Cambridge B1 Preliminary Writing Part 1 asks candidates to write an email of about 100 words in response to an email and notes. The challenge is to produce writing that includes appropriate language, links ideas clearly and communicates the writer’s message effectively. You can practise those editing skills with this email-improvement activity.
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How can students improve their emails?
Emails are a useful writing exercise because the prompt indicates exactly what you need to include in your answer. However, the problem with emails is that it can be a challenge to show off your level of English. I find many of my students at B1 level don’t push themselves to use complex language. We may have just come out of a week long slog through relative clauses or conditionals, but then their email comes back to me written entirely in the present simple.
I found this to be especially true of younger students who were going to take the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam and this activity was designed with the for Schools version of the exam in mind. For that reason, it uses the topics of school and free time. Despite this, I think it could still be a practical activity for adult students. You could even challenge them to use the past tense and recall their school days!
The materials
With this activity, get your students to improve an email using all of the language available to them. Insist on accuracy of basic language and encourage a range of language that fits their message. Students use four notes, discuss a sample reply, then write their own email of about 100 words. For a paragraph plan and useful expressions, see our guide to how to write a B1 Preliminary email.
EXAM PART: B1 Preliminary Writing Part 1 – Email
EXAM SKILLS: Responding to notes, organising ideas and using a range of language
LEVEL: B1
TOPIC: Free time and school
TIME: 35-45 minutes
PREPARATION: One copy of the two-page worksheet per student
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