WritingExam
Informal email & short story — PET-style
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Warm-up · Section 1
5 minGet talking
When did you last write an email in English? Was it formal or informal?
Finish: 'It all started one rainy Saturday morning…'
What's the hardest part of writing in an exam: ideas, vocab, time, or organisation?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minTwo reliable structures
INFORMAL EMAIL (4 paragraphs, ~25 words each): (1) Greeting + opening question ('Hi Sam, hope you're well!'); (2) React to their news ('Sounds amazing!
→ Hi Sam, thanks for your email! Great to hear from you.
→ Sounds amazing — lucky you! I'd love to hear more.
→ It all started one rainy Saturday morning.
→ While I was walking home, suddenly the lights went out.
More detail
Lucky you!'); (3) Answer their question / share own news; (4) Closing + sign-off ('Write back soon, Take care, [name]'). STORY (4 paragraphs): (1) Setting — when, where, who; (2) Build-up — the situation; (3) Climax — the surprising moment; (4) Resolution — what happened in the end. Use Past Simple as the spine, Past Continuous for background, and time linkers (suddenly, while, as soon as).
Question 1.Best informal email opener?
Question 2.Best informal sign-off?
Question 3.Best story climax linker?
Question 4.Story spine tense?
Question 5.Background in a story?
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
It all started…
story opener
"It all started one Sunday afternoon."
Open a story with this phrase.
out of the blue
unexpectedly
"Out of the blue, he called."
Use it in a story climax.
to my surprise
I didn't expect it
"To my surprise, it was empty."
Use in your next short story.
in the end
finally / overall result
"In the end, everything worked out."
Close a story with this.
hope you're well
informal email opener
"Hi Joe, hope you're well!"
Open an email with this.
write back soon
informal email closer
"Write back soon, Marta."
Close an email with this.
Discuss with a partner
- →Open a short story in two ways — formal vs informal.
- →Re-write a flat sentence using 'out of the blue' / 'to my surprise'.
Finish the sentence about you
- It all started… …
- Out of the blue… …
- Hope you're well — I just wanted to say… …
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minReading your own writing aloud — proof by ear
- • Hi Sam, hope you're well!
- • It all started one rainy Saturday morning.
- • Out of the blue, the lights went out.
- • In the end, we laughed about it.
How to say it
The single best proof-reading trick is reading your text aloud at natural speed. Your ear catches errors your eyes miss — missing articles ('I went to shop'), wrong tense ('I have went'), missing linkers. Train this habit in EVERY exam: leave 90 seconds at the end to read aloud (silently / muttering).
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhy structure scores more than vocabulary in writing
Markers of B1 writing exams use a band system. Vocabulary is one band. Structure is another. Grammar another. Many candidates pour effort into 'big words' and ignore structure — and lose marks. A 100-word email with simple words but FOUR clear paragraphs scores far higher than a wall of text with fancy vocabulary. The same is true for stories: a clear arc (setting → build-up → climax → resolution) beats elaborate description. The fastest way to add 10 marks to a writing paper is not new vocabulary — it's paragraphing. Open every paragraph with a clear topic phrase. Close with one linker. Leave 90 seconds at the end to read your text aloud. These three habits cost nothing and lift every band.
Question 1.What scores more than 'big words'?
Question 2.How long should reading-aloud check take?
Question 3.Story arc has how many parts?
Q1.Big vocabulary alone scores a top band.
Q2.Paragraphing is one of the fastest score boosters.
Q3.Reading aloud only helps spoken exams.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minAn examiner explains the marking
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Examiner:We mark on five bands: content, organisation, vocabulary, grammar, communicative achievement.
Examiner:Organisation is paragraphing and linkers. It's worth as much as vocabulary.
Examiner:Use four paragraphs for an email: open, react, share, close.
Examiner:Use four paragraphs for a story: setting, build-up, climax, resolution.
Examiner:Use Past Simple as the spine; Past Continuous for background; time linkers between.
Examiner:Leave 90 seconds at the end to read your text aloud silently. You'll catch missing articles and wrong tenses.
Question 1.How many marking bands?
Question 2.Story arc parts?
Question 3.How much proof-reading time?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET Writing — Email + Story / Article
Task
Write a 100-word informal email AND a 100-word short story in 45 minutes.
Strategy
Budget time: 5 min plan + 15 min email + 15 min story + 10 min check. Use the 4-paragraph frame for both. Hit one Past Continuous + one linker (suddenly / as soon as / while) in every story. End with a clear resolution sentence ('In the end…'). Read aloud the last 90 seconds.
Example
EMAIL: 'Hi Sam, hope you're well! Great news about your trip — sounds amazing! I'm doing okay; just busy with exams. I'd love to visit you in July if that works. Let me know your dates. Write back soon, Marta.' STORY (climax line): 'I was walking home in the rain when, out of the blue, my old school friend Mira appeared.'
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.____ all started one rainy morning.
Question 2.____ the blue, the door opened.
Question 3.____ my surprise, the box was empty.
Question 4.Hope you're ____!
Question 5.Write ____ soon, Marta.
Q1.Story climax with 'suddenly':
Q2.Story climax with 'out of the blue':
Q3.Story close:
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write BOTH: (1) a 100-word informal email replying to a friend's news about a new job (use the 4-paragraph frame); (2) a 100-word story starting with 'It all started one rainy Saturday morning…' (use setting → build → climax → resolution).
Show model answer
EMAIL: Hi Joe, hope you're well! Huge congrats on the new job — that's amazing news!! Lucky you! As for me, I'm finishing my final exams next week, so a bit stressed but okay. After that I'd love to come and visit you — let me know your weekends in July. Maybe we can finally try that Vietnamese place you keep telling me about! Write back soon and good luck on day one — you'll smash it! Take care, Marta. STORY: It all started one rainy Saturday morning. I was walking to the supermarket when I saw an old box on the corner. Out of curiosity, I opened it. Inside was a notebook full of strange drawings and a single key. While I was reading the notebook, a woman ran up and shouted 'That's mine!' To my surprise, she smiled, took the key and ran away. In the end, I never found out what the drawings meant — but I still think about that box.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
PEER MARKING · Pairs. Exchange the two writing tasks above. Mark each other using 5 bands (content, organisation, vocab, grammar, communication). Give one specific improvement per band.
Useful phrases
- • Your opening paragraph could…
- • One missing linker is…
- • Try adding a Past Continuous here.
- • The climax needs one more sentence.
- • Your sign-off works well.
- • Add 'in the end' here.
- AMy story doesn't feel exciting.
- B_______________
- AMy email is a wall of text.
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Make peer feedback the main engine. ~45 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write a 100-word email to a friend who just moved abroad.
Write a 100-word story beginning 'I'll never forget the day…'.
Peer-mark a partner's text using the 5 bands.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Email = 4 paragraphs: greet / react / share / close.
- Story = 4 paragraphs: setting / build / climax / resolution.
- Past Simple spine + Past Continuous background + time linkers.
- Always leave 90 sec to read aloud.
- Structure scores higher than 'big' vocabulary.