ADVANCED WRITINGMark DaviesEmail: mark@davies.hr

Technical information:90 points total:Tests 30 (2 or 4 short tests)Assignments 25Attendance 15 (each time one point)Portfolio 20 (must look as if it was used for studying)

Every week a written assignment Books: Successful Writing at Proficiency Level

Advanced Writing (the book we used in miss Cergol’s class)In February a Comprehension exam

9th October 2008

1st Seminar

HandoutText: Au Bon Coin

Poverty Sadness Emptiness/loneliness

France: Paved street Morning mist (difference between mist and fog is that mist usually appears in the morning)Beginning of the 20th centuryAerials – antennas (British – American)

Homework: writing assignment – to write about myself based upon a picture (pay attention to construction and paragraphing)

Working on the text Au Bon Coin:Vocabulary:

BLEAK, adj.English translation: 1. unwelcoming: providing little comfort or shelter a cabin on a bleak hilltop 2. discouraging: without hope or expectation of success or improvement The

company's future looks bleak. 3. cold and cloudy: unpleasantly cold, dull, and windy bleak winter days

Croatian translation: isprazno, blijedo, hladno, beznađe

GRIMY, adj.English translation: covered with grime: heavily ingrained with accumulated dirt or soot grime, noun: accumulated dirt: dirt or soot, usually accumulated in a black layer or

ingrained into a surface Croatian translation: prljav

PUNGENT, adj.English translation: 1. strong smelling or strong tasting: having a strong smell or a powerfully sharp or

bitter taste 2. caustic: expressed in or showing a witty and biting manner pungent observations

about mass culture

3. biology sharp and pointed: describes a plant or animal part that ends in a sharp point a plant with elongated pungent leaves Croatian translation: ljut, zajedljiv, jedak

GLEAMING, adj.English translation.bright and clean-looking: shining, especially with health, cleanliness, or newness

gleaming black hair Croatian translation: sjaj, slaba svjetlost

RICKETY, adj.English translation:1. unstable: in bad condition, unstable, and likely to collapse a rickety chair 2. infirm: weakened by the aging process or illness 3. medicine with rickets: affected by rickets 4. medicine relating to rickets: relating to or resembling rickets Croatian translation: oronula

ASSAILED, verbEnglish translation:1. attack somebody: to attack somebody vigorously with words or actions

assailed by furious criticism 2. trouble or beset somebody: to overwhelm the mind or senses of somebody Croatian translation: napadnuti

N.B. In the 30’es the pubs in Britain opened at 11 o’clock(prohibition).

Working on the text Skegness Donkey Ride: Fill the gaps with the appropriate words:

1. And she has never lost that ___ gap-toothed grin.childish, wicked, impish, mischievous, malicious

2. In the photo, she’s wearing a _____ woollen coat…..

stylish, warm, new, comfortable3. I remember how proud she was of it, with its ____ collar and cuffs.

fur, soft, big, elegant

4. She was very fond of that hat, too, a dark____ red with a broad satin ribbon.PLUM, cherry, wine, bloody, apple, dark,

N.B. For the British the term ‘plum red’ describes the colour that Croatians see as bloody red.

5. Aunty Jessie seems to be pulling at a donkey’s ears, in the same __ way she would be..annoying, irritating, frustrating

6. I think the picture sums up what a___, adventurous and__ summer I had that year.a. carefree, exciting, wonderfulb. eventful, happy, peaceful,

7. I was never ____, and never homesick.nagging, bored, sad,

Vocabulary:

IMPISH, adj.English translation:mischievous: wicked in a playful way, without causing serious harm Croatian translation: nestašan, vragoljast

Working on the text Sao Paolo, 1960Fill the gaps with the appropriate words:

1. But ___ figures can be discerned in the street below.shady, blurred, bleak, distant, tiny, miniscule, minute,

2. .. behind every window in those ___ buildings someone is sitting.grey (gray),

3.The contrast between the ____ sunshine and the surrounding greyness makes the..blinding, strong, bright

3. .., and we ourselves are led into the ___ distance along a line of dazzling light.unknown, vast, mysterious, uncertain,

Vocabulary:

OPPRESSION, nounEnglish translation:1. dominate harshly: to subject a person or a people to a harsh or cruel form of

domination 2. inflict stress on: to be a source of worry, stress, or trouble to somebody Croatian translation: ugnjetavanje, pritisak, potlačenost

GLIMPSE, nounEnglish translation: 1. brief look: a quick or incomplete look or sighting of somebody or something

