Summary
This lesson guides B2 learners through essential techniques for writing professional and effective emails. It covers critical aspects such as crafting clear subject lines, structuring emails logically, using appropriate language for different levels of formality, and making polite requests. Through video analysis, vocabulary building, and practical exercises, students will develop the skills to avoid common email pitfalls and enhance their professional communication, ensuring their messages are well-received and achieve their intended purpose.
Activities
Students reflect on their email habits and common frustrations, setting a personal context for the lesson's importance in professional communication.
Learners deduce the meaning of key vocabulary related to email etiquette from contextual sentences, expanding their professional lexicon. Participants watch video segments on email best practices, answering comprehension questions about subject lines, email structure, clarity, and settings.
Students categorize common email phrases by formality (Formal, Neutral, Informal) and practice rewriting vague subject lines to be more effective.
Learners transform direct, impolite requests into polite, professional ones using provided phrases, focusing on appropriate tone and phrasing.
The lesson includes a grammar focus on forming indirect questions for politeness, with exercises to convert direct questions.
Students analyze a poorly written email, identify its flaws based on the lesson's teachings, and then rewrite it professionally.
Finally, learners apply all acquired skills by composing a professional email to request a deadline extension, incorporating all key elements.
Vocabulary focus
This lesson emphasizes vocabulary crucial for professional email writing. Key terms include: etiquette, competence, concise, recipient, thread, context, and hyperlink. Students also explore phrases for openings (e.g., "Dear Dr. Evans," "Hi Tom,") and closings (e.g., "Best regards," "Cheers,"), understanding their varying levels of formality and appropriate usage in professional correspondence.
Grammar focus
The primary grammar focus is on using indirect questions to enhance politeness in professional emails. Students learn how word order changes from a direct question to an indirect question (e.g., "When is the deadline?" becomes "I was wondering when the deadline is."). Practice involves converting direct questions into polite, indirect forms using various introductory phrases like "Could you tell me if..." or "Do you know..."
📄 PDF downloads
Please note that access to Premium lesson plan PDF files is available exclusively to Lessonpills paying subscribers. Not a subscriber yet? Unlock full access and support our work!