Photocopiable resources – instructions

24 A formal email
(4.8 Writing)
Aim: To practise correcting and completing a formal
email, following a checklist
Interaction: Individual/Pairs.
Type of activity: Correcting and completing.
Time: 15 minutes.
Materials: One worksheet per student.
In class: (1) Tell students they are going to work
individually at first and hand out the worksheet. (2) Tell
them to read the writing task and the checklist. Then
students read the sample writing text. (3) Ask the class
to correct any mistakes in the email, such as incorrect
style or other mistakes (lexical, grammar, spelling, etc.).
Say that there are six mistakes. (4) Students work
individually and then check the task in pairs. (5) Ask
students to present their corrections and discuss them
with the class. Hand out the corrected text and ask
students if they have found all the mistakes.

Optionally, if students have difficulty finding all the

mistakes you can write on the board: one structural error,
four grammatical errors, one wrong adjective.

© Pearson Education Limited   Focus 4 Second Edition PHOTOCOPIABLE

Resource 24 A formal email
4.8 Writing

You were stopped at a train station In my email:

by a station employee. He said he
recognised you and that you had sprayed
graffiti on a train there the week before.
You were away on holiday with your
family the week before. After calling your
parents and establishing you couldn’t
have been the vandal, you were allowed
to leave.
Write a formal email of at least 200 words
complaining about the way you were
treated.
• Describe the incident.
• Say what actions you expect
the recipient of the email to take.
• In the first paragraph, I have explained the reason for my
complaint.
• In the main part, I have described the situation, including all
the information given in the task, and my reaction. I have used
a range of narrative tenses.
• I have used structures to express cause and result.
• In the last paragraph, I have stated my expectations as a result
of the email and that I am expecting a reply.
• I have used formal language.
• I have not used contractions (e.g. I’m, it’s, that’s).
• I have used an appropriate formal ending (e.g. Yours faithfully).
• I have checked my spelling.
• I have written at least 200 words.
• My text is neat and clear.

x
Dear Sir/Madam,
I just arrived at the station on the 3:40 train from Highvale and was making my way to the exit when a station
employee approached me. To my astonishment, he accused me of having sprayed graffiti on a train there
the week before. When I attempted to reason with him, he forcibly led me to an office and went through
my private belongings. I could not have vandalised the train as I was away on holiday with my family at the
time and told him so. He was about to call the police when I insisted he speak with my parents to establish
my innocence. Having done so, he should apologise, but didn’t.
The incident was particularly upsetting because I was treated like a common criminal, in full view of other
passengers. Furthermore, I am shocked that a station employee allows to treat a member of the public in this
way. It was so humiliating experience that I decided to contact you to complain.
I demand that you investigate the matter and take appropriate measures to prevent such an incident from ever
happening again. I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Angela Mellors

Dear Sir/Madam,
[1] I am writing to bring your attention to an incident that took place at the Waverley train station yesterday. I would like
to make a complaint about the way I was treated by a member of your staff.
I just arrived had just arrived [2] at the station on the 3:40 train from Highvale and was making my way to the exit when
a station employee approached me. To my astonishment, he accused me of having sprayed graffiti on a train there
the week before. When I attempted to reason with him, he forcibly led me to an office and went through my private
personal [3] belongings. I could not have vandalised the train as I was away on holiday with my family at the time and
told him so. He was about to call the police when I insisted he speak with my parents to establish my innocence.
Having done so, he should apologise should have apologised [4], but didn’t.
The incident was particularly upsetting because I was treated like a common criminal, in full view of other passengers.
Furthermore, I am shocked that a station employee allows is allowed [5] to treat a member of the public in this way.
It was so such a [6] humiliating experience that I decided to contact you to complain.
I demand that you investigate the matter and take appropriate measures to prevent such an incident from ever
happening again. I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Angela Mellors

[1] Structural error. [2] Grammatical error. [3] Wrong adjective. [4] Grammatical error. [5] Grammatical error.
[6] Grammatical error.

© Pearson Education Limited Focus 4 Second Edition PHOTOCOPIABLE