Khóa luận A study on how to write an effective thank you letter - Nguyễn Thị Thêu

Nội dung text: Khóa luận A study on how to write an effective thank you letter - Nguyễn Thị Thêu

1. BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHềNG ISO 9001 : 2008 KHểA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP NGÀNH: NGOẠI NGỮ HẢI PHềNG - 2009 1
2. HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVESITY FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT GRADUATION PAFER A study on how to write an effective thank you letter By: Nguyễn Thị Thờu Class: NA902 Supervisor: Đào Thị Lan Hương HAI PHONG - 2009 2
3. BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHềNG Nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp Sinh viờn: Mó số: Lớp: Ngành: Tờn đề tài: Nhiệm vụ đề tài 3
4. 1. Nội dung và cỏc yờu cầu cần giải quyết trong nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp ( về lý luận, thực tiễn, cỏc số liệu cần tớnh toỏn và cỏc bản vẽ). 2. Cỏc số liệu cần thiết để thiết kế, tớnh toỏn. 3. Địa điểm thực tập tốt nghiệp. CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN ĐỀ TÀI Người hướng dẫn thứ nhất: 4
5. Họ và tờn: Học hàm, học vị: Cơ quan cụng tỏc: Nội dung hướng dẫn: Người hướng dẫn thứ hai: Họ và tờn: Học hàm, học vị: Cơ quan cụng tỏc: Nội dung hướng dẫn: Đề tài tốt nghiệp được giao ngày thỏng năm 200 Yờu cầu phải hoàn thành xong trước ngày thỏng năm 200 Đó nhận nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Đó giao nhiệm vụ ĐTTN Sinh viờn Người hướng dẫn Hải Phũng, ngày thỏng năm 200 HIỆU TRƯỞNG GS.TS.NGƯT Trần Hữu Nghị PHẦN NHẬN XẫT TểM TẮT CỦA CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN 5
6. 1. Tinh thần thỏi độ của sinh viờn trong quỏ trỡnh làm đề tài tốt nghiệp: 2. Đỏnh giỏ chất lượng của khúa luận (so với nội dung yờu cầu đó đề ra trong nhiệm vụ Đ.T. T.N trờn cỏc mặt lý luận, thực tiễn, tớnh toỏn số liệu ): 3. Cho điểm của cỏn bộ hướng dẫn (ghi bằng cả số và chữ): Hải Phũng, ngày thỏng năm 2009 Cỏn bộ hướng dẫn (họ tờn và chữ ký) NHẬN XẫT ĐÁNH GIÁ 6
7. CỦA NGƯỜI CHẤM PHẢN BIỆN ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP 1. Đỏnh giỏ chất lượng đề tài tốt nghiệp về cỏc mặt thu thập và phõn tớch tài liệu, số liệu ban đầu, giỏ trị lớ luận và thực tiễn của đề tài. 2. Cho điểm của người chấm phản biện : (Điểm ghi bằng số và chữ) Ngày thỏng năm 2009 Người chấm phản biện 7
8. Part I. Introduction 1. Rationale. Giving and receiving something back is a necessary law of life, which makes the relationship between people and people become fine. But how to keep this law is an also considerable problem. Sometimes, deep gratitude can not be expressed by one, two words or a conversation but a thank you letter may then be an effective way to express thanks. A standard thank you letter should satisfy many factors. Yet, sincerity, courtesy, and accuracy are the most important ones. Therefore, to write an effective thank you letter, the writers not only need to be the knowledgeable about writing both business and personal English but also different writing style with common obligation features such as stylistic and linguistic. For the above – mentioned reasons, the writer has decided to study how to write an effective thank you letter. And the writer hopes that it can be a useful material and make the readers understand the way to write a thank you letter effectively. 2. Aims of the study. This study is to help readers understand the way to write letters clearly and then they can write an effective thank you letter. Its main purposes are: To give theoretical background of letters in general and thank you letter in particular. To analyze stylistic and linguistic features of thank you letters. To discuss some possible mistakes made by students and to give some suggested solutions. 3. Scope of the study There are a lot of interesting fields to study in English. Yet, how to write an effective thank you letter is a subject that attracts me much. So I have decided to do research in to this field. In this study, due to the limited time and knowledge of a un- experienced writer, I only concentrate on analyzing formal and informal thank you letter with its 8
9. linguistic and stylistic features and some tips to write an effective thank you letter. 4. Methods of the study. To study successfully and effectively, methods used in this study are collecting data from books and authentic materials, analyzing common mistakes made by students and giving solutions to these problems. 5. Design of the study The study is divided into three parts: Part I: ‚Introduction‛ includes rationale, aims, scope, and design of the study. Part II: “Development‛, includes three chapters. Chapter I: ‚Theoretical background‛ provides an overview of general letters and thank you letters. Chapter II: “An insight into an effective thank you letter” provides organization and content of formal and informal thank you letters; the stylistic and linguistic features and tips of writing an effective thank you letter. Chapter III: ‚Some common mistakes made by students, suggested solutions and models of thank you letter‛ analyzes the mistakes possibly made by students, gives suggested solutions and some models of thank you letter. Part III”: ‚Conclusion‛ summaries the main mentioned points in the study 9
10. Part II. Development Chapter I. Theoretical background 1.1 An overview of kinds of letter 1.1.1 Purposes of general letters Writing letters serves many different purposes. But the main ones are to communicate between people and people. Communication can be made through emails, phones, chatting However, letters remain a very important part in daily life. Letter is a tool for communication. People write for both business and personal purposes. Letters can help people clarify the facts, and express their feelings such as sadness, happiness, anger, or request. Letter writing provides both the writer and the reader with a record of ideas, concerns, personal reactions, and suggestions – a letter helps to avoid confusion. The discipline of carefully organizing and expressing your ideas courteously on paper is an exercise that helps others understands your position in a positive and inoffensive manner. [ ] For the above purposes, the letter is really an indispensable means of communication in today’s life. 1.1.2. Styles of letters Some communications can be made informally - a phone call or an email is sufficient. But for formal situations, only a letter will do. In general, letter is divided into two styles: formal and informal. 1.1.2.1. Formal letters Formal thank-you letters should be used on many different occasions, including job interviews, job offers and rejections, and even resignation. Writing thank- you letters will really impress on employers and it could be just the thing the writer needs to get next job or leave a lasting impression. Formal letter consists of the some kinds as: 10
11. a. Application letters Application letters are used to introduce yourself to the employer; explain why you are interested in specific position, and to direct the employer’s attention toward information on the writer’s resume that is particular relevance to the position. b. Job interview thank-you letters Interview thank-you letters are probably one of the most important types of business thank-you letters. They show the interviewer how much you want the job by expressing your enthusiasm and determination. c. Thank you letters The purpose of this letter to sincerely thank everyone who has helped you in your search, including but not limited to those you have interviewed with. Use this letter as a follow – up to job interviews, as well as a way too show you appreciation to individuals who have conducted informational interviews and served as references for you. d. Complaint letters Complaint letter can be used for the purpose of having products replaced or money refund, for changing company policy , which people do no satisfy with. e. Apology letters The primary purpose of apology letters is to try to salvage a relationship after the writer or their organization has made a mistake or otherwise offended another party. f. Congratulation letters This letter is a thoughtful way to deliver a congratulation message to business association or clients when they are successful in something. g. Appointment letters An appointment letter can be written to schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment. It can also be written to employ a person, appointing him/ her in a particular position. h. Acceptance letters This letter is written to formally accept a job offer, to confirm the terms of your employment (salary, benefit, starting date, etc ) and to positively reinforce the 11
