Writing an informal email

Writing an informal email

Introduction

Welcome everyone!

 

The upcoming lessons will be all about writing an informal email.

There will be three lessons, each lesson will cover a certain aspect of writing an informal email.

You will be practising during the lessons and at the end of each lesson you will have an 'exercise test'.

This test will give you an indication of how well you are able to write an informal email.

No worries if it is a little bit difficult, you will have the next lesson to practise and get better!

 

You know what they say, practise makes perfect!

 

At the end of all the lessons you will have the official test and I am sure of it that you will do just fine!

 

Good luck!

Lesson 1

Goals

  1. We will discuss what an informal email exactly is.
  2. We will discuss how to write an informal email (what are the steps).
  3. You will try to create an informal email by placing the right sentence in the right order.
  4. You will write the beginning of an informal email.

What is it?

What is an informal email?

Well today I am going to give you some tips for writing informal emails.  

 

Type Informal emails   Formal emails
Writing to

-Friends  

-Family Members

-People we don't know  

-Bosses or managers

 

Informal emails are the ones that we'd write to people that we knew well. For example, our friends or our family members. Whereas formal emails are ones that we might send to a stranger or to our bosses.  

The language that we use in informal emails is more casual and relaxed. It's language that's more similar to the way that we speak. The structure of an informal email is also more relaxed. Although we do have some tips that you can follow to make your informal email clear and easy to understand.

How to write?

How to write an informal email.

 

Your informal email should count more or less 150 words.

 

I'm going to write an email to my friend, Nic. Now the first thing I have to do is think of a greeting. It's an informal email so I can start with a more casual greeting.  

I could say:

  • Dear Nic,
  • To Nic,
  • Hi Nic,  
  • Hey Nic!

I can use an exclamation point here to show that I'm excited to write to him but that's something I wouldn't do in a formal email. I can also use Nic's first name without a title. I could follow that with a friendly expression like:

  • How are you?
  • How are you going?
  • I hope you're well.  

Or if I'm responding to an email that he's sent me, I could say:

  • Thanks for your email.
  • It was great to hear from you.
  • I enjoyed reading your email.

I'm going to divide my email into short paragraphs to make it easier to read. Now I can start the main body of my email. Here I have to think about why I'm sending the email. It could be to respond to some news that my friend has told me which could be happy or sad. For example:

 

  • I'm so happy to hear about your engagement.
  • I'm really sorry to hear that you've been sick.

 

Or to say congratulations or thank you. It could be to give Nic some news of my own. For example:

 

  • I wanted you to know that I'm coming to visit you next week. 

 

I could be writing to make an apology. For example:

 

  • I was really sorry to miss your party but I had to work.

 

Or it could be to send an invitation or respond to an invitation. For example:

 

  • I'm having a birthday party and I would love you to come.
  • Thank you so much for your invitation. I would love to come. 

 

Or it could be to make a request or ask for a favour.

There are different levels of politeness that you can use when making a request. The most polite way to ask is indirectly. For example:

 

  • I would be grateful if you could send me the photos you took at the wedding.
  • I would really appreciate it if you could send me the photos you took at the wedding.

 

Another polite way to ask is to write:

 

  • Could you please send me the photos?
  • Could you send me the photos, please?

 

Then there's a polite but more direct way. For example:

 

  • Could you send me the photos?
  • Can you send me the photos?

 

The most direct way is to say:

 

  • Please send me the photos.
  • Send me the photos, please.

 

Now how polite you want to be depends on who you're writing to and what you're asking for.

Sometimes you can finish up your email by making a suggestion or recommendation to your friend. For example:

 

  • You might want to bring something to drink.
  • If you like, we can visit a winery while you're here.

 

Then you can finish off your email. There are lots of options here. For example:

 

  • Give my love/regards to your family.
  • Say hello to the kids for me.
  • Thanks again for your help.
  • I hope to hear from you soon.
  • See you soon.
  • Write soon.
  • Keep in touch!

 

Then you can sign off with:

 

  • Love,
  • Lots of love,
  • Best wishes,
  • Yours,
  • All the best,

 

They're some suggestions but what you write in an informal email is really up to you.

 

The email:

From: Nic
To: Peter
Subject: Birthday

Hey Nic,

How are you going?

Thanks for sending me the photos from your holiday. It looks like you had a great time!  How're Leah and the kids? And what about your dog, Snoopy? He was just a puppy last time I saw him.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to your birthday party. I would have loved to come but I was really busy at work and it was hard to get away. Thanks for the invitation though.  Would it be possible for you to send me some photos from the party? I'd love to see how it all went.

