Practical Writing

Practical Writing

By Lucy Liu

Contents

Part 1: Letters Part 2: Envelop Part 3: Notice Part 4: Notes

1. Letters

Part 1: types

business letters and personal letters

Part 2: Form the heading

the inside address

the salutation

the body

the complimentary close

the signature

2. Envelope

Part 1: Revision the letter to the Prof. John Smith of Peking

University Questions: 1. I read your latest book called “the difference

between western countries and China.”I would like to ask you some questions related to the book, which strongly need your help to solve. Therefore, please contact me if it is convenient for you.

2. What’s your opinion about the confrontation between Chinese and Western culture. And nowadays, the two kinds of culture are mixing together, do you think we are losing the variety of the culture. ( Diversity)

3. Can you tell me whether the difference between Chinese and Western culture has an effect on learning English? If it does, how can we avoid the influence.

4. I’m writing to you in the hope of obtaining the answers to the questions about the book…

• Address :

Professor John Smith

Foreign language studies college (school)

Peking University

Beijing 100021

P.R.C.

Part 2: Practice You are required to write a letter to the

VOA editor asking for a program schedule. You should include the following content.

你是一名中国学生，你喜欢英语，喜欢听 VOA 英语新闻。但是你没有时间表，所以经常错过节目，希望能够得到一张时刻表。

Four parts: Introduction, Attitude of VOA, Problem, Request

A Chinese letter is likely to follow a structure of I--A--P—R

(a BECAUSE-THEREFORE pattern)

An English letter is likely to follow a structure of R-I-A-P-R

Possible Answer:

I want a timetable of VOA. I’m a college student in China. I listen to VOA every day. But I don’t know the exact time of the program. So I hope you could send me a timetable.

Envelope

Notice

The differences

• Chinese one:

通知 兹定于 5 月 6 日（星期三）下午 2 ： 3

0 在英语大楼 201 室召开系会，请全体成员准时出席！

外语系办公室 2008 年 5 月 5 日

The English one:

Department Meeting

Wednesday, May 6

2:30 p.m.

English Bldg. , Room 201 The English Department Office

May 5, 2008

Notice

The Department Meeting is to be held at Room 201 in the English Building on Wednesday, May 6, at 2:30 p.m.. All students are requested to be there on time!

The English Department

3. Notice

Chinese way to write a notice :To whom(audience)—when (date/day of the

week/ time)—where ---what ( activity)English way to write a notice :What----where---when (day of the week /

date / time)---- to whom* Poster is typical for its illustration and

colors in order to attract the public.

Notice

In the form of letter

1. A personal letter

2. The second person “you”

3. With a salutation

4. Date on the upper right-corner

5. No title “notice”

In the form of placard

1. To the public

2. The third person

3. Without a salutation

4. Date on the left corner at the bottom

5. A title “notice”

Example1:

Mar. 5th 2008

Dear Comrade,

This is to inform you that you are requested to be present in the college conference room on Saturday, Aug. 18th , at 2:00 P.M. to discuss questions of the students’ teaching practice.

The College Teaching Office

Example2:

Notice

All teachers and students in our department are requested to meet in the meeting hall on Wednesday , Mar.15th, at 3:00P.M.. A report will be given on the new situation in our social construction.

The office of the Foreign Language Department

Mar. 12 2008

Exercise

You are required to write a notice according to the following .

城建局公告 自 二月六日到十日，中山北路中段（东起曹阳路，

西至武宁路）修路，一切机动车辆禁止通行，特此公告。

二零零八年一月二十八日

Answer to the exercise :

Urban Reconstruction Department

notice

Notice is hereby given that the central sector of Zhongshan Road (North) between Caoyang Road to the east and Wuning Road to the west is closed to vehicular traffic for five days from Feb. 6 to 10 inclusive as the road is under construction.