12. employer’s decision to hire you. These letters typical follow a phone conversation, e-mail correspondence, or offer. i. Refusal letters This letter is written when you definitely decide to refuse an offer from another employer. j. Request letters A request letter is typically written when you want to request a job interview, a raise or a promotion, or approach a company or business colleague for specific information. 1.1.2.2. Informal letters Informal letters include some kinds as: a. Apology letters Apology letters is to try to say sorry with family, teachers, and friends after making mistakes with them. b. Congratulation letters Congratulation letters are written to friend, family, close acquaintances when something pleasantly happens to them or they are successful in something. c. Invitation letters These letters are used to invite friends, colleagues to visit your country, your city, your house or to attend a birthday party d. Arrangement letters This letters are to arrange your plans and proposal such as a visit to friend or a travel with family. e. Acceptance/ refusal letters If you cannot or prefer not to thank someone in person or over the phone, for an invitation or offer, then it will be necessary to write a letter, either accept or refuse. 1.1.3. The differences between formal and informal letters 1.1.3.1. Formal letter A formal letter is a letter written to a business, a college, or any professional those are not considered to friends or family, and it can not be neglected in today's competitive market. 12
13. Firstly, a formal letter is shown with a layout of three basic styles: Full – blocked: all parts of the letter are begun at the left margin. Block : all parts of the letter are begun at the left margin except the date and closing. Indented : the beginning of each part is indented 3 or 5 spaces. Secondly, formal letters contain words and expression that is not common in daily speech. Formal language is used to show the writer’s courtesy and respectful attitude that is very important in formal communication. Avoid using contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc ), colloquial words/ expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.), abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc), imperative voice (e.g. Remember .) Lastly, There has always colon after the recipient’s name such as: Dear Mr. David: Dear Helen: 1.1.3.2. Informal letter Informal letters are letters which are written by individuals to a friend, relatives, or family members. It expresses the writer’s thoughts and grievances, conveys information and establishes relationships. The tone is informal and usually frank and warm. Writing a personal thank you letter is a gesture that is too often overlooked today. This means those people who do take the time to send such letters will see their sentiments stand out in the mind and heart of the recipient. The format in informal thank you letters can be free. The layout in informal letters can be ignored. It can be written freely. So, depending on each person’s habit, the layout can be full – blocked or intended. You can use colloquial words/expressions (kids, guy, awesome, a lot, etc.), contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t, etc ), abbreviated words (photo, TV, etc), imperative voice (e.g. Remember .). In contrary with formal letters, words in informal letters can be common in daily speech such as love, bye, best wishes And there has always comma after recipient’s name such as: Dear Jessica, Dear Jane, Dear Anna, These are just some of the differences between formal and informal writing. The main thing to remember is that both are correct, it is just a matter of tone and 13
14. setting. Formal English is used mainly in academic writing and business communications, whereas informal English is casual and is appropriate when communicating with friends and other close ones. Choose the style of writing keeping in mind what you are writing and to whom. But whichever style-formal or informal, the writer should be keep it consistent and avoid mixing the two. [ &id=594208] 1.1.4. Factors of an effective letter. 1.1.4.1. Writing process Like other kinds of writings, before writing a letter, the writers not only identify purposes but also think about form, content of their writing. Therefore, the following steps are suggested: a. Determining the purpose and reader Whenever writing, the writer should consider the audience, that is, the people who will read what has written. Knowing the audience will help the writer reach goal of communication clearly and effectively. So, first of all, determining the purpose and reader is top-ranking factor. To make reader know, believe, and do something as the writer’s requirements, questions are made before writing: Who is the reader? What are the targets of this letter? What is the best way to achieve these goals? For example: o I am writing to thank you very much for inviting me to the interview that you have conducted for the position of Junior Accountant o I want to thank you very much for interviewing me yesterday for the associate engineer position. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your research and design work. Secondly, every letter is written for someone. So determining whom the reader can direct the letter’s format and appropriate language. Lastly, the writer should put himself/herself in the reader's place, try to be 14
15. empathetic to his/her feelings and read the letter with the reader's reaction in mind and think about a few questions. Who is this letter written to? Who is the reader from? What is Writer’s reader’s need? What is the best way to achieve this? b. Gathering information The writer should decide what information to be mentioned in the letter by thinking and collecting ideas for the subject of the letter and checking whether they are suitable to the reader’s need or not. After that, checking and organizing all information clearly and logically is necessary. 1.1.4.2. Organization a. Heading The heading is the writer’s address such as: name, street number, city, province, postal code, and country if being sent internationally. As well, all the information is written in full with no abbreviations.It is the top of the letter, including three lines. The first line refers the writer’s address, the second refers city, state, and the last one is the date. For example: 123 Main St West Newfield CT 06187 September 14, 2008 b. Inside address The inside address is optional in the informal letter. It is the receiver’s name and address. The first one is the receiver’s full name; the second one states street and the final one focus on city, state For example: Ms. Janet Jones Director of Research and Development ACME Computer Company 1234 Central Avenue Albany, NY 1220 redrew 15
16. c. Salutation This is the first greeting. It is placed below the inside address, also flushes with the left margin. The salutation at the beginning of the letter depends on whether or not you know the name of the person In the formal letter, the salutation is ‚Dear’’, the receiver’s title and ‚the last name’’, followed by a colon. Firstly, If the writer know the receiver’s name, the salutation can be: ‚Dear Ms. / Mrs. Miss. /Dr. + surname/full name‛ Secondly, If the writer don’t know the receiver’s name: o If you the writer know the name or the sex, the salutation can be: ‚Dear Sir / Madam or Dear Sir or Madam‛ The receiver’s position is also used: ‚Dear Councilor / Resident / Manager ‛ o If the writer is writing to a man or a woman and don’t know his/her name: use ‚Dear Sir‛, ‚Dear Madam‛. While in the informal letter, the salutation is only: ‚Dear + the receiver’s name / nickname‛, followed by comma. d. Body In general, letters include one or more paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on main content which normally stands in the first position of paragraph. The first paragraph introduces the reason or purpose of the letter The second paragraph develops clearly the reason The last paragraph shows the writer’s attitude towards the subject e. Closing The closing is the last greeting. In formal letters, it normally is: ‚Yours sincerely‛ if you have started the letter with the name of the person. ‚Yours faithfully‛ if you have started with ‚Dear Sir‛. While the closing in informal letters is ‚love‛, ‚Yours‛, ‚With love from‛, ‚Best wishes‛. f. Signature Sign writer’s name directly below the closing. It should be handwritten in dark pen. 16
17. 1.1.4.3 Other factors. a. Content Letters don't have to be long or detailed. Make sure your letter is easy to read and clearly in purpose. The reader shouldn't have to guess why you are writing the letter. Each paragraph has to focus on one purpose. When writing letters, consider giving specific examples to support to your ideas. b. Accuracy Accuracy is a factor which should take much attention in writing letters. It focuses mainly on grammar, style and layout. Or it is very easy for reader to misunderstand and confuse. Accurate grammar Standard grammar in sentence structure, part of speech or sentence plays a very important role in writing letter especially formal letters. Accurate style The writers may choose either formal or informal writing style. However, in common English writing, the writers express their ideas concisely and directly. To avoid placing barrier between writer and the reader, the letters have to be clear and simply. So style in general letter is rather important. A letter with short, direct paragraph is highly appreciated. In addition, we always try to avoid jargon words which make the reader difficult to understand. Tone must be polite, friendly, and courtesy. Accurate layout and types of letter Beside the standard layout mentioned in 1.1.3, a good letter layout can be made by putting a comma after person’s name in greeting, leaving a space between paragraphs, and using suitable complementary close as well as salutation. Moreover, depending on the reader and purpose, you can choose which types of letter should be adopted and suitable language used in your letter. 17
