VCAL SENIOR LITERACY - LIT 031

LO2, LO6 - PRACTICAL PURPOSES

LETTERS

Write a detailed letter following one of the examples below on this page:

Length: About 600 words

·  LETTER OF COMPLAINT

·  JOB APPLICATION LETTER

·  LETTER TO THE EDITOR ( ABOUT AN ISSUE)

SAMPLE JOB APPLICATION LETTER

John Donaldson
8 Sue Circle
Smithtown, CA 08067
909-555-5555

4th May 2012

George Gilhooley
XYZ Company
87 Delaware Road
Hatfield, CA 08065

Dear Mr. Gilhooley,

I am writing to apply for the programmer position advertised in the Times Union. As requested, I am enclosing a completed job application, my certification, my resume and three references.

The opportunity presented in this listing is very interesting, and I believe that my strong technical experience and education will make me a very competitive candidate for this position. The key strengths that I possess for success in this position include:

·  I have successfully designed, developed, and supported live use applications

·  I strive for continued excellence

·  I provide exceptional contributions to customer service for all customers

With a BS degree in Computer Programming, I have a full understanding of the full life cycle of a software development project. I also have experience in learning and excelling at new technologies as needed.

Please see my resume for additional information on my experience.

I can be reached anytime via email at or my cell phone, 909-555-5555.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about this employment opportunity.

Sincerely,

John Donaldson

Source: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/morejobletters/a/jobappletter.htm

How to Write a Complaint Letter

When writing a complaint letter, you want to keep it short and to the point to help ensure that your letter will be read in its entirety. If you write a seven page complaint letter, it's highly unlikely that someone will sit down and read all seven pages.

The complaint letter should be addressed to the customer service/consumer affairs department or the head office if there is no customer service department. The address and contact information of the customer service department should be available on the company's products or website.

A hard-copy complaint letter should be written in the business letter format, while an email should be sent in the same format but without the heading (your return address, their address, and the date).

Complaint Letter Writing
In the first paragraph you should identify what the issue is and any relevant information that you believe is important. Be sure to include the following information if it's applicable to the situation: the date/time of the issue, location, name of person on duty, name of product, what the problem was, your account number, model number, price, warranty information and reference number. Be sure to stick with the facts and avoid putting emotions into your letter.

The next paragraph should state what you would like done to resolve the situation. If you received poor service, you could request an apology or a coupon. If a product malfunctioned, you could request that you could exchange the product for a new one or request a refund.

The last paragraph should thank the reader for the time. You can also throw in some compliments about something you liked about their company's product or service.

You should include your telephone number/e-mail address after your printed name so that they can contact you ASAP if necessary.

Be sure to keep a copy of the letter for yourself and include photocopies of any relevant documents and enclose them with your letter.

Source: www.letterwritingguide.com/complaint

SAMPLE COMPLAINT LETTER

Ken Thomas
65 Market Street
Val Haven, CT 95135
June 30, 2004
Customer Service
Cool Sports, LLC
8423 Green Terrace Road
Asterville, WA 65435
Dear Sir or Madam:
I have recently ordered a new pair of soccer cleats (item #6542951) from your website on June 21. I received the order on June 26. Unfortunately, when I opened it, I saw that the cleats were used. The cleats had dirt all over it and there was a small tear in front of the part where the left toe would go. My order number is AF26168156.
To resolve the problem, I would like you to credit my account for the amount charged for my cleats; I have already went out and bought a new pair of cleats at my local sporting goods store so sending another would result in me having two pairs of the same cleats.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I have been a satisfied customer of your company for many years and this is the first time I have encountered a problem. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at (555) 555-5555.
Sincerely,
Signature
Ken Thomas

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR


Date: 03/14/2012
To,
The Editor,
The New Era Times,
9 West 57th Street,
NY, 4123
USA
Subject: Spreading Mass Awareness About Dangers of Using a Cell Phone While Driving
Through your esteemed newspaper, we are pleased and honoured to express our views on increasing threats of using a cell phone while driving. We are the undergrad students of St. Patrick's College in Park Street, New York. In an unfortunate incident, exactly two weeks ago, we lost one of our classmates, Nick Breck (21), in a tragic accident. He succumbed to severe injuries before he could be taken to the hospital. The cause of accident as reported by the police officials has been negligent driving. It is mentioned in the report that Nick was talking on a cell phone that led to a lapse in his concentration and he eventually lost his control, bumping into a huge cargo truck.
His sudden demise has left us in unexplainable pain. As a tribute to our love for Nick, we all have decided to gather courage and recover from this shock. To engage ourselves in a construcive work, we have started a campaign to spread awareness about accidents related to cell phones and driving. In the reference material attached to this letter, you can see various newspapers cuttings and photographs that highlight the gravity of the situation. In the year 2008 alone, nearly 6,000 American residents lost their lives because of accidents related to a cell phone use while driving. Moreover, car crashes and texting via cell phones while driving have been related more closely in recent years. Cell phones usage while driving has been rated to be far more dangerous than drunk driving, which highlights the dangers of using cell phones when we are commuting from one destination to the other.
Students of our college have vouched never to use a cell phone while driving and we have made several communities on social networking websites to promote the same cause. Coming Sunday, we have called for a meeting of teenagers and youth in our locality to share our views and opinions on this sensitive topic. The discussion will be addressed by our college principal, Mr. Ben Jon. We are trying to contact some other senior people in highway control departments so that the discussion can get more media coverage and the message can be spread far and wide. We are also carrying out a Silent Candle March on the same day in the evening to highlight the cause.
We kindly request your newspaper team to provide us media coverage so that our campaign and the idea behind it can get recognition, thereby spreading more awareness about cell phone use in cars and its dangerous consequences. For any information and in case you are interested in helping us, please feel free to contact at our college office phone number (777) 651-4860 or on the address mentioned below.
Yours sincerely,
John Gates (Coordinator)
St. Patrick's College,
234, Park Street
NY, 4123
USA

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/letter-to-the-editor-format.html

Samantha Jones LIT031/Ver 02 February 2013