Unit 9.7 Writing

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Learning objectives

At the end of this lesson, I can:

• Write an informal email inviting a friend to a celebration, or;
• Write a formal email inviting a colleague to my company's 100th anniversary celebration
  

Parts of an email

Email subject

Salutation

Body: First paragraph (opening)

Body: Next paragraphs
(main content)

Closing / 'Call to action'

Sign off

Phrases to start
an informal email

Phrases to end
an informal email

Match the email snippets with formal or informal.

Hey Sabrina,

Dear Mrs Collins,

I am writing to enquire about ...

 I look forward to hearing from you.

 I apologise for not getting in contact with you ...

Cheers, mate!

I'm not happy about ...

Sorry, I haven't written for ages, but ...

Formal 

Informal

 I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ..

I would be grateful for any information you can give

Anyway, just wanted to let you know...

Task - Informal email

Write an email inviting a friend to a celebration. In your email, you should:

• ask your friend how they are.
• offer an invitation.
• give details of where and when the celebration is taking place.
• add some details to the invitation that will help persuade your friend.

In an informal email, don't forget that your language can be chatty.

Task - Formal email

Your company is organising a special event to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Write an email inviting a colleague (who you don't know very well) at another firm to attend the event. In your email, you should:

• enquire about their well-being.
  
• offer an invitation.
  
• give details of the event.
• add some details to the invitation that will persuade your colleague to attend.

See the next slide for useful phrases for formal writing.

Brainstorm ideas (first individually, then with a partner)

• Who will you write to? And why do you want them to come to your celebration?
  
• What kind of celebration is it?
• When/where will it take place?
  
• What is so special about your celebration? (Why would your friend be crazy to miss it?)

Time: 4 minutes

Write your draft!

• 
  

• Write a first draft of your email.
• When you are finished, swap drafts with the person sitting next to you.
  

Write your draft!

• Write a first draft of your email.
  

Time: 10 minutes

Useful phrases for writing 

an informal invitation

Write your draft!

• 
  

• Write a first draft of your email.
• When you are finished, swap drafts with the person sitting next to you.
  

Write your draft!

• Write a first draft of your email.
  
• When you are finished, swap drafts with the person sitting next to you.

Time: 10 minutes

Peer feedback

Read your partner's draft:

1) Are all parts included?

 

2) Are all the points included?

3) Discuss in pairs, give each other tips and tops

(Email subject, salutation, introductory sentence, main body, closing, sign off)

(Why do you want the recipient to come? What kind of celebration is it? Details of the celebration? Why would your friend be crazy to miss it?)

Write your final version!

• Write the final version of your email.
• Remember to include all the parts and points!

Time: 10 minutes.

Send your email!

Brainstorm ideas - formal email (first individually, then with a partner)

• Who will you write to? And why do you want them to come to your company's celebration?
  
• What kind of celebration is it going to be?
  
• When/where will it take place?
  
• What is so special about your celebration? (Why should your colleague definitely not miss this event?)

Time: 4 minutes

Useful phrases for writing 

formal emails

Salutation

Useful phrases for writing formal emails

Salutation:  Dear Sir or Madam (if you don't know the recipient's name),

                      Dear Mrs Smith (if you do)

    Opening:  Thank you very much for....

                       I have been given your contact details by...

                      

Don't forget!

• Don't use abbreviations (Thanks -> Thank you), informal phrases (lots of -> several, a number of), contractions (I'm -> I am)
  
• Formal writing often uses longer, more complex sentences.

      

    Reason for writing:  I am writing with regard to...

                                         I am writing about/in response to...

                      

Request for action: I would appreciate it if/I would be grateful if you...

                                      I look forward to receiving/seeing...

                                     

                      

Ending: I hope to hear from you soon...

                If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.

                                     

                      

Signing off: Kind regards,

                       Yours sincerely

Phrases to end
a formal email

Phrases to start
a formal email