18. c. Coherence Coherence means that the letter which has written is easy to read and understand. Each of the paragraphs in the letter should be organized in a logical way. All statement should contribute the central ideas of paragraph and the letter. When the letter is coherent, the receivers clearly recognize that one sentence or idea leads logically to the next one. Therefore, the writer should use conjunctions and transitional signs to connect sentence and sentence; paragraph and paragraph. 1.2. An overview of a thank you letter 1.2.1. Purposes of thank you letters People write thank-you letters to express their gratitude. And, the purpose of a thank you letter is self-explanatory. Write one when you want to formally thank a person, company or institution for something they have done for you or your organization, which is consider to be out of the ordinary. [ ] 1.2.2. Kinds of thank you letter There are two kinds of thank you letters: formal and informal. 1.2.2.1. Formal thank you letter There are numerous situations in day-to-day business that can warrant a thank you letter: Job interview thank-you letters. Job offer thank-you letters. Thank you for job-search help. Thank you for the referrals. Thank you letters to employees for exceptional service or performance. Thanks to an individual or organization for a customer referral. Thanking a speaker for a presentation at an annual board meeting. 1.1.2.2. In formal thank you letter As with business situations, there are many instances in day-to-day life that can warrant a formal thank you letter. As a follow-up after a job interview and/or job offer. Thanks to a company or institution in appreciation for exceptional customer service. Letter of appreciation to a teacher for a positive influence on your child. 18
19. Thanks to friends and/or neighbors for their exceptional support during a difficult period. Thanks to a service club or agency for their support to your family. [ planing/follow-up_and _thank _you_ letter] 19
20. Chapter II. An insight into an effective thank you letter Letter writing is not as common with the new technology of email and cell phones. A thank you can be expressed with the simple click of a button, however too often it is a simple thank you. A simple thank you is polite and appreciated but a thank you letter is a little more personal and thoughtful. Writing a thank you letter requires a little more effort and reflection. The sender must think about why they are thankful and what the person did to make their day a little more enjoyable. [ ] Writing a good thank you letter is practically an art organization and content - it requires time, effort and patience, but when done right, thank you letters are great ways to show your appreciation to someone. [ planing/follow-up_and _thank _you_ letter] 2.1 Organization and content Normally, thank you letter has fours essential parts: heading, introduction, body, and closing 2.1.1. Formal thank you letter 2.1.1.1. Heading The heading can not be omitted in English letters. It will refer the contact information of both writer and receiver such as: full name, address, phone number, fax number, or email address From that, the receivers can know whom the letter come from, where the letter come from and when it is written. If the writer wants to express appreciation, he/she should write thank you letter as soon as possible (not over 24 hours). Therefore, the date is an indispensable factor. The writer’s address and name is the top of right hand corner. It begins with name followed by address from number, street, city, state, cod and country. And date is stated below the writer’s address. For example: 20
21. Ms. Carolyn Semantics 1297 Stewart RD., Unit 78 Toronto, ON, MEW 1E8 July 17th 2008 And the receiver’s address (inside address) is stated at the left hand corner, below the date as the following. For example: Dr. Joan Nagle, Technical Design Group Director, 81796 Gerick Road Charlotte, NC 28235. September 18th 2008. Sometimes, both writer’s address and receiver’s address are on the left hand corner. It support to modified block format. 100 Pine Street Albany, NY 12200 October 8, 1996 Ms. Janet Jones Director of Research and Development ACME Computer Company 1234 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12204 2.1.1.2 Introduction A good opening can impress on the receivers, attract their attention and encourage them to continue reading. So, introduction part states the first greeting and gives sincere thanks for your behavior to the receivers. At first, the introduction begins with the salutation in formal way as: If the receiver’s name is unknown, salutation will be: ‚Dear sir / Madam‛ ‚Dear Director / manager of ABC Company‛ 21
22. ‚Dear customer‛ However, most commonly: ‚Dear + Title (Mr., Mrs., Miss ) + Last name‛ Then, you will give sincere thanks for your behavior to the receiver by some phrases as: ‚I would like sincerely to thank you for ‛ ‚On behalf of , I thank you most sincerely for‛ ‚I want to thank you very much for ‛ For example: o I want to thank you very much for interviewing me yesterday for the association engineer position. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your research and design work. o I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last thursday, briefing me on your company’s background and operations. 2.1.1.3 Body This is the main part in the thank you letter. It explains the purpose of the letter and reasons why the writer is thankful. From these, the receivers can understand writer’s gratitude. For example: It was really pleasurable to have a thirty minute interview with you. After getting complete knowledge of the nature of work, I consider myself as a very good match. After visiting your place I am now sure that I will fit in really easily. My experience in this field with the past employer will prove extremely helpful in fulfilling my duties. I am really impressed by the working environment that I saw in your office. 2.1.1.4. Closing End thank-you letter with a short paragraph; the writer should thank the person again for taking the time to meet with and expressing strong interest in the position and hope and interest in seeing him/her again soon. May be the last 22
23. thing is said will be the first thing the readers remember. Therefore, in this part, the writer should express ‚Thank you‛ again to the receivers. For example: Thank you for your time and consideration. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to interview for a position with your company. I am excited about the prospect of working with such a dedicated team of professionals. Usually, you can conclude by making a request for a chance to meet the person who you write to. ‚I am looking forward to seeing you‛ ‚We are looking forward to hearing from you‛ Finally, a closing remark is added such as ‚Yours sincerely‛, ‚yours faithfully‛ Then leave a few spaces for signature and full name with a comma. 2.1.2. Informal thank you letters 2.1.2.1. Heading The heading of this letters is different from formal one. It gives the contact information of the receivers such as: name, address, phone number which will be put at the top left hand corner. And then skip a line to write the date. As I mentioned at 1.1.3.2, the writer can use free format in informal thank. For example: 420 Main St North Newfield CT 06123 December 14th, 2008 2.1.2.2. Introduction The introduction in informal thank you letters also state first greeting and sincere thank you to receivers. It begins with salutation in personal: ‚Dear + first name / nick name‛ And then, the writer give the sincerely thanks to the receiver For example: I’m deeply thank you about Thank you very much for your last letter. It was interesting to read about 23
24. your holidays in Greece. Thanks very much for your last letter and the wonderful present you sent me. 2.1.2.3. Body It explains the purpose of the letter and reasons why the writer is thankful. The purposes of letters are usually clearly stated in the first paragraph which can be short. I hope you and Susan had a good Christmas. We stayed at home, but had a couple of day trips out nearby. Our local theatre put on a production of ‚A Christmas Carol‛, which was fun. As I'm sure you could tell during the interview, I'm very enthusiastic about the possibility of joining your team. I'm confident my skills and experience would add to the excellent job you're all already doing. 2.1.2.4 Closing Like others thank you letters, in closing of informal thank you letters, the writer should say ‚thank you‛ again. For example: Again, I’d like to express my warm thanks to you. Thank you again for a so thoughtful gift. Informal thank you letters often ends by adding closing remark such as: ‚all my love‛, ‚best wishes‛, ‚see you soon‛ and leave few spaces for the writer’s signature and name with a comma. 2.2 Stylistic features of thank you letters 2.2.1 Form 2.2.1.1. Organization Form plays a very important part, and a suitable form is highly appreciated. Therefore, to write an effective thank you letter, the following steps are suggested: Firstly, in the formal thank you letters, the writer’s address is written in the right hand top corner of the letter, and kip a line for date. 24
