Ah! He's so hot! Oh! Hi guys! I was just uh checking my comments to see if i've got any more
messages or emails from my fans and... Ah!? "I know it's been a long time since we've met up and
I miss you more than ever. I know you're an internet celebrity now but I'll be in town for
a few days next week. Maybe we can get together? Are there any restaurants you recommend? What else
is there to do in the evenings where you live? Always yours, Johnny.". Oh my God! It's Johnny!
I thought things were over between us! Seriously, guys I thought he was done with me but obviously
not! Obviously Monica is irresistible! I knew it. For part two of the B2 First Writing exam you
could choose to write an email, an informal email! But how do we know if an email is informal and
what must we do to get the highest marks possible? My name is Toby this is SMASH English and here
is everything you need to know about writing an informal email for the B2 First Cambridge exam!
I can't believe Johnny sent me an email! Oh my god! I'm having a panic attack! I'm having a panic
attack! Guys! I'm having a panic attack! Someone please help me! The first thing to do is stay
calm. We need to write between 140 and 190 words. The first thing we must ask ourselves is who
is our target reader? Who are we writing our email to? In this situation we are writing our email to
an old friend. Now we must identify the tone of the email. Is the email formal or informal? If the
email is formal then we must write formally, if the email is informal then we must write
in informally. So how do we know if an email is informal? Well let's take a look! Yes...
yes. The first question we must ask ourselves is does the writer use contractions? If the
answer is yes this suggests the letter is informal. Well, I can see four contractions.
Next, can we identify any informal language like phrasal verbs or idioms?
We have the phrasal verbs "meet up" and "get together" so we can say that this letter is
informal. So we also need to respond with informal language. OK, so I need to be cool
and informal! Yeah actually that's a great idea! Johnny would really like that! Next we
need to identify what we need to do! Remember the examiner should be able to understand everything
that was written in the original email without reading the original email. Your email should
make it very clear that you have understood the original email and responded to all of the points.
If you don't do that then you will score less marks in CONTENT and if you don't know what
CONTENT is then watch my video all about the marking scheme for the writing exam that B2
First examiners use because it's really good, useful, fantastic... and I need more views so
please watch it! Bye! Because of this it is vital that we understand everything that we must include
in our email. So we should read the original email and underline all of these things and
in our head we will call them TASKS. TASKS are the things that the original email
asks us to do and we must do them or we will die a death of bad Cambridge marks! Which is worse than
death! Seriously if you fail the B2 First exam you will wish you were dead! wW should mention that
it's been a long time and acknowledge that Johnny misses us. Yeah, he needs to understand that
I miss him too! Yeah okay then. We should say that we want to get together with him.
Yes! Oh my god! Absolutely! I want nothing more! Oh my god! What am I gonna wear!? I don't even...
Can you shut up please? Now, Johnny has asked two questions. The first is about whether there are
any restaurants we recommend and the second is what else there is to do in the evenings.
So that gives us four tasks. ONE: it's been a long time and we miss him obviously. TWO:
do we want to meet up with him? THREE: are there any restaurants we recommend? And FOUR:
what is there to do in the evenings? Johnny! I love you and I want to meet up now! Okay! Bye!
What was that? Well I was so nervous so decided to call him instead but then I got scared
and... Oh I've ruined everything! Oh Jesus Christ.... Our email must follow a structure...
like everything. Let's have a look at our tasks then. I think we can put tasks one and two
in our first paragraph - in our introduction to our email. I think in paragraph two we can
talk about restaurants and in paragraph three we can talk about things to do
in the evenings. Then I think we need a paragraph four to say goodbye, a nice informal way to say
goodbye... not like Monica's phone call just now, that was that was embarrassing.
Hey! Yeah ignore the call from before it wasn't me it was my my mom! Yeah she called you pretending
to be me because she's just horrible! I hate her so much! I wish she were dead! Actually no I don't
but uh... I just love you okay!? I love you so much but but not too much I'm not obsessed or
anything like that um... Another one!?Johnny is a lucky man! Yes he is! Here is our structure.
Let's start with our introduction then. I think we should open our email with something cool,
hip and informal like "Hey Johnny!". Okay, yeah, sure, um what about the exclamation mark? Is that
a bit too much? This is informal. Exclamation marks are a fantastic way to appear happy,
relaxed and casual and you Monica, are a very casual girl. Yeah, I'm a casual girl but I'm
looking for a serious relationship, you know? I'm really tired of going from guy to guy to guy to...
Okay. Next we need to ask an informal question. Um... Do you still love me? No... no... That's
too heavy! What about "how's it going?", "how have you been?", or "how are you doing?". Remember to
use contractions! These are all informal ways of saying "how are you?". Okay! Let's say "how's it
going". I like that one a lot. Next we need to say how we are doing so we can follow this with
"I'm doing great" or "I'm doing okay, I can't complain". I want to be super positive and happy
because I've really found myself since breaking up with him so "I'm doing great".
Johnny! I miss you so bad!!! Now let's say how happy we are that Johnny has contacted
us. So we can say "it's great to hear from you" or "I'm so happy that you've got in touch".
Well I'm super happy so "I'm so happy you've got in touch". So this is our introduction for
an informal email and it will always always stay the same! Hey Johnny. How's it going?
I'm doing great! I'm so happy you've got in touch! Now we need to be more specific to the email.
Our first task is "it's been a long time and we miss him" so we should definitely mention that and
our second task is to say that "yes of course I would love to get together with you, Johnny!". So
let's look at an example. You're right it's been far too long. I miss you too! It'd be wonderful
to catch up! yeah... uh... What day are you coming? Notice here we have used the phrasal verb
to CATCH UP. This means to meet someone and update each other about our lives. Remember
this is an informal email so we need to use informal phrasal verbs like this.
