Writing a postcard – A2 English writing

Writing a postcard

Check the example postcard below and focus on the highlighted expressions.

➪ Useful phrases for postcards

➪ Talking about the present moment

➪ Phrases to talk about past events

➪ Phrases to talk about plans

City vocabulary

Here is some useful vocabulary for places to visit in cities:

river – bridge – monument – statue – art gallery – museum – palace – castle – zoo – cathedral – theatre – restaurant – market – tower

Holiday activities

Here are some verb + noun phrases that are useful when talking about city breaks. You can learn a few more in this vocabulary lesson.

• have dinner/a drink/a great time
• take photos
• buy souvenirs
• go out for a meal/a drink
• go on a river trip/a bus tour
• go to a museum/castle/etc.
• go for a walk
• see/watch a show
• spend (a lot of ) money

Language for Postcards

You can use these informal phrases to open your postcard:

• Hi (name)!
• Dear (name),

Close your email in an informal way too. These phrases are useful for ending your postcard:

• Can’t wait to… (see you! / show you my pictures / …)
• Wish you were here.
• Hope you are… (enjoying your summer / having a good holiday too / …).

You can use these phrases to sign off your postcard:

• Take care
• Love/Lots of love (from)
• See you soon

Talking about the present

When we write a postcard, we often write about what we are doing ‘now’ or ‘these days’. To do this, use the present continuous form.

• I‘m sitting at a table outside a café.
• I‘m watching the boats on the river.
• I‘m having a cup of coffee.

You can use these time phrases with the present continuous: right now, at the moment.

You can make a list of these activities. You don’t need to repeat I’m.

• I‘m sitting at a table outside a café and watching the boats.
• I‘m sitting at a table outside a café, watching the boats and having a cup of coffee.

Talking about the past

You can use the present perfect tense or the past simple tense to talk about past experiences.

Use the present perfect to talk about experiences you’ve had during your trip or things you’ve done so far, especially when you don’t mention when they happened.

• I‘ve seen Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
• I‘ve taken loads of photos.
• I‘ve bought lots of clothes.

You can use time expressions such as since or for with the present perfect:

• Since I arrived, I‘ve seen Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
• I‘ve taken loads of photos for the last few days.

Use the past simple to talk about finished events in the past. We often use the past simple with specific time phrases like yesterday, last night/week, on (Saturday/Sunday…).

• We arrived here on Saturday.
• I went to the Science Museum yesterday.
• I saw a show at the theatre last night. It was great! I loved the dancing.

Talking about plans

In a postcard, you can also write about your future plans.

If you have made a booking or definite arrangements, you can use the present continuous to talk about future plans. This is often combined with future time expressions like tomorrow, on Friday, etc. 

• We‘re seeing a show tomorrow night.
• We‘re going on a river cruise on Wednesday.
• I‘m flying home on Friday night.

Use be going to to talk about your intention to do something in the future. This is often used when you have decided to do something but haven’t made specific arrangements or bookings yet, or when no booking is needed.

• I‘m going to buy some souvenirs in the market.
• We‘re going to hire bikes tomorrow.

You can also use hope or plan to write about your plans. You can use the forms I’m hoping/planning to + infinitive because they are more informal than the present simple.

• I‘m hoping to go to the National History Museum.
• We‘re planning to visit Chinatown.