Year: 2020

You’ve just been offered a new job and have decided to accept the offer. How should you formally accept the position? It’s always a good idea to accept a job offer by sending or giving your new employer your acceptance in writing.

A job acceptance letter allows you to demonstrate your professionalism and make sure there is no confusion about the precise terms of the offer, such as compensation, vacation time, or benefits. It’s also an opportunity to express your gratitude for being offered the position, as well as your enthusiasm for taking on the new role.

Advice on Writing a Job Offer Acceptance Letter

(i) Format your letter correctly

The letter can be sent by email or mail. If you’re sending a hard copy through the mail, format the letter as you would any business letter. Include your contact information and phone number, even though it’s on file with the employer.

(ii) Keep it brief

While you want to include all the most important information, this doesn’t mean your letter should be long and drawn out.

(iii) Make sure your letter includes the necessary Information

Although your letter should be concise, it should include the following:

• Written acceptance of the job offer
• The terms and conditions of employment (salary, benefits, job title, etc.)
• Starting date of employment
• Your thanks for the offer

(iv) Express your gratitude

Demonstrate how thankful you are for the new job opportunity. You might want to briefly explain why you’re particularly excited to work for the company. For example, you may want to share your desire to contribute to their sales team, or your passion for their mission. Again, keep this polite but brief.

(v) Edit, edit, edit

You don’t want to create any last-minute reasons for the employer to take back the job offer, such as a sloppy or unprofessional letter.

Go over the letter a couple of times to make sure you catch all the typographical errors and grammar mistakes. While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to double-check the spelling of the name of the person who offered you the job.

Example of a Letter Accepting a Job Offer

Jason Burnett

87 Washington Street

Smithfield, CA 08055

(909) 555-5555

jason.burnett@email.com

May 1, 2018

Mr. Michael Hynes

Director of Human Resources

Smithfield Granite and Stonework

800 Marshall Avenue

Smithfield, CA 08055

Dear Mr. Hynes,

As we discussed on the phone, I am very pleased to accept the position of Advertising Assistant with Smithfield Granite and Stonework. Thank you again for the opportunity. I am eager to make a positive contribution to the company and to work with everyone on the Smithfield team.

As we discussed, my starting salary will be $48,000 and health and life insurance benefits will be provided after 30 days of employment.

I look forward to starting employment on July 1, 20XX. If there is any additional information or paperwork you need prior to then, please let me know.

Again, thank you very much.

Handwritten Signature (hard copy letter)

Jason Burnett

A resignation letter is an official letter sent by an employee to their employer giving notice they will no longer be working at the company. In other words, it’s an official form of quitting.  The goal of a letter of resignation is to create an official record of notice, provide details about the employee’s last day, outline any next steps, and maintain a positive relationship with the employer.

Tips for Writing a Resignation Letter

The general consensus on letters of resignation is, the shorter the better.  There is no need to provide a long-winded explanation of why you are quitting.  Instead, it’s best to be direct, professional, and outline any important information about the termination process.

Here are some helpful tips for writing your resignation letter:

• Be direct and to the point: Mention that you are quitting in the first paragraph (or even the first sentence)
• Be professional: Do not use it as an opportunity to complain, insult, or criticize the company or other employees
• Give notice of your last day: Provide the specific date you are agreeing to work until
• Provide information about the transition: You may offer to help find your replacement, or agree to finish certain projects and tasks before your last day
• Proofread and spellcheck: Be sure to thoroughly proofread the letter before submitting to make sure all information is accurate and there are no typos
• Seek legal advice: Depending on the nature of your position, you may wish to seek professional legal advice about your resignation process.

How to use a Resignation Letter Template?

You may wish to use this resignation letter template to help you efficiently write your letter.

To use this template effectively, follow these steps:

• Copy and paste the resignation letter template into an MS Word Document, Google Doc, or email
• Add all your personal details and contact information
• Rewrite the paragraphs with your own words describing your situation
• Proofread and spell check
• Submit the letter via email, mail, or in-person

Resignation Letter Template

Copy and paste the below text into a Word document or an email as the starting point for own letter.

