Неформальні повідомлення та листи

When you need it

You write informal messages to people you know well: friends, classmates, family, or a colleague you call by their first name. Typical reasons are to thank someone, to invite them, to accept or refuse an invitation, to give your news and to ask for theirs. School exams at A2 and B1 often include a short email or note of this kind, and the examiner checks two things: did you answer every point in the task, and does the text sound friendly and natural.

The language is simple and personal. You use contractions (I'm, can't, it's), short sentences, direct questions and everyday words. You do not need long, formal sentences to get a good mark; you need clear ones.

Structure

1. Greeting. Hi Tom, or Hello Anna, or just Anna, on a note. Put a comma after the name and start the text on a new line with a capital letter. Ukrainian and Russian letters often put an exclamation mark after the greeting; English uses a comma.
2. Opening line. One short sentence that connects to your last contact: Thanks for your message. How are you? Sorry I haven't written for so long.
3. The main point. Why you are writing: the news, the invitation, the answer. Give each idea its own short paragraph. If the task gives you three points, make sure the reader can find all three.
4. A question or a next step. Are you free on Saturday? Let me know what you think. This gives the other person a reason to reply.
5. Closing line and name. See you soon, Take care, Best wishes, or Love, for family and close friends, then your first name on its own line.

A text or chat message is shorter still. It usually drops the greeting and the closing and keeps only the point and the question: Running ten minutes late, sorry. Order me a coffee?

Useful phrases

Purpose	Phrase
Opening	Thanks for your message. / It was great to hear from you. / Sorry for the late reply.
Giving news	I've got some news. / Guess what? / You'll never guess who I saw yesterday.
Asking for news	How are things with you? / How was your trip? / What have you been up to?
Closing	Write soon. / Let me know. / See you on Friday. / Take care.

Purpose	Phrase
Inviting	Would you like to come to my party? / Do you fancy going to the cinema? / Why don't we meet at six? / How about Sunday?
Accepting	I'd love to. / Sounds great. / Count me in.
Refusing	I'm afraid I can't, because… / Sorry, I'm busy on Saturday. / Maybe another time?
Suggesting another time	Are you free the week after? / Could we do Sunday instead?

Do you fancy…? is British and very common in speech and messages; American English says Do you want to…? After fancy the verb takes -ing: Do you fancy going out?

Model text

Task: invite a friend to your birthday party, say when and where it is, and ask them to bring something.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your message, and sorry for the late reply. It's been a really busy week at school.

I've got some news. I'm having a small party for my birthday on Saturday 14 June. It starts at seven at my place, and my brother is going to cook. Would you like to come?

You don't need to bring a present, but could you bring some music? You always find the best songs. Can you let me know by Thursday, so I know how much food to buy?

See you soon,
Anna

Common mistakes

• ✗ I write you because I want to invite you.
  ✓ I'm writing to invite you.
  Ukrainian пишу тобі and Russian пишу тебе use the simple present, but English describes the message you are writing right now with the present continuous, and it uses to + infinitive for the purpose.
• ✗ I want to invite you on my birthday.
  ✓ I'd like to invite you to my birthday party.
  На день народження / на день рождения suggests on, but in English you invite someone to an event, and I'd like to sounds warmer than I want to.
• ✗ I would be grateful if you could inform me whether you are free on Saturday.
  ✓ Are you free on Saturday?
  Phrases learnt for formal letters sound cold or even ironic in a message to a friend, so keep the register personal and direct.
• ✗ See you on Saturday. Your friend, Anna.
  ✓ See you on Saturday. Love, Anna
  Ukrainian твій друг and Russian твой друг are normal before the name, but English messages do not sign off with your friend; use a short closing and your name.
• ✗ Sorry, I can't come because I am busy. Bye.
  ✓ Sorry, I can't come on Saturday because I've got an exam on Monday. Maybe next weekend?
  A refusal without a real reason and without a new suggestion reads as unfriendly in English, even when it is grammatically correct.

Try it