25. For example: 100 Pine Street Albany, NY 12200 October 8, 1996 The receiver’s address is written in the left of the letter. For example: Director of Research and Development ACME Computer Company 1234 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12204 Secondly, skip two lines to begin the letter with appropriate greeting. Thirdly, the writer should skip two lines to write the introduction, and give thanks. In the first paragraph, the purpose of the letter should be stated. Then, the main body is explanation for thanks. Next, Always end the letter politely with an expression of thanks or another positive thought, closing paragraph is repeated thanks and end by closing remark : ‚yours sincerely‛, ‚yours faithfully‛ in formal, ‚Best wishes‛, ‚Love‛ in informal. Remember that there is always comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Lastly, skip about two lines to sign before sending letters. 2.2.1.2. Punctuation. Comma is used widely in letters: It separates name and position. Ms. Allen, manager It separates the state, street, road in the address. 953 Moniteau Rd, Ottawa, ON It separates day, month, and year in the date. September 12th, 2007. It links clauses in the sentences I want to thank you for the bag, which you sen me yesterday 25
26. It ends the salutation and closing mark. Dear Jane, Yours faithfully, Beside, full stop punctuation is often used: At the end of the sentence. After an abbreviation. o M. A (Master of Art) o Prof. Jones (Professor. Jones) 2.2.1.3. Capitalization Capitalization is use: First letter in greeting title: o Dear Mr.; Ms First letter of word at the beginning letter: o I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last Thursday. First letter of word of proper name of people, organization, company o Ms. Carolyn Semantic o Manager, administrative Services All letters in abbreviation: o NY, UK, USA First letter in the contracted form: o I’ve, I’d, I’ll 2.2.2. Content 2.2.2.1. Accuracy The content is always accurate. One misplaced or illogical point can make the readers confuse. A completely correct letter will be quickly resulting in confidence. Therefore, to have an accurate letter, the writer should follow below factors: a. Accurate spelling Spelling is rather important in thank you letters. So a thank you letter with many 26
27. misspelled words will make the readers uncomfortable. Consider this example: o I was very please with the interview from my perspective.(incorrect)  I was very pleased with the interview from my perspective. o Yours sincely (incorrect)  Yours sincerely, To avoid misspelling, the writer should try to pay much attention in writing and before sending, checking spelling and grammar is necessary so that the reader will not misunderstand, confuse and annoy. b. Accurate grammar Like other kinds of letters, tenses and sentences in thank you letters should be used carefully and accurately. The first, tenses must be used carefully and correctly: Let’s see example: o Thanks for your gift, which I receive two weeks ago.(incorrect) In this sentence, the action happened in the past due to word phrase ‚two weeks ago‛. Therefore, the correct sentence should be: o Thanks for your gift, which I received two weeks ago The second, Avoid using fragment sentences and run – on sentence, if so, readers may fell bore and confusing. o The interview strengthened my enthusiasm for the position and interest in working for Casey; I believe my education and cooperative education experiences fit nicely with the job requirement. In above example, you can recognize that the comma is misused. It makes the sentences run – on. So the correct one is: o The interview strengthened my enthusiasm for the position and interest in working for Casey. I believe my education and cooperative education experiences fit nicely with the job requirement. 27
28. Besides, there are some incorrect uses in preposition with verb: To focus in  To focus on To look forward in doing  To look forward to doing something something Be interest for  Be interest in c. Accurate information All information in thank you letters must be accurate especially in the address and name. If not, letters will not be sent to, even sent but recipient’s name is wrong. So let’s see carefully before sending. Here is address you want to send: Dr. Allen Technical Design Group Director Casey Engineering Systems Inc. 81796 Gunlock Road But, because of your carelessness, it becomes: Dr. Helen Technical Design Group Manager Casey Engineering Systems Inc. 81796 Gunlock Road 2.2.2.2 Coherence To make readers easy to understand and easy to read, all information must be organized logically and coherently. So the writer should use words and phrase function as transitional signals: now, since, therefore, because, next, then, so, although, but For example: o I was very pleased with the interview from my perspective, as I hope you were from yours. Now that I have met you and some of your colleagues, and know more about the activities of Lunar Solutions. o I want to thank for your present last week because it is very useful in my work. 28
29. 2.2.2.3 Tone Tone reveals the writer’s attitude towards subject by choosing of words or grammatical structures, and even by the length of sentences. So the tone that is taken in letter will help determine if the writer gets the results you desire. Experienced writers suggest that sincerity, courtesy, and respect tone can create effective thank you letters. Tone in the letter will have influence on the readers who will recognize your thinking. So tone plays a very important role in thank you letters both formal and informal. 2.3 Linguistic features of thank you letters 2.3.1. Language choice It is important to use the right type of language, the right ‘register’. Most of letters will need to be formal, but not overly so. In formal thank you letters, the writer should: Avoid everyday, colloquial language; slang or jargon Avoid contractions (I’m, it’s, etc) Avoid emotive, subjective language (terrible, rubbish, etc) Avoid vague words such as nice, good, get, etc [ ] However, in informal thank you letters, the above languages can be used freely. ‚Would‛, ‚pleased‛ are used to express the writer’s thanks in formal thank you letter: For example: o I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last Thursday, briefing me on your company’s background and operations. o I was very pleased with the interview from my perspective, as I hope you were from yours. While you can use ‚I’d, I’ve, please‛ in informal thank you letters. o I’d like to invite you to my New Years’ Swinger Party at my picturesque cottage near the Wolfgang see. o Please let me know as soon as possible if you can come to my little party. 29
30. The writer should always be polite and respectful, even if complaining. One way of doing this in English, which is common in formal letter writing, is to use ‘modal verbs’ such as would, could and should. Instead of simply writing ‚Please send me‛, this more formally ones are also expressed as I would be grateful if you could send me ‛ Don’t overdo it though, and make your language too formal or maybe old fashioned; don’t put in lots of unnecessarily long words. 2.3.2. Abbreviation Abbreviation is used in letters but it doesn’t mean that the writer can omit any word but: Title: M. A: Master of Art B. A : Bachelor of art Mr.: Mister Name of nation: NY : New York UK : United Kingdom USA: United State of America Time, date: A. M: Ante maridiem P. M: Post maridiem Mon: Monday, Tues: Tuesday Others: Ref: Referred, Rep: Representative, C/ C: Carbon copy 2.3.3. Part of speech Most parts of speech are used in letters. Yet, verbs, adjectives and nouns are most used because they provide informative actions and modify to your highlight in the letter. 2.3.3.1. Adjectives Sometimes, adjective can make sentences become flexible so that the writers can refer theirs idea or emotion clearly and easily. 30
