This e-mail was a recent exam question at B1 level: You can practise this type of writing by answering below:
You're having a birthday party. Write an e-mail to your English friend Anna. In your e-mail, you should
1) invite her to the party
2) offer to pick her up from the station
3) suggest she stays with you for a few days
IMPORTANT
Remember that an e-mail is like "talking" to someone so the language is informal ( NOT TOO LATIN!!)
You should write 50-70 words for this exercise)
Try to think of a "real" person so your writing becomes realistic too!
Have fun as you use your English! We always do things best when we enjoy doing them.
It is quite natural in informal e-mails to use smileys etc, but probably not too much.
Practice
This is a useful framework you could use to answer this question:
Hi ………………………..,
how are …………………..? I hope ……………………………………………………………….!!
I just wanted to let you know …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
and I hope you’ll …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
I know you ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
but it’s on Saturday so you could …………………………………………………………………………………………….
I can …………………………………………….. if you let me know ……………………………………………………………….
and there’s …………………………………………………………………………………, which …………………………………….
I do hope you can make it as …………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(I’ll) Speak 2U soon ,
……………………………….
Sharon Hartle’s Version of this email:
Hi Anna, how are you? I hope everything went Ok at your talk yesterday!!
I just wanted to let you know I’m having a small birthday party next week – only about 15 people- and I hope you’ll be in Verona so that you can come. I know you haven’t got much time but it’s on Saturday so you could come for the weekend. I can pick you up from the station if you let me know when your train gets in and there’s plenty of room at my house for you to stay a couple of days, which would be great. I do hope you can make it as I haven’t seen you for ages and I’d like the chance to catch up.
Speak 2U soon ,
Sharon.
Some examples of Student Answers with my Comments
dear (punctuation?)Anna,
how are you? I hope you are well! tomorrow there is( It would be better to say: "I'm having a birthday party" Why?) my birthday party and I want to celebrate it with my best friends, so I'm inviting you! when you'll ( Use the simple present here. Why?)arrive at the station I'll pick you up and than ( "than" or "then"? What's the difference?)we'll go to my house where we'll enjoy ourself all the night( "all night long" or "all night" All does not go together with "the" in time expressions. You say: all day, all week, all month BUT all my life). How about staying at my house for a few days?
write to me soon
love
elisa
Good. You've got the most important points and most of your language is correct.
Hi, Anna!
How are you? I'm very excited because next Sunday I'm having a party for my birthday!
Obviously, I've invited a lot of friends and..you can't be missing( This sounds Italian to me...but nice try anyway! How about " You have to be there, too!")!
Don't worry for (about) anything: I'll pick up you from the station and you will can ( You can't use "can" in the future. What do you have to do? Tell me what you think in class.)stay with me for a couple of days. For example, you could come in ( What's the preposition for "movement"?)Verona on Saturday and stay at my home till Monday morning.
So, what do you think about my suggestions?
Kisses,
Paola.
Good. You've got the main points and there is some nice realistic language too.
Hi Anna
Next Friday I organise( Why is the present continuous better in this case?) my birthday party and you are invited!!!
The party is in the restaurant "La corte degli aranci" near Vicenza.
If you came by train I'll pick you up. Say ( Tell) me when the train arrive( Verb form?).
After the party you'll sleep in my home and I hope you stay here all the (not necessary)week end.
Please replay ( What does "replay" mean? I think you mean "reply" my (to me) in ( add "a")few days so I can me better organise( organize myself better).
See you soon
Andy
Dear Andy,
Your style is nice and friendly, but there is still a lot of language work to do ( look at your other letters too.)
Hi Anna!
How are U going(doing)?
U can't(put this after "absolutely") absolutly miss at my birthday party on saturday(Use a CAPITAL letter for Saturday) night! It's getting start (starting)at 10:00 p.m.
There, there Anna don't care (worry) about the distance... You can come by train and I'll pick u up from the station
Lots of people are coming, everybody miss (misses) u and want (wants)to see ya! I'm sure u'll have a lot of fun! Obviusly your bedroom is just ready... U can stay as long as u want of course. Come on ... don't say No!
seeya soon!!!!
Michele
(Nice style Michele, very natural
dear (punctuation?) Anna,
how are you?
next (punctuation?)friday I'm having my 20th birthday party. Do you wanna come to it?There'll be all my friends and if you were ( You ned to add something here, like "there" for example.) too you'll make me happy!!It's gonna be in a room near the primary school. If you have problem with the passage ( This sounds Italian to me..try: "getting a lift" or "getting there" etc.) don't worry, you can come to the station by train and then I'll pick you up from it( from "the station" rather than from "the train".). and why don't you stay with me for a few days? We could go around Vicenza...
Write to me soon
Laura
(Nice communicative, informal style. Be careful with your spelling and using the write words for what you want to say. )
Hi Anna, how are you?
I hope you are well because I want to invite you to my birthday party next Saturday: there will be a lot of people, including your friend Samantah(spelling?), a Dj and a lot of beer.
We will have a lot of fun, making noise all night long!
If you don't have a car for that day, i (punctuation)will be happy to pick you up at the station with ( "in" would be better here)my wonderful Cadillac, and bring you to my home. If you want (I really hope so!!) you can stay with me for a few days (..maybe all our life!), and we can keep on having fun toghether (spelling).
Seeya soon