Checkpoint 6 · Paper 1 writing (non-fiction)

Formal and Informal Emails

How to write formal and informal emails for Checkpoint 6 Paper 1: subject lines, greetings and sign-offs, paragraph plans, useful phrases and two strong samples.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 6 English (Cambridge Primary 0058)

1. What is an email, and where does it appear?

An email is a message sent electronically to one reader or a small group. It does the same jobs as a letter (sharing news, inviting, asking, complaining), but it has a different layout: there is no address and no date at the top, because the computer adds them. Instead, an email needs a short subject line that tells the reader what it is about. Like letters, emails can be informal (to a friend or relative) or formal (to a teacher, a manager or a company).

	Informal email	Formal email
Who is it to?	A friend, a cousin, a pen friend, a relative.	A teacher, a headteacher, a museum, a club, a company, a person you have never met.
Subject line	Short and friendly: You won't believe our trip!	Clear and exact: Request for information about a class visit
Greeting	Hi Adam, / Dear Adam, / Hello Adam,	Dear Mr Nabil, (name known) / Dear Sir or Madam, (name not known)
Tone	Chatty: short forms, exclamations, questions to your friend.	Polite: full forms, no slang, no emojis, no jokes.
Sign-off	Cheers, / Love, / Your pal, + first name on the next line	Yours