An ELT Glossary : Transactional and Interactional Functions of

Language

Brown and Yule (1983) suggest that language has two main functions : interactional and transcational.
The interactional function is concerned with the maintenance of social relationships for example, if
two people pass in the street and say ...

A : Hi, all right?

B: Yeah, fine thanks.

... the function of the exchange is purely interactional - it serves only as an acknowledgement of the
relationship, and the answer is conventional - it may not even actually be true.

Transactional discourse, on the other hand, is concerned with the transmission of information. If at the
greengrocers I say ..

A: Two pounds of cherry tomatoes.

... it is important that I transmit, and the greengrocer understands, the information accurately : so
that for instance I don't end up with three kilos of plum tomatoes. If the greengrocer has any doubts
he might ask for further information

A: Two pounds of cherry tomatoes.

B : These ones, or the ones next to the potatoes?
A: The ones next to the potatoes
B : That's 5

Most language is, of course, not wholly transactional or interactional but a mix of both, and for this
reason Brown and Yule (ibid) suggest that exchanges are generally better described
as primarily transactional or interactional. Social chat will contain some information - eg if I'm telling
you about my last holiday - but it remains primarily interactional in terms of its function. It doesn't
really matter if you don't retain the details. And transactional exchanges will often be interspersed
with elements which are there to serve an interactional function. Compare the exchange above with :

A : Good morning. Can I have two pounds of cherry tomatoes.

B : Would you like these ones, or the ones next to the potatoes?
A: The ones next to the potatoes please.
B: Here you are. That's 5 please.
A: Thank you.

None of the underlined elements are essential for the transmission of information, even though the
exchange remains primarily transactional. They serve an interactional function.

Reference

Brown, G. and Yule, G., 1983, Teaching the Spoken Language, Cambridge : CUP

Transactional and Interactional Speaking

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all fine and dandy. Ive just spent a lovely day at the Fukuoka zoo with
my family and Im feeling very well. Spring has certainly arrived and Im loving the warm weather.
As some of you might know, I belong to a group called JALT (http://jalt.org/chapters/kq/) which stands for
the Japan Association for Language Teaching. Its a group for language teachers, such as myself, to come
together and share ideas and techniques. I find it very interesting.
Last night, we had our monthly meeting and our presenter, a Mr. Alun Roger of Sojo University was
speaking about testing Interactional speaking. Now, that talk was a bit technical and not really all that
necessary for you guys. I dont think you need to know about statistical modelling of testing. I dont think I
need to know about statistical modelling of testing. But, something very interesting came out of the talk and
that is the difference between what is termed transactional and interactional speaking.

The difference between the two is this: in transactional speaking, you and the listener or listeners are trying
to share information in as efficient way as possible. Think of calling the bank. When you call your bank on
the telephone, you want specific information say the amount of money in your savings account. You ask
very direct questions and there are many social rules in this conversation. You wouldnt ask the other person
about the weather, for example. That would be very strange and would be breaking the social rules of this
conversation. You and the other people in the conversation stay on topic and when that topic is finished, you
end the conversation, usually.

By interactional speaking, we are looking at casual conversation. Two or more people sitting around chatting
about many things. The rules are completely different in this style of conversation. Topics will change very
often, a conversation that starts about the weather might move into sports and then into current news
before ending. There are still many social rules in this type of conversation, but the rules are very different.

In interactional speaking, we use many rejoinders, such as, Really? or Oh no!. We often interrupt each
other, where one person will stop the other person from speaking by asking a question. In transactional
speaking this would be very rude and is generally not done. That sort of thing.

What this Means for You

Ok, Ive written quite a lot there and by now you are probably thinking, so what? You know that different
social situations need different ways of speaking. But, when you study on your own, do you ever examine
what you are looking at?
Quite a lot of textbooks do one type of speaking or the other, but they never really tell you which is which.
And, quite often in classrooms, when we are trying to practice interactional speaking, we often use
transactional patterns. For example, this is something Ive had happen to me many, many times on the
street:
Young person: Hello! Whats your name?
Me: My name is Jason McDonald.
Young person: Where are you from?
Me: Im from Canada.
Young person: What color do you like?
Me: Ummm. Yellow.
This isnt an interactional conversation. Its an interview. A is asking questions and B is responding. Theres
no back and forth. The topics do not link to each other at all. Its just questions and answers. The student
has never been taught how to take the language that he or she knows and use it in a way that sounds
natural because in the classroom all he or she ever does is this sort of interview style.

