Emailing- Needs Analysis and Functional Language Review
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Talking about and then seeing typical kinds of emails, including different levels of formality.
Lesson Plan Content:
Emailing needs analysis and functional language review
Interview your partner about emailing in your own language and English and make notes about them below. If you get several answers, circle the most common for your partner.
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Name of interviewee:
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L1 emails received (number per day, time spent reading, length, purpose, action needed, action taken, sender, formality, etc) |
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English emails received (number per day, time spent reading, length, purpose, action needed, action taken, sender, formality, etc) |
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L1 emails sent (number per day, time spent writing, length, purpose, action needed, addressee, formality, etc) |
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English emails sent (number per day, time spent writing, length, purpose, action needed, addressee, formality, etc) |
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Difficulties with reading and writing English emails, and possible solutions |
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What functions/ purposes did people in the class mention? What others can you think of?
What functions do the following sections have?
1.
Is it okay for me to…?
Can I…?
Am I allowed to…?
I am free…
… is best for me.
3.
I’d like to invite you to…
Please find enclosed an invitation to…
It would be our great pleasure if you could attend…
4.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
We would like to offer you the opportunity to…
5.
Could you possibly tell me something about…?
I am writing to enquire about…
… was terrible.
I want to complain about…
I am very angry about…
7.
In answer to your first question,…
You also asked me about…
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I need you to…
Please make sure…
Match the sections on this page to the sections on the next page by function/ reason for writing/ purpose and use that to help you check your answers above, labelling each section if you can.
A
Here’s the info you asked for.
Hope that helps.
B
I need info about…
Are you the right person to ask about…?
C
Why don’t you … (with me/ us)?
How about… (with me/ us)?
D
Let me know if you want me to lend you a hand (with…)
Do you want any help (with…)?
E
Do you mind if I…?
Do I have your permission to…?
Might it be possible for me to…?
F
I am available…
… if that is convenient with you.
G
I was not satisfied with…
Unfortunately, … did not meet the high standards that I expected.
H
Would you….?
Thank you for your cooperation.
I’m afraid I have to ask you to…
Match the functions below to the sections above, using that to help you check the matching task.
Asking for permission
Giving information/ Answering questions
Instructions/ Commands
Inviting
Making complaints
Making enquiries/ Asking for information
Making offers
Suggesting appointments/ meetings
What are the differences between the two parts that you matched? Which one is which?
Can you think of similar language of both kinds for the other purposes/ reasons for writing/ functions that you talked about before?
What language is most typical in emails you receive and send? Work together as a class to make an example of an email with the most common function and level of formality.
How might that email need to change with a different level of formality?
Answer key
- Asking for permission
Formal: Do you mind if I…?/ Do I have your permission to…?/ Might it be possible for me to…?
Informal: Is it okay for me to…?/ Can I…?/ Am I allowed to…?
- Suggesting appointments/ meetings
Formal: I am available…/ … if that is convenient with you.
Informal: I am free…/ … is best for me.
- Inviting
Formal: I’d like to invite you to…/ Please find enclosed an invitation to…/ It would be our great pleasure if you could attend…
Informal: Why don’t you … (with me/ us)?/ How about… (with me/ us)?
- Making offers
Formal: Please let me know if I can be of any assistance./ We would like to offer you the opportunity to…
Informal: Let me know if you want me to lend you a hand (with…)/ Do you want any help (with…)?
- Making enquiries/ Asking for information
Formal: Could you possibly tell me something about…?/ I am writing to enquire about…
Informal: I need info about…/ Are you the right person to ask about…?
- Making complaints
Formal: I was not satisfied with…/ Unfortunately, … did not meet the high standards that I expected.
Informal: … was terrible./ I want to complain about…/ I am very angry about…
- Giving information/ Answering questions
Formal: In answer to your first question,…/ You also asked me about…/ If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Informal: Here’s the info you asked for./ Hope that helps.
- Instructions/ Commands
Formal: Would you….?/ Thank you for your cooperation./ I’m afraid I have to ask you to…
Informal: I need you to…/ Please make sure…
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