31. For example: o I am deep thankful for your present in my birthday o I am very grateful for your advices about relaxing and keeping myself calm at the exams - it really worked. Moreover, the writers can change adjectives to adverbs to express their sincerity: strongly, deeply, really o I am strongly thankful for your interview in position of manager yesterday o I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last Thursday 2.3.3.2. Verbs Verbs include forms of verb and types of verb a. Forms of verb Finite and nonfinite verbs are forms which are used popularly in letter. Finite verbs are main verbs of and clauses. Without them, sentences and clauses are not completed. For example: I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for interviewing me for the position of Senior Programmer in your Research and Development department. I thought the new millennium would be a good opportunity to get to know you and your beautiful wife Doris better. Besides, Finite verbs are stressed more by helping of auxiliary verbs such as: do, will, would, must, can, could I do hope that we will have a relationship in the future I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last week. I make sure you could tell during the interview, I'm very enthusiastic about the possibility of joining your team. While, nonfinite verbs often are gerunds or participle I. Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule for the interview. I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon. 31
32. b. Types of verb Two types of verb transitive and intransitive verbs are use in the letter. They take complement to specify the information that is either subject or subject’s attitude. For example: I feel very happy when you come. (intransitive) I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your research and design work.(transitive) 2.3.3.3. Nouns Apart from adjectives and verbs, nouns are rather necessary. The writer can use nouns to express thanks. Moreover, nouns can help the letter more polite and impressive. I am writing to thank for your invitation It is really my favorite work; I was very interesting in that position in your company. 2.3.4 Types of sentences Many types of sentences are used in writing. Yet, simple, compound and complex sentences are used popularly. 2.3.4.1. Simple sentences A simple sentence is one independent clause which has a subject, a predicative, and has no conjunction, coordinating, comma o I was very pleased with the interview from my perspective o I am even more excited about the possibility of working with you 2.3.4.2. Compound sentences These are sentences which combine two or more independent clauses together. Each clause is of equal importance and could stand alone. Certainly, they are sentences with appearance of comma, conjunction In the thank you letters, coordinating conjunction such as FAN BOY (for, and, nor, but, or, yet), however, if, whether are common used. o Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to 32
33. hearing from you. o I even thought I had a very few chances to pass the exam. But you managed to build up my confidence and knowledge. Also, I am very grateful for your advices 2.3.4.3. Complex sentences A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one dependent clause. In this, one idea is generally important than other one. o Please feel free to call me at the telephone number listed above if I can provide you with any additional information. o As I drove through Queens on Ocean Boulevard, suddenly there was an enormous bang in the back and the car began to veer. Because of variety of language, when writing letters, you should choice languages suitably to any situation in order to persuade the receiver to read your letter. 3.1. Tips of writing an effective thank you letter Writing letters, reports, notes and other communications are important skills for business and personal life. Good letters help to get results, while poor letters fail. People judge others on the quality of their writing, so it is helpful to write well. A thank you letter allows the writer to explain, restate, or clear up any potential misunderstandings. It is last the writer’s chance to leave a good impression. And it is very important that that letter have the desired effect on the reader. The followings are tips which help the writer write an effective thank you letter. [ ] 3.1.1. Compose (and personalize) thank-you letters to each person. Each thank-you letter does not need to be completely different – the writer can develop a few paragraphs that may be basically the same in each letter – but it is to try and personalize elements of each letter, typically to something specific from meeting (such as a shared interest or acquaintance or a key skill mentioned). Make certain each person's name, spelling, and title is correct before sending. (Collecting business cards during the interview is helpful, but if it's too late for that, you can always call the department receptionist/ assistant and ask for assistance in getting everyone correct.) 33
34. 3.1.2. Keep thank-you letters short, concise and direct Make sure the letter is easily readable and clear in purpose. The reader shouldn't have to guess why the writer is writing the letter. The writer should get straight to the point and never exceed one page. Thank you letters should be short, concise, direct, sincere, and to the point. Most formal thank-you letters will be about a page long -about three to four paragraphs in total. The writer should use short sentences and avoid long paragraphs - whether hand-written, key stroked, or emailed. While informal thank you letters can be only one paragraph. and can be hand-written or typed, as appropriate to the situation Like cover letters, thank- you letters should be fairly short and concise - unless the writer feel to need to add information or reinforce a question that arose about your qualifications. [ ] 3.1.3. Be genuine in appreciation. Thank-you letter is high-appropriated if it is written from the heart. Everyone values authentic communications, so rather than using a boring thank-you letter template from the Web, use your own words and feelings to compose your letter. Find a way to express your genuine feelings of appreciation and connection with the interviewer. One word of caution: ‚Do not go overboard with (fake) praise and appreciation; keep it honest and simple‛ 3.1.4. Use short sentences and paragraphs Keep sentences as short as possible, and break the text up into brief paragraphs. Ideally, a paragraph should not exceed two to three sentences. This will make the letter more easily readable, which will entice the recipient to read it sooner, rather than later. 3.1.5. Make sure it is appropriate One of the main issues with respect to thank you letters is to know when to send one. As a general rule, people say that "better to be safe than sorry". However, make sure there is something noteworthy about the situation. A thank you letter for a routine situation doesn't make sense and dilutes their meaning. Moreover, write it promptly, it is always best to send a thank you letter as soon as possible after the event for which the writer is doing the thanking. It will help with the 34
35. level of sincerity in the letter if the event is still fresh in the writer’s mind. In any case, a delayed thank you letter will seem like an obligatory afterthought to the recipient. 3.1.6. Remind the recipient In the introductory sentence, make it very clear that it is indeed a thank you letter and that it pertains to a specific event, situation and/or person. This will eliminate any confusion on the part of the recipient as to the purpose of the letter. While writing, the letter should focus on the information requirements of audience, the intended addressee. Imagine the intended recipient seated across a desk or boardroom table while you are explaining the subject of the letter. More important, you should use a conclusion that encourages a reply from recipient. What essential information does that person need to know through this communication? What will be their expectations when they open the letter? Have you addressed all of these issues? 3.1.7. Make it personal By definition, a thank you letter is a sincere personal gesture from one individual to another. It should be expressed as a heartfelt personal sentiment, even when written in a business situation. At the same time, strive to be balanced in approach and don't be overly effusive. 3.1.8. Check spelling and grammar As when writing all letters the writer should carefully check spelling and grammar. This is even more important for thank you letters, since it is almost always a sincere statement of appreciation from one person to another. Be sure to double check the spelling of all names used in the letter. There's no quicker way to blow the writer’s credibility and sincerity than to misspell someone's name. Sending thank you letters when appropriate is important in both business and personal life. Individuals and companies that do not send thank you letters are seen as ungracious and perhaps not worthy of future good deeds or special treatment. 3.1.9. Close thank-you letter with repeated thanks and appreciation. Repeat appreciation for reader’s contribution, and stress the importance of 35
