Writing - B1 Email

Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace the Email for Cambridge B1 Writing exam.

Back

How to write a B1 Email

Emails are the mandatory writing task you will do in the B1 Preliminary (PET) Cambridge exam. You do not have a choice — you always have to write an email.

In the B1 Preliminary (PET) exam, you usually write an email to a friend or a teacher.

The topic of the email can be about things that happen at school or in your daily life. For example, it could be about a class meeting, a trip with your friends, or a birthday party for someone you know.

In the exam, you will see 4 notes that you must write about. For example, you may need to agree or disagree with something, give your opinion, make a suggestion, or explain something.

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Structure

Step	What to Do
1. Open the email	Start with "Hi Tom" or "Dear Ms. Brown"
2. Write the first paragraph [say hello!]	Say hello and write something friendly about the situation
3. Write the main content [answer the notes]	Paragraph 1: Answer the first note Paragraph 2: Talk about the second note Paragraph 3: Talk about the third note
4. Write the final paragraph [say goodbye!]	Write a friendly sentence to end your email
5. Close the email	End with: Love, Lots of love, All the best, Take care, Best wishes Then write your name

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: How to write?

We will use this example exam task:

Read this email from your American friend Galen and the notes you have made.

From: Galen

Subject: Learning a language

Hi,

I’m excited because next month I’m starting my beginners’ classes to learn your language! I’ve never studied a foreign language before — thanks for meeting me to give me some ideas.
(No problem)

Are you free next Thursday afternoon after school?
(Sorry, but…)

My parents say they’ll buy me a dictionary to help me learn new vocabulary, and perhaps some videos. Do you think that’s a good idea?
(Advise Galen)

You said that you would help me sometimes after I start my classes. Can you still do that?
(Offer…)

Bye,
Galen

Step 1: Briefly analyse your task

The first thing you should always do is to find topic of your email. The topic can help you choose some nice words and expressions that you could include in your email.

Secondly, we need to look and find content points, they give us the details about what we should write in our e-mail.

Lastly, you have to check who’s going to read your email. Why? Because if it’s a friend, you can use more colloquial language. But when you write to a teacher you need to show more respect and be more polite.

Let’s analyse this example exam question:

Read this email from your American friend Galen and the notes you have made.

From: Galen(recipient)

Subject: Learning a language(topic of your email)

Hi,

Are you free next Thursday afternoon after school?
(Sorry, but…)(content point 2)

My parents say they’ll buy me a dictionary to help me learn new vocabulary, and perhaps some videos. Do you think that’s a good idea?
(Advise Galen)(content point 3)

You said that you would help me sometimes after I start my classes. Can you still do that?
(Offer…)(content point 4)

Bye,
Galen

Topic:Learning a language

Content points / notes:

(No problem) – write you’re glad you could help
(Sorry, but...) – write that you can’t meet next Thursday and why
(Advise Galen) – advise about the dictionary and videos
(Offer...) – offer your help once she started her classes

Target reader:American friend Galen

Step 2: Open an email

Every email starts with an opening formula, depending on who is the recipient of our letter we will start the letter in a slightly different way:

If it’s a teacher – we should be a little bit more respectful and formal so a good option to do would be to say something like:

Dear Mrs. Jones, – to a teacher

If it’s a friend or relative – we can choose something informal, for example we could say:

Hi Tom, – to a friend or relative

Hello Tom,

Since in our case the recipient of the letter is our friend Galen, we will use “Hello Galen,” form.

Example:

Hello Galen,

Step 3: Opening paragraph (say hello!)

Start your email by saying something friendly related to the situation (or ask them how they feel). For example, if your recipient is a friend the first paragraph might look like this:

Thanks for your email, it was really great (fantastic / lovely) to hear from you. I’m so excited to ...

[to a friend or relative]

If you are writing to a teacher, you need to be a bit more formal and polite:

Thank you for your email. I just got it and I admit it’s really great idea to…

[to a teacher]

As in the previous case, our recipient is our friend Galen, so we will write our opening paragraph in this way:

Example:

Hello Galen, – opening

Thanks for your email, it was really great to hear from you. I’m so excited you’re going to start learning my language. – opening paragraph

Step 4: Main content (answer the questions/notes)

The main paragraphs are the most important parts of your email because they must contain different content points/notes from the task.

Each paragraph can be only one or two sentences long because remember you only write between 100 – 120 words in total, which means that you don’t have a lot of words available.

