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Lesson 233 of 240

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Say thanks properly in English

Ana has two notes to write: one for Marcus, and one for her Wednesday teacher. Both need more formal thanks than diner talk.

She sits with Tasha in a booth at the Blue Plate and reads the drafts out loud.

By the end, you'll thank someone for a year of help, say it was a privilege to work with them, and close a note with a warm wish.

A short Thanks is fine at the counter. A note to a boss or a teacher needs a fuller line.

By the end of this lesson

Write a formal thanks and a farewell note.

  • Thank you for looking out for me this year.I am grateful you took care of me over these months.
  • It's been a real privilege to work with you.I feel lucky I got to be on your team.
  • I've learned a lot this year.This year taught me many new things.
  • Thank you for your patience.Thank you for waiting while I learned.
  • I hope we'll stay in touch.I want us to keep talking after this.
  • Wishing you all the best.I hope good things happen for you.

Scene — two notes in a booth

Same booth by the window at the Blue Plate. Ana has two folded notes and a pen. Tasha sits across from her with coffee.

Outside, Larch Street is quiet. The jukebox by the door stays on a blank button and plays nothing. Murray's coffee sits unfinished at the end of the counter.

Ana and Tasha sit across from each other in the Blue Plate window booth with notes and a pen, while the quiet street and an unfinished cup at the counter frame the morning.

Learn — a formal thanks

Six short lines cover a formal thanks and a farewell note.

You'll thank someone for a year of help, then close with a warm wish.

  1. Ana unfolds one plain page beside her second note and pen as Tasha leans closer over her coffee.

    Thank you for looking out for me this year.

    I am grateful you took care of me over these months.

    When to use it: Use this in a note when someone took care of you for a long time.

    Looking out for me is one piece, and it means they helped and watched over you.

    Say it: Stress looking, and keep both for words light.

  2. Tasha listens closely from the booth, holding her coffee as Ana reads from across the table.

    It's been a real privilege to work with you.

    I feel lucky I got to be on your team.

    When to use it: Use this in a work note when you feel lucky to be on their team.

    Privilege is a formal word for a special chance you are glad you had.

    Say it: The stress is on the first part of privilege.

  3. From behind Tasha, Ana looks down at the unfolded page and reads her work note.

    I've learned a lot this year.

    This year taught me many new things.

    When to use it: Use this when a year of work or class taught you many things.

    I've is I have as one piece. You learned before now, and what you learned matters now.

  4. Ana pauses with her pen above the work note while Tasha listens across the booth.

    Thank you for your patience.

    Thank you for waiting while I learned.

    When to use it: Use this when someone waited while you learned or finished.

    Keep this line for a note, not for a quick thanks at the counter.

  5. Ana turns to the shorter second note as Tasha gestures toward it beside the coffee.

    I hope we'll stay in touch.

    I want us to keep talking after this.

    When to use it: Use this when you want to keep talking after a job or class ends.

    We'll is we will as one piece, and stay in touch means keep talking later.

    Say it: We'll is short, with light stress on touch.

  6. Ana rests the pen beside the second note while Tasha gestures toward the page during their discussion of its formal close.

    Wishing you all the best.

    I hope good things happen for you.

    When to use it: Use this to close a farewell note with a warm hope.

    This -ing form is a short close, and you do not need I am before wishing.

Story — she reads them first

Watch Ana read her two notes to Tasha. One is for Marcus. One is for her Wednesday teacher.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Ana unfolds a page. Tasha leans in over the coffee.
  2. TashaOkay, read the one for Marcus first.She wants to hear the work note now.
  3. AnaThank you for looking out for me this year.I am grateful you took care of me over these months.
  4. TashaThat's warm. He did look out for you.She likes the line and agrees Marcus took care of Ana.
  5. AnaIt's been a real privilege to work with you.I feel lucky I got to be on your team.
  6. TashaPrivilege is the right word for a boss, you know.She says that formal word fits a note to Marcus.
  7. AnaI've learned a lot this year.This year taught me many new things.
  8. TashaYou have. The studio, the meetings, all of it.She agrees the year at work taught Ana many things.
  9. AnaThank you for your patience.Thank you for waiting while I learned.
  10. TashaHe'll like that. He waited, even when you needed extra time.She says Marcus gave Ana time, so this thanks fits.
  11. AnaI hope we'll stay in touch.I want us to keep talking after this.
  12. TashaLet's keep in touch is more casual. Yours is better for a work note.She says the casual line is weaker in a note to a boss.
  13. AnaThen I close with, "Wishing you all the best."I hope good things happen for you.
  14. TashaThat's a clean close. Now the teacher note. Keep it shorter.She likes the last line and asks for the class note next.
  15. Ana turns the page. The second note is shorter.
  16. AnaThank you for your patience. I've learned a lot this year.She thanks her for waiting, and says the year taught her many things.
  17. TashaSame lines, different person. That's fine. Teachers like that.She says it is okay to reuse those two lines for class.
  18. AnaI hope we'll stay in touch. Wishing you all the best.She wants to keep talking later, and she hopes good things happen for the teacher.
  19. TashaAdd a simple Thank you at the top if you want. Still works.A short thanks can open the note, then the fuller lines can follow.
  20. AnaAnd Take care at the end, or keep it formal?She asks if a spoken goodbye wish belongs in the note.
  21. TashaKeep the note formal. Say Take care when you see her Wednesday.Save the spoken goodbye for class, and keep the written close formal.
  22. AnaOkay. I'll keep 'Thank you for looking out for me this year' in the Marcus note.She keeps the year-of-care line in the work note only.

Practice — note or spoken

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay on the notes Ana is writing, so the round stays clear.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    It's been a real privilege to work with you.Drop the Simple English here
    I've learned a lot this year.Drop the Simple English here
    Thank you for your patience.Drop the Simple English here
    Wishing you all the best.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You write a year-end note to your boss. You want to say you feel lucky you got to be on his team.

  4. What does it mean?

    Thank you for your patience.

  5. Fill the gap

    This year taught me many new things.

    I've ____ a lot this year.

  6. Build the line

    I hope good things happen for you.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    Are you and Marcus going to talk after this project wraps up?

    She asks if you and your boss will keep talking later.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You thank them for a whole year of care, not a short time.

    Thank you for looking out for me this ____.

  9. What do you say?

    Someone holds the diner door for you. You need a short thanks, not a full note.

  10. True or false?

    This line is more casual than I hope we'll stay in touch.

  11. Pick the reply

    Teacher says:

    Great work this term. I'll see you next Wednesday.

    She praises you, and you will meet in class next week.

    And you reply with:

Say it — say the note out loud

Now you're Ana at the booth. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. TashaRead the Marcus note first.She wants to hear the work note now.
  2. Ana (you)Thank him for taking care of you over these months.

    Thank you for looking out for me this year.

    I am grateful you took care of me over these months.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Thank you for looking out for me this year.I am grateful you took care of me over these months.
It's been a real privilege to work with you.I feel lucky I got to be on your team.
I've learned a lot this year.This year taught me many new things.
Thank you for your patience.Thank you for waiting while I learned.
I hope we'll stay in touch.I want us to keep talking after this.
Wishing you all the best.I hope good things happen for you.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these thanks handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your farewell notes ready.

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