STEP 3: Howdy

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STEP 3: Howdy

Writing a formal email

Ex. 1

Have you ever thought how an email would sound if you told the person what you wrote? Watch the video about email in real life. What do these characters do wrong? Choose from the list.

adding an unneccessary quote – not rereading for mistakes – using emoticons – writing in capital letters – writing sentences that are too long

 1 Andy Allcaps 

2 Roger Runnon

3 Dr. Otto Korrekt 

4 Shelly Siggnatoor

5 Edna Emotiblinky

Ex. 1

1 Andy Allcaps writing in capital letters

2 Roger Runnon writing sentences that are too long

3 Dr. Otto Korrekt not rereading for mistakes

4 Shelly Siggnatoor adding an unnecessary quote

5 Edna Emotiblinky using emoticons

Ex. 2

Read these parts of emails and decide whether the sentence is formal or informal language.

Ex. 3

Look at these parts of emails. 

Rank them according to their 

level of formality.

Email A

Email B

Email C

Email D

Email E

Ex. 4

Look at these emails from students of Mrs Lamot. All students have a reason why they haven’t studied for the English test. Work with a partner and highlight the inappropriate and/or incorrect parts. (informal language, spelling, wrong choice of words,...)

2 emails per duo

no real spelling mistakes; it does contain a lot of informal language.

Which email is the worst, in your opinion?

email 1

email 2

email 3

email 4

Ex. 5

Check the Strategy in the Summary on how to write a good formal email (p. 44). Choose the ‘worst’ email in exercise 4 and rewrite it according to the rules of the Strategy. Use an appropriate expression from the box below in your correction.

Strategy p. 44

p. 45

How do you end a formal email to e.g. a teacher?

1. Greetings
2. Kind regards
3. Yours sincerely
4. Yours faithfully

How would you start an email to your teacher Ms Temmerman?

1. Dear
2. Dear Sir/Madam
3. Dear Ms Temmerman
4. Yo, Miss

How would you start a formal email to someone you don't know?

1. Dear,
2. Dear Sir/Madam,
3. Dear X,
4. Hi,

Ex. 6

Look at the text below.

a What type of text is this?

Ex. 6

Look at the text below.

a What type of text is this?

It’s an advertisement.

Ex. 6

b What is the goal of this 

text? 

Ex. 6

b What is the goal of this 

text? 

It is trying to convince

people to book a camp.

Ex. 6

c Which information can 

you get from this text?

Ex. 6

c Which information can 

you get from this text?

– the name of the camp

– the website for the 

registration

– the activities

– the price

– the online reduction 

code

Ex. 6

Ex. 6

d Which activities would you like to add?

Ex. 6

e Would you consider taking part in a sports camp in a foreign country? Why (not)?

Ex. 7

You will write an email to your PE teacher.

a Preparation: choose one of the following situations and make a draft version first.

– You forgot your school sport kit and you want to let your teacher know.

– You have a knee injury and won’t be able to take part in the school’s annual sports day.

– You can’t participate in PE, but you feel like the assignments you are getting instead

aren’t all that interesting. You have a better idea.

– You don’t think your school has the right sports equipment and you want to let your

teacher know what they should buy.

b Action: write your email (about 75 words) and respect the rules for email writing.

Use your creativity to make your email as real as possible.

Ex. 8

Now read the email the teacher gives you. Formulate a good reply.

a Preparation: read the email and highlight the main arguments your partner made.

b Action: formulate an answer to the suggestion using the arguments given.

Respect the rules for email writing.

c Reflection: check your text by filling in the checklist