Types of letters in English

by funtalk | Jul 25, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

It is possible that, with the advance of new technologies, you may think that letters do not carry the same weight as they did a few years ago. Nevertheless, it remains the most successful means of communication on a wide variety of occasions and continues to be widely used.

In fact, when the purpose is to make some kind of formal request or presentation, this type of communication channel is usually used. Nowadays, letters can be found in the traditional format, i.e. on paper, but we can also find letters in digital format. In this post you will discover the different types of letters in English.

Types of letters in English

Formal letter

It is a type of letter that follows a certain pattern and formality. They are strictly for professional use and are directly addressed to the matters to be dealt with in the letter. It is important to keep in mind that any letter that is commercial or addressed to the authorities falls into the category of a formal letter.

Informal Letter

These types of letters are personal and do not have to follow any established writing pattern or adhere to any formality. The content is personal information and may also consist of a written conversation. Informal letters are typical letters that may be written between family members, partners, friends or acquaintances.

Business letter

It is a type of letter written between different business correspondents. They typically contain business information such as quotations, orders, complaints, claims, letters for collections, etc. These cards always maintain a formal character, so we can find formal structures and patterns.

Official letter

It is a letter that is written when offices, branches and subordinates must be informed about some kind of official information. The type of information typically conveyed in this type of letter usually consists of rules, regulations, procedures, events or any other type of information of this nature. Official letters are formal in nature and follow a structure in keeping with this type of tone.

Social Charter

These are letters that have been written for a special reason or event. The content of this type of letter is usually a congratulations, a condolence, an invitation letter, among other types of special social events.

Circular letter

It is a type of letter intended to announce a piece of information or data to a large number of people. To meet this objective, a copy of the letter is distributed to all target persons. The content of this type of letter can be an important announcement such as a change of address, the departure of an important partner from a company, etc.

Employment letters

They are all those letters related to the employment process: the letter of incorporation, the promotion letter, the cover letter, etc.

We hope this post has helped you to learn about the different types of letters in English that we can find and to improve your communication in English in your daily life.

Would modal verb: how to use it

by funtalk | Jul 12, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Would is a very unusual word. It is a modal auxiliary verb but has at least fourteen different uses and several different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. Would is commonly used to create conditional verb forms, but it also serves as a past form of the modal verb will and can indicate repetition in the past, similar to used to.

In the following article we will tell you how to use this auxiliary verb so that you can be a real ace in the English language.

The form of the verb would

Regardless of how you use would, remember that it is an auxiliary verb and therefore follows the standard auxiliary structure:

Subject + would + base infinitive verb

For example: I would like some coffee or I would have bought it but it was too expensive.

Would is often contracted to ‘d in informal language and speech, as in: I’d like some coffee.

What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs are a type of “helping verb”, also called “helping verb”, as we have already mentioned. This means that they work together with other verbs to give a new meaning to the sentence. For example, they can change the tense of the main verb or indicate the possibility, permission or necessity for something to happen.

Use would in the affirmative

She said she would come to my party. She said she would come to my party.

Use would in negative

When i was younger, I wouldn’t go to the disco. When I was younger, I wouldn’t go to the disco.

Use would in conditional

If I won the lottery, I would buy a new car. If I won the lottery , I would buy a new car.

Uses of the modal verb would

The modal verb would is commonly used as follows:

To make a polite request

Would you give me a hand with this ladder, please? Would you mind moving your bag?

To offer something with education

Would you like some tea or coffee? Would you like some tea or coffee?

Past usual activity

In this case, it has the meaning of used to.

I remember Jeff; he would watch TV all day if you let him. I remember Jeff; he would watch TV all day if you let him.

To indicate that someone persisted in an activity in the past.

John would keep nagging at her, though I asked him not to. John kept insisting, even though I kept asking him not to.

Expressing and asking about probability

I saw a girl at the window. Who would that be? I saw a girl at the window. Who would it be?

In conditional sentences

The most common in these cases is to find the would particle together with the if clause.

I would have taken it if it had been available. I would have taken it if it had been available.

Other uses of would

Would usually speaks of a habitual action in the past. That means an action that is repeated more than once, often as a matter of routine.