I just caught a glimpse of her face in the crowd. 2. small indication: a small, brief, or indistinct indication or appearance of something Croatian translation: tračak

DISCERNED, verbEnglish translation:1. see or notice something unclear: to see or notice something that is not very clear or

obvious 2. understand something: to understand something that is not immediately obvious 3. distinguish: to be able to tell the difference between two or more things Croatian translation: raspoznati, razabrati, razaznati, razlikovati

16th October 20082nd Seminar

Lecture on descriptive writing

Description contains 4 sections – paragraphs. It is important to understand the distinction between a Croatian writer and an English writer in their approach to the reader. A Croatian writer writes and if a reader does not understand what is written, it is the readers fault. The reader is not competent enough to follow the logic of the written text and the only one to blame is himself. On the other hand, if an English reader does not understand what is written, it is the writer’s fault.

How to write a descriptive text1. Organisation

Big picture(introduction) – what is it/where Primary details - people Secondary detail – people Impression

2. Range and choice of vocabulary (telling and evocative descriptions) Focus on detail and appropriate vocabulary to convey the

precise detail3. Range of tenses + Structures4. Coherence and Cohesion

HandoutWorking on the text: The 1st chapter from the book Catcher in the Rye

Who? Narrator – a male teenager HC, DB(Dear Brother), parents who are sensitiveWhere?California, institution not far from HollywoodWhen?20th centuryWhy?Wants to be a writer, makes sense of his situationTheme?Teenager + relationshipsImpression Conveyed – yes

21st October 20083rd Seminar

Lecture on descriptive & narrative writingThe features:

Evocative description Precise detail Coherence Cohesion Grammatical range Grammatical accuracy

HW – description of a familiar interior and from that build a story that is simple and straightforward

HandoutTelling a storyWorking on the text: Telling a storyAnswering questions:

1. Would it have been better to give the cafe a name? Give a reason for your answer- I would not give the cafe a name. It is better to keep it anonymous. But if I had to

give it a name it would probably be ‘On the road’2. What would be your suggestion for a name?

- I would name it ‘On the road’ or ‘By the road’3. Would there be any advantages in giving the lady in the cafe a name? What name

would you suggest?4. Although the lady’s name is not relevant and will probably be forgotten, I would name

her nevertheless. I believe she is the owner of the cafe. The name I would give is Edna.

5. From top to toe – Do you think this phrase might have been better omitted? Give reasons for your answer- I think that the phrase could be omitted because it could cause over exaggeration.

6. I think that Sandra’s description of the cafe is good. Can you list five things mentioned by Sandra that seem authentic to you?- She didn’t quite succeed in keeping the cafe clean. - All of the crockery was off-white stained yellow by vinegar, - The cutlery was just white plastic which bent when you put in a hot cup of tee or

coffee.7. Look at the sentence denim jeans...sneakers. Is it a sentence? Give a reason.

- It is not a sentence it is listing. It describes the details of a person who sticks out from the crowd.

8. If you think it is not a sentence, would you accept it nevertheless? Give reasons why?- I would accept this sentence because it fits in the story.

9. Look at so’s. What does it stand for?- It stands for so as. She has got the completely wrong word here. It should be so

THAT everyone..

28th October 20084th Seminar

Lecture on Feature writing( copy/paste from: www.snn-rdr.ca/snn/nr_reporterstoolbox/featurewriting.html )Feature Writing with Beth Ryan, Freelance Writer

If you ask the question "how and why" things happen, then you probably like reading feature stories in newspapers and magazines.

What is a feature story?

A feature takes an in-depth look at what’s going on behind the news.It gets into the lives of people. It tries to explain why and how a trend developed. Unlike news, a feature does not have to be tied to a current event or a breaking story. But it can grow out of something that’s reported in the news.

It may be a profile of a person or a group -- an athlete, a performer, a politician, or a community worker or a team, a choir or a political organization. Or perhaps it’s an in-depth look at a social issue -- like violence in Canadian schools or eating disorders among young women. It could also be a story that gives the reader background on a topic that’s in the news -- like a story that explains how land mines work and the history of their use in war.

A feature story is usually longer than a news story -- but length is not a requirement! What’s more important is the form the story takes.

Think of the feature as the journalistic equivalent of an essay. Follow these guidelines:start with a premise or theme present information and opinions that back you point, bring the reader to a conclusion.

The feature often explores several different points of views, even when the story is about one particular person.