When you are in class or practising English somewhere else, pay attention to the social cues of conversation.
You never want to just interview someone. Thats not very friendly and it can be quite impolite. When you
are looking at your textbooks, look at how the conversations work. How do the different people in the
conversations move the conversation back and forth?

Well, thats all for today. I hope youve learned something new. Now, go out there and enjoy the warm
weather.
Definition: Transactional letters are letters responding to a particular situation, which is

presented by means of written prompts (letters,leaflets,advertisements,news reports,etc, as

well as handwritten notes and comments), and/or visual prompts (diagrams,maps,etc).

Transactional Letters - Letter-Writing - Writing

Back to Letter-Writing

Put simply, a 'transactional' letter is one that is written for the purpose of getting
something done, of making somebody do something (compare this with a 'non-
transactional' letter, whose the purpose might be to share feelings, opinions or
experiences with someone else). They can either be formal or informal, depending on
whom you are writing to, and there are a lot of different types:

Letters giving information

Letters asking for information enquiries 2
Complaint letters : 1 (Useful language) 2 (Word doc, Y3) 3 (Word doc)
For Job-application letters, check out Writing - The World of Work
Apologies
Invitations
Thank-you letters/notes

When you are asked to write a transactional letter you may get some writing input
(advertisements, other letters, notes, invitations, etc.) and / or visual prompts (maps,
drawings, etc.). When you write a transactional letter you should include all the
relevant factual information given, using your own words. You should also make
sure that each paragraph deals with only one topic.

After reading these very notes from the Athens University of Economics and Business I
have put together the following text, adding my own comments to adjust it all to your
needs.

REFERENCE GUIDE TO WRITING LETTERS

Plan your letter well. You need some time to do this. The more you practice, the less
time you'll need! Make sure your letter is well structured and organized.

Don't write the addressess unless you are required to do so.

It is very important to use the correct forms of salutation, and signature

endings should always be appropriate.

The opening paragraph of a letter should state the purpose of the letter. The middle
paragraph(s) should explain the details, beginning a new paragraph for each main
point. The closing paragraph should state the course of action needed or repeat the
purpose of the letter. Always use the appropriate phraseology for opening and closing.

Be clear about the point being made in each paragraph; topic sentences are very
important.

Register is another important thing in letter writing; always bear in mind who you are
talking to and how this should affect the tone of your letter. Remember to use the
appropriate vocabulary for both formal and informal letters.

Another very important point is the use of linking words and phrases. This doesn't
mean that should use linking words without knowing what you're saying!

The style of the letter varies depending on who it is addressed to. For instance, a
letter to someone you do not know requires a formal style, a letter to someone you
know but are not intimate with requires a semi-formal style, whereas a letter to a friend
requires an informal style.

Formal style
The greeting (Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Mr / Ms Lee,)
Frequent use of passive
Formal Language (complex sentences, non colloquial English)
No contracted forms (e.g. it's), nor clippings (e.g. info, ad), nor inappropriate
abbreviations (e.g. CU, asap)
The ending (Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully)

Semi-formal style
Formal greetings (Dear Mr/Ms + surname,)
Informal endings (Best wishes, / Yours, + first name / full name)
Respectful tone, in any case
Pronouns should not be omitted and idioms should be carefully used.
Informal style
The greeting (Dear Alexa, Dear dad,)
Informal language and style (idioms, colloquial English)
Abbreviated forms, pronouns omitted
The ending (Yours / Love / Best Wishes / Regards / Cleo)

Another Transactional Letter - Invitations. Do the exercise and then copy the resulting
letter!

WRITE A 120-180 WORD TRANSACTIONAL LETTER ON THE FOLLOWING

INFORMAL

1)You recently stayed with an English penfriend and his or her family. Write a letter
thanking them for their hospitality.

FORMAL

2) You had a very bad meal at a restaurant recently. Write a letter about the food and
the service.