Jan. 28 2008

The possible beginnings of the notice

1. Just a line to tell you that …

2. This is to inform/ notify you that …

3. I’m writing to inform that …

4. I beg/ wish / desire to inform you that …

5. I regret to inform you that

6. I hasten to say that…

7. Notice is hereby given that …

8. This is to announce that …

9. *** company informs the public that …

4. Notes

Part 1: Revision

10 月 15 日，本周末下午 3 ： 30 在新体育馆有一场精彩的足球赛，是由学生会组织发起的。本次球赛是希望杯（ Hope Cup Championship) 决赛，由计算机系和中文系双雄争夺冠亚军，莫失良机！

Keys: Go! Go!! Go!!!

The Hope Cup Championship Sponsored by The Students’ Union Exciting Soccer Final Between 2 Powers Don’t Miss the Opportunity! Place: The New Stadium Time ： Sat. 3:30 P.M. Oct. 15 Teams: Computer Dept. Vs Chinese Dept

Poster

Under the auspices of the Student Union of our university, an exciting soccer final of the Hope Cup Championship will be held between Computer Dept. and Chinese Dept. in the new stadium on Saturday, Oct.15, at 3:30 p.m.. Don’t lose the chance!

The Student Union Oct. 12

Lost

I lost a bunch of keys while playing basketball on the sports ground yesterday afternoon. Will the finder please send it to me, or ring me up to fetch it.

Loser: ZhangmingAddress:Rm312, student Dormitory 3Tel: 62137246

Child Lost A little boy, named Wu Jian, aged 3, dressed in blue,

got lost on the afternoon of 17th, June. The boy was 0.70 metres tall, round face and big eyes, and he speaks common speech.

Whoever has found him or knows his whereabout or has got any information which may lead to his location is requested to write to his family or phone them. Handsome reward will be given and profound thanks from.

Wu Shengyou Wu Jian’s fatherAddress:Tel:

Notes

All notes should include:1. The date without the year,and either with or

without the day of the week in the top right corner.

2. The name of the person with or without the word “Dear”

3. Message itself4. The name of the person who writes the note in

the right corner at the bottom.

Sick leave April 15th Mr. John Smith Office Secretary Dear sir, I have a high fever and a bad headache today, so I

can’t come to the office. I have seen the doctor, and he tells me to stay in bed for two days. I hope I’ll be able to resume my duties soon.

Yours faithfully, Bruce JacksonEncl: doctor’s certificate for sick leave

Leave of absence

Mar. 15th Dear Director Wu, I beg to apply for five days leave of absence from the

16th to 20th because a telegram has come to me from my hometown that something very urgent has happened and needs my attendance. I should be very much obliged if you will grant my application.

Yours, Chen LiEncl: a telegram from my mother

Exercise:

非常抱歉，我因今晨突然生病不能前来上课（两节写作课），现附上医生证明，医生担心我也许要几天后才能上课，希望我这次身不由己的缺勤不致给您带来很大的麻烦。

Mar. 18th Dear Miss Liu, I very much regret I am unable to attend school this

morning(attend two periods of English class)owing to a severe attack of illness. I am enclosing here with a certificate from the doctor who is attending me, as he fears it will be several days before I shall be able to resume my study. I trust my enforced absence will not give you any serious inconvenience.

Yours, Jack Encl

Message

3:00 p.m. Wed.

Dear Mr. Ali,

A Mr. Hussain left a parcel for you at the Service Desk.He would like you to give him a call tomorrow morning between 9 and 12. His telephone number is …

Liu

congratulations

Principles:

1. The purpose of writing the letter is to make your reader feel certain that he or she deserve the special message of recognition and praise.

2. The note should be brief, dealing with the primary topic only.

3. The whole message should carry a tone of being positive and conversational.

4. Be sure to send the letter within a few days of the event. Any delay in delivery of the message would make your effort worse than no effort at all.

Sentences:1. I congratulate you on-ing …2. I’m delighted /pleased to hear that …3. Please add my warmest congratulations to …4. With my wholehearted congratulations and best

wishes for…5. Congratulations on your success in v-ing…

Recommendation

1. Relationship

2. Capabilities

3. Attitude/ personality

4. Suggestion