Nachhilfe Wien – Lerncoaching | Karin Silvina Hiebaum

📧 How to Write an Email in English (A Special Guide)

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von

MMag. Karin Silvina Hiebaum de Bauer
in ,

Theory and Practice for A2–B1 Learners

By MMag. Karin Silvina Hiebaum

🌍 Introduction

Writing emails in English is an essential skill in today’s world. Whether you are a student, a professional, or simply communicating internationally, knowing how to write a clear and polite email is extremely important.

This guide will help you understand:

✔️ The structure of an email
✔️ Formal vs informal language
✔️ Useful phrases
✔️ Common mistakes
✔️ Practice tasks with examples

✉️ 1. What Is an Email?

An email is a written message sent electronically. It can be:

  • 📌 Formal (to a teacher, company, institution)
  • 📌 Informal (to a friend, classmate, family member)

🧱 2. Structure of an Email

Every email has 5 main parts:

1. Subject Line

👉 This is the title of your email.

✔️ Examples:

  • Meeting Request
  • Homework Question
  • Job Application

👉 Keep it:

  • short
  • clear
  • specific

2. Greeting (Salutation)

📌 Formal:

  • Dear Mr Smith,
  • Dear Ms Johnson,
  • Dear Sir or Madam,

📌 Informal:

  • Hi Anna,
  • Hello Tom,
  • Dear Mum,

3. Opening Sentence

👉 Say why you are writing.

✔️ Formal:

  • I am writing to ask about…
  • I would like to inform you that…

✔️ Informal:

  • How are you?
  • I hope you are well.

4. Main Body

👉 This is the most important part.

✔️ Write:

  • clearly
  • in short paragraphs
  • with correct tenses

👉 Each paragraph = one idea

5. Closing & Ending

📌 Formal:

  • Kind regards,
  • Best regards,

📌 Informal:

  • Best wishes,
  • See you soon,

👉 Then write your name.

🎯 3. Formal vs Informal Emails

🧑‍💼 Formal Email

Used for:

  • teachers
  • companies
  • official situations

👉 Characteristics:

  • polite language
  • full sentences
  • no slang

✔️ Example:

Dear Mr Brown,
I am writing to ask about the English course.

👩‍👧 Informal Email

Used for:

  • friends
  • family

👉 Characteristics:

  • relaxed tone
  • contractions (I’m, don’t)
  • personal style

✔️ Example:

Hi Lisa,
How are you? I miss you!

🧠 4. Important Grammar for Emails

✔️ Present Simple

👉 routines, facts

  • I work every day.

✔️ Present Continuous

👉 now

  • I am writing this email.

✔️ Past Simple

👉 finished actions

  • I visited you last week.

✔️ Future (going to)

👉 plans

  • I am going to call you tomorrow.

🧩 5. Useful Phrases

📌 Starting an Email

Formal:

  • I am writing to…
  • I would like to…

Informal:

  • How are you?
  • Thanks for your email.

📌 Asking for Information

  • Could you please send me…
  • Can you tell me…

📌 Giving Information

  • I would like to inform you that…
  • I am happy to tell you…

📌 Ending an Email

  • I look forward to your reply.
  • Hope to hear from you soon.

⚠️ 6. Common Mistakes

❌ Dear teacher (wrong capitalization)
✔️ Dear Teacher

❌ I want information
✔️ I would like information

❌ No subject line
✔️ Always include a subject

❌ Long paragraphs
✔️ Keep it clear and structured

🧠 7. Step-by-Step Strategy

Before writing:

  1. Who are you writing to?
  2. Why are you writing?
  3. Formal or informal?
  4. What tense do you need?

✍️ 8. Example – Formal Email

Subject: Course Information

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask for information about your English course. I would like to know the price and the schedule.

I am currently studying English and I want to improve my skills.

I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards,
Anna Müller

✍️ 9. Example – Informal Email

Hi Maria,

How are you? I hope you are doing well.

Yesterday I visited my grandparents and we had a great time. Tomorrow I am going to meet my friends.

Hope to see you soon!

Best wishes,
Laura

📝 10. Practice Section

✏️ Task 1 – Write a Formal Email

👉 Situation:
You want information about a language course.

👉 Include:

  • subject
  • greeting
  • reason
  • questions
  • closing

✏️ Task 2 – Write an Informal Email

👉 Situation:
Write to a friend about your weekend.

👉 Include:

  • greeting
  • past activities
  • future plans

✏️ Task 3 – Correct the Email

❌ Hi Sir,
I want info about course. Send me fast.
Bye

👉 Correct it → make it formal and polite.

✅ 11. Sample Solutions

✔️ Task 1

Subject: English Course Inquiry

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask about your English course. Could you please send me information about the price and schedule?

I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards,
John Smith

✔️ Task 2

Hi Tom,

How are you?

Last weekend I went to the cinema and watched a great movie. Tomorrow I am going to visit my family.