36. relationship between the writer and reader. This is the writer’s opportunity to say, in effect, ‚I appreciate your gifts and talents, and I value our relationship.‛ End your thank-you letter with a short paragraph thanking the person again for taking the time to meet you and expressing your strong interest in the position and your hope and interest in seeing him/her again soon. 3.1.10. Carefully proofread/edit. One of the worst things the writer can do is to write an amazing thank-you letter, but realize after sending it that it had a typo, misspelling, or poor construction. Especially check and double-check the spelling of the person and name of the employer. Write a draft of letter and come back to it later to edit and polish it. Read it aloud to hear how it flows. Have someone else read it for errors. Review final version carefully before sending it. While first impressions are certainly critical, remember too that final impressions matter as well. So, whenever it's warranted, make sure to send an appropriate thank you letter. Invariably, thank you letters are very well received and appreciated by recipients, and the sender's reputation is generally enhanced in their eyes. 3.1.11. Good impression. The writer wants the reader to grant request or understand the writer’s concerns and point of view. The writer should keep the tone of letter pleasant and businesslike. When the writer communicates her/his thoughts, ideas, and concerns, needs should be defined. Ultimately, the tone the writer takes in the letter will help determine if the writer gets the results as desire. State the facts without expressing anger, frustration, or blame. If the writer is feeling emotional when writing the letter, leave it and read it again in the morning. Reading it the next day will help ensure that the letter is courteous and cool-headed. [ ] 36
37. Chapter III: Some possible mistakes made by students, some suggested solutions and some models of thank you letters 4.1 Some possible mistakes made by students To write a thank you letter is easy but to make it effective is very difficult. People often make mistakes when writing letters. The biggest mistakes in writing thank you letters are that they are so generic that they could be written by anyone. The following are mistakes that students often make in writing. People have a tendency to avoid tasks for one of two reasons: the first, they find the task unpleasant. The second, they fear or know they are bad at it. Letter writing can fall into either of these two categories. The category the writer can do something to change, however, is the second one. Become aware of common mistakes people make when writing letters, the writer can improve letter writing skills. 4.1.1. Not identifying the purpose of the letter. Whether the letter is for business or personal communications, the writer should state in the beginning what the letter is about. For example, a customer is requesting a refund for a broken product or is following up on a proposal. Even if the writer is just "saying hello" to partner, state the purpose of the letter early on, that way the partner will know to read with enjoyment as t e writer tell her the latest events in life, or whether to read fervently to the end for the delivery of some horrible bad news. When the writer does not identify the purpose for writing, the recipient may not place the proper priority or urgency to letter which he/she has written. 4.1.2. Not getting to the point. Just as when the writer does not identify the purpose for the letter, not getting to the point risks having the recipient miss the intended message entirely. If the writer is really writing to resolve a specific problem, do not spend three paragraphs talking about unrelated issues. Also known as disorganization, not getting to the point turns a bad letter into a missed opportunity. 37
38. 4.1.3. Redundancy. There are several types of redundancy, and all of them are equally unnecessary. The first, and easiest to identify, is using the same word more than once in the same sentence or more than three times in the same paragraph. An example is "She added a personal touch to the personal letter she wrote." The second type of redundancy that many writers miss in their own writing is repeating the same idea in different words: "Her message was effective because it was personal. The personal nature of her letter made her message effective." This message is not effective. It's redundant. 4.1.4. Using unfamiliar acronyms, abbreviations or technical language. Do not assume the audience knows all the abbreviations, lingo and acronyms that the writer knows. An acronym is word formed from the initial letters of a name, such as CHOP for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The same letters can stand for different organizations or meanings depending on where the person lives or other frame of reference. Or they simply may not know what it stands for. The same goes for technical language or jargon specific to a given profession, industry or interest group and for abbreviations beyond the basic Mr. /Ms. and etc. And it's probably okay to use OK. 4.1.5. Using ambiguous or confusing words. Similar to avoiding acronyms try to choose words with clear meaning, especially if the letter is attempting to resolve a conflict. Ambiguous subjects or misplaced descriptive phrases can totally change the intended meaning of the writer’s words. If the writer is having trouble identifying his/her ambiguity, try writing major points in very simple subject-verb-object format. Even if it feels childish, this exercise will actually spell out the key players and actions the writer wants to communicate. The writer can fill in details and modify the sentence structure after he/she is clear about what needs to say. 4.1.6. Monotonous sentence structure. The writer does not want to bore the audience to sleep either. Writing every sentence in the same exact structure and length is amateurish and disruptive to the flow of the letter. Vary sentence length and alter noun-verb order to add interest to your message. 38
39. 4.1.7. Inconsistency. Variety, however, should not be confused with inconsistency. There are two things that generally should not vary within a sentence or even within your letter: person and tense. Tense pertains to verbs or action happening in the past, present or future. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, such as occasions where "I" am telling "you" how "I" feel. Inconsistency applies to technique as well as meaning. If you are sending mixed messages, the only sure outcome of your letter is confusion. 4.1.8. Fragments, run-on sentences and missing or incorrect punctuation. A lot of people have heard of a fragment but don not recognize it when they write one. A fragment is simply not a complete sentence. Commonly used fragments are noun phrases (the man with the short beard and navy jacket), verb phrases (walking through the park and over the hill), and prepositional phrases (on a tree stump within the national park reserve). Run-on sentences have the opposite problem: they are defined as two complete sentences not separated with proper punctuation such as a period, comma and colon, or semi-colon. Punctuation deserves an article of its own, but common problem areas are possessive pronouns. Contractions ("its" is the correct possessive pronoun, while "it's" is a contraction for "it is"), and misplaced commas. Items in a series should have a comma after each item. A comma before the word "and" at the end of the series is optional, but do not ever use a comma after the word "and". That is a misplaced comma. 4.1.9. Bad spelling and misused words. It ought to go without saying; misspelled words are a common mistake in letter writing. Not only does bad spelling make the writer look unprofessional, it also gives the reader the impression that the writer don not know what he/she is talking about. If the reader do not believe the writer, communication is ineffective. If using a computer, the writer is to be sure to run a spelling and grammar check at least once. Do not, however, rely on spell check alone. The writer should know by now, software programs do not identify correctly spelled words that are used incorrectly in the context of the sentence. A notorious 39
40. example is the transposition of the words "from" and "form". Also, most software does not recognize proper names or some technical or industry-specific terminology. If the writer is not paying attention, the software editor may change words that are spelled correctly to something completely different -while the writer is not looking! 4.1.10. Not reading it over before you send it. The last is an excellent reason to be sure to re-read the letter before sending it to anyone. Even if the writer think the letter is free of human error (which would be rare!), the letter may have been corrupted by computer error or unintentional (and sometimes misfortunate) auto-formatting. No matter what, read the letter through from beginning to end at least one time. [ Writing/558691] 4.1.11. Others Besides, above mentioned mistakes, illogical content, weak evidence and inappropriate still appear in writing. One of the considerable marks in writing letters is words and phrases choice because the vocabulary of English is very various, one word contains many meanings and its use is different in different cases. Keep an eye out for all the common mistakes above, and make sure you have thoroughly supported your points. Follow these few strands of advice and you are sure to produce a well-written letter that will communicate the message you intend to convey and hopefully, achieve the results you desire. 4.3. Some suggested solutions to overcome above problems The letter is the first document that creates an impression about the writer (good or bad). Because first impressions really count, the writer needs to take a careful approach to writing thank you letters in order to avoid rejection. The following is suggestion which the writer should pay attention. 1. Write the thank you letters as soon as possible. 2. Using full-block or semi-block for informal thank you. This makes your letters more polite and attract to the reader’s attention. 40
