Formal Letters

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Formal letters are written to tourist offices, hotels, campsites, schools etc. requesting information or making reservations. They are different in French and in English. The many differences concern the layout of the information on the page.

General Guidelines

• Remember to use only the ‘vous’ form of the verb and not the familiar form ‘tu’.
• Begin with either Monsieur or Madame followed by a comma. Never use Cher / Chère!
• The town, date, month and year are placed on the top line on the right-hand side of the page. Note the comma after the town and the use of a small letter for the month!
• The sender’s address is placed directly opposite, on the left-hand side. Don’t forget to include ‘Irlande’ spelt correctly!
• The recipient’s address and country is placed one line beneath the town and date.
• Leave a line between paragraphs
• Use a formal ending and sign the letter.
• Remember when writing a formal letter there is no need to expand beyond the information in the guidelines.

Useful expressions

• Je vous écris de la part de……I’m writing on behalf of…
• Je voudrais des renseignements…I’d like some information
• Sur la région / la ville / le camping……About the region / town / campsite
• Je voudrais une liste d’hôtels / d’auberges de jeunesse……I’d like a list of hotels / youth hostels
• Une liste de vos tarifs…A price list
• Veuillez indiquer le tarif de ce séjour……Please let us know the price of this stay
• Nous voudrions réserver un emplacement à l’ombre…We would like to book a site in the shade
• Voulez-vous m’envoyer un dépliant sur les sites touristiques ?…Would you please send me a leaflet about tourist attractions ?
• Je vous serais reconnaissant de m’envoyer… I would be grateful if you could send me…
• Voulez-vous nous envoyer une brochure / un prospectus sur la ville ?…Would you please send us a brochure / prospectus about the town
• Nous avons l’intention de passer une semaine…We intend spending a week…
• Nous comptons passer deux semaines…..We intend spending two week…
• Nous sommes quatre : un couple et deux enfants…There are four of us : two adults and two children
• Je voudrais / nous voudrions rester en demi-pension…… I / We would like to stay half-board
• Pension complète……Full-board
• La climatisation/l’ascenseur ne marchait pas……the air conditioning/lift was not working
• Qu’est-ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire?……What is there to see and do?
• J’aimerais travailler en France cet été… I would like to work in France this summer.
• J’aimerais passer quelques semaines dans votre école… I would like to spend some time in your school.
• Est-ce que l’ecole est loin du centre ville ?... Is the school far from the city centre ?
• Je voudrais améliorer mon français/découvrir la culture française… I would like to improve my French/discover the French culture.
• J’ai déjà travaillé dans un hôtel/café/restaurant… I have already worked in a hotel/café/restaurant.
• Où est situé/où se trouve l’hôtel ?... Where is the hotel ?
• J’attends confirmation de votre part… I look forward to hearing from you

Alternative endings

• Avec mes remerciements (anticipés), je vous prie d’agréer, Monsieur, l’expression de mes sentiments distingués.
• Dans l’attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d’agréer, Monsieur, l’expression de mes salutations distinguées.
• Sincèrement.
• Merci à l’avance.

 

Past exam papers (Higher level)

2007

Your name is Martin / Martina Doyle. Your address is 4 Summerfield Drive, Patrickswell, Co. Limerick. You wish to spend some time working in a hotel in Paris during the summer holidays.

 

Write a formal letter to the Manager (M. or Mme Sibut, Hôtel de la Paix, rue du 14 juillet, 75000 Paris, France) in which you:

- give some relevant information about yourself

- state why you wish to spend the summer working in France

- give details of your experience of hotel work

- ask for information about the hotel.

 

2005

Your name is Cathal / Catherine O’Byrne. Your address is 12 Chestnut Gardens, Legan,

Co. Longford. During the next school year you would like to spend some time in a French

school in the city of Toulouse.

 

Write a formal letter to the school Principal (M. or Mme Dufay, Lycée Jules Ferry, 31000

Toulouse, France) in which you

- explain that you wish to spend some time in his/her school

- give some relevant information about yourself

- ask for some information about the school

- enquire about facilities or activities in the area.