Writing tips

Emails

1. About my family
From: kellycali@ainrofilac.eg
To: yoko@idkwyl.ptm
Subject: My family

Dear Yoko

Let me tell you about my family. I live with my mum, my dad and my big sister. We live in
California. My mum’s name is Carmen. She’s Mexican and she speaks English and
Spanish. She’s a Spanish teacher. She’s short and slim, she’s got long, brown hair and
brown eyes. My dad’s name is David. He’s American. He’s tall and a little fat! He’s got
short brown hair and blue eyes. He works in a bank. My sister Shania is 14 and she loves
listening to music. She listens to music all the time! She’s got long brown hair and green
eyes, like me. I’ve got long hair too. We’ve got a pet dog, Brandy. He’s black and white
and very friendly.

Write soon and tell me about your family.

Love
Kelly
2. Travelling abroad
To: francois.dupont192@me-mail.com
Subject: Saturday ;-)
Dear François

Thanks for your message. I’m looking forward to your visit to Dublin. I’ll come to the airport
with my father to collect you on Saturday. What time does your flight arrive?

I think you’ll like Dublin. We live about 5km from the city centre but there are buses that
go into the city all the time. When you’re here there are lots of things we can do. We can
go to the water park at the aquatic centre and we can go cycling around Phoenix Park. If
you like horror stories, we can visit Dracula’s Castle and there are lots of cinemas so we
can go to watch a film too. And of course, you’ll meet all my friends and we can play
football together.

You should bring a jumper and a jacket. The weather here is usually cold and
rainy! See you on Saturday.
Eoin
3. PROFILE

My profile
About me
By day I'm a regular guy and by night a superhero … How tiring is that?!
Just joking! I'm a regular guy all the time, good job, close to my family, just bought my
own flat with a cat. Actually, my cat thinks I'm a hero because I saved her from the street.
I'm a talkative person and I believe communication is the most important thing in a
relationship.
Likes and dislikes
I love pizza if it's Italian, wine if it's white, and football if it's the World Cup. I read a lot,
especially true life stories, but most of my books live on my phone.
Hobbies
I love to travel and I'm always planning my next trip. I prefer an active holiday like hiking,
skiing or watersports and I get bored lying on the beach. I post lots of photos on
Instagram as I'm a good photographer but I'd really love to share the holiday with
someone. Maybe you'll take the photos on the next trip.
4. COVER LETTER

From: Laura Mazzanti

To: David Kelly, HR Manager
Subject: Application for sales manager position
Dear Mr Kelly,
I am writing in response to the job advertisement on the ABC Jobs website for the
position of sales manager.
I have five years of experience in sales. For the last three years, I have worked as a team
leader, managing a team of 20 sales assistants in a large store. I have experience in
hiring, training and managing staff. I have good communication skills and I can speak
Italian, Spanish and English.
I have attached my CV with more information about my background and qualifications.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
Laura Mazzanti
5 SIMPLE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITTEN ENGLISH

Many people struggle with writing in English and it can seem like a real challenge to
improve. Don’t worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve
your written English and impress people with your writing skills.

1. Expand your vocabulary

To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That’s not just being able
to recognize lots of words – it means actually being able to use them correctly. Do this by
learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists.
Tip: When you learn a new word, try learn all the forms of that word and the prepositions
that are usually used with it. (For example, rather than just the word ‘depend’, make a
note of: to depend on, to be dependent on, a dependant.)

2. Master English spelling

You must know how to spell those words correctly. Incorrect spelling changes the
meaning of your sentence. For example: ‘bare’ and ‘bear’ sound the same but ‘bare’
means naked and ‘bear’ is a large animal. Additionally, incorrect spelling makes it difficult
for the reader to understand what you’ve written.
Tip: Practice your spelling using flash cards and test yourself whenever you have some
spare time.

3. Read regularly
People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in
many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how
to use words appropriately.
Tip: Choose books or articles with topics that interest you. Learning shouldn’t be boring.
Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and
expressions in the text.
4. Improve your grammar
Grammar is very important because it improves the quality of your writing. Always use the
appropriate tense and remember to use punctuation. Punctuation is a great way to make
your writing clear and fluent.
Tip: Always proof-read your writing twice. The first time, look for general mistakes and
the second time look for mistakes with the particular grammar point your are studying at
the moment.
5. Just do it!
Writing can be daunting. However, the best way to improve is get a pen and paper or sit
in front of your computer and actually write. Be prepared to write several versions of each
text because even for professional writers, the first draft is never perfect. Remember,
practice makes perfect, so now is the best time to sit down and get started with our free
English quizzes!