41. 3. Formal thank you letters should be divided in to 3-4 paragraphs in one page, each one focus on its main content and keep your letters short and to the point. Begin the letters by saying your thanks and end by thanking again. Yet, the writer can use free format in informal thank you letters. 4. Identifying the purpose of the letter before writing. Whether it is business letters or personal letter. And what are you thankful for? 5. Checking grammar error, misspelling, fragments, run-on sentences and missing or incorrect punctuation. 6. Choosing the writer’s own words carefully and expressing clearly and simply. The writer should not go overboard with (fake) praise and appreciation; keep it honest and simple. 7. Avoiding inconsistence in person and tense. This makes the recipient confuse when reading. 8. Avoiding using unfamiliar acronyms, abbreviations or technical language. Don not sure that recipient understand your 9. It is necessary not to forget the date and the writer’ signature. 10. The writer should not use thank you template letter any time. They may be good but they are stale boring and most of templates are likely to have been downloaded from internet. Most templates are likely to have been downloaded from internet. So, it is good to use samples to get ideas on how to write your own unique letter. 11. Letters should be brief, factual and polite. Take special care not to sound aggressive or offensive. Write in a natural style. 12. Saying thank you even the writer doesn’t want to. The above solutions keep the letter neat and tidy with a simple format; try to avoid common errors to have an effective thank you letter. 41
42. 4.3. Models of thank you letters 4.3.1. Formal thank you letters Model 1: (Modified Block Format) 100 Pine Street Albany, NY 12200 October 8, 1996 Ms. Janet Jones Director of Research and Development ACME Computer Company 1234 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12204 Dear Ms. Jones: I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for interviewing me for the position of Senior Programmer in your Research and Development department. I enjoyed meeting with you and I learned a great deal about the ACME Computer Company. This position sounds very interesting and I am confident that my education and experience have provided me with the qualifications necessary to work effectively with your team. I am especially pleased to know that you use the Quadrennial programming language, since I completed two courses in it and I have used it extensively during my internship at General Electric. Once again, thank you for the opportunity to interview for a position with your company. I am excited about the prospect of working with such a dedicated team of professionals. If you request any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours Sincerely, Jane 42
43. Model 2: John Q. Public 245 Metro park Boulevard Any town, NY 12345 212.555.1234 (Home) 212.555.5678 (Office) November 14, 2008 Ms. Mary Q. Manager VP Sales ABC Widget Company 123 Main Street Big City, OH 23456 RE: Regional Sales Manager Dear Mary: I want to thank you for the time you spent with me today discussing the Regional Sales Manager opening at ABC Widget. Your insights into what it really takes to be successful in this role convince me that ABC is a great match for my skill set. I understand the challenge you described in opening up new markets for ABC's products. I faced this same kind of challenge with XYZ Manufacturing and was very successful in taking XYZ from being a virtual unknown in the market to a market leadership position in just three years. I'm confident that I can do the same thing for ABC. I am excited about the opportunity ABC Widget offers and I hope that we'll have an opportunity to conquer this market together. I look forward to hearing from you regarding next steps. Sincerely, John Q. Public 43
44. Model 3: 456 Cabot Mail Center Cambridge, MA 02138-156 March 10, 2008 Mr. Jason Crawford Goldman Sachs and Co. 85 Broad Street New York, NY 10004-2434 Dear Mr. Crawford: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk with you about my interest in Goldman Sachs yesterday. I enjoyed meeting with you, as I have with all the people from your firm. The intense competitiveness and hard-driving environment of the investment banking business makes it very attractive to me. I thrive on teamwork and competition. As I mentioned yesterday, I have been swimming competitively for twelve years. As captain of the Harvard team this year, I had the thrill of leading our team to the INCA Finals. If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to call me at (617) 493-1234. Sincerely yours, Marilyn Donaldson 44
45. Model 4: 953 Moniteau Rd. Ottawa, ON KEG 3H5 April 15, 2006 Ms. Carolyn Semantics Manager, Administrative Services 1295 Stewart Rd., Unit 53 Toronto, ON, MEW 1E8 Dear Carolyn Semantics: I would like to sincerely thank you for the time that you spent with me last Thursday, briefing me on your company’s background and operations, and interviewing me for the position of Administered Co-Coordinator in your organization. I was very pleased with the interview from my perspective, as I hope you were from yours. Now that I have met you and some of your colleagues, and know more about the activities of Lunar Solutions, I am even more excited about the possibility of working with you and your team than I was before the interview. I feel that this job would be a perfect fit for my skills and abilities, and that I would definitely be a value-added addition to your company. If you have any follow-up questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at (613) 820-7359 or by e-mail at jalexus@sprint.com. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours sincerely, Jason Alexis 45
46. Model 5: The Marsdens 7425 Lansdowne Road Bethesda, MD 20812 January 12, 2008 Fred and Sylvia Becker 455 Battery Lane Bethesda, MD 20814 Dear Fred and Sylvia: On behalf of the entire Marsden family I would like to thank you for your unflagging support and kind condolences in recent weeks as we mourned the tragic loss of Raymond. Without wonderful friends like you to spend time with us and help with day to day tasks it would have been much more difficult for us to suffer through this very difficult period. I especially appreciated the numerous meals that you prepared and delivered to us as well as the drives to school you provided for Kirstin and Charlie. You can't imagine what a help this was to Carl and I as we tried to focus on Raymond's funeral arrangements while also having to deal with the media. As you will understand, it is going to take some time before our family can get back to normal after this senseless tragedy. So, please don't take our lack of contact during this period as any more than us taking the time we need to try to get back to some semblance of a normal life. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for all that you have done. Sincerely grateful, Susan and Car 46
47. 4.3.2. Informal thank you letters Model 1: September 15, 2007 Dear Mat, It was so nice of you to send me such an extravagant gift. It must have cost you a lot of money. Well, this is what I also yearned for every time I strolled through the busy ABC Street and saw it on display of XYZ store, on my way to work. I guess that's the proof that you are a great friend. You read my mind like a psychic and now I can enjoy it. Thanks again for your gift. Cheers, Tom 47
48. Model 2: October 1, 2003 The Dan and Mary Small Foundation 3142 E. Tulsa St. Oklahoma City, OK 73012 Dear Mr. Small, Thank you so much for the gift of $10,000 to hire additional tutors for the children. We wish you could see the progress that "Joey" has made since we last wrote to you. He has pulled his grades up in spelling from "D's" to "B's". When he brings home his graded papers from his teacher, he always brings them by to show us, pride showing all over his face. Because of you, we are now going to be able to serve 10 more "Joeys" and watch their eyes also light up when succeeding in school. We would love to have you tour our facility and see your gift "at work". We will be calling you next week to see if there is a time convenient for you. Thank you for making a difference in children's lives. Sincerely, Sue Bells Executive Director 48
