TIPS FOR WRITING LETTERS IN THE TEST OF LEVEL 3-5/VSTEP (Ms Yen)

1. Some notes when taking the English letter writing test

First, you need to know the ideas that the question asks. Then answer all of those ideas in the article. It is best to read the question carefully, make a list of ideas, write down the answer phrases (like making an outline) and then start writing.

Second, you should use a variety of structures and vocabulary. You can memorize common sentence structures and vocabulary to apply in the test. Do not forget to use more sentence transition phrases to make the passage smoother.

Third, you should use conjunctions, pay attention to punctuation, and paragraphs. The written test will assess your ability to use English to make sentences, so it is recommended to use more compound sentences for better assessment.

Fourth, ensure the letter writing structure. There are greetings, opening sentences, informational comments, body paragraphs, and closing sentences.

2. Structure of the English writing test

Please note 5 parts in the exam structure including:

- Greeting or salutation: In this part, if you want to have a formal greeting, use the structure "Dear Sir or Madam", and greet intimately with relatives or friends, "Dear + proper name" or " Hi + proper name”.

- Introduction: Give a reason why you are writing to your readers. You can use sentence patterns like:

Thanks for your letter. (Thank you for writing)

Hope you're well. (I hope you are well.)

Lovely to hear from you. (Pleased to receive your message)

I'm so pleased to hear… I'm so glad to hear that

It's great to hear… It's nice to know that

- Body: If the main points the question asks for. You can divide it into several paragraphs to express different points of view.

- Conclusion: Send a greeting to the reader. You can use phrases like:

“Write back soon.

Well, that's all for now.

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.”

- Closing: You can use “Yours faithfully/ Sincerely” if you are writing a formal letter or you can use “Best wishes/ All the best” if you are writing an informal letter.