Formal Letter Example: Expressing Concern
[Your Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Date]
The Manager
[Supermarket Name]
[Supermarket Address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
Subject: Concern Regarding Excessive Use of Plastic Packaging
I am writing to express my concern about the large amount of plastic packaging used in your supermarket. As a regular customer, I have noticed that many products, such as fruits, vegetables, and bakery items, are unnecessarily wrapped in single-use plastic.
The overuse of plastic has serious negative effects on the environment. Plastic waste contributes significantly to pollution, harms wildlife, and takes hundreds of years to decompose. As a respected business in our community, your supermarket has the opportunity and responsibility to reduce its environmental impact.
I would like to kindly suggest that you consider taking steps to reduce plastic packaging. This could include offering paper or reusable alternatives, encouraging customers to bring their own bags, and working with suppliers to minimize plastic use in products. Additionally, clear recycling points in the store would also help customers dispose of packaging responsibly.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope you will take these suggestions into consideration and take positive action to make your supermarket more environmentally friendly. I look forward to seeing improvements in the near future.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Useful English Expressions and Verbs
To realise / realize = darse cuenta
Oh! I didn’t realise how important this topic is for you…
Phrasal Verbs (Look)
To look for = buscar
To look forward to + noun or -ing = tener muchas ganas de
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.To look after = cuidar
Phrasal Verbs (Take)
To take a risk = arriesgarse
To take advantage of = aprovechar
To take into account = tener en cuenta
To take something seriously = tomarse algo en serio
To take part in = participar
Verb Usage: ‘To Do’
To do: Use for tasks, efforts, and studies:
do homework, do chores, do my best, do well, do badly, do volunteer work
❌ Incorrect: “do a volunteer” (This implies creating a volunteer)
Essential Vocabulary and Phrasal Verbs
Common Phrasal Verbs
Be keen on: Gustar mucho.
Ejemplo: She is keen on reading. (A ella le gusta mucho leer.)
Catch up with: Ponerse al día con alguien.
Ejemplo: I need to catch up with my friend. (Necesito ponerme al día con mi amigo.)
Get to know: Conocer a alguien.
Ejemplo: I want to get to know you better. (Quiero conocerte mejor.)
Keep in touch: Mantenerse en contacto.
Ejemplo: We should keep in touch. (Deberíamos mantenernos en contacto.)
Look up to: Admirar a alguien.
Ejemplo: I look up to my teacher. (Admiro a mi profesora.)
Connectors for Cause, Consequence, and Purpose
Cause (Why something happens)
- Because = porque + sentence
- Because of / Due to = a causa de / debido a + noun
- This is the reason why = esta es la razón por la que
Consequence (What happens as a result)
- Therefore = por lo tanto
- Consequently = como consecuencia
- As a result = como resultado
- This is the reason why = por eso / esa es la razón
Purpose (Why something is done)
- In order to = para + infinitive
Modal Verbs Explained
Can’t: No poder / no es posible (impossibility or lack of ability).
Ejemplo: He can’t come today. (Él no puede venir hoy.)
Could: Podría (past of “can”), possibility or ability in the past.
Ejemplo: When I was young, I could swim. (Cuando era joven, yo podía nadar.)
May: Puede que / es posible (probability).
Ejemplo: She may come later. (Ella podría venir más tarde.)
Might: Puede que (less probable than “may”).
Ejemplo: He might go to the party. (Él podría ir a la fiesta.)
Must: Debe / es obligatorio (obligation, deduction or certainty).
Ejemplo: She must be at work. (Ella debe estar en el trabajo.)
Quantifiers: Few vs. Little
- A few (countable nouns) = algunos, suficiente (a small, adequate number).
- Few (countable nouns) = muy pocos, insuficientes (a very small, inadequate number).
- A little (uncountable nouns) = un poco, suficiente (a small, adequate amount).
- Little (uncountable nouns) = muy poco, insuficiente (a very small, inadequate amount).
More Useful Phrasal Verbs
Dealing with: Manejar o tratar con algo.
Ejemplo: She’s dealing with a difficult situation. (Ella está manejando una situación difícil.)
Go through: Pasar por una experiencia (often difficult).
Ejemplo: He had to go through a lot of challenges. (Él tuvo que pasar por muchos desafíos.)
Putting yourself down: Hablar mal de uno mismo, menospreciarse.
Ejemplo: Stop putting yourself down. (Deja de hablar mal de ti mismo.)
Try out: Probar o hacer una prueba (e.g., for a team, a new product).
Ejemplo: She will try out for the team. (Ella hará una prueba para el equipo.)
Getting over: Superar algo (normalmente algo negativo como una enfermedad o una ruptura).
Ejemplo: He’s getting over his illness. (Él está superando su enfermedad.)
Getting you down: Hacerte sentir triste o deprimido.
Ejemplo: Don’t let it get you down. (No dejes que te haga sentir mal.)
Useful Adjectives for Description
Advanced: Avanzado, de alta tecnología.
Portable: Portátil, fácil de transportar.
Suitable: Adecuado, apropiado.
Remote: Remoto, a distancia.
Wireless: Inalámbrico, sin cables.
Wearable: Usable, que se puede llevar puesto.
Smart: Inteligente, con tecnología avanzada.
Powerful: Potente, con mucha energía o capacidad.
Virtual: Virtual, que no es físico pero se representa digitalmente.
Reliable: Fiable, en quien se puede confiar.
Convenient: Conveniente, fácil de usar o de acceso.
Time-saving: Ahorrador de tiempo.
Efficient: Eficiente, que produce buenos resultados sin desperdiciar recursos.
Interactive: Interactivo, que permite la participación activa.
Handy: Útil, conveniente para usar.