Letter writing

Regarding the extracts, and how formal or informal they are, I think that:

Extract A: 5
Extract B: 2
Extract C: 4
Extract D: 3
Extract E: 1

1. What is the purpose of the letter each extract is from?
2. What can you deduce about the writers and recipients of each letter?
In "Extract A" I think that the porpuse is to meet some people that the writer of the letter already knows.
In "Extract B" it seems an announcement from a bank to a customer about the transactions they have made on his or her bank account.
"Extract C" is an announcement of a meeting of all the people working in a place which seems a school. They try to be all people together in a party. As it is a lot of people, maybe they don´t know each other in all the cases, but at least they are colleagues.
"Extract D" seems to be a note written to somebody to thank him or her for his or her rehearsal the night before. But it seems like both people are not friends, but they only know each other
Finally, the last extract is an apologice, probably from a company to acustomer who has received a product broken.

3. What features of informal language does each extract include?
Extract A:It uses contractions, and the vocabulary express a near relationship. It also uses phrasal verbs
Extract B: I don´t think there is any sign of informal language in this one.
Extract C: Also contractions, and the last suggestion made to people.
Extract D: SOme phrasal verbs, but appart from that, nothing else.
Extract E: There isn´t any use of formal language here.

Rewrite thesew formal expressions from the extracts in more informal English.
1. We can now confirm that
Let´s say what definitivley
2. your forthcoming vacation

3. will be debited from your credit card
we will take from your credit card
4. the week following your departure
after you leave
5. Please accept my apologies for this
I´d like you to accept my apologies
6. We do make every effort
We always try


Work in pairs.
Read the following writing task, then discuss and list some indoor and outdoor activities in your town that you could suggest in your reply to the letter.
Indoor activities
- Go to the cinema so he can pratice the language
- Go to some goos restaurants in the city
- Visit the science and the sculpture museum
Outdoor activites
- Visit the Cathedral, tha "Antigua", San Pablo and other buildings
- Go shoping
- Go for a walk through "Campo Grande"
- Visit the city centre; Plaza Mayor, Santiago street, Gamazo street, Recoletos...

Discuss the beginning and end of your letter. Which of these ideas would you include at the beginning and which at the end?
At the beggining:
comment on the fact that your friend is planning to learn your language
give some general information about your town
ask about the language course your friend is attending
At the end:
say you're looking forward to seeing your penfriend
suggest meeting during the friend's stay

Writing a report

The first point of the task talks about some points that may, or may not be in a report. Here is my opinion:
1. ..DO..begin by stating the purpose of the report
2. ..DO..summarise given information succinctly
3. ..DON´T..use adjectives and adverbs for effect
4. ..DO..use bullet points where appropriate
5. ..DON´T..include all the words from the input texts
6. ..DO..divide the report into sections with headings if appropriate
7. ..DON´T..develop ideas in task input with your own details
8. ..DO..use an impersonal semi-formal/formal style
9. ..DON´T..give your own opinion throughout
10. ..DO..use appropriate linking words
11. ..DO..use all the information from the input

The next step is to decide which is the best structure for a report. I think it is Plan B:
1. Reason for writing
2. Survey results
3. Recommendations for the day
4. COnclusion
The reason why I think this is the best, it´s because with tha Plan A you are including your own opinion, because you have to say what things haven´t been included in the survey, which I think is something subjective. And, as I wrote on the first part of this task, the personal opinion shouldn´t appear in a report. Also, if you choose Plan A, you have to write the survey questions and answers, and this involves writing all the words from the input texts, and what has to be done is to express that with your own words. And regarding Plan C, if you choose this one, you´ll have to write information about environmental issues, so you´ll have to develope an idea with your details, as if you were writing an article. And this also shouldn´t be included in a report.
But with Plan B you start sayiong why you are writing, which is correct. Then you give a general idea, with your own words, of the survey results, and you give recommendations based on that. And finally you include a conclusion summarazing what you mean with all you´ve said.