Complete beginnerLesson 1 of 56 min read
Writing a letter you've been putting off for weeks.
A course from the Academy: The requests that are used every day
Go to the quiz ↓It's the use case that convinces the most people, by far. A cancellation letter, a complaint, a note to the building manager: the things you put off because you don't know how to word them.
The prompt to copy
"Write me a polite but firm letter to cancel my gym membership. My contract ends on 30 September. I've been a customer for two years. Keep it short, half a page max."
Why it works
Three things, and all three are essential: what you want (to cancel), the facts (the date, how long you've been a member), the tone (polite but firm, short).
Without the facts, it invents dates. Without the tone, it produces something too warm or too dry.
The habit to keep
Always re-read before sending. Check the dates, names and amounts: that's exactly where it gets things wrong, and a date error in a cancellation letter is costly. The text is its work, but the responsibility stays with you.
What to do now
Think of a letter you've been putting off. Write the prompt using the model above, with your real dates. Re-read the result looking for an error.
Key concepts
Complete the lesson
A 4-question quiz: 3 correct answers are enough, plus an exercise to practise. It opens in the Academy, on this same lesson.
Take the quiz and complete the lesson Free. With an account, your progress is saved and leads to the course certificate.The course: The requests that are used every day
- Writing a letter you've been putting off for weeks.6 min
- Understanding a document that goes over your head6 min
- Getting anything explained at your own level5 min
- Comparing two options without spending all evening on it.5 min
- Translating, not just word for word5 min