49. Model 3: 7, London Rd Manchester 30 December, 2005 Dear Uncle Bill, Thank you very much for the French cookery book you gave me. The recipes look wonderful, and I’ll certainly use it. I hope you and Auntie Susan had a good Christmas. We stayed at home, but had a couple trips out nearby. Our local theatre put a production of ‚A Christmas Carol‛, which was fun. I go back to university next week, and this year I’m going to have to study hard for the final exams. I’ve really enjoyed the course so far, but I’m not sure what to do once I get my degree. The university arranges career interviews, but I don’t really have a clear idea of what I want to do. Hopefully it will all become clearer during the course of the year. Thank you again for the lovely present, and Happy New Year! With much love, Anna 49
50. Model 4: 7 May 2001 Dear Kelly, Thank you very much for your last letter. It was interesting to read about your holidays in Greece. I’ve also was on vacation recently. Perhaps you remember that I spent my last summer in New York to improve my English, and so I decided to visit my friends over there. We had a great time; however, on the last day something unpleasant happened to me. As I drove through Queens on Ocean Boulevard, suddenly there was an enormous bang in the back and the car began to veer. For a couple of seconds, which appeared like hours to me, I lost control over the automobile, but finally I was able to stop the car just a few inches in front of a hydrant. After having taken a deep breath I got out of the vehicle and saw that my back wheel had exploded. As you can imagine, I wasn’t very pleased because the car was only rented. Fortunately a handsome young man on a bike came by, stopped and offered to help me. He changed the wheel, which was very kind of him. To thank him I invited him for a cup of coffee at Star Bucks, my favourite coffee shop. What can I say, it was very nice By the way he’s going to visit me next month, so you can also get to know him. Anyway, it was the sweetest puncture of my whole life. Well, that’s all for now. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Love, Susanne 50
51. Model 5: Nov. 15, 2000 Dear Sara, I want to thank you again for interviewing me for the merchandise analyst position this week. It was wonderful seeing you again and learning about your work at Straubinger Department Stores. As I'm sure you could tell during the interview, I'm very enthusiastic about the possibility of joining your team. I'm confident my skills and experience would add to the excellent job you're all already doing. Again, as you know, I'd love the chance to work with you. Thanks so much for the chance to discuss my qualifications—and to catch up on our lives. All the best, Emily Rehiring 51
52. Part III: Conclusion Thank you letters are useful tools for communication. Thanks to thank you letter, the relationship between people and people becomes fine in both daily life and business. Moreover, people can express their feelings, truthful gratitude which will not or can not make in person. This is the reason why the writer chooses this field to study. This study includes three parts: Part I consists of the rationale, arms, method, scope and design of the study. Thus readers can have an overview of the study. Part II is the development including three chapters. Chapter I is the theoretical background which provides an overview of general letters, thank you letters and factors of an effective letter. Chapter II is an insight into an effective thank you letter. Organization and content of formal and informal thank you letters, stylistic and linguistic features are analyzed carefully. More importantly, tips which help readers write their letters effectively are also analyzed. The last chapter discusses some common mistakes and suggested solutions which help students improve their writing. The writer also adds some models so that students can distinguish form of two styles of letters: formal and informal ones. Part III is the conclusion which summaries the main points mentioned in the study. In spite of trying my best, due to the limitation of time and comprehensive knowledge, mistakes and shortcomings are unavoidable and the research paper may not satisfy reader completely. Yet, I do hope that this is will be a useful and helpful study for students of English. Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the supervisor Mrs. Dao Thi Lan Huong and all other Foreign Language Department of Hai Phong Private University for their precious and useful lessons which then be major a great contribution to the fulfillment of this graduation paper. 52
53. References *Books: 1. Dung.Anh -Yen.Hai, (2006), H•ớng Dẫn Trả Lời Phỏng Vấn Tiếng Anh, NXB Thanh Nien. 2. Phuc.Hoang, (2001), Đọc & Viết th• bằng Tiếng Anh, NXB Thong Ke. 3. Son.Tran Thanh, Giao.Tran Thi Quynh,(1997), Thực tiễn doanh th•ơng và th• tín anh ngữ, NXB Dong Nai. 4. Yen.Nguyen Thanh, (2004), Thủ thuật viết một bức th• xin việc,NXB Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh. 5. Lien.Tran Thi Ngoc, (2003), Academic Writing, Hai Phong Private University. 6. Kristine Brown and Susan Hood, (1989), Writing Matters, Cambridge University. 7. Randolph Quirk, (1996), University Grammar of English, NXB Hai Phong. 8. Richard knight(1986), Writing 2, Cassell Ltd. 9. Shaun Fawcett, M.B.A, (2004), Writing success secrets-Practical Tips and Tricks for Everyday Writing. Notre-Dame West, Montreal, QC, Canada. * Websites: 1. lesson plan 2. you letters 3. Informal-Writing&id=594208 4. http:// writinghelp-central.com/ articles-letter-writing-html 5. instantletterwritingkit.com/indexmain.html 6. 7. 8. 9. 53
54. Acknowledgements In the process of doing the graduation paper, I not only have faced up with many problems in lexicology, reference materials but also difficulties in choosing the right way to express my idea. However, I have received a lot of guidance, assistance, and enthusiasm from my supervisor, Mrs. Dao Thi Lan Huong and other teachers in Foreign Language Department of Hai Phong Private University. Thanks to these helps, I have overcome the difficulties and completed my graduation paper successfully. I wish to express my deepest gratitude and indebtedness to my supervisor Mrs. Dao Thi Lan Huong who has always been most willing and ready to give me valuable advices, suggestions and materials to finish this study. And thank to all teachers of Foreign Language Department of Hai Phong Private University for their precious and useful lessons during my four – year study which have been then the foundation of this graduation paper. Last but not least, I am grateful to my family and friends for their encouragement and inspiration. Hai Phong, June, 2009 Nguyen Thi Theu 54
55. Table of contents Acknowledgements Part I. Introduction Page 1. Rationale 1 2. Aims of the study 1 3. Scope of the study 1 4. Methods of the study 2 5. Design of the study 2 Part II. Development ChapterI . Theoretical background 1.1 An overview of kinds of letters 3 1.1.1. Purposes of general letters 3 1.1.2. Kinds of letter 3 1.1.2.1. Formal letter 3 1.1.2.2. Informal letter 5 1.1.3. The differences between two kinds of letters 5 1.1.4. Factors of an effective letter 7 1.2. An overview of kinds of thank you letters 1.2.1. Purposes of thank you letters 11 1.2.2. Kinds of thank you letters 11 ChapterII . An insight into an effective thank you letter 2.1 Organization and content 2.1.1 Formal thank you letter 13 2.1.1.1. Heading 13 2.1.1.2. Introduction 14 2.1.1.3. Body 15 2.1.1.4. Closing 15 2.1.2. Informal thank you letter 16 2.1.2.1. Heading 16 55
56. 2.1.2.2. Introduction 16 2.1.2.3. Body 17 2.1.2.4. Closing 17 2.2. Stylistic features of thank you letters 2.2.1. Form 17 2.2.1.1. Organization 17 2.1.1.2. Punctuation 18 2.1.1.3. Capitalization. 19 2.2.2. Content 19 2.2.2.1. Accuracy 19 2.2.2.2. Coherence 21 2.2.2.3. Tone 22 2.3. Linguistic features of thank you letters 2.3.1. Language choice 22 2.3.2. Abbreviation 23 2.3.3. Part of speech 23 2.3.4. Types of Sentence 25 3.1. Some tips of an effective thank you letters 3.1.1. Compose (and personalize) thank-you letters to each person you met 26 3.1.2. Keep thank-you letters short, concise and direct 27 3.1.3. Be genuine in your appreciation 27 3.1.4. Use short sentences and paragraphs 27 3.1.5. Make sure it is appropriate 27 3.1.6. Remind the recipient 28 3.1.7. Make it personal 28 3.1.8. Check spelling and grammar 28 3.1.9. Close your thank-you letter with repeated thanks and appreciation 28 3.1.10. Carefully proofread/edit 29 3.1.11. Good impression 29 56
57. ChapterIII . Some possible mistakes made by students, suggested solutions and models of thank you letters 4.1. Some possible mistakes made by students 4.1.1. Not identifying the purpose of the letter. 30 4.1.2. Not getting to the point. 30 4.1.3. Redundancy. 31 4.1.4. Using unfamiliar acronyms, abbreviations or technical language. 31 4.1.5. Using ambiguous or confusing words. 31 4.1.6. Monotonous sentence structure. 31 4.1.7. Inconsistency. 32 4.1.8. Fragments, run-on sentences and missing or incorrect punctuation. 32 4.1.9. Bad spelling and missed words 32 4.1.10. Not reading it over before sending it. 33 4.1.11. Others 33 4.2. Suggested solutions to overcome these problems 33 4.3. Models of thank you letters 35 4.3.1. Formal thank you letters 35 4.3.2. Informal thank you letters 40 Part III . Conclusion 45 References 46 57