Travel & Transportation — Part 4
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
What you'll learn: the formal register phrases and connectors that turn a travel email or essay from a list of sentences into a coherent, professional piece of writing.
Why register matters in Writing Task 1
CELPIP Writing Task 1 often asks you to write an email — requesting a refund for a canceled flight, complaining about a delayed shipment, or asking a landlord about a move. These situations call for a more formal register than everyday speech: "I'm writing to let you know" rather than "just so you know," "I would appreciate it if" rather than "can you please." Writing Task 2 essays about transportation policy need connectors that link ideas logically across paragraphs. The phrases below cover both needs.
Formal openings and requests
Formal travel emails follow a predictable structure: state the purpose, give context, make the request, close politely. The collocations below slot into each stage.
Formal phrases and connectors
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I am writing to inform you | formal opening stating the email's purpose | I am writing to inform you that my connecting flight was cancelled. |
| in light of | given a particular fact or circumstance | In light of the delay, I am requesting a full refund. |
| I would appreciate it if | polite formal request | I would appreciate it if you could confirm my new itinerary. |
| due to unforeseen circumstances | because of an unexpected event | The trip was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. |
| as a result of | because of; consequently | As a result of the strike, several trains were cancelled. |
| with regard to | concerning; about | I am writing with regard to my recent booking. |
| please be advised that | formal way to notify someone of information | Please be advised that the departure gate has changed. |
| at your earliest convenience | as soon as reasonably possible | Please respond at your earliest convenience. |
| take the necessary measures | do what is required to address a problem | The airline promised to take the necessary measures to prevent further delays. |
| on the other hand | introduces a contrasting point | Flying is faster; on the other hand, it is less environmentally friendly. |
| for the aforementioned reasons | referring back to reasons already stated | For the aforementioned reasons, I believe public transit should be expanded. |
| I look forward to your response | polite formal closing | I look forward to your response regarding this matter. |
Worked example — CELPIP Writing Task 1
Prompt: Write an email to an airline about a cancelled flight.
"Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing to inform you that my flight from Toronto to Vancouver was cancelled without prior notice. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to book a last-minute alternative at considerable extra cost. With regard to this situation, I am requesting reimbursement for the difference in fare. In light of the inconvenience caused, I would appreciate it if you could also consider a travel credit for future use. Please be advised that I have attached all relevant receipts to support this request. I would be grateful if you could respond at your earliest convenience. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, a loyal customer."
Common mistakes
- Opening a formal email with "Hey, just wanted to say" instead of I am writing to inform you.
- Using "because of that" repeatedly instead of varying with as a result of, in light of, or due to.
- Writing "for the reasons said before" rather than the polished for the aforementioned reasons.
- Ending an email abruptly without a formal closer like I look forward to your response.
- Confusing at your earliest convenience with "as soon as possible," which is grammatically fine but noticeably less formal for written correspondence.
Recap
These twelve formal phrases — I am writing to inform you, in light of, I would appreciate it if, due to unforeseen circumstances, as a result of, with regard to, please be advised that, at your earliest convenience, take the necessary measures, on the other hand, for the aforementioned reasons, and I look forward to your response — give travel-related emails and essays the polished, professional tone CELPIP raters expect. Part 5 covers the casual spoken chunks you'll need for Speaking tasks on the same topic.