CAE Informal email

Writing an informal email

CAE

Content

1. Introduction: Understanding the Task2. Structuring Your Email3. Language Tips: Avoiding Repetition

4. Tone Shifts: From Friendly to Supportive5. Useful Language and Vocabulary for Informal Emails6. Balancing Clarity and Informality

7. Sample Email

8. Final Tips

1. Introduction: Understanding the Task

Purpose: Write an email giving advice to a friend or relative.

Typical Scenarios:

• Problem: Your friend is stressed about exams or a difficult decision.
• Decision: Your cousin is unsure whether to accept a job offer.
• Event: A friend is planning a big move and asks for advice.

Key Points:

• Informal and conversational tone.
• Provide advice in a natural, friendly way.
• Use phrasal verbs, informal expressions, and a clear structure.

2. Structuring Your Email

To create a well-structured email that sounds natural, follow this outline:

Opening

First Paragraph: Acknowledge their situation

Second Paragraph: Offer your advice

Third Paragraph: Additional Support or Alternatives

Closing

Sign-off

Greet your friend/relative:

• "Hey [Name],"
• "Hi [Name], how's it going?"

Keep the greeting casual but polite.

Briefly respond to their problem or decision.

• "I’ve been thinking about what you said…"
• "Sorry to hear you’re feeling stressed about…"
• "I know it's tough to decide, but…"

This sets a supportive tone from the start.

Show you care and offer more than one option.

• "Another thing you could do is…"
• "On the other hand, maybe…"

Give specific suggestions and use informal language.

• "If I were you, I’d definitely..."
• "You could try talking to…"
• "Why don’t you consider…"

• "All the best,"
• "Cheers,"
• "Take care,"

End on a friendly, positive note.

• "Let me know what you decide!"
• "Good luck with it all!"
• "Take care, and don’t hesitate to text if you need to chat!"

3. Language Tips: Avoiding Repetition

Synonyms for common words:Instead of always saying "good," try "great," "fantastic," or "awesome."Replace "think" with "believe," "reckon," or "feel."

Use a range of phrasal verbs:Give up → "quit"Put off → "delay"Come up with → "think of"

Tip: Mix in different ways of giving advice to keep the writing interesting."Why not try...?""If I were you, I'd...""Have you thought about...?"

To keep your email dynamic and avoid sounding repetitive, you need to vary your vocabulary. Here are some techniques:

4. Tone Shifts: From Friendly to Supportive

While the tone should be conversational, balance informality with clarity. Start with casual phrases, but shift into a more supportive, thoughtful tone when offering advice. Example: Casual: "Hey, no worries, I’m sure you’ll figure it out!" Supportive: "Still, if you want my advice, I’d say you should…"

5. Useful Language and Vocabulary for Informal Emails

Here are some common expressions and phrasal verbs to include in your email:

Opening Lines

Advice and Suggestions:

Informal Expressions:

Phrasal Verbs:

• "It’s been ages since we last spoke!"
• "I’m really glad you reached out…"

• "You should definitely…"
• "How about you…?"
• "Maybe you could…"

• "No big deal!"
• "It’s up to you, but I’d say…"
• "You’ve got this!"

• "Look into" (investigate)
• "Go for" (choose)
• "Sort out" (solve a problem)

6. Balancing Clarity and Informality

Even though your tone is informal, make sure your advice is clear:Avoid slang that might confuse the reader.Don’t use overly long sentences—keep it concise.Vary sentence structures for a smooth flow.Example:Informal: "Hey [Name], I totally get where you’re coming from."Clear: "If I were you, I’d try talking to someone about it first."

7. Sample Email

Let’s take a look at a sample email based on the structure we’ve discussed.

Subject: Any news on your decision? Hi Sarah, It’s been a while! I hope you’re doing well. I’ve been thinking about what you told me the other day about the job offer, and I wanted to give you my two cents. Honestly, I reckon you should go for it! A job like that doesn’t come around often, and it sounds like an amazing opportunity. Of course, if you're feeling unsure, maybe you could chat with someone who works there to get a better idea of the team and work environment? That said, if you’re not 100% sure, it might be worth asking for a bit more time to think it through. Sometimes it's better to be certain rather than rush into things. Anyway, just my thoughts! Let me know what you end up deciding—I’m really curious to see where this takes you. Cheers,Emily

Time Management: Spend 5 minutes planning your structure and 15-20 minutes writing.Proofreading: Make sure your tone is consistent and your advice is clear.Stay Friendly: Keep the tone relaxed, but don’t forget clarity is key.By following these steps, you’ll be able to craft a well-structured, friendly, and engaging email that meets CAE expectations!

8. Final Tips