English Department

FCE Preparation
Name: __________________________

Writing Workshop:
Letter / Email
The Writing paper has two parts. In part 1 you must write a letter or email including four points.
Your letter/email must by between 120-150 words.
What to do:
Read the instructions, the text and notes carefully.
Find and underline the four points you must deal with. Youll lose marks if you dont deal
with them all.
Read the instructions to find out who will read the letter or email. Then decide whether
you should write in a formal or informal style.
Make notes and organize them into a plan. Decide how many paragraphs you need and
what youll say in each.
Write your letter or email following your plan. Check that it includes the four points.
When you have finished, read your answer carefully.

Exercise 1
Look at the following Part 1 task.
1. What are the four points you must deal with?
2. Should you use a formal or informal style? Why?
3. Some of the notes tell you what to say. For others you have to think of information
yourself. What information do you have to think of?

You must answer this question. Write your answer in 120 150 words in an appropriate style.
You help to organize meetings at your college and recently you have invited people with interesting
jobs to speak to students about their work. You have received this email from a policewoman,
Barbara Winslow, who you invited to speak on 2 nd November. Read Barbara Winslows email and
the notes you have made. Then write an email to her using all your notes.

I would be delighted to speak to students

at your college. However, I cannot
manage 2nd November. Can you suggest
another day which would suit you?

Either 5th
or 7th

Also what aspects of my work do you

think students would find most
interesting?
player
better

Give

I can also show a short film about police

work in this area but can you tell me if
you have a DVD player or a cinema
projector available?

Give her
some
ideas

Finally, could you please tell me a little

bit about the sort of audience I can
expect?

number
and age

Many thanks,

range

Barbara Winslow

Write your email. You must use grammatically correct sentences with accurate spelling and
punctuation in a style appropriate for the situation.

Exercise 2
Read this model answer to the task in Exercise 1.
1. What information has the writer invented for his/her answer?
2. Is the style formal or informal?

Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your email. I am very glad that you have kindly agreed
to speak at our college. I am sorry to hear that you cannot come on
2nd November. Can I suggest that you came on either the 5th or the 7th
November instead?
I know we will all be very interested in your talk and especially if
you can talk about the polices work in fighting crime and how you
go about it. We would also like to hear about career opportunities in
the police force.
Your short film sounds an excellent idea and I think the easiest way
to show it would be on the DVD player. As for the audience, you can
expect about 100 people aged between 16 and 18. There will
probably also be a few teachers.
Please let me know which date suits you best. I look forward to
meeting you then.
Kind regards,
xxxx

*Notice that each paragraph:

contains several sentences
deals with a different aspect of the task
**The answer contains sentences which make a natural-sounding email, not just the points
required in the task.

Useful language

Opening
LETTER

EMAIL
If you know the persons name:

Dear Barbara,
Dear Mr. Jones

To someone you know well:

Dear Barbara,
Hello Maria,
Hi John,

If you dont know the persons name:

Dear Sir or Madam,

To someone you dont know well:

Dear Barbara,
Dear Mrs. Jones,
(depending on closeness)

Closing
LETTER

EMAIL
If you know the persons name:

Best wishes, Warm regards,

(to a friend)
Love, or With love,
(very close friend or relative)
Yours sincerely, or Yours,
(to someone you dont know too well)

To someone you know well:

Best wishes,
All the best,

If you dont know the persons name:

Yours faithfully,

To someone you dont know well:

Best wishes,
Kind regards,

Ways of starting the first paragraph of a letter or email

o Thanks for your email(informal)
o Thank you for your letter about (formal)
o I am writing to request information about / complain about / apologize for / explain /
etc (formal)


Other useful phrases at the end of the letter or email

o (Im) looking forward to seeing you / hearing from you. (informal)
o I look forward to seeing you / hearing from you / meeting you. (formal)

Ways of referring to sth in a letter or email which you are replying to
o Your short film sounds an excellent idea and (formal & informal)
o As for the audience(formal & informal)
o With reference to the audience(formal)
o You mentioned / asked about the audience in your letter and(formal)

Ways of making suggestions
o How about + verb + -ing (informal):
How about holding the meeting on the 5th?
o What about + verb + -ing (informal):
What about having a meal in a restaurant afterwards?
o It might also be a good idea to(formal):
It might also be a good idea to visit the museum on the ground floor.
o Can I suggest that? (formal):
Can I suggest that you give your talk on the 5th of November?
o I suggest + verb + -ing (formal):
I suggest holding the meeting on the 5th of November.

Ways of asking for information
o Could you tell me? (formal & informal)
o I would / Id like to know (formal & informal)
o I would / Id like information on (formal & informal)
o Do you know if / whether / when / what, etc. (formal & informal)

Ways of complaining
o Im not very happy about + noun / verb + -ing (informal)
Im not very happy about the price.
Im not very happy about paying so much.
o I would like to complain about + noun / verb + ing (formal):
I would like to complain about traffic noise in our district.
I would like to complain about children playing football in our street.
o I am writing to complain about + noun / verb + ing (formal):
I am writing to complain about the service I received at your hotel recently.

Ways of inviting
o How about? (informal)
How about coming windsurfing with me next weekend?
o Would you like to? (formal & informal)
Would you like to travel together?
o I would like to invite you to+ noun / infinitive (formal):
I would like to invite you to visit our town next summer.
I would like to invite you to my house next weekend.


Ways of giving advice

o You should(formal & informal)
o If I were you, I would / Id (formal & informal)
o It would be a good idea to+ infinitive (formal)

Ways of apologizing
o Sorry about + noun / verb + -ing (informal):
Sorry about being late for the concert last Saturday.
o I would like to apologize for + nou / verb + -ing (formal):
I would like to apologize for arriving late for the concert on Saturday.