VSTEP Writing Task 1: Request Letters — Key Openings, Requests, and Closings
Purpose: Notes summarize Vietnamese-translated guide to VSTEP Writing Task 1 Request Letters, focusing on formal and informal openings, how to frame requests, and appropriate closings.
Structure observed: Greeting/opening, main request/body phrases, closing/sign-off, and examples for both formal and informal contexts.
Key idea: Choose opening and closing based on recipient and level of formality; use explicit phrases to present requests clearly and politely.
Emphasis on polite hedging: Many phrases begin with I am writing to…, I am writing with regard to…, With reference to…, I am writing to request… to signal purpose and politeness.
Sign-off rules (summary):
Use Yours sincerely when the greeting includes a specific recipient name (e.g., Dear Mrs. James).
Use Yours faithfully when the greeting is generic (e.g., Dear Sir/Madam).
Informal closings include Lots of love, Love, Best regards.
Phrases by category: 1) Formal openings (greeting and opening lines):
Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.
I hope this letter finds you well.
I am writing to kindly request your attention to …
I am writing with regard to…
With reference to…, I am writing to request further information about…
I am writing to request further information about…
I am writing in response to your advertisement for…
I am writing to earnestly request your assistance concerning…
I am reaching out to kindly request your support regarding…
Introductory questions/points:
Firstly, I would like to ask about…
The first matter I would be grateful if you could take into consideration is…
I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me further information about …
2) Informal openings (friendly tone):
Dear Lily, I hope this letter finds you in the pink of health.
I hope this letter finds you well.
I’m writing to ask for further information related to…
I’m writing to ask you for some insights into…
So, I've got a bit of a situation concerning/regarding… and instantly thought you'd be the person to turn to.
First, I’d like to know…
Firstly, can you give me some information about…?
To begin with, I want to know more about…
3) Phrasing to present the request (body of the letter):I would be very grateful if you could send me more details about…
Would it be possible for you to clarify ….?
Secondly, I would like to inquire about…
An additional concern I wish to present to your consideration is…
Another matter I need information on is…
Another point I am not certain about is…
I would also like some help/ information/ clarification on …
I appreciate your attention to my requests and look forward to discussing it further.
I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
I look forward to receiving your reply as soon as possible.
Thank you in anticipation for your cooperation.
4) Sign-offs and closing lines (Kết thư):Yours sincerely, – used when the greeting includes a named recipient (e.g., Dear Mrs. James).
The example provided: Dear Mrs. James demonstrates a named recipient usage for Yours sincerely.
Lots of love, Love, Best regards – informal closings.
5) Sign-off rules specific to Vietnamese notes:Dùng khi phần chào hỏi Dear… nêu rõ tên người nhận. Ví dụ như Dear Mrs. James. (Use when the recipient name is stated.)
Dùng khi Dear… không nêu rõ tên người nhận mà chỉ nêu chung như Sir/Madam. (Use when the recipient name is not specified.)
6) Specific note on closings notations:Implied ordering: Greeting -> Body (purpose and details) -> Closing.
The phrases in the notes are designed to be mixed and matched to fit context and tone.
7) Extra informal conversational prompts from the transcript:The first thing I’m super curious about is…
The first tiny favor that only you can fulfill is letting me know more about…
Second, tell me more about…
Also, I was wondering if you could send me some more information related to…
Another matter that I’m so concerned about is…
Please let me know if you know anything related to it.
Hope to hear from you soon. Look forward to hearing from you soon. I look forward to receiving your reply soon.
Practical implications:
Use formal openings and precise request language for official communications (applications, inquiries, advertisements).
Use informal openings for friend-to-friend messages, but keep the request content understandable and concise.
Choose closing based on whether the recipient is named in the salutation.
Keep a courteous, professional tone throughout the body.
Formula examples from the transcript (quoted in full form):
Formal: "I am writing to kindly request your attention to …" and "I am writing in response to your advertisement for…" and "I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me further information about …"
Informal: "I’m writing to ask you for some insights into…" and "First, I’d like to know…" and "To begin with, I want to know more about…"
Closings: "I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible." and "I look forward to receiving your reply as soon as possible." and "Thank you in anticipation for your cooperation."
Quick reference (phrases to copy/paste into a draft):
Formal opening: "Dear Sir/Madam, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to kindly request your attention to …"
Informal opening: "Dear Lily, I hope this letter finds you in the pink of health. I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing to ask for further information related to…"
Request phrases: "I would be very grateful if you could send me more details about…"; "Would it be possible for you to clarify …?"; "Secondly, I would like to inquire about…"; "An additional concern I wish to present to your consideration is…"; "I appreciate your attention to my requests and look forward to discussing it further."
Closings (named recipient): "Yours sincerely,"; (named recipient example: Dear Mrs. James)
Closings (unnamed recipient): "Yours faithfully,"; (usage example: Dear Sir/Madam)
Informal closings: "Lots of love,"; "Love,"; "Best regards,"