Seven tasks to try from the short communicative messages section. Write first, then open the answer.
Tasks 1 to 2: find the points
1. Task: “Write to your uncle. Thank him for the visit, tell him what you enjoyed most, and invite him to your birthday party.” List the numbered points.
Answer
(1) Thank him for the visit. (2) Say what you enjoyed most. (3) Invite him to the party. Three verbs, three points, and each needs a sentence.
2. A draft answers points 1 and 3 only. What is the first repair?
Answer
Add a sentence for point 2 before any other change. A missing point costs more than a grammar slip.
Tasks 3 to 4: greeting and ending
3. Write the greeting and sign-off for an email to your principal, Dr Lee.
Answer
“Dear Dr Lee,” and “Yours sincerely,” followed by your name. The reader is named, so sincerely is correct.
4. What is wrong with “Hi Sir, … Yours faithfully, Ben” sent to a named teacher?
Answer
Two problems. “Hi Sir” is too casual for a teacher, and “Yours faithfully” belongs to an unnamed reader. Use “Dear Mr Tan,” and “Yours sincerely,”.
Tasks 5 to 6: reasons and suggestions
5. Write one reason and one suggestion: the school hall is too hot during assembly.
Answer
Reason: “The hall is too hot during assembly because the windows stay closed.” Suggestion: “Could the fans be switched on before the students enter?” Each is one sentence, with a cause and a specific action.
6. Improve the suggestion “Maybe you can do something about it.”
Answer
It names no action. Rewrite: “Could you place a water dispenser near the field?” Choose an action that fits the problem in the task.
Task 7: edit a draft
7. Edit: “Dear Puan Sara, I am writing for ask if we can change the date of the meeting because my mother she is in hospital.”
Answer
“Dear Puan Sara, I am writing to ask if we can change the date of the meeting because my mother is in hospital.” Changes: “for ask” to “to ask”, and the extra “she” removed. A brief polite closing line would complete the message.
If you got these wrong
- Tasks 1 and 2: revisit answering every point in an email task.
- Tasks 3 and 4: revisit choosing a greeting and ending.
- Tasks 5 and 6: revisit giving a reason and suggestion concisely.
- Task 7: revisit editing a short message for clarity.
For a teacher to go through your answers with you, see online one-to-one English tuition.