You need to be careful that you use the right functional language in each of these paragraphs to show the examiner that you understand exactly what you have to do (explain, advise, suggest, offer, etc.).

Content points/notes (see step 1):

(No problem) – Say Galen you’re glad you could help
(Sorry, but…) – Say Galen you can’t meet next Thursday and why
(Advise Galen) – Advise Galen about the dictionary and videos
(Offer…) – Offer your help once she started her classes

Example:

I’m really happy I can help,(point 1) if you want, we can carry on meeting even once you’ve started your classes(point 4) and I can help you with vocabulary. Also, Tuesdays are great for me, what do you think?

You talked about meeting next Thursday but I have football practice after school so could we meet some other time?(point 2)

About the dictionary and the videos, I don’t think you need videos because you can watch YouTube. However, the dictionary is a great idea.(point 3)

A reference to the letter

Linking words and conjunctions

Use linking words: and, but, however, therefore, moreover, because.

Use time linkers: yesterday, last week, tomorrow..

Remember: Do not copy text and vocabulary from the task, use your own words!

Step 5: Closing paragraph (say goodbye!)

We want to end our email with a nice closing formula so we can write one short final sentence where we end the email in a nice way.

All we need to do is to be careful with the language and make sure that we show the person the right level of respect.

Thank you again and see you in class. – to a teacher

Drop me a line when you get my email! – to a friend or relative

Step 6: Closure

As with any letter, also an email should always end with a signature and closure.

Love / Lots of love / All the best / Take care – to a friend or relative

Best wishes / Sincerely – to a teacher

[Your Name / Surname]

Example:

Good luck with your studies Galen! – closing paragraph

Love, – closure

Tommy

See the result

Hello Galen,

Thanks for your email, it was really great to hear from you. I’m so excited you’re going to start learning my language.

I’m really happy I can help, if you want, we can carry on meeting even once you’ve started your classes and I can help you with vocabulary. Also, Tuesdays are great for me, what do you think?

You talked about meeting next Thursday but I have football practice after school so could we meet some other time?

About the dictionary and the videos, I don’t think you need videos because you can watch YouTube. However, the dictionary is a great idea.

Good luck with your studies Galen!

Love,
Tommy

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Tips

Make sure you already know a set of Useful Phrases & Expressions to use in your greetings, opening and closing paragraphs, and to say goodbye. This will save you a lot of time while doing a task, and you will avoid making silly mistakes

Write a well-structured and visually appealing email. Cambridge English examiners pay attention to is the organization of writing papers. Also, remember that punctuation matters, so be sure to separate your sentences with periods and commas, and don’t write sentences that are too long.

Read carefully and analyse the task. Make sure you read the assignment carefully and specify exactly what you are being asked to do.

When you think you’re ready but you still fear for your abilities you can use our app and submit your email for evaluation.

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Writing Checklist

After writing your email, you can check it yourself using the writing checklist below.

B1 Preliminary (FCE) Email: Useful Phrases & Expressions

We'll wrap up with some useful vocabulary commonly used to organize ideas. While it might feel like taking a shortcut, learning a few key expressions for each paragraph type can help you produce a well-structured and cohesive text in your exam.

Opening paragraph

It’s nice to hear from you...

I’m glad to read your email...

I’m sorry to hear that...

Thank you very much for your email...

I hope this email finds you well...

How are you?

I hope your week is going smoothly...

Thanks for getting in touch...

Introducing your points

By the way

Did you hear about

Did you see

Have you seen

Tell me about

Oh, another thing

Referring to the letter and questions

You talked about...

You asked about...

You mentioned...

Referring to...

Speaking of...

In answer to your question...

About the...

Closing paragraph

It’s time to go.

It’s time to say goodbye.

Give my love / regards to...

We must try and meet up soon...

Anyway, I must go and get on with my work.

Goodbye

Best wishes,

Best,

Sincerely,

Love,

Regards

Writing - B1 Email

Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace the Email for Cambridge B1 Writing exam.

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Structure

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: How to write?

Step 1: Briefly analyse your task

Step 2: Open an email

Step 3: Opening paragraph (say hello!)

Step 4: Main content (answer the questions/notes)

Step 5: Closing paragraph (say goodbye!)

Step 6: Closure

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Tips

B1 Preliminary (PET) Email: Writing Checklist

Content

Communicative Achievement

Organisation

Language

B1 Preliminary (FCE) Email: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Opening paragraph

Introducing your points

Referring to the letter and questions

Closing paragraph

Goodbye