When I was a kid I would play with dolls every day. As a child, I played with dolls every day.

Would can also show a willingness to do something in the future, often as part of the phrase “would like to…”

She would like to come to the party. He would like to come to the party.

Would is used in a question to ask someone to do something. In this sense, it is similar to can; however, would sounds more polite.

Would you please close the door? Could you close the door, please?

Finally, would is usually accompanied by the verb wish to express a desire.

I wish you would stop tapping your pencil. I wish you would stop tapping your pencil.

Difference between which and what

by funtalk | Jun 30, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

As far as grammatical rules are concerned, the difference between “that” and “which” is by far not the most controversial. It’s not about using a preposition to end a sentence, or any of those other spelling and grammar rules that no one can agree on. But there is still a chance that you may have used these two common words incorrectly.

A relative clause is a type of clause that expresses the person or thing to which the speaker refers. Basically, we use who, whose, whom, that and which in relative clauses. But why do many people not know how to differentiate when to use that and which? In the following article we tell you all the secrets.

Rule for using that instead of which

That’ is a relative pronoun that identifies a specific person or thing referred to by the speaker. It is usually used with singular nouns.

When we write sentences with relative clauses, we use ‘that’ to provide more information, which elucidates the antecedent in the main clause. Now we will talk about how to use “that” in our sentences:

– As a determiner, it is used to address a person or thing that is not in contact with the speaker:

Elly sold that house in which she used to live in New York. Elly sold the house she lived in in New York.

– As a determiner, it can also be used to refer to something that has been mentioned previously, to imply a comparison:

These spectacles are better than that. These glasses are better than those.

– As an adverb, it is used to speak of degree or extent:

The medicine is not that important for me. Medicine is not that important to me.

– As a conjunction, it introduces a clause that expresses additional information about the subject:

Maria accepted that it was her fault. Maria accepted that it was her fault.

Rule for using which instead of that

‘Which’ is an interrogative pronoun, that is, a word used to ask or seek information about one or more persons or objects in a given set. In addition, ‘which’ is also used to refer to something that is already specified to institute a clause to provide additional information incidental to the main clause. Now, let’s look at the points below to understand their uses:

– It is used to ask questions where there is a specified set of answers:

Which book is mine? Which book is mine?

– It is also used to decide between several options:

Which dress would you like to wear to the party? What dress do you want to wear to the party?

– It is also used to add specific information to the main clause, which is followed by a comma:

Today’s weather is great for a long drive, which is our favourite thing. The weather today is great for a long drive, which is our favorite thing to do.

Main differences between that and which

– The pronoun “that” is mainly used to indicate something or someone that is not in direct contact with the speaker. It can also be used to add a clause to the main clause, in order to increase its meaning. In contrast, “that” is an interrogative pronoun that can be used to formulate questions that have a limited or fixed answer. It can also be used to add a clause that only adds information but is not relevant to the main clause.

– In terms of usage, “that” is used to institute an essential/restrictive clause. An essential clause is one that adds some important information with respect to the subject of the sentence. In contrast, a non-essential/non-restrictive clause is introduced with ‘that’, i.e. it only adds complementary or incidental information.

– We use “that” to refer to people or things, while we use “which” to refer only to things.

The best way to understand the difference between the two is to practice with grammar exercises. And what better way to do this than to sign up for an intensive English course?

How to improve English pronunciation

by funtalk | Jun 16, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Learning to pronounce English words correctly can be one of the most difficult parts of the language, especially if there are sounds that your native language does not have or if you tend to stumble over the pronunciation of complicated vowels.

Just look at how “way”, “weigh” and “whey” are pronounced the same, for example, while “comb”, “bomb” and “tomb” are pronounced differently.

Therefore, in the following article we will tell you how you can improve your pronunciation to sound like a real English speaker.

English pronunciation

English spelling has not evolved much over time, but the way words are pronounced has. This makes pronunciation a real challenge for language learners. But good pronunciation is not just about how words and letters sound.s, but there are other equally important features to consider, such as intonation, accent and connected speech, i.e. how words can sound different when put together in natural speech. All of these characteristics contribute to good pronunciation, but they should not be confused with the accent.

