Emailing- Structuring Emails
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Planning emails review covering how to split common email types into paragraphs, including email enquiries, applications, requests, fixing arrangements and self-introductions.
Lesson Plan Content:
Structures of different kinds of emails
Write typical paragraph plans for the body of each email described below. If you are not sure, say what you would write in a typical email of that kind, and see how you can divide it into two or more topics.
Asking for information (with three complex questions – four main paragraphs)
Applying for a job, course, scholarship, funding, etc (three main paragraphs)
Request (two main paragraphs)
Making arrangements (three main paragraphs)
Correcting wrong information (two main paragraphs)
Introducing yourself/ Making contact with someone (two main paragraphs)
Add brief descriptions of the opening and closing of each email that you’ve described above.
Optional: Put the cards that you are given into order to make paragraph plans for the same functions, perhaps by putting them on top of the paper above.
Compare your answers to an un-cut-up version of the worksheets.
Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers
Asking for information (with three complex questions, so four main paragraphs)
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Opening line with just the general topic of the email (no specific questions yet)
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Background behind the questions and/ or a brief summary of the questions, with mention of what is coming below (= describing the structure of the email)
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The first question with at least one more sentence of explanation such as why you need to know the answer
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The second question with at least one more sentence such as your guess of what the answer might be
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The third question with at least one more sentence such as explaining failed attempts to find out the answer from other sources
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Closing line mentioning their reply
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Applying for a job, course, scholarship, funding, etc (three main paragraphs)
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Opening line mentioning the purpose of your email with details of how you heard about it and mentioning attachments
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Reasons why you are particularly interested in that specific thing (making sure you don’t just repeat things that are already in your CV etc)
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Reasons why you are the best person for that specific thing (making sure you don’t just repeat things that are in the attachments such as an application form)
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When and how you are available to contact, for interview and to start
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Closing line mentioning their reply
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Request (two main paragraphs)
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Opening line with just the general topic, probably not showing that you are asking for something yet
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Request(s), with reason(s)
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Explanations of any deadlines and/ or other options if they can’t do exactly what you are asking
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Closing line mentioning their reply/ Closing line thanking for a future action (if it’s something big)
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Making arrangements (three main paragraphs)
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Social opening line and/ or opening line mentioning the last contact between you
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Suggesting meeting, with reason(s)
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Suggested time and place, and maybe other possibilities if the first choice isn’t possible
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Deadline to decide with reasons for that deadline, maybe with the best way to contact you
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Closing line mentioning the next contact between you/ Closing line offering (again) to make changes if necessary
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Correcting wrong information (two main paragraphs)
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Opening line with thanks for mentioning you, your ideas, etc and maybe mentioning how you found out about it
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What is wrong with the information, and perhaps why that matters
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Suggested future action, and maybe other options
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Thanks for a future action and/ or thanks again for something you mentioned in the first line
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Introducing yourself/ Making contact with someone (two main paragraphs)
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Opening line with why you are writing, how you got their contact details and/ or why you are contacting them (rather than contacting someone else)
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Some relevant and interesting information about yourself, perhaps linking the information about yourself with what you know about the person who you are writing to
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Mentioning future contact between you
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Closing line mentioning the next contact between you
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