The story behind the newsHere’s an example of how a feature can explain and explore a story that makes news:

Your local newspaper reports on the front page that school enrollments are dropping in your small community. The reason? Many people are being forced to leave the town to look for jobs in bigger cities and obviously, their children go with them. As a reporter you can go beyond the facts and figures in the news story by talking to one of the families who are leaving. How do they feel? What made them decide to go? What will they miss about home? What are they expecting in their new community? How do the children feel about leaving their school and their friends? Or you can look at the story from the point of view of the people who remain in the town. What’s it like to lose friends and family to far-away cities? How does it affect the school? What about the local economy?

The news story tells the audience what happened. The feature will tell them why and how it happened, how the people involved are reacting, and what impact the decision is having on other people.

Personality in profileIndulge your curiosity -- and that of your readers -- with a profile of an interesting person.

You can look at someone who’s making news in your community, province or country. Or it could be someone who's relatively unknown to the public but who has done something unusual or remarkable.

Here’s one example:

Your town elects a full slate of councillors to represent and serve the community. One is a 19-year-old student who was active in youth parliament and student politics. That makes him the youngest elected official in your province. But that’s not the whole story! He gets the most votes of any of the councillors, and according to the election rules, that makes him deputy mayor. What’s it like to be a politician when you’re still in your teens? What does your life experience add to the council? Are you seen as a spokesman for your generation -- but not the community as a whole? What do the other councillors think of their young colleague? Do people take you seriously?

That young politician may not be famous. But he’s certainly done something new. And his experiences will be something that others will want to learn more about.

Take a look at people from the world of sports, entertainment, politics, science, technology, business, health, international development, community activism, education, the military, the fine arts or any other field that interests you.

You can choose a subject and find out the basic facts of the person’s life and work. What have they learned so far? Are there any surprises? Is there an area of this person's life or work that the student would now like to focus on?Write your profile by telling your readers the facts of this person's life — while adding the colour and details that make them unique. Talk to the person themselves whenever possible and use their own words to help tell their story.

Tracking a trendMany of the best stories come from reporters’ observations of the world around them. Here’s just one example of how you can come across a great feature story in your daily life:

YOU are hanging around with friends at lunch time and talking about plans for the weekend. Someone says they’ve heard that the town council is considering a curfew for teens. Everyone under 16 has to be off the streets by 11pm on weekends. You have your own curfew - set by your parents - but you are surprised to learn that the mayor wants to put one in place for everyone.

You talk to some of your friends to find out what they think. You and other concerned teens go over to the town hall and ask the mayor or one of the councillors why they see the need for a curfew. You surf the Net and find out what other towns and cities have been doing.

You find that this is a bit of trend in North America.

What you now have is the basis for a really interesting feature. You have taken a little piece of information and investigated further to find out what’s going on. The story will focus on the issue and the thoughts and feeling of the people involved — namely local teenagers and the people who made the decision about the curfew.

Feature writing tipsThe basic guidelines for good writing apply to all types of writing. However, if you expect to hold your readers attention for 1,000 words or more, your writing must be must be lively, specific and clear.

As a student writer you have to start with a lede that captures your reader’s attention.It could be an anecdote you have heard during the course of your research. It could be a description of a person, place or thing that draws the reader in and encourages them to learn more. It could a newsy lede that highlights the point of the story.

Move your story along with descriptions of what happened, quotes from people involved in the issue, and details that place the reader in the midst of the action. Make sure your ending is meaningful. Your closing words should make an impact on your readers and tie the various strands of your story together.

A powerful quote can often make for a good ending. Or you may want to come full circle and refer back to a word or an image used in your opening sentences.

Explanation of the word lede:Lede or lead

The most important structural element of a story is the lede or lead—the story's first, or leading, sentence. Charnley (1966) stated that "an effective lead is a "brief, sharp statement of the story's essential facts"" (p. 166.). The lede/lead is usually the first sentence, or in some cases the first two sentences, and is ideally 20-25 words in length. The top-loading principle applies especially to ledes, but the unreadability of long sentences constrains its size. This makes writing a lede an optimization problem, in which the goal is to articulate the most encompassing and interesting statement that a writer can make in one sentence, given the material with which he or she has to work. While a rule of thumb says the lede should answer most or all of the 5 Ws, few ledes can fit all of these.

Article ledes are sometimes categorized into hard ledes and soft ledes. A hard lede aims to provide a comprehensive thesis which tells the reader what the article will cover. A soft lede introduces the topic in a more creative, attention-seeking fashion, and is usually followed by a nut graf (a brief summary of facts).