When learning English, you don’t need to sound British or American. Good pronunciation means that you are understood; not necessarily that you sound like you were born in New York or London. In fact, many native speakers love to hear English spoken with a Spanish, Italian or French accent. So how can you work on your pronunciation so that people from all over the world can easily understand you, even if you keep your native accent?

Tips to improve English pronunciation:

1. Learning to listen

In order to be able to pronounce words correctly, you must first be able to hear the differences between the different types of pronunciation. Improve your ability to tell the difference by listening to many native English speakers. Podcasts are excellent for this. You’ll find more ideas for listening activities in our guide on how to create your own English immersion course.

2. Practice moving the mouth in a different way.

An important part of pronunciation involves making the muscles of the mouth work differently than they are used to. The lips, tongue, throat and jaw are involved in the production of sounds.

– Observe yourself pronouncing the words with a mirror.
– Think about your mouth. In English we tend to use a more open mouth position, as opposed to the closed mouth position used in many languages.
– Watch videos that explain the pronunciation.
– Do tongue twisters. They are great for your mouth to practice making sounds.

3. Use podcasts

Podcasts are great for learning English in general and are great when it comes to practicing your English pronunciation. Listening to native speakers gives you a little guidance that you can use for your own pronunciation.

4. Shadowming

Another way to use a podcast to practice pronunciation is to shadowing. It is very effective for practicing the physical aspects of fluency, such as pronunciation, rhythm, pitch, tones and the development of muscle memory in the mouth. We love it.

5. Record yourself

One of the best ways to correct your English pronunciation is to listen to native speakers and compare your pronunciation with them. It is often difficult to hear ourselves well when we speak because we are busy thinking about what to say and how to say it.

This is why it can be very useful to record yourself talking. You will then be able to re-listen to the points where you get stuck or where your pronunciation is very different from that of a native speaker.

6. Practice speaking

One of the best ways to practice pronunciation is to speak, especially through English conversation courses. Ideally, you should find some native speakers to talk to so that you have constant exposure to the accent you want to achieve, as well as instant feedback on whether they understand you, but even talking to non-native speakers is better than not talking at all.

Funtalk open house on May 28th

by funtalk | May 27, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

How to write an essay in English

by funtalk | May 26, 2022 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

An essay is a non-fiction piece of writing with a clear structure: an introduction, paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion. Writing an essay is an important skill in English and allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the texts you read and study. It is important to plan the essay before you start writing it, so that you write clearly and thoughtfully about the topic. Let’s see how to write an English essay in a few simple steps.

Steps for writing an essay

• • Read and understand the message: know exactly what is being asked of you. It is a good idea to dissect the message into parts.
  • Plan: brainstorming and organizing your ideas will make your life easier when writing your essay. It is a good idea to network your ideas and supporting details.
  • Use and cite sources: research. Use quotations and paraphrase your sources, but do not plagiarize.
  • Write a draft: drafts are always a good place to get any ideas out and are often required by professors and instructors.
  • Make a strong thesis: the main argument of the essay is the most important thing you are going to write. Make it a strong point.
  • Respond to the topic: once you have solved the problems in your draft, you can start writing the final draft of your essay.
  • Proofread: read your answer carefully to make sure there are no mistakes and that you have not missed anything.

A basic high school or college essay has the following standardized five-paragraph structure:

Introduction

The introduction should focus directly on the question or title of the essay and aim to present the main idea in the answer. Briefly present your main ideas and arguments.

Main body, divided into paragraphs

This is where the ideas are taken and explored in detail in separate paragraphs. You can begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that summarizes the main idea of the paragraph before introducing the evidence and examples. The topic sentence acts as a short introduction to the paragraph.

Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph of the essay. It should tie up all the loose ends of your argument.

Tips for good writing

Planning pays off

Although it may seem like a waste of time-especially during exams, when time is at a premium-it is almost always best to brainstorm before you start writing. This will allow you to find the best supporting ideas and position them accordingly.

Aim for variety

Sentences and vocabulary of varying complexity are one of the hallmarks of effective writing. When writing, try to avoid using the same words and phrases over and over again. You don’t have to be a walking thesaurus, but a little variety can make the same idea shine.

If you want to continue practicing, do not hesitate to sign up for our private English classes or English courses. We will help you!