E-mail Writing
Letter and e-mail do not differ in their content or style. However, phrases and idioms should be adjusted to the medium. Mail also gives additional options (like attachments of photos and audio and video materials) which are not in letters.
Eg: The phrases "read your email" is more suitable in a mail than "got your letter"
Different types of Letters/Mails
• Descriptive: Involves dominantly the description of a place, person, thing or idea.
• Narrative: Involves dominantly an account of an event or incident
• Descriptive-Narrative:Involves both description and narration in almost equal proportion.
• Advice: Gives advice on a particular matter.
Three important ways to make your letter/mail impressive and scoring
• Personalise
• create interest
• don’t list
One sample way to approach letter /email writing task
1. Read the question and identify the type of letter/mail that you are asked to write.
2. Decide whether it is a reply or not as is found suitable for the question. (Eg: If it is an advice, write as a reply)
3. Prepare one or two details, personalisations and suitable idioms for each prompt in rough.
4. Write the introduction. Start the letter with one or two sentences that refresh your relationship with the person (Better, don’t write the topic straight away. It may become either formal or too informal).
• Then write one sentence of transition. (This can be the last sentence of the introduction paragraph or the first sentence of the next paragraph)
5. Write body two or three body paragraphs to elaborate all prompts with personalisations and interest making in informal, but appropriate tone and register.
6. Then write the conclusion which again should serve to enliven the relationship.
Read the question below and do as directed on next page
You have received a great prize from a person of high office or esteem in a ceremony.
Write an e-mail to your friend about the function. In your mail, you should:
• Describe the venue;
• Give an account of the events in the function;
• Say how you felt at the time and after;
Ex.1: Fill in the blanks as directed
Type of the mail: ……………
Write your plan about the introduction: whether reply or initiating mail: …………
Ex.2: ROUGH PLAN OF MAIL
Possible personalisation for prompt.1 (Write your own without copying the example)
Eg: As I was sitting there, you know, I couldn’t help feeling I’d been there with you. But later only, it flashed. It was just the curtains. They were the same purple fringed ones we saw in the workshop hall last year. Do you remember you copied some pictures from them and Maisha made fun of you!
Possible personalisation for prompt.2 (Write your own without copying the example)
The first speaker was the secretary. You can’t believe! First I wondered how our Irfan came there- Just a ditto, those favourite wavy hair and blue eyes! A real photocopy!
Possible personalisation for prompt.3 (Write your own without copying the example)
I sat as if in a trance. Somewhere inside, I was in the seventh heaven, but it didn’t make way out. I couldn’t understand when Liza told something like it, you know. I even told you so. But, now I get the real taste of it all.
