Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Teacher’s Notes

Description
This activity presents and practises a number of functional and fixed phrases that are useful for writing emails
at Entry 2. Students also look at two example tasks and assess the ‘good’ and ‘not-so-good’ features of a
sample answer. They then plan and write another email of the type they might be given in an exam.
(N.B. The language presented and practised in this activity can also be used in ‘notes’ and ‘messages’.)

Teacher’s Notes

Aims of the lesson
• to present and practise fixed and functional phrases for
emails
• to familiarise students with different types of email tasks
and what is expected of them
• to practise writing an email

Time needed 1 hour

Materials required • an authentic example of an email – to be projected on to a

screen OR a paper copy for each student
• Student’s Worksheet 1 – one for each student
• Student’s Worksheet 2 – one for each student
• Student’s Worksheet 3 – one for each student
• Student’s Worksheet 4 – one for each student
• Sample Task 1 – one for each student

Procedure
1. If you have students who lack experience with emails, it may be helpful to show them an example of
one and talk about certain key features: e.g. To/From/Subject/features of toolbar/etc. This would
probably be most effective on a screen but printing out an email (a copy for each student) would be a
useful alternative.
2. Ask the whole class the following questions:
• Do you ever receive emails?
• Who do you receive them from?
• Do you ever send emails?

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 • Who do you send them to?
• What is good about emails?
• Is there anything bad about emails?
Accept any plausible answers to these questions.
3. Explain that students are often asked to write an email in the Entry 2 Writing exam, but that they
handwrite the email (unless they are taking the computer-based version). Explain that email tasks are
usually similar to note- and message-writing tasks in terms of task content and the type of language
they need. Hand out Student’s Worksheets 1 and 2. Check that students understand the functional
labels in Student’s Worksheet 2, then ask students to put the sentences from Student’s Worksheet
1 into the correct places in the table on Student’s Worksheet 2. There are two sentences for each
section. Also, ask students to underline or highlight the words in each sentence that can be used
again in another email (or note/message). Monitor students working individually/in pairs. Check
answers with the whole class. (See Key to Student’s Worksheet 2.)
4. Hand out Student’s Worksheet 3 (or, to save paper, project on to a screen, if available). Ask
students to read the task, then ask questions to check understanding, e.g.:
• Who are you going to write to?
• Why do you want to write to her?
• What do you want to say in the email?
Ask students which phrases from Student’s Worksheet 1 would be good for this email. Accept any
appropriate suggestions for this. (See Key to Procedure step 4.)
5. Hand out Student’s Worksheet 4. Ask students to read the email and decide if the task has been
done well. Check with the whole class by asking questions such as:
• Does it say who the email is to?
• Does it say who the email is from?
• Does it say where the new flat is?
• Does it say what he/she likes about the flat?
• Does it ask Farah to go for dinner?
• Does it say when to go for dinner?
• Does it use any phrases from Student’s Worksheet 1?
(See Key to Procedure step 5.)
6. Hand out Sample Task 1 (and project on to a screen, if available). Point out to the students that they
are sometimes given an email and asked to reply to it. Ask students to read the task, then ask
questions to check understanding, e.g.:
• Who are you going to write to?
• Why do you want to write to her?
• What do you want to say in the email?

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 Ask students which phrases from Student’s Worksheet 1 would be good for this email. Accept any
appropriate suggestions for this. (See Key to Procedure step 6.)
7. Ask students to write the email in Sample Task 1. Monitor students as they write. Perhaps ask two or
three students to read their answers aloud, and ask the class to check that they have said all that they
need to say (apologising, saying why and suggesting another time).

Additional information
In the revised Skills for Life Writing exams, emails are assessed in terms of Text, Sentence and also Word
features. Therefore, students preparing for email tasks in the Entry 2 Writing exam may need help with Text
features (content points, audience awareness and organisation), Sentence features (sentence grammar, verb
tenses, word order, simple conjunctions, linking, basic punctuation, and the use of some common
adjectives), and also Word features (selection of appropriate vocabulary, legible handwriting, spelling and
appropriate use of upper- and lower-case letters).

Suggested follow-up activities/questions (and answers)

1. Encourage students to continue to add functional and fixed phrases to Student’s Worksheet 2 as
they come across them in their lessons.

