October 20 Time: from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM I sincerely hope you will all be there! Coffee and snacks will be provided. Kind regards, Signature K. van Oudheusden Have you noticed that I simply use the same sentences in my letter as those in the assignment? That is easy, because then you do not have to think so long about the wording.