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Writing Informal Emails for FCE Exam

This document outlines how to write an informal email for the FCE Writing exam, highlighting its interactive nature and specific characteristics. It emphasizes the relaxed and friendly language, the standard structure of an email, common topics to address, and the required word count of 140-190 words. The purpose of the email varies depending on the task, often involving providing information or seeking advice from friends or relatives.

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Macarena Salazar
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41 views1 page

Writing Informal Emails for FCE Exam

This document outlines how to write an informal email for the FCE Writing exam, highlighting its interactive nature and specific characteristics. It emphasizes the relaxed and friendly language, the standard structure of an email, common topics to address, and the required word count of 140-190 words. The purpose of the email varies depending on the task, often involving providing information or seeking advice from friends or relatives.

Uploaded by

Macarena Salazar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

How to Write an Informal Email for FCE Writing

An email is an example of an interactive writing, which means that we are writing to


someone rather than just for someone to read. For this reason, emails and letters are a very
particular type of writing for FCE in comparison with essays, articles, reviews or reports. So
let’s take a look at the main characteristics of emails:

 Purpose of an informal email: The purpose of an informal email will depend on each
task. Some tasks ask you to provide your friend with some important information,
while others might ask you to ask for some advice. It is common for a friend or relative
to ask you something about the place where you live, while saying that they will be
visiting soon.

 Language: Given that we are writing to a friend or close relative, our language will be
relaxed and friendly. We could call it informal language if you want. So we will be
making use of contracted forms, common phrasal verbs, colloquial expressions and
even flexible punctuation (E.g.: using em dashes «–»)

 Structure: One of the cool things about emails is that they always follow the same
structure. In general terms, we always need an opening and a closing formula; an
introductory and closing paragragh; and the body, which will consist of as many
paragraphs as ideas you are asked to discuss.

 Common topics: Many informal emails to friends and relatives deal with giving advice
on a certain subject, such as visiting your hometown, keeping fit, advice on which
cities to visit in your country, organising a party for a mutual friend, etc. Sometimes,
these topics may appear in combination.

 Number of words: like all FCE Writing tasks, informal emails should be written in 140 –
190 words.

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