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Answer Keys

Key to Procedure steps

Step 4:
• Who are you going to write to? (your friend Farah)
• Why do you want to write to her? (to tell her about your new flat)
• What do you want to say in the email? (where the flat is; what you like about the flat; ask Farah to
dinner; say when she can come)
Possible useful phrases:
Start an email: Dear/Hi
Invite someone: Would you like to …?/Do you want to …?
Finish an email: See you soon/Best wishes

Step 5:
• Does it say who the email is to? (yes)
• Does it say who the email is from? (no)
• Does it say where the new flat is? (no)
• Does it say what he/she likes about the flat? (yes)
• Does it ask Farah to go for dinner? (yes)
• Does it say when to go for dinner? (no)
• Does it use any phrases from Student’s Worksheet 1? (yes)

Step 6:
• Who are you going to write to? (Tanya)
• Why do you want to write to her? (to answer her email)
What do you want to say in the email? (apologise; say why you can’t see Tanya this weekend;
suggest another time for Tanya to visit)

Possible useful phrases:

Apologise: I’m afraid I can’t …/I’ve very sorry but I can’t …
Suggest: What about … ing …?/You could …
Finish an email: See you soon/Best wishes

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Key to Student’s Worksheet 2

start an email Dear Ann

Hi Mohamed

invite someone Would you like to come to a party next Saturday?

Do you want to come to dinner at my house on Friday?

reply to an invitation Thanks for your invitation.

Yes, I’d love to come to your house for dinner.

ask for help Could you help me fill in my application form please?

Can you help me with my homework please?

offer to help Can I give you a lift to the hospital?

Would you like me to do your shopping?

apologise I’m afraid I can’t go swimming with you next week.

I’m very sorry but I can’t come to your class on

Monday.

suggest What about meeting at 7.00 p.m. outside the station?

We could go for a walk in the park.

finish an email See you soon.

Best wishes

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Student’s Worksheet 1

Put two of these sentences into each part of the table on Worksheet 2.

1. Would you like to come to a party next Saturday?

2. Dear Ann

3. I’m afraid I can’t go swimming with you next week.

4. Could you help me fill in my application form please?

5. What about meeting at 7.00 p.m. outside the station?

6. See you soon.

7. Can I give you a lift to the hospital?

8. Best wishes

9. Thanks for your invitation.

10. We could go for a walk in the park.

11. Would you like me to do your shopping?

12. Hi Mohamed

13. Do you want to come to dinner at my house on Friday?

14. I’m very sorry but I can’t come to your class on Monday.

15. Can you help me with my homework please?

16. Yes, I’d love to come to your house for dinner.

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Student’s Worksheet 2

start an email

invite someone Would you like to come to a party next Saturday?

reply to an invitation

ask for help

offer to help

apologise

suggest

finish an email

Underline or highlight the words in each sentence that you can use in different emails.

Example: Would you like to come to a party next Saturday?

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Student’s Worksheet 3

Task 1
Last week you moved to a new flat. You want to tell your friend, Farah, about the flat.
Write an email to Farah. In your email:
• tell Farah where the flat is
• say what you like about the flat
• ask Farah to come to your new flat for dinner
• say when you want her to come.
Write about 50 words.

To: farah@grc.ac.uk

Subject: new flat

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Student’s Worksheet 4

Read the task and the student’s answer. Does the student answer the question well?

Last week you moved to a new flat. You want to tell your friend, Farah, about the flat.
Write an email to Farah. In your email:
• tell Farah where the flat is
• say what you like about the flat
• ask Farah to come to your new flat for dinner
• say when you want her to come.
Write about 50 words.

To: farah@grc.ac.uk

Subject: new flat

Hi Farah

Last week I moved to my new flat. The area is very quiet. I

have a nice kitchen and a big living room. My bedroom’s a bit

small but it’s very clean.

Would you like to come and see the flat? Can you come for

dinner? You know I’m a good cook.

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Skills for Life Entry 2 Writing: Emails Sample Task 1

You receive this email from your friend Tanya.

From: tanya@mlc.ac.uk

Subject: visit

Hi

I’d like to come and visit you at the weekend. Is that OK?

Take care.

Tanya

You can’t see Tanya this weekend. Write an email to Tanya. In your email:
• apologise to Tanya
• say why you can’t see her this weekend
• suggest another time she can visit you.
Write about 50 words.

To: tanya@mlc.ac.uk

Subject: Re: visit

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