However, the most two common complimentary closes are “Yours faithfully” used only with Dear SirSirsMadam and “Yours sincerely” used
with personalized salutation; you know the recipient’s name in the salutation. For example: If you write Dear John : in the salutation, so you should write
Yours sincerely in the complimentary close.
3.2.6 The Signature
The signature of the writer is affixed just below the complimentary close. If you are on very friendly terms with the person you are writing to, and he would
address you by your given name, then you write just your given name here. You write your signature as legibly as possible. If you letter has been
typewritten, you may type your name under the written signature. In any case a signature written in following longhand, your normal joined handwriting must
appear.
3.3 The Language of Personal Letter
Letter as a communication tool must be able to deliver the message of the letter and make the recipient become interest so that the recipient is
not bored and confuse to the content of the letter. In a personal letter, the language may be more coloquial than formal essay and in particular,
contracted forms for example ‘I’m’, ‘you’re’ are permitted. Although, the
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contents of the letter should always be polite and respectful, even if complaining.
3.4 Expressions of Certain Common Feelings in Personal Letter
1. Thanks Personal letters usually open with thanks for a letter just received. The following
are the two most common ways of doing this : 1.
If you want to specify the day you received the letter and you should be used past tense
Example : - Thank you for your delightful letter which I received yesterday.
2. If you do not want to be specific, you use a present perfect. Example :
- Thank you for your interesting letter which I has just received. 2. Inquires
Letters are often used to make inquiries, maybe the whole purposes of the letter. Inquiries are still almost certain to be made about one or all of this following
topics. a
Health As you are in regular correspondence with him, you will know,
presumably that when you last heard from him he was well or not. Example : I hope you are still keeping well
b General Well-being
If you know that your correspondent has been doing well at something, you can put your inquiry this way :
Example : Are you still doing well at the University?
c Your correspondent’s life
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These may be about virtually anything, and are put as simple direct questions.
Example : What did you do on your holiday?
3. Happiness You can expressing your happiness about anything, another way of expressing
happiness is by means of a simple exclamatory sentences. Example : I was very glad to hear from your letter which arrived this morning that
you have had a new car. But if you want to use informal sentences you should write :
Example : So you are coming to Medan I am so glad.
4. Sorrow If you are expressing sorrow for some considerable misfortune, you may write
instead ‘distressed’. Example : What pity you you failed your examination I was so sorry to hear
about it. I do hope you have better luck next time.
5. Condolence If someone dies and we write to a relative to express our sympathy, we then ‘offer
condolence’. Thus a letter of condolence is special type of the letter discussed in the previous section, but you cannot use all the patterns mentioned there.
Condolences are best expressed in sentences like these : Example : I was so sorry to hear about the death of your father, please accept our
condolence.
6. Congratulation Congratulation are sent to mark your happiness at someone else’s success.
Example : Please accept my heartiest congratulations Warmest congratulaions
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7. Best Wishes These are sent to a person about to do something in the future.
Example : I hope you have a successful career.
8. Apologies These are formed with ‘apologies’, ‘afraid’ and ‘sorry’. Note that ‘sorry’ Can
take after it either a noun clause or the preposition ‘for’, plus a gerund. ‘Afraid’, however, can only take the noun clause construction and‘apologize’ the
prepositional one. Apologies may of course be for many things but the most frequent cause is probably the failure to answer letters promptly enough.
Example : - I am sorry that I kept your magazine so long. -
I am afraid that I shall not be able to come to the party tonight. -
I must apologies for losing your wallet.
9. Request It is usual to preface the request itself in some way, particularly if it may cause
any real trouble to the person you are asking; apologies for making the request are sometimes added.This additional sentences are not always called for, but they
often make a request so much more polite and acceptable. Example : - I wonder whether you could do something for me?
- I hope you do not mind asking you.
- I am sorry to trouble you about this.
10. Invitations Invitations are often embodied in the normal letter form and then they follow
closely the patterns for request. Example : I having a party next week to celebrate my birthday, I should be
delighted if you could come.
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3.5. Sample of Personal Letter
