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LETTERS OF APOLOGY

Read John's letter and answer the following questions.

1. What kind of letter is it?

2. Is it formal or informal?

3. What is the reason for writing the letter?

4. How does it begin and end?

5. How does the writer offer to make up for the mistake?

Dear Irina,

I am writing in response to your letter of 15 September regarding your copy of conference materials. Sorry for any inconvenience caused but we did send you a first copy by recorded delivery, in May.

I received your earlier letter saying the CD had still not arrived and passed it on to our secretary. She confirms that we sent a second copy, again recorded delivery, a week ago.

I am afraid there really isn't much more we can do, unless you have a friend visiting Budapest who could collect it here in the office.

Sorry not to be more help.

Best,

John

Compare the letter above with the one below and fill in the table.

15, Silverwater Rd

Silverwater NSW 1234

Australia

29th February, 2001

Dear Albert,

I'm writing to apologise for the quarrel we had last week. I've been thinking about it and I was to blame - I think we did agree to meet at the cinema, not the cafe.

Anyway, I would like to see you again next week. Why don't we meet on Friday at 6.00 p. m. in the King's Head and then perhaps go somewhere? If this is no good for you, could you ring me and we'll arrange something else? My new phone number is 52002.

I do hope you'll forgive me. As I said, I admit it was my fault. I didn't feel well, had had a really crazy day at work and when we met I was in a bad mood. That's why I said all those horrible things to you.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing you next week.

Love,

Alice

Rewrite the words in the bold from the letter into your notebook, then close the text and try to reproduce the letter. You could provide your own reasons, details of arrangement, etc. but the purpose of writing should be the same.

Read the letters below and decide which is formal and which is informal, ignore the gaps for a while. Prove your opinion by the examples from the table concerning salutations and closing remarks, structure of the body of the letter, the style of language (vocabulary, grammar).

A.

Dear Mr. Taylor,

I would like to 1)….. for not having answered your letter

sooner.

2)……… my tight schedule, it was impossible for me to

3)……... the conference and arrange the meeting with Mrs. Parker

for you. 4)…… to apologize since then, but my workload at the

university has recently been very heavy and I did not have the

opportunity to 5)….. you. It was not my intention to be absent from

the conference but I have been under great pressure at the university

lately.

6)……… we can reschedule the meeting with Mrs. Parker

7)……… and you will have a 8)…... with her about your

partnership. 9)…… to seeing you.

Yours sincerely,

Alfred Smith

B.

Dear George,

I'm writing because I want to 1) ___that I couldn't meet you at

the airport last Monday.

2)…….. an accident I had that day, I couldn't 3)……... to the

airport. 4)…… to tell you about it before Monday morning, but

I didn't get a chance to 5)…….. you. Of course, I didn't mean to let

you down.

6)…….. we can get together 7)….. and have a 8)……. . .

9)…….. to it. And sorry again.

Regards,

Mark

(Key: A formal; B informal)

In each pair of phrases below one is formal and one is informal. Study them and place in the correct column in the following table.Formal

Informal

be in attendance/make it

because of/due to

discussion/chat

get in touch with/contact

hope/I hope

I have been intending/I've been meaning

I look forward/I am looking forward

real soon/in the near future

say how sorry I am/ apologise

(Key: Formal - apologize; due to; be in attendance; I have been intending; contact ; I hope; in the near future; discussion; I am looking forward. Informal - say how sorry I am; because of; make it; I've been meaning; get in touch with; hope; real soon; chat; I look forward.)

Use the phrases above to fill in the gaps in the letters of apology (Letters A and B ).

Make a plan for each letter. Underline the key words that can be used for writing any letter of apology.

Rewrite both letters. Give your own reasons for not meeting your friend at the airport and not arranging the meeting. Use all the key words you underlined before; follow the style of the letter.

Write a letter of apology which would contain the following phrases:

I'm sorry about missing Monday's meeting.

How about rescheduling the meeting for Friday at 11.00?

Let me say again how sorry I am.

Write a letter of apology to a friend who lent you some money. Apologise for not returning it on time.