Writing to Authorities: Formal English for Official Letters

⏱ 5 MIN · CEFR B2

Writing to Authorities: Formal English for Official Letters

📄 From my notebook:

In Australia and then in France, I wrote dozens of letters to immigration, housing, tax authorities. Every time, the language had to be right — not just grammatically, but in tone. Too casual: dismissed. Too aggressive: ignored. The sweet spot is formal, clear, and factual. I learned to write like the letter was being read by a tired civil servant at 4 p.m. on a Friday — because it probably was.

🎯 By the end you will:

• Structure a formal letter correctly
• Use formal language and register appropriately
• State a request and close a letter professionally

📖 Formal letter structure (B2):

Opening: Dear Sir/Madam, / Dear [Name],
First sentence: I am writing with regard to… / I am writing to request…
Body: One paragraph per point. Be concise. Use passive where appropriate: My application was submitted on…
Request: I would be grateful if you could… / I respectfully request that…
Close: Yours faithfully, (Dear Sir/Madam) or Yours sincerely, (named person)

✅ Quick check: Which closing phrase do you use if the letter starts ‘Dear Sir/Madam’?

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✍️ Try it (2 min):

Write the opening paragraph of a letter to a housing authority requesting information about a rental deposit.
Start with: I am writing with regard to…

💡 Teacher’s tip:

Use authentic letters (with names removed). Comparing a poor example with a good one makes the target structure vivid. Spotting problems in someone else’s writing is lower stakes than producing it — start there.