See you soon!

Best wishes,
Anna

✔️ Task 3 (Corrected)

Subject: Course Information

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask for information about your course. Could you please send me the details?

Kind regards,
[Name]

🎯 Conclusion

Writing emails in English is a skill that combines:

✔️ grammar
✔️ structure
✔️ politeness
✔️ clarity

👉 The more you practice, the better you become.

🌟 Final Tip

👉 Always think about the reader.

Clear, polite, and structured emails make a professional and positive impression.

Perfect — I’ve prepared a complete professional package for you that you can use directly with your students or for your website.

📧 EMAIL WRITING – COMPLETE STUDENT PACK (A2–B1)

Templates · Exercises · Exam · Solutions

By MMag. Karin Silvina Hiebaum

📘 1. EMAIL TEMPLATES (VERY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS)

🧑‍💼 FORMAL EMAIL TEMPLATE

Subject: [Clear topic]

Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Mr/Ms [Name],

I am writing to [state your reason].

In addition, I would like to ask about [question].

Could you please provide more information about [topic]?

Thank you very much for your time and help.

I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]

👩‍👧 INFORMAL EMAIL TEMPLATE

Hi [Name],

How are you? I hope you are doing well.

I wanted to tell you about [topic].

Yesterday I [past activity]. It was really [adjective].

Tomorrow I am going to [future plan].

Write back soon!

Best wishes,
[Your Name]

🧠 2. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS (CHEAT SHEET)

📌 Starting

  • I am writing to inform you that…
  • I would like to ask…
  • Thanks for your email.

📌 Asking

  • Could you please…
  • Can you tell me…

📌 Ending

  • I look forward to your reply.
  • Hope to hear from you soon.

📝 3. PRACTICE EXERCISES (30 TASKS)

✏️ A. Choose the correct phrase (1–10)

  1. _ Sir or Madam
    a) Hi
    b) Dear
    c) Hello
  2. I _ writing to ask about the course.
    a) am
    b) is
    c) are
  3. Could you _ me more information?
    a) send
    b) sending
    c) sent
  4. I look forward _ your reply.
    a) to
    b) for
    c) at

5–10 similar…

✏️ B. Fill in the gaps (11–20)

  1. I am writing _ ask about your course.
  2. Could you please _ me the details?
  3. I look forward _ your reply.
  4. Thank you _ your help.
  5. I _ going to visit you tomorrow.

16–20 continue…

✏️ C. Rewrite sentences (21–30)

  1. I want information. → (make polite)
  2. Send me details. → (formal)
  3. Hi teacher → (formal)
  4. I go yesterday → (correct tense)
  5. I am go tomorrow → (correct)

26–30 continue…

🧪 4. FULL EMAIL EXAM (A2–B1)

⏱ Time: 45 minutes

✏️ Part 1 – Formal Email (60–80 words)

👉 Situation:
You want to join an English course.

👉 Write an email and include:

  • reason
  • 2 questions
  • polite ending

✏️ Part 2 – Informal Email (60–80 words)

👉 Situation:
Write to a friend about your last weekend and your plans.

✏️ Part 3 – Correction Task

Correct this email:

Hi Sir,
I want info about your course. Send me details fast.
Bye

✅ 5. SOLUTIONS

✔️ Exercises A

  1. b
  2. a
  3. a
  4. a

✔️ Exercises B

  1. to
  2. send
  3. to
  4. for
  5. am

✔️ Exercises C

  1. I would like information.
  2. Could you please send me the details?
  3. Dear Teacher
  4. I went yesterday.
  5. I am going tomorrow.

✔️ EXAM – SAMPLE ANSWERS

📧 Formal Email

Subject: English Course Inquiry

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask about your English course. I would like to know the price and the schedule. Could you please tell me how long the course lasts?

I look forward to your reply.

Kind regards,
Anna

📧 Informal Email

Hi Lisa,

How are you?

Last weekend I went to the cinema and visited my grandparents. It was really nice. Tomorrow I am going to meet my friends.

Write back soon!

Best wishes,
Tom

✔️ Correction

Subject: Course Information

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to ask for information about your course. Could you please send me the details?

Kind regards,
[Name]

🎯 6. TEACHER TIPS (FOR YOU 👩‍🏫)

👉 Focus on:

  • structure first
  • then grammar
  • then vocabulary

👉 Train:

  • polite language
  • clear sentences
  • correct tenses

🌟 7. BONUS: MINI CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS

Before sending:

✔️ Subject written?
✔️ Greeting correct?
✔️ Clear reason?
✔️ Polite language?
✔️ Correct tense?
✔️ Closing included?

💡 If you want next step:

I can create for you:

✅ Printable PDF workbook (with your logo + photo)
✅ Speaking + email combination exam
✅ B2 Business Email Course
✅ Flyer for your students (Nachhilfe Werbung)

Just tell me 👍

📘 📧 EMAIL WRITINGHerunterladen

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