Speaker A. I have 6 pen pals in 6 countries! We are not really “pen” pals, as such, since we communicate via an internet site. We “chat” regularly about all our news but we are now involved in writing a novel. Each of us in turn adds 200 fresh words for the next to follow on from. We have no idea how the story will finish but we are having lots of fun developing the story and believe we are creating a bestseller!

Speaker B. I write to film stars, pop singers, TV celebrities and even royalty! The letters are basically the same explaining that I collect letters as a hobby. Very often I don’t even have a correct address but a surprising number of my letters are delivered and some get a reply. Usually they are printed fan mail responses but very occasionally (1 in a 100) I get a real hand written reply. My most treasured is from J.K. Rowling.

Speaker C. After birthdays and Christmas, I always write thank you letters for any gifts I have received. What I didn’t realise was that every letter I sent to my Granny, since my very first attempts at making letters, had been marked and graded! My Granny is a retired English teacher. It turns out that every letter she gets she checks for bad grammar and spelling mistakes, marks them in red ink and gives them a grade!

Speaker D. I have a pen pal, Katya, who lives in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk. We go for old fashioned “snail mail” because somehow it is more exciting receiving a letter than an email. It is more personal holding and reading some pages over which my friend has worked so hard. And it is hard for her — but she is determined to conquer English and her letters get more fluent and accurate every time.

Speaker E. I wrote to the Prime Minister because I feel that the government should be doing more to combat global warming. I got a reply (probably from a secretary rather than the PM) thanking me for my letter. It said that the government agreed with me and “well done” for taking an interest. But I felt politely ignored. Perhaps it was stupid to believe that the words of a 16 year old girl would ever be taken seriously.

Speaker F. I got a “goodbye” letter from my girl friend. She said that she was writing so she could choose exactly the right words. She wanted me to understand that she liked me as a friend but it wasn’t a good time for her with exams coming up. We should, she said, move on. But I thought she should have met me. I would have preferred to talk about it, agreed together and split up amicably.

A−7: I have 6 pen pals in 6 countries! We are not really “pen” pals, as such, since we communicate via an internet site...

B−6: Usually they are printed fan mail responses but very occasionally (1 in a 100) I get a real hand written reply

C−1: After birthdays and Christmas, I always write thank you letters for any gifts I have received.

D−3: And it is hard for her — but she is determined to conquer English and her letters get more fluent and accurate every time.

E−5: But I felt politely ignored. Perhaps it was stupid to believe that the words of a 16 year old girl would ever be taken seriously.

F−2: I would have preferred to talk about it, agreed together and split up amicably.