Part One: Warm Up
- When was the last time someone did something special for you? How did you thank them? Tell your partner(s).
- Look at the following situations. You want to thank these people. How would you do it? Would you write an email, write a letter, or call them on the phone? How polite would you need to be in each situation? Discuss with your partner(s).
- You had a family emergency and had to leave work. Your co-worker delivered a presentation for you.
- Your grandmother sent you a card and $50 for your birthday.
- You were out and a neighbour accepted a package for you.
- Your friend helped you to organize a surprise party for your partner.
- You had a job interview that you think went well.
Part Two: Getting Ready to Write / Your Turn
Read the email from Angela to Mark. How formal is it? How do you know? Why? Discuss with your partner(s).
Then, open the exercise and follow the instructions.
Thank you!
To: mark@yahoo.com
Hi Mark
I just wanted to say thank you for house sitting while we were on vacation. Knowing that our home and dog were being looked after made our vacation much more relaxing. Also, it was so nice to come home to find that the house had been cleaned, the dog had been walked, and the plants had been watered — it made getting ready to go back to work and school on Monday a lot easier. We also really appreciated the groceries you picked up for us — what a thoughtful surprise!
We’d love to take you and Sam out for dinner sometime in the next few weeks to say thanks. I’ll give you a call later this week to set something up.
Thanks again,
Angela