Your 1st Letter to your US Penpal

Parts of a letter/email:

 1. Greeting (salutation)

You must begin with: 
Dear (name, followed by comma),
Hello ______,  
 Hi _______, (used only in emails)

2. Introduction 

Start your paragraph with a CAPITAL letter. Here we usually thank the person for a previous letter, say why we are writing, and ask about the person's health. 

3. Body

This is the most important part. 
In your first letter, write about YOU.  Include your personal information: name, age, what you look like.   Other things you can write about:

1. where you live--house, apartment--who you live with
2. family, pets
3. school-- favorite and least favorite subjects
4. what you do in your free time / who you spend your time with
5. things you like and things you don't like to do

Different topics, need different paragraphs. 
Ask your partner some questions, too. 

4. Conclusion, closing salutation
Here we write the closing remarks; say goodbye; ask the other person to write back:

End your letter with:  

1. I hope to hear from you soon. (informal) /  I look forward to hearing from you. (formal)
2. Write me soon.
3. That's all my news.  /  That's all for now. / Bye for now
4. Your friend,  /  Best regards (formal) / Best wishes (formal)
5. Your name 

A. You can use one of these models to help, or create your own. 

Dear partner/...............,

In this letter I will introduce myself to you.

I am     .........thirteen years old.
            .........a boy/girl.
            ........ a fourteen-year-old girl.

My surname is .......... and my first name is ......
People call me .............

I have  ........two brothers.
             ....... three sisters.
I don't have any brothers and sisters, I am an only child.

I live     .......with my father/stepfather.
             ....... with my mother/stepmother.
             ....... with my parents.
             ....... with ..........
             ....... in a home (a place where you live when you cannot live with your parents).My parents are divorced.

I like     .......football /…...surfing the Net…/ chatting with friends / ...

I don't like ... video games / .... / .... /

I love    .......music.

I am fond of singing /………/………

I am in the....first form of .......(name of the school).
                      second
                      third
                      seventh group
                      eighth group

I think I am easy-going / moody / nice / terrible / difficult / boring / spontaneous / calm / intelligent / quiet.

I like people who ...........

I don't like people who .....

I was born in     .......Holland.
                          .......Denmark.
                          .......Surinam.
                          .......Turkey.
                          .......Morocco.
                          .......Netherlands Antilles.
                          ........................
My eyes are brown / blue / green / grey.

My hair is blond / black / grey / brown / red.

It is long / short / straight / curly.

I am short / tall / medium-size.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Bye for now.

B. Example Letter:

Dear Joseph,

My name is Elisabetta, but my friends call me Ellie. I live in Piombino with my mother, father, and older brother. We have two dogs and three cats. I am 1 meter and 65 cm tall and weigh about 55 kilos. I have short brown hair and green eyes. Everyone says I look like my mother, but my father says I look like my brother! I think he says this just to make me mad. 

I am 15 years old and go to high school. I like to study Math and Science, but I am good at languages. I don't know what I'll study at the university yet.

I used to study dance, but now I don't have time because I have a lot of homework. Like all teens, I love listening to music. I don't have a favorite singer because I like all kinds of music. What I listen to depends on my mood.  Although most people think it's strange, I also like to read a lot. I like historical novels most.  I don't like to watch much TV, although I do watch,"Glee."  I would like to go to the cinema, but I can't afford it, so sometimes I rent DVD's on weekends.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Your new penpal,
Elisabetta