I can't wait until you come to visit in March. Do you know how long you'll be staying? I'll try to think of some fun things to do.

See you soon.

All the best,

Peter

Create an informal email

Try to create an informal email by placing the right sentence in the right order.

Write!

Write the beginning of the informal email, this will be your 'exercise test'.

 

Your informal email should contain about 150 words.

 

You are Linda and you will be responding to your friend named Helga.

Write the beginning of you e-mail to Helga, use the following structure:

The introduction/beginning of your email

  1. Write who is sending, who is receiving and the subject of the email.
  2. Greet your friend (don't forget the name).
  3. Ask how your friend is doing and express your joyness and thankfulness about receiving this email.

This is the email of Helga:

Hi Linda,

How's it going?

Sorry I haven't been in touch for such a long time but I've had exams so I've been studying every free minute. Anyway, I'd love to hear all your news and I'm hoping we can get together soon to catch up. We just moved to a bigger flat so maybe you can come and visit one weekend?

How's the new job?  

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Helga

 

Type your email in a word document and save the document with the name: (first name+last name)_(class).​

The end

That was the end of lesson 1.

That was hard work, wasn't it!

You did great!

I will check your 'exercise test' and give you feedback the next lesson, during the next lesson you will be given the opportunity to improve your work.

It is absolutely no problem if you had any difficulties during this lesson.

Next lesson will help you practise again!

Have a nice day and I will see you next lesson!

Lesson 2

Goals

  1. There will be a quick recap of what an informal email is and how we write one.
  2. You will practise with answering questions about an informal email that is already written.
  3. You will improve the piece you have written previous lesson.
  4. You will continue with writing the second part of the email.

Quick recap

What was an informal email again and how do we write one?

 

Your informal email should count more or less 150 words.

 

What was an informal email?

Informal emails are the ones that we'd write to people that we knew well. For example, our friends or our family members.

The language that we use in informal emails is more casual and relaxed. It's language that's more similar to the way that we speak. The structure of an informal email is also more relaxed.

 

How did we write an informal email again?

  • Write who is sending, who is receiving and the subject of the email.
  • Greet your friend (don't forget the name).
  • Ask how your friend is doing and express your joyness and thankfulness about receiving this email.
  • Think about why you are sending the email and write this down, take the various subjects that you can find in the email that was send to you into consideration.
  • Finish off your email.

 

More information can be found in lesson 1 ‘how to write?’

Read and answer

We will practise with answering questions about an informal email that is already written.

Improve

Improve the piece you have written previous lesson.

Write!

Continue with writing the second part of the informal email.

 

Your informal email should contain about 150 words.

 

The body and conclusion/ the second part of your email

Think about why you are sending the email and write this down. Take the following subjects into consideration:

  •            Her study
  •            Her exams
  •            meeting her
  •            where Helga lives

 

Type your email in a word document and save the document with the name: (first name+last name)_(class).​ This can be done in the same word document from last lesson.

The end

That was the end of lesson 2.

Good job you!

You probably already feel like you've gotten a lot better.

Keep up the good work!

I will check the second part that you have written today and like last lesson I will give it back to you next lesson and you will improve it.

Have a nice day, see you next lesson!

 

Lesson 3

Goals

  1. There will be a quick recap of what an informal email is and how we write one.
  2. You will improve the piece you have written previous lesson.
  3. You will write a complete informal email, this will be the offcial test.

Quick recap

What was an informal email again and how did we write one?

 

Your informal email should contain about 150 words.

 

What was an informal email?

Informal emails are the ones that we'd write to people that we knew well. For example, our friends or our family members.

The language that we use in informal emails is more casual and relaxed. It's language that's more similar to the way that we speak. The structure of an informal email is also more relaxed.

 

How did we write an informal email again?

  • Write who is sending, who is receiving and the subject of the email.
  • Greet your friend (don't forget the name).
  • Ask how your friend is doing and express your joyness and thankfulness about receiving this email.
  • Think about why you are sending the email and write this down, take the various subjects that you can find in the email that was send to you into consideration.
  • Finish off your email.

 

More information can be found in lesson 1 ‘how to write?’

Improve

Improve the piece you have written previous lesson.

Write, the test!

You will write a complete informal email, this will be the offcial test.

 

Type your email in a word document and save the document with the name: (first name+last name)_(class)_(test email)

 

The end

That was the end of lesson 3.

You did a great job!

I will be checking the test and will give you your grade when I have graded them.

Have a nice day and see you next lesson!

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    Auteur
    Yasmin Abnaamar Je moet eerst inloggen om feedback aan de auteur te kunnen geven.
    Laatst gewijzigd
    2021-03-27 19:03:16
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