[Your Name]

[Your Street Address]

[Your City, State/Province, Country]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Today’s Date]

[Employer Contact Name]

[Employer Title]

[Employer Company Name]

Dear [Employer Contact Name],

[First paragraph: I am writing to provide you with my formal notice of resignation from The Company.  My last day will be January 19, 2018, two weeks from today.]

[Second paragraph: This was not an easy decision to make, and I appreciate your support over the course of my employment at The Company.  I truly value the experience, training, and knowledge I gained over the past 5 years. It has been a pleasure working with you and the team.

[Third paragraph: Please let me know how I can help during this transition. I wish you all the best as the company continues to grow.]

Sincerely,

[Image of Signature]

[Your Name]

The true intent of a paragraph is to express coherent points. It could be one sentence or through many sentences. The idea or what we call the “main idea” of the paragraph always flows in one direction. As soon as this idea changes, we change the paragraph too.

Paragraphs are the building blocks of papers. Many students define paragraphs in terms of length: a paragraph is a group of at least five sentences, a paragraph is half a page long, etc. In reality, though, the unity and coherence of ideas among sentences is what constitutes a paragraph. A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that forms a unit”. Length and appearance do not determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

So what goes into a Paragraph Writing?

• It all begins with one idea and everything familiar that naturally flows with it fits into one paragraph.
• Every paragraph you have should have points or sentence/s related and referring to the central idea.
• These ideas should not be random. It always helps to jot down quick points quickly in a rough sheet, arrange them into a logical chronological order that flows in one direction making it easier to read.
• Don’t leave any point or sentence hanging loose without any substantiation or explanation. Every statement you make should be backed by logical reasoning that stays in one paragraph.

Fitting your Paragraph

Once you know the central idea and a rough plan for your paragraphs, you need to arrange them in a certain manner to get your story across. Following are some possible ways of organizing your paragraphs:

• Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish.
• Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic.
• Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third.
• Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic.
• Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples prove your point.

How to develop Paragraphs?

Create the Main Idea

Have the central idea in your mind and convey it right at the beginning. A lot of times the central idea is conveyed right in the first sentence. “Oceans are slowly becoming human dust-bins.”

Once the statement of your main idea is out there, you will be explaining or providing validation points. This way, your main idea isn’t hanging loose. This is going to make sure how the reader is going to interpret the main idea, because of you leading them to it.

This is where the writer explains the focus point. “Garbage in the ocean comes from trash from trash cans, the streets, and landfills that gets blown into sewers, rivers, or directly into the ocean. The trash makes its way into storm drains. Trash travels through sewer pipes, into waterways, and finally into the ocean.”

Use an Example

Examples always clarify without explanations. People understand better when you give them something to relate to. They provide the necessary evidence or support required to prove our central idea. “A new study – based on what researchers called a mega-expedition to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 2015 – suggests there is about 16 times more waste than previously thought floating there.

How do I organize a paragraph?

There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:

• Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish. (See an example.)
• Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or by topic. (See an example.)
• Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a sequence—first, second, third. (See an example.)
• Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic. (See an example.)
• Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples prove your point. (See the detailed example in the next section of this handout.)

5-step process to paragraph development

Let’s walk through a 5-step process for building a paragraph. For each step there is an explanation and example. Our example paragraph will be about slave spirituals, the original songs that African Americans created during slavery. The model paragraph uses illustration (giving examples) to prove its point.

• Step 1. Decide on a controlling idea and create a topic sentence
• Paragraph development begins with the formulation of the controlling idea. This idea directs the paragraph’s development. Often, the controlling idea of a paragraph will appear in the form of a topic sentence. In some cases, you may need more than one sentence to express a paragraph’s controlling idea. Here is the controlling idea for our “model paragraph,” expressed in a topic sentence:

• Model controlling idea and topic sentence — Slave spirituals often had hidden double meanings.

Step 2. Explain the controlling idea

Paragraph development continues with an expression of the rationale or the explanation that the writer gives for how the reader should interpret the information presented in the idea statement or topic sentence of the paragraph. The writer explains his/her thinking about the main topic, idea, or focus of the paragraph. Here’s the sentence that would follow the controlling idea about slave spirituals:

• Model explanation: On one level, spirituals referenced heaven, Jesus, and the soul; but on another level, the songs spoke about slave resistance.