We are also directly acknowledging what Johnny said. You're right it's been far too long. This
indicates to the examiner that we have understood the email and are responding directly to it.
Again the examiner must be able to understand what the original email said without needing to
read it. We have also asked a question which extends the interaction. Remember this is an
email so asking questions to the recipient, the person who receives it, is important and
we have our introduction. Next we need to work on paragraph two which is about task 3 which is about
restaurants. All we need to do in this paragraph is recommend some restaurants to Johnny, so let's
give him some options. As for restaurants, it really depends what you feel like. AS
FOR plus NOUN is a good informal way to introduce a topic. We have also used the expression to FEEL
LIKE SOMETHING. This just means "want" but it's informal and will make the examiner feel excited
and wow! We love exciting the examiners! Now let's use conditional structures for suggestions! I love
conditional structures! They're amazing! Also, Toby has a whole playlist about conditionals!
A whole playlist about conditionals? Yes a whole playlist about conditionals! Right here! Click
it! Learn! Enjoy the magic! The magic! If you're into spicy food there's a great Indian restaurant
near me but it's a bit pricey and we'd need to book so let me know. Here is a zero conditional.
Notice how we have used TO BE INTO instead of LIKE. Yeah I love that! Okay good! We have also
used the word PRICEY instead of expensive. If that's not your thing we could grab a bite at
the pub instead. There are loads to choose from and they're really cozy. Instead of saying "if
you don't like that" we have said "if that's not your thing". Instead of saying "we could eat" we
have said "we could grab a bIte". We have also used the modal verb COULD for suggestions and
the adjective COSY. I think that's enough for restaurants so paragraph two is finished and so is
task three "recommending restaurants". So now we need to move on to paragraph three and task four:
talking about what there is to do in the evenings where Monica lives. So, Monica... What is there
to do in the evenings where you live? Yeah um we could go to the cinema, we could go for a walk,
or we could go back to my house and have s... Okay that's three things! Cinema, walk, house.
Let's see what we can do with that information. Oh god disgusting! I'm such a naughty girl!
After dinner why don't we catch a movie? I'll check to see if there are any good films on
or if you wanted to we could take a stroll around the park. It could end up raining though so in
that case my house isn't far. We could hang out there! Yeah this is perfect. We've said "catch
a movie" instead of "watch a movie". It's a suggestion so we have used "why don't we".
We've also used a second conditional for another suggestion and used the expression "take a stroll"
which is an informal way of saying "go for a walk". We have then used COULD for possibility
with END UP raining. The phrasal verb END UP refers to an unexpected result
and we have used this in a concessive clause with THOUGH. Finally we have the phrasal verb
HANG OUT which just means to spend time with friends informally. So, in total we have this.
That's around 150 words so we're doing great! Now we just need to conclude the email. We don't want
to seem like we have too much free time, do we? Otherwise we could look desperate and pathetic.
No way! I'm a really busy girl and I don't have a lot of time! Netflix is not gonna watch itself!
Okay so let's say: anyway I've got a dash! Write me back as soon as you can,
OK? I can't wait to hear back from you! "I've got to" means "I must".
DASH here means "run". So "I've got to dash" means "I need to go" because I have lots to do.
This closing formula can be used for all informal emails. Okay so how do I say goodbye?
Shall I say "Love Monica" or... You can if you want... But I think again that's a bit
heavy. Don't say LOVE unless you are writing an email to a boyfriend or girlfriend
or a family member. Yeah, you're totally right! He's not even my boyfriend yet! So what about
"yours sincerely"?. That's too formal. Instead try "take care", "all the best", "best wishes", "see
you soon". Or you can just write your name. It's a bit cold but it depends who you're talking to.
Considering that we, well you, are going to see Johnny next week, I think "see you soon"
is appropriate here. Okay then so, "see you soon, Monica". I like it! Sexy! So this is our email.
It's the right number of words, it's informal, we have included all the information necessary
and used a variety of relevant vocabulary and grammar to fulfill the requirements of the task.
Perfect! Just look at it! Fantastic! I cannot wait for Johnny to receive this beautiful, fantastic,
wonderful email written with the help of SMASH English and I am sure
your examiners will feel the same. So that is how you write an informal email! Step one: identify
the tone. Is it formal or informal? Informal email yeah... Who are you writing your email to?
Step two: identify the tasks! How can you write your email If you don't know what you must include
in your email? It's very difficult to do that! Have you ever tried? I haven't because I always
plan. Great guy, great guy. Step three: organize your paragraphs. Where in your
email are you going to do the tasks? Are you going to do all of them in one big paragraph?
Don't do that... That's a really stupid idea... Or are you going to dedicate one paragraph to
each task? Maybe you want to have one paragraph for two tasks if they're both very similar.
You decide! Just make sure you do the tasks and you have some organization. Step four:
write it! Make sure you're using vocabulary specific to the task and make sure that the
grammar that you're using has the correct function to adequately do the task.
And of course there will be more all about that in another video. If that video already exists it
will be here! If it doesn't, it won't be here... and then you will cry and subscribe and wait.
Oh my god it's Johnny! Hi, Johnny it's Monica! Well, you know that don't you? Yeah.... yeah...
uh-huh oh oh okay..yeah.
yeah.... okay... bye...
Well like my life I guess this was a complete waste of time. If you liked the video don't
forget to SMASH that like button, subscribe if you haven't already, leave a comment down below!
My name is Toby and this was SMASH
English...