Media critics often note that the lede can be the most polarizing subject in the article. Often critics find bias based on an editor's choice in headline and lede.

Parts that newspapers are consisted of: News Politics Business Sport Culture Entertainment Columns + Feature writing Accidents + Crimes

The difference between a columnist and a feature writer is that a columnist has a certain style, and the important thing for a feature writer is the theme – goes into great lenght, he/usually is not a very good writer. Newspapers have many feature writers, and in feature writing (as opposed to column writing) the writer is not all that important.

HandoutA text from the GuardianWorking on the text Bloom and bustTitle: hook, to attract attentionPara1: introduce us to where, when and whyPara 2: meaning of the cherry blossom to the JapanesePara 3: description of hanami last time and this year’s hanamiPara 4: comparison of last time hanami and this year’s hanami, the homeless of TokioPara 5: comparison of European and Japanese homeless peoplePara 6: explains reasons for moving the homelessPara 7: response of others to the homelessPara 8: rounding off – pick up a feature from somewhere in the text and use it again - RAIN

4th November5th Seminar

NarrativesSequencing, Synonyms, Tenses

Working on the Fairy taleRewrite it so you do not use the words princess, prince, pond, frog, witch too often – give synonymsPrincess – the beauty, the king’s daughter, the fair one, the heiress to the throne..Prince – the knight in shiny armour, the handsome gentleman, the guy on the white horsePond – the muddy part of the earth covered with water, the lake, the still waterFrog – the green animal, the slimy thing, amphibian, the little cute green thing, the rackety noise making animal.Witch – the ugly one, the evil woman, the old hag, the warden lady,

Rewritten fairy tale:

One day a beautiful princess saw a frog. The rackety noise making animal was in a pond. The small lake was near the castle. As the king’s daughter was passing by the muddy water every day, one day, suddenly a little slimy thing spoke to her and she was very surprised.

The fair one came every day to the water to talk to the green animal. After some time she realised she was in love with a frog. One day the amphibian asked the heiress to the throne for a kiss, which she gave happily.

The little cute green thing turned into a prince. A witch cast a spell on him and she had taken over his castle. The knight in shining armour went to his castle and killed the old hag.

The handsome prince and the beautiful princess married and lived happily ever after.

11th November6th SeminarNarratives

InversionSome words, especially adverbs of frequency and time words/phrases are followed by immersion when they are use at the beginning of the sentence. The words followed by inversion are negative in meaning: Never, no sooner, no longer, nowhere, not often, not always, seldom, rarely, not until, not before hardly ever...N.B. Not until/before and Only if/when are followed by inversion in the second part of the sentence.Exercise 10. Rewriting sentences using inversion

1. Rarely were the lights on at the museum at midnight, so I realised something strange was happening that night.

2. Not until he told Linda his name had she recognised Eric, who used to be a school friend of hers.

3. No sooner had the rollercoaster started moving that I knew I had made a terrible mistake by agreeing to get on.

4. Not only were Cathy’s front door standing wide open when she got home, but the lock was also broken.

5. Seldom had we used to enjoy visiting my grandparents when I was a child because they used to be strict with us.

Mini saga

Mini saga is a text of 50 words (exactly). Usually with an unexpected ending, a turnover which adds a pinch of humour.

Write a mini saga using the words: daughter, college, goldfish, telephoned, silence

It was raining that morning when Winston’s daughter wont off to college. She was very happy about living alone, her dorm room was very small, so she had to leave her goldfish at home. As she telephoned home, she herd only silence afterher mother said her pet had died.

Editing a mini saga

The original sentence: Their marriage was a perfect union of thrust and understanding.They shared everything except his desk drawer, which, through the years, remained locked.One day curiosity overcame her.Praised open there was – nothing.‘But why?’ she asked, confused and ashamed‘I needed a space of my own’ he replied sadly.

Edited version (10 words reduced)Their marriage was perfect.They shared everything except his desk drawer which remained locked.One day curiosity overcame her.Praised open there was – nothing.

‘Why?’ she asked, confused and ashamed‘I needed a space of my own’ he replied sadly.

Dictated loss: dictation is read in a normal speed and the students need to focus on the key words.

- Kettle, kitchen, tided room, look at the door, today he come, laughter, grandson, loved, day phone 3 times, boil

.