Example

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing about the advertising for your school I have seen recently. Some of my
friends and I are interested in spending a holiday in your school.

Could you please tell me how far is Cotsford from your school? I addition to that we
would like to know which is the nearest airport and is there a transfer available.

We like to come for two weeks in August. It this possible and if so when could we
start?

We like to know how much it costs and what is included? To be more specific, we like to
know if all the afternoon activities are included. What's more is the equipment
provided?

Finally we like to know how we could pay?

I'm looking forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully.

If you write a transactional letter on any topic and wish to send it, to illustrate the
theory, you'll be welcome!

Q: You are going to participate in a young writers competition. You still have some questions concerningt

he deadline and the form in which the text should be presented. You want to know if you can send themy

our essay on CD. Write a letter to the organizers of the competition and ask for more information.

Dear organizers :

I am writing for information about the young writers competition you have created.

I saw youradvertisement at the subway and I have some questions that I need answered as soon as poss

ible.

First of all , according to your advertisement the deadline is the next 1st of May but I

don't know if I cansend my work even those day. Also, I supose that I can send it on a CD because I

couldn't read anyinformation at the advertising. Please , inform me about the deadline and how I have to

present the text.

I would like you to answer me as soon as possible and to make even better this competition.
 Yours sincerelly,

Rafael.

How to write a transactional letter

for New FCE exam
How to write a transactional letter describing, recommending and suggesting a visit for the New FCE
exam? Heres a sample topic that has been divided into paragraphs and each of the sections explained.
Part 2
You must answer this question.

You would like to learn Russian and you see this advert in a newspaper. You would like to know more. Read the ad and the notes
you have made. Write a letter to the school asking for more information.
Write your letter. Dont include any postal addresses. Write your answer in 140- 190 words in an appropriate
style on the separate answer sheet.

Sample answer:
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I have recently seen your advertisement in the international newspaper and I
am writing to enquire about your Russian language school.
You start with Paragraph 1- Introduction
In the introduction you :
- say why you are writing and what you are responding to (e.g. an advert, a prospectus).
- begin Dear Mr Johns/ Dear Ms Jones etc. if you dont know the name of the person write Dear Sir/ Madam
- say where you saw the advert ( you can invent a newspaper and/or date if you need to)

Phrases you can use in the introduction:

* I am writing to you about ..
* I am writing with reference to/ in response to to enquire about
* I would like to I would be grateful if you could
REMEMBER: Its a formal piece of writing that means: use a formal, neutral style: no contractions, no
colloquial language, no direct questions, no informal punctuation such as exclamation marks.

What interests me in the course is the limited number of students in a group.

Would you be able to advise on the exact size of the group and forward some
indication whether it is half a dozen or close to a dozen learners? I would also
like to enquire if there is a group for a complete novice like me.
As you can see you have few notes within the question, the notes may refer to different areas. Organize
your paragraphs in a way that each point is within a paragraph referring to particular area e.g details
about the course( price, hours)- 2nd paragraph and details about the group ( size, levels)- 3rd paragraph
.
In the 2nd Paragraph you :
- write a topic sentence

- organise your application so that you mention the relevant notes of the areas in the advertisement
Phrases you can use to in the 2nd paragraph:
* I would be very grateful if you could
* Would it be possible for you to ?
* Please could you tell me more about / send me further information about

Furthermore, I would be glad to receive some details about fees and the
timetable. Could you please advise on the total number of hours and price of
the fortnight course? I would love to use the study centre, do you think you
could instruct me on the opening hours please? And also, I will be coming to
Moscow on my own, so a company of a Russian family would give me more
chance to practice the language. I was wondering how far from the school the
accommodation is.
It is worth mentioning that I will be coming to Moscow on my own, so a
company of a Russian family would give me more chance to practice the
language. I was wondering how far from the school the accommodation is.
In the 3rd Paragraph you :
- mention the relevant notes of the areas in the advertisement
- write a topic sentence
- only include necessary information
- DONT repeat the whole phrases from the question- use synonyms ( e.g. 12- dozen, price- fee, times-
timetable)
- if necessary add an extra paragraph is a point doesnt refer to any of the previously discussed areas
Phrases you can use in the 3rd paragraph:
* Use similar phrases as in paragraph 2.
* Use linkers e.g. Moreover / Furthermore / In addition etc

Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Brown
Paul Brown
In the last paragraph you :
- use formal ending ( Sincerely/ Sincerely yours / Kind regards / Yours truly etc. )
- sign your name and then print your name clearly underneath
Phrases you can use to end the letter
* I look forward to hearing from you.
* Thank you in advance for your help.
Over to you:

You are planning a camping holiday with a friend and you saw a Camping Site advertisement. Read the
advertisement together with the notes. Then write to Meadows Camping Site asking for the information and
adding any relevant questions of your own.
How to write a transactional letter describing, recommending and suggesting a visit for the New FCE
exam? Heres a sample topic that has been divided into paragraphs and each of the sections explained.
Part 2
You must answer this question.

You would like to learn Russian and you see this advert in a newspaper. You would like to know more. Read
the ad and the notes you have made. Write a letter to the school asking for more information.
Write your letter. Dont include any postal addresses. Write your answer in 140- 190 words in an appropriate
style on the separate answer sheet.

Sample answer:
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I have recently seen your advertisement in the international newspaper and I
am writing to enquire about your Russian language school.
You start with Paragraph 1- Introduction
In the introduction you :
- say why you are writing and what you are responding to (e.g. an advert, a prospectus).
- begin Dear Mr Johns/ Dear Ms Jones etc. if you dont know the name of the person write Dear Sir/ Madam
- say where you saw the advert ( you can invent a newspaper and/or date if you need to)

Phrases you can use in the introduction:

* I am writing to you about ..
* I am writing with reference to/ in response to to enquire about
* I would like to I would be grateful if you could
REMEMBER: Its a formal piece of writing that means: use a formal, neutral style: no contractions, no
colloquial language, no direct questions, no informal punctuation such as exclamation marks.

What interests me in the course is the limited number of students in a group.

Would you be able to advise on the exact size of the group and forward some
indication whether it is half a dozen or close to a dozen learners? I would also
like to enquire if there is a group for a complete novice like me.
As you can see you have few notes within the question, the notes may refer to different areas. Organize
your paragraphs in a way that each point is within a paragraph referring to particular area e.g details
about the course( price, hours)- 2nd paragraph and details about the group ( size, levels)- 3rd paragraph
.
In the 2nd Paragraph you :
- write a topic sentence

- organise your application so that you mention the relevant notes of the areas in the advertisement
Phrases you can use to in the 2nd paragraph:
* I would be very grateful if you could
* Would it be possible for you to ?
* Please could you tell me more about / send me further information about

Furthermore, I would be glad to receive some details about fees and the
timetable. Could you please advise on the total number of hours and price of
the fortnight course? I would love to use the study centre, do you think you
could instruct me on the opening hours please? And also, I will be coming to
Moscow on my own, so a company of a Russian family would give me more
chance to practice the language. I was wondering how far from the school the
accommodation is.
It is worth mentioning that I will be coming to Moscow on my own, so a
company of a Russian family would give me more chance to practice the
language. I was wondering how far from the school the accommodation is.
In the 3rd Paragraph you :
- mention the relevant notes of the areas in the advertisement
- write a topic sentence
- only include necessary information
- DONT repeat the whole phrases from the question- use synonyms ( e.g. 12- dozen, price- fee, times-
timetable)
- if necessary add an extra paragraph is a point doesnt refer to any of the previously discussed areas
Phrases you can use in the 3rd paragraph:
* Use similar phrases as in paragraph 2.

* Use linkers e.g. Moreover / Furthermore / In addition etc

Thank you in advance for your help. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Brown
Paul Brown
In the last paragraph you :
- use formal ending ( Sincerely/ Sincerely yours / Kind regards / Yours truly etc. )
- sign your name and then print your name clearly underneath
Phrases you can use to end the letter
* I look forward to hearing from you.
* Thank you in advance for your help.
Over to you:
You are planning a camping holiday with a friend and you saw a Camping Site advertisement. Read the
advertisement together with the notes. Then write to Meadows Camping Site asking for the information and
adding any relevant questions of your