• Your address (but not your name) usually goes in the top right-hand corner, if it is included (the address)  but it is often left out altogether in informal letters

• There is no need to put the address of the person you are writing to.

• There are many different ways of ending an informal letter. These are some of the most common:

± to family members and close

     friends ?

  - Love

 - Love from

 - Lots of love

 ± to acquaintances and not so close  

      friends ?

  - Best wishes

 - All the best

 - Take care

in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (New 2000)  + *

2 South Street

Liverpool L17 6HS

11 August

          Dear Liz

    Just a quick note to thank you for the wonderful day we spent with you on Sunday. The kids really enjoyed themselves and it was a rare treat for me to sit back, glass in the hand, while you and John did all the hard work of entertaining them.

    Anyway, the two of you must come and have dinner with me sometime soon. I'll put the kids to bed and we'll have a really civilized evening. I'll give you a call during the week and we can arrange something.

           Love,

                   Rachel

A carta acima, mesmo assim, está pouco informal para os tempos que correm... e é escrita por uma pessoa adulta...

Em cartas mais informais, podem usar-se muitas outras 'liberdades' 

Por exemplo:

• palavras contraídas Ò I've got to go now (= I have got to go now = I have to go now)

• omissão do sujeito e do verbo auxiliar have  Ò Got to go now

• gíria ou linguagem muito informal  Ò Gotta  go now    Ò  Dunno (= I don't know) Ò ÒThis  ain't  right (= this isn't right)  Ò  innit ? (= isn't it?)

• omissão do verbo auxiliar  Ò Playing games? (= Are you playing games?)

• incorrecções gramaticais   Ò Don't have no money  (I don't have any money)