18th November7th Seminar

Discourse – to talkDiscursive essay – opinion and arguments

- A logical connection of argumentsA discursive essay cannot have less than 4 paragraphs:

1. Introduction2. For3. Against4. Conclusion

The main body: for 1, 2, 3Against 4, 5

Before writing an essay you have to make a plan. Brainstorm ideas and then select five that seem the best and write about them.

Lecture: Types of essaysFor and against: - in the introduction you state the topic and you do not state your opinion

- Main body: give reasons for and against (related to the topic)- Final paragraph: balanced consideration or opinion

Opinion: - in the introduction you state the topic and give your opinion- Main body: viewpoints and opposite viewpoints- Final paragraph: summarise your opinion

Solutions to problems – in the introduction you state the problem and its causes/effects- Main body: give suggestions and results- Final paragraph: summarise your opinion

25th November8th seminar

Opinion essays

Useful tips:Opinion essay is a formal piece of essay writing which presents the author’s point of view on a particular subject supported by reasons and examples. The opposing viewpoint is also suggested, it goes with arguments that show that it is unconvincing. A Successful Opinion Essay Consists of:An introduction where the topic and the author’s opinion are stated clearly.A main body where viewpoints supported by reasons are presented in several paragraphs. This section has also the opposing viewpoint which is proved to be unconvincing.A conclusion where the main points of the essay are summarized and the author’s opinion is restated in other words.

Useful Tips for Writing an Opinion Essay:Decide your opinion as for the topic discussedMake a list of viewpoints and reasons supporting your point of viewWrite well-developed paragraphsUse linking words and phrases to join the sentences and the paragraphs within the textStart each paragraph with a topic sentence

Apply to the Following Techniques to Start and Finish Your Opinion Essays:Address to the reader directlyStart with a quotationStart with a thought provoking or rhetorical questionRefer to some striking or unusual fact, idea or situation

Use the Following Expressions to Give Your Opinion:As far as I am concerned, …I am (not) convinced that …In my opinion/view …My opinion is that …I (firmly)believe …I (definitely) feel/think that …I am inclined to believe that …

Basic Doe’s in Writing Opinion Essays:Write in a formal styleIntroduce the topic clearlyState clear topic sentencesUse generalizationsUse quotations

Basic Dont’s in Writing an Opinion Essay:Don’t use colloquial expressionsDon’t use short formsDon’t use emotive vocabulary

Don’t use over-generalizationsDon’t use statistics without proper referencingDon’t give personal examples

2nd December9th seminar

Essays suggesting solutions to problems

Basic Features of Problem-Solution/Proposal Essays (From The Concise Guide to Writing by Axelrod and Cooper, 1993, St. Martin's Press)

A Well-Defined Problem A proposal is written to offer a solution to a problem. Before presenting the solution, a proposal writer must be sure that readers know what the problem is. The writer may also have to establish that the problem indeed exists and is serious enough to need solving. Sometimes a writer can assume that readers will recognize the problem. At other times readers may not be aware of the problem.

A Proposed Solution Once the problem is established, the writer must present and argue for a particular solution. Be sure that your topic is narrow and that your solutions are reasonable.

A Convincing Argument The main purpose of a proposal is to convince readers that the writer's solution is the best way of solving the problem. Proposals argue for their solutions by trying to demonstrate: that the proposed solution will solve the problem that it is a feasible way of solving the problem that it stands up against anticipated objections or reservations that it is better than other ways of solving the problem

A Reasonable Tone Regardless of the proposal or the argument made on its behalf, problem-solution writers must adopt a reasonable tone. The objective is to advance an argument without "having" an argument. The aim is to bridge any gap that may exist between writer and readers, not widen it.

Writers can build such a bridge of shared concerns by showing respect for their readers and treating their concerns seriously. They discuss anticipated objections and reservations as an attempt to lay to rest any doubts readers may have. They consider alternative solutions as a way of showing they have explored every possibility in order to find the best possible solution.

Most important, they do not attack those raising objections or offering other solutions by questioning their intelligence or goodwill.

9th December 10th seminar

For and against essays

For and against essay is the kind of the essay where you have to present the controversial points of view about this or that topic. In for and against essays the writer should present the examples of the people who agree or disagree with the statement. Academic-essay will try to demonstrate the issues which should be covered in your for and against essay

The first thing which academic-essay recommends to do is to collect the information necessary for essay writing. It can be included into your essay as the examples of controversial opinions. Academic essay would go as far as to present the possible content of your for and against essay. Let us consider the topic “Divorce as a result of early marriage”.

The introduction may state the problem of early divorces. For example, The divorces are very frequent phenomena in young families.

The main body should present controversial points of view and the examples of them. For instance, Many people tend to think that the reason for the divorces is the young age of the couple. For instance, just married are inexperienced…On the other hand, the reason for divorces may be another, that is incompatibility of the characters…

The conclusion of the essay should present the result of the discussion. It should sum up everything that was said. For example, Summing up all said above, the debates on divorces are eternal. The opinion are different and nobody may be 100% sure about the reason for divorces because it depends on the situation in the family .As far as I am concerned…For and against essay may be easier to write if you resort to the help of academic-essay.

Working on the text : StyleWhat happened to paragraphing?

13th January 12th seminar

Curriculum vitaeHow it should be written:

Education

2004 – Present M.A., University of Zagreb – Croatia ( ili Faculty of teacher education2004 - ) EXPECTED GRADUATION: June 2011 Work Experience

2002 – 2004  Teacher of English to adult learners - Croatia Teaching English to the employees of the Office for Combating Narcotic Drugs Abuse (Government of the Republic of Croatia), Raiffeisen bank, HT (subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom) and Koncar (engineers)

1999 – 2004 Individual English courses at all levels – Croatia

Language Skills

Croatian: mother tongueExcellent knowledge of English (teacher of English, IELTS)Very good knowledge of Chinese (teacher of Spanish)Good knowledge of Japanese (language school, level 5)Fair knowledge of Hindu (International Baccalaureate, ab initio)Fair knowledge of Hopi (language school, level 2)

Other (Skills)

Computer skills (PC, MS Word, MS Excel, SPSS), driver's licence, people skills

Honors

Awards…

Letters:

Provide the context of the letter. Put all the information that the reader will want to know at the beginning of the letter, before you even begin to write the body. If you're writing to a close friend, you won't need much except the date, which will help your friend remember when it was received. If you're writing a business letter, on the other hand, the reader may not even know who wrote the letter (if an assistant threw the envelopes away before passing along the letters). The arrangement of this information depends on what kind of letter you're writing, but as long as you provide it neatly and completely, you should be fine:

Your address, sometimes including contact information; some people prefer to write this out at the bottom of the letter, under the signature and printed name. This can also go at the top as a letterhead.The recipient's name, address, contact information; in business letters, this can be referred to as the "inside address"; if you don't know the recipient's title (Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr.) err on the side of caution--use Ms. or Dr. if you think it might apply;[1] use your country's address format; if the inside address is in another country, write that country's name in capital letters as the last line.The dateA subject line, usually beginning with "RE:" (e.g. RE: Graduation application #4487)Start with a proper greeting. The opening should begin at the left side of the page, not the middle or up against the right side of the sheet. The most common opening is "Dear" followed by the person's first name and a comma. For a more casual greeting, you can write "Hello (name)," or "Hey (name)," but if the letter is formal, use the recipient's last name and a colon instead of a comma (e.g. "Dear Mr. Johnson:". Sometimes, if you don't know the recipient's name, you can write "To Whom It May Concern:" If you don't know the person's gender, write out his or her full name to avoid using “Mr.” or “Ms.” (e.g. Dear Ashley Johnson:).Write an opening paragraph. Tailor your opening to the recipient. For example, if the letter is casual, you can begin with, "What's up?" or "How's it going?" Otherwise, a simple "How are you?" is fine. If it is a business letter, be direct about why you are writing the letter. Summarize your intentions and be sure to write clearly so that the reader will understand you.Construct the body of the letter. This is the part that will really be unique to each letter. Most business letters should be no more than two pages long, but casual letters can be as long or as short as you want them to be. No matter who the recipient is, try not to ramble. Keep each paragraph engaging.Use the closing paragraph to indicate the type of response you are seeking. If you would like a letter in return, you can write, "Please write when you have a chance" or, if you prefer a phone call/email, write "Call me soon." or "Email me some time".Include a closing such as "Love always" ,"Cheers", "Sincerely", "Talk soon", or "Look forward to seeing you soon". Again, choose your closing based on the recipient and the level of formality. The closing can be aligned on the left or the right side of the page. In business letters, stick with "Regards," or "Respectfully," and sign your name underneath. Then print your name under the signature.Address your envelope. Your address should be written on the front of the envelope in the upper left hand corner or on the back. The recipient's address must be on the front of the envelope, right in the middle. Fold your letter in any way you would like, but just be sure that it will fit into the envelope. Put your letter in the envelope, seal it, stamp it, and send it off.

Example of a business letter: