Writing short messages: emails, notes and letters

In this unit you will learn to write the short message in Paper 2 Part 1: an informal email, a letter or a postcard to a friend or a relative. You will learn to find every content point in the task, to follow the plan of each text type, to react to what the other person wrote, to link your ideas and to keep a friendly informal style. You will also see how the examiner gives you your 20 marks.

10.1Paper 2 Part 1 at a glance

Paper 2 (Writing) takes 1 hour and has two parts. Part 1 is a short message. Part 2 is a longer text from notes (Unit 11).

In the UASA, the task usually looks like this (this one is new, but it has the same shape):

10.2Reading the task: find every content point

Close-up B1 Student's Book (Form 3), p.14, Exercises B and C.

Before you write one word, ask four questions. The textbook asks the same: What do you have to write? Who will read it? Why are you writing?

The Exam Close-up on p.15, Including all the information, gives three habits:

1. Read the exam question carefully.
2. Underline the information you need to include.
3. When you finish, read the question again and check that every point is in your answer.

10.3The shape of an email, a letter and a postcard

The Writing Reference at the back of the book (pp.176-178) gives a plan for each text type. Every plan has a greeting, paragraphs, and a way of signing off.

An email plan in use

Rashida's email on p.14 is only about 40 words, but it follows the plan exactly. Here it is split into its parts, in my own words.

Abbreviations

The Learning box on p.14 lists the short forms we use in notes, emails and postcards.

10.4Replying to a letter: react to what the writer said

Close-up B1 Student's Book (Form 3), p.66, Robbie's letter.

The Learning box on p.66 explains the main idea: when you reply, react to what the writer said. Read the letter carefully and see whether you have to:

• apologise or give an explanation;
• show that you are excited (express enthusiasm);
• ask for or give information;
• thank the sender;
• accept or decline a request, and accept or reject an invitation.

You can organise your reply by answering the writer's comments in a similar order.

Mark up the letter

A reply in the same order

This reply has 83 words. Every comment gets a response, in the same order as the letter, and none of Robbie's sentences are copied.

Useful expressions (p.67)

10.5Postcards and linking words

Close-up B1 Student's Book (Form 3), p.104, postcard task and Luke's postcard.

A postcard is very short (35 to 45 words in the textbook), so every sentence must count. The Writing Reference (p.178) says: open and close in a friendly way, use informal language, use linking words, and explain the good points about your holiday.

Linking words (Learning box, p.104)

10.6Informal language and tone

The Exam Close-up on p.67 says your letters will always need to be informal: use friendly expressions, contractions and the useful expressions we usually use in informal letters and emails. The Writing Reference (p.176) adds: be friendly, do not use texting language, and make the style suit the situation and the reader.

Check your writing: the three Writing Reference checklists (pp.176-178)

• Have you followed the plan?
• Have you used grammatically correct forms?
• Have you checked spelling and punctuation?
• Have you used informal language, such as short forms of verbs?
• Is your style suitable for the situation and the reader?
• Have you used linking words? (and for a postcard: have you asked a question? have you included all the information you were given?)

10.7How you are marked: the rating scale

The examiner does not count mistakes. They read the whole message and give 0 to 5 in each of four areas, so the total is 20 marks.

Two answers, marked

Task: Mei Ling's class wants to hold a bake sale for the local animal shelter. She asks where to hold it, what to sell, and how to get more people to come.

Answer Y covers all three points with reasons, uses because, also, since and to attract, has clear paragraphs, and has no errors. It would score 20 / 20 on this scale.

10.8Six steps to a top Part 1 answer

Summary

• Paper 2 Part 1: one short message, usually an email reply to a friend, about 80 words, 20 marks, about 20 minutes.
• Ask what, who, why and which content points. Underline the information and check it again at the end (p.15).
• Follow the plan in the Writing Reference: greeting, paragraphs, signing off (pp.176-178). Abbreviations are for titles, times, ordinals and addresses (p.14).
• When replying to a letter, react to every comment in a similar order: news, worries, invitation, requests (p.66).
• In a postcard say how things are, what you have done, what you are going to do, and ask a question (p.178). Link with also, as well as, because, since, for example, such as (p.104).
• Informal style: contractions, friendly expressions, no texting language (pp.67 and 176).
• The scale gives 0 to 5 for Content, Communicative achievement, Organisation and Language: 20 marks.
• Six steps: read, list the points, plan, write, check content, check language.