Step 3. Give an example (or multiple examples)

Paragraph development progresses with the expression of some type of support or evidence for the idea and the explanation that came before it. The example serves as a sign or representation of the relationship established in the idea and explanation portions of the paragraph. Here are two examples that we could use to illustrate the double meanings in slave spirituals:

• Model example A: For example, according to Frederick Douglass, the song “O Canaan, Sweet Canaan” spoke of slaves’ longing for heaven, but it also expressed their desire to escape to the North. Careful listeners heard this second meaning in the following lyrics: “I don’t expect to stay / Much longer here. / Run to Jesus, shun the danger. / I don’t expect to stay.”
• Model example B: Slaves even used songs like “Steal Away to Jesus (at midnight)” to announce to other slaves the time and place of secret, forbidden meetings.

Step 4. Explain the example(s)

The next movement in paragraph development is an explanation of each example and its relevance to the topic sentence and rationale that were stated at the beginning of the paragraph. This explanation shows readers why you chose to use this/or these particular examples as evidence to support the major claim, or focus, in your paragraph.

Continue the pattern of giving examples and explaining them until all points/examples that the writer deems necessary have been made and explained. NONE of your examples should be left unexplained. You might be able to explain the relationship between the example and the topic sentence in the same sentence which introduced the example. More often, however, you will need to explain that relationship in a separate sentence. Look at these explanations for the two examples in the slave spirituals paragraph:

• Model explanation for example A: When slaves sang this song, they could have been speaking of their departure from this life and their arrival in heaven; however, they also could have been describing their plans to leave the South and run, not to Jesus, but to the North.
• Model explanation for example B: [The relationship between example B and the main idea of the paragraph’s controlling idea is clear enough without adding another sentence to explain it.]

Step 5. Complete the paragraph’s idea or transition into the next paragraph

The final movement in paragraph development involves tying up the loose ends of the paragraph and reminding the reader of the relevance of the information in this paragraph to the main or controlling idea of the paper. At this point, you can remind your reader about the relevance of the information that you just discussed in the paragraph. You might feel more comfortable, however, simply transitioning your reader to the next development in the next paragraph. Here’s an example of a sentence that completes the slave spirituals paragraph:

Model sentence for completing a paragraph What whites heard as merely spiritual songs, slaves discerned as detailed messages. The hidden meanings in spirituals allowed slaves to sing what they could not say.

Cohesion

Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical linking within a text or sentence that holds a text together and gives it meaning.

From a language point of view a text uses certain conventions that help to make a text cohesive.

The topic of the text enables the writer to select from a lexical set of related words.

We can also use grammatical features to allow the reader to comprehend what is being referred to throughout the text. Let’s look at these in a little more details.

We can repeat key content words throughout the piece of writing. This helps the reader know who or what is being referred to.

Writers also use similar related words that form part of a lexical chain. An example of this is when describing a festival, the writer may use words such as celebration, party and festivity, or fancy dress, costumes and masks. Reference words (such as it, they or them) also may be part of a lexical chain.

A good writer tends to use the same tense to hold the text together. This helps to make the text more comprehensible for the reader, rather than jumping from one tense to another.

Writers use linking words to allow the reader to predict the information that is coming also helps the reader. These might be related to time; e.g. ‘an hour later’ or sequence; e.g. ‘before that’.

Words are sometimes left out because the meaning is clear from a previous sentence or clause. This is called ellipsis. For example, “I love horror movies!” might get an answer “I don’t.” which is short for “I don’t like horror movies.”

Coherence

From a communicative point of view however, we need to examine the overall communicative aspect of a piece of writing. This involves other skills which relate to the overall organization and message of the text.

A written text usually has some kind of logic or coherence which allows the reader to follow the intended message. This may reflect the writer’s reason for writing or their line of thought. If a written text lacks these features it may cause a strain on the reader.

Writing also involves knowledge of the genre of texts (writing in such a way that is typical of the style, construction and choice of language, for example: email writing).

When we understand the audience and purpose of the text we are writing we can use the conventions of genre to make it easy to read.

The final consideration for a writer is the register or the actual language we use with a particular group of people. For example, when writing an academic essay, we use formal language related to the topic and assume it is shared by the intended recipients.