The Distance Delta

Centre Number: 10239

LSA2: Skills – Writing

Helping Learners Write Effective Informal Emails

Hanna Loch

Word count: 2409 (Word 2013)

Date: 22.08.2015

Contents
Why teach writing informal emails?..............................................................................4

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What makes an effective informal email?.....................................................................5
1. GENRE..................................................................................................................6
1.1 Register (authoring skills)....................................................................................6
1.2 Layout (crafting skills)..........................................................................................7
2. LANGUAGE SYSTEMS (crafting skills).................................................................7
2.1 Lexis....................................................................................................................8
2.2 Grammar of informal emails............................................................................8
WRITING PROCESSES...........................................................................................9
3.1 Planning and Generating Ideas...........................................................................9
Problems & Solutions.................................................................................................10
Problem 1: Genre – inappropriate layout due to L1 conventions interference.......10
Solution 1.................................................................................................................10
Problem 2: Genre – lengthy and incoherent emails................................................11
Solution 2:................................................................................................................11
Problem 3: Language Systems – Netspeak + ellipsis.............................................12
Solution 3.................................................................................................................12
Problem 4: Language systems: tone inconsistency................................................13
Solution 4:................................................................................................................13
Problem 5: Writing processes: creative blockage...................................................14
Solution 5.................................................................................................................15
Bibliography................................................................................................................16
APPENDICES.............................................................................................................17
Appendix 1 Genre – inappropriate layout due to L1 conventions interference.......17
Layout – template of a poster..............................................................................17
Layout – Matching and Ordering Task.................................................................17
Appendix 2 Genre – lengthy and incoherent emails...............................................18
Email dialogue sheet............................................................................................19
.............................................................................................................................19
Appendix 3 Language Systems – Netspeak + ellipsis............................................19
Example of an email............................................................................................20
Appendix 4 Language systems: tone inconsistency...............................................21
Formal/ Informal Pelmanism................................................................................21
Appendix 5 Writing processes: creative blockage..................................................21
Example of a holiday mind map...........................................................................21

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Why teach writing informal emails?

As Raimes (1983, p.85) rightly noted ‘if a language student ever needs to write
anything in the second language, it will probably be a letter/ email’. As my Saudi
students are mostly housewives, they are unlikely to find themselves in the social
roles that require writing formal emails. I have been often asked, however, about
informal email writing (e.g. the right salutation and sign–off) since my students make
many international friends, with whom they want to keep in touch.

Emmerson (2003) pointed out that it takes not only awareness but also
practice to write in a style which fits the context. Idiomaticity of informal
register presents an enormous challenge to all students but particularly to those
whose L1 are Romance languages, e.g. Francophone Moroccan and Algerian
students. Moreover, my General IELTS students attempting Writing Task 1 are very
inconsistent with informal register, which results in lowering their band scores.

For these reasons, I believe that focusing on writing effective informal emails is
relevant and motivating for my learners. Last but not least, Tribble (1996) sparked
my interest in exploring writing as a skill and Crystal (2006) inspired
me to focus on informal emails and their ‘linguistic irresponsibility’
(ibid.p.39).

What makes an effective informal email?

To write an effective informal email, native speakers use

authoring and crafting skills (Hedge, 1988):

 an understanding of the genre (a communicative

event which uses texts in a predicable way to
achieve agreed communicative purpose)

Figure 1 (Tribble, 1996:68)

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  have a command of the language systems and writing processes which
are relevant to the task (Tribble, 1996).

1.GENRE

Crystal (2006) compares an informal email to a quiet phone call based on its
frequent adjacency pairs (e.g. question – answer, request-acceptance).
Furthermore, email utterances display much of the urgency and energetic force
which is characteristic of face-to-face conversation (ibid).

1.1 Register (authoring skills)

To start with, it is worth looking at register and its three variables (see
table below) as they impact on the genre and style, i.e. content and context
(Thornbury, 2005).

variable example impacts on

 field =  to arrange an  content = topic

communicative evening out and related lexis
purpose (what  invite to a party,
result do I want to  give news
achieve)

 tenor = the writer  social context:

 informal: close
- audience (target reader’s
friends, family,
reader) expectations
 (interaction: one-to-
relationship  choice of
one or one-to-many)
language (the
appropriate
degree of
informality )

 mode = the  speed of writing

electronic, asynchronous
means by which  mechanics
(delayed) CMC (computer-
the text is being
mediated communication),

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 created

1.2 Layout (crafting skills)

Physical organisation on the page is restricted by the limitations imposed by the

screen (Crystal, 2006).

feature purpose example

 attention grabbing Party time!
subject line  help store and How are you?
retrieve an email

salutation (optional)  social pleasantry  Hi/Hello/Hey

Sue! (or no
(promptly sent responses
name, or name
are greetingless Crystal,
only: Sue
2006)

BODY
short paragraphs to make a message legible and intelligible and fit it into a
single screen

opening (inverted pyramid state the topic  Haven’t heard

style, i.e. most important from you for
information first) ages!
 R u free on
Friday?
closing often ends with a question  So what do you
think?
sign-off (optional) boundary maker (i.e. Lots of love,
further scrolling down is
+ signature Signature (name)
unnecessary)

2.LANGUAGE SYSTEMS (crafting skills)

Hale and Scanlon (1999, p3) point out that mechanics (spelling and punctuation) of
informal emails are loose and playful. Spelling errors are acceptable as long as

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they do not distract from the content of a message (Crystal, 2006). Also, the usual
range of punctuation expressiveness may be seriously extended, e.g. Yes!!!!!!!! or
WHAT????? (ibid.)

2.1 Lexis

Features
vocabulary (informal) 1. common words
 I got your email yesterday. (not Latin based
received)

2. phrasal verbs (Anglo Saxon words)

netspeak (time-saving
conventions)
 is one of the most
distinctive features of
informal emails
(Crystal, 2006)
 Let’s meet up on Thursday.
symbols, i.e. emoticons  (smileys), XOXOX
colloquial abbreviations
 It was absolutely fab (=fabulous)!
 U for ‘you’, R for ‘are’
‘cool’ acronyms: LOL (laughing out loud)

Lexical cohesive devices to  direct repetition of words from the same word family,
achieve connected text use of synonyms, antonyms
 substitution of previously mentioned words with
one/ones

 ellipsis (leaving words out)

2.2 Grammar of informal emails

features

contractions, short simple sentences, co-ordinate

Emphasis on fluency,
clauses, direct speech, active voice
not accuracy, often not
intensity of questions greater than in letters or
proofread
conversation
mistakes matter less than
meaning

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grammatical cohesive 1. reference devices
devices to save time and
space and avoid  Indeed – couldn’t have put it better myself [put
repetition what? anaphoric reference, pronoun]
2. ellipsis of clause elements to save time and
space
 (I’m) Having a wonderful time!
3. co-ordinating linkers: but, and, so, because
(coz) to imitate speech, can start sentences

WRITING PROCESSES

Most writing processes (knowledge of the most appropriate way of preparing for
the task) are recursive (i.e. cyclical, non-linear) and therefore include a series of
planning, editing and drafting (Harmer, 2004). In my opinion, however, only two of
them are relevant to an informal email (see below).

3.1 Planning and Generating Ideas

According to Hedge (1998) skilled writers think about two important things before
they put pen to paper: the purpose and the recipient. They also plan content
(what?) before layout (how?). Tribble (1996. p104) argues that in real life, informal
emails do not require any preparation at all, unless the writer decides to make a list
of points to include. I feel this is an oversimplification because writing is an extremely
personal affair. Some people might not plan at all but others, like me, (although I
used to work as a journalist in Warsaw and consider myself a skilled writer) plan
content and layout thoroughly before writing even a very informal email in their
mother tongue.

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Problems & Solutions

Problem 1: Genre – inappropriate layout due to L1 conventions

interference

Elementary students in Saudi Arabia have problems remembering Western layout

conventions as in Arabic emails content is aligned with the right not left margin. For
this reason, students often start writing in the middle of the page. In Khobar, students
often send me emails with funny salutations: ‘good morning my dear hanna’ or ‘Good
afternoon my dear Miss Hanna’ or ‘Hi my dear Teacher’, Dear my lovely Hanna. All
these salutations are direct translations from L1 (Arabic).

Solution 1
Aim:
 to help students understand Western email layout conventions
Procedure

1. concordancing (Tribble, 1996, p. 58-59) give the students a few email

examples and asks them to find and highlight specified parts of an email
(salutation, opening, closing statement, sign off, etc.)

2. students copy and categorise the examples in order to make a poster (click on
the link Layout – template of a poster)

3. students arrange examples of (salutation, opening, etc.) on an email screen

template (click on the link Layout – Matching and Ordering Task) to make sure they know
where they belong and that they should be aligned with the left.

4. to write a short email using expressions from the poster

Evaluation

Although it requires time, it is a great way for the students to create their own
‘resource bank’ on which they can draw on in the future. The activity promotes
learner autonomy as it teaches the students to make use of writing models, as a lot
of native speakers do (Hedge, 1998). Product Approach i.e. based on the use of

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model texts, helps students produce a similar text themselves, As YL like using glue
sticks and scissors, it can be very appealing to them, but also many adult Saudi
students are into arts and crafts.

Problem 2: Genre – lengthy and incoherent emails

As education in Vietnam is based on rote learning, my Intermediate students kept

mindlessly reproducing a memorised template for an informal email. Their emails
were lengthy and incoherent not due to their poor language competence but to the
lack of direction, i.e. having something to say (purpose) (Raimes, 1985).

Solution 2:

Aim:

 to build up students’ awareness of communicative purpose and the audience

 to give their writing a sense of direction

Procedure:

1. begin with a telephone role-play task to show students that an informal email
is like ‘a quiet phone call’ (Crystal, 2006, p.130), i.e. question and response.
Students in pairs follow the prompts to arrange a meeting between close
friends.

2. photocopy 3-4 email dialogue sheet (click on Email dialogue sheet) per pair.
Students pass the sheet back and forth as though sending and receiving an
email, they have to ask and answer questions in their emails, each time role-
playing different audience and writer, e.g. a grandchild and grandmother,
boyfriend and girlfriend, two teenagers (boys), etc. (adapted from Hughes,
2001)

3. students discuss in pairs how the reader influenced the content (lexis and
grammar choices) and register (more or less informal language) of their
emails. Which emails required more grammar and words, which were more

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 direct, why? Did they achieve their purpose (did they ask and answer
questions)? How?

Evaluation:

As this activity reflects the interaction of reading and speaking/writing in real life and
can be used as part of Genre Approach which focuses on communication and the
effect on the target reader. It would be appealing to YLs, especially teenagers who
like interacting with each other as well as enjoy role-plays. However, raising
awareness of purpose, audience can be useful for students of all levels and
contexts, from GE to ESP.

Problem 3: Language Systems – Netspeak + ellipsis

‘You always tell me not to leave out helping verbs and articles, and now you have
changed your mind and you want me to do it? – exclaimed frustrated Intermediate
students in Vietnam after I marked his informal email. His confusion was justified.

Solution 3

Aim:

 to show students when and how to use ellipsis

Procedure:

1. explain that in informal emails we often omit auxiliary verbs, pronouns,

articles, modal verbs when the meaning is clear from the context

2. display an informal email on the IWB (click on Example of an email)

3. students in teams of 3 come the board to play the game, each team removes
something from the email, if their choice is correct, they get a point (they can
roll the dice to make it more exciting). Game continues until here are no more
words which could be erased.

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 4. Students discuss in their groups advantages (saves time and space) and
disadvantages (at first might be confusing for the reader and the writer) of
ellipsis
5. Students write a short emails trying to leave as many words out as possible.
6. Students swap their emails to peer correct

Evaluation

I agree with Crystal (2006) who pointed out that to leave a letter or grammatical
structure out, you have to know that it is there in the first place (Crystal 2009). For
this reason, this activity raises students’ awareness of English as a whole and it is
highly beneficial for holistic (B1+) learners. Students can notice that not only
vocabulary but also grammatical conventions depend on the social context (the more
formal context, the more grammar (Thornbury, 2001).

Problem 4: Language systems: tone inconsistency

My Algerian Pre – Intermediate 2 student has recently produced this email to a

friend:

Hi Maram,

How’s it going?

I’m having a party on Friday. I would be really grateful if you could come.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

XOXO

Zara

Reasons:

 translation from L1 (French and Arabic)

 no exposure to natural English and no feel for the language.

Solution 4:

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Aim:

 to make students familiar with informal email style

 sensitize learners to appropriacy

Procedure:

1. A formal/informal phrases pelmanism (click on Formal/ Informal Pelmanism).

In 3s, students put all cards face down on the table. Students take turns to
turn two cards, if they match, the student keeps the cards, if not s/he puts
them back. The student with the most pairs at the end of the game is the
winner (Marks, 2008).

2. Students get an informal email with inappropriate formal expressions. They

need to identify them and replace with informal style, e.g. I am afraid I will not
be able to attend the meeting on Friday. (Sorry can’t make it on Friday.).
Ideally, they could be correcting their own emails they wrote for homework.

3. Students write a new informal email but they need to use at least four of the
phrases they have learnt.

Evaluation:

This activity could be used in both Product and Genre approaches to writing as it
focuses on language features and style. It could be used starting from Pre-
Intermediate 1 level. Pelmanism would appeal to kinaesthetic learners making the
target language more memorable and aiding retention.

Problem 5: Writing processes: creative blockage

‘I can’t write a holiday email to a friend because I have nothing to say’ - said my
Intermediate Tanzanian student. Although informal emails are pretty simple, students

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still need a lot of scaffolding to generate ideas. Majority of students experience
writer’s block.

Solution 5

Aim

 to teach students ways of generating ideas to overcome creative blockage

 to make writing process more collaborative and enjoyable by using the

process approach, i.e. the development of good writing practices rather than
an imitation of models (Tribble, 1996, p160).

Procedure - mind maps (spidergrams)

1. tell students to sit on the floor in a circle, close their eyes, take three deep
inhales/exhales and visualise memories about the best holiday they have
ever had

2. teacher draws a topic (holidays) at the centre a whiteboard, asks students

to volunteer some of their memories/ideas to start up a web of ideas, 3- 4
examples (click on Example of a holiday mind map).

3. in pairs students draw their own mind maps, then compare with another
group. In 4s they draw a combined mind map sheet of paper which they
display on the wall. All students walk around comparing their ideas.

4. Students discuss if making mind maps helped them generating ideas

(how?) and organise them into subtopics and paragraphs of an email, e.g.
accommodation, food, activities.

5. Students plan a holiday email to a friend using subsections of their mind

maps to organise it.

Evaluation

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The Process Approach, i.e. focuses on developing the composing processes of
writing, emphasise the unpredictability of writing and enhances learner autonomy
and creativity. This activity is appealing to visual and kinaesthetic learners but
students with logical-mathematical intelligence prefer more organised ways of notes
taking, e.g. a list of ordered points or tables.

Bibliography

Books

Crystal, D. 2006 Language and the Internet. CUP

Crystal, D. 2009 Txtng – The Gr8 Db8. OUP

Emmerson, P. (2003). Email English. Macmillan.

Hall, C and Scanlon, J (1999). Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital
Age. New York: Broadway Books.
Harmer, J. (2004). How To Teach Writing. Pearson Education Limited.

Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. OUP.

Hedge, T. (1998). Writing (2nd ed.). OUP.

Raimes, A 1983 Techniques in Teaching Writing. Oxford American English.

Thornbury, S. (2001). Uncovering Grammar. Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Thornbury, S. (2005). Beyond the Sentence. Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Tribble, C. (1996). Writing. OUP

Articles

Hudges, J (2001). RU Tching eEnglish? Issue 20 July, ETP.

Marks, J (2008). Activity corner: Formal or informal writing. Issue 58 May. ETP

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APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Genre – inappropriate layout due to L1 conventions
interference
Layout – template of a poster

Layout – Matching and Ordering Task

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Appendix 2 Genre – lengthy and incoherent emails

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Email dialogue sheet

2 Template, Hughes, 2001, p.19

Appendix 3 Language Systems – Netspeak + ellipsis

Example of an email

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Words in red can be removed.

It was a great evening want it! I really enjoyed the meal, and it
was nice to see Mary and Roger again. Have you had a chance to
speak to Lucy yet? Don’t worry if you haven’t, I will be seeing her
tomorrow.

About next week – the film you suggested sound great. I’ve been
talking to some colleagues at work about it. I’m not sure about
the day, though. Tuesday might be difficult. Perhaps
Wednesday would be better? Let me know. I’m going to my
parents at the weekend – I’m looking forward to it. They live in
Chichester. Have you ever been there?

Sometime soon we need to talk about holiday plans for next

summer. Things are still a bit uncertain at my work. It might be
possible to take two weeks off in July, but I can’t be sure. Three
weeks would be impossible. It’s a pit. Anyway, I’ve got to go now.
I hope you’re well. I’ll see you next week.

(Emmerson, 2003 p10)

Appendix 4 Language systems: tone inconsistency

Formal/ Informal Pelmanism

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3 Pelmanism, Marks, 2008 p 50.

Appendix 5 Writing processes: creative blockage

Example of a holiday mind map

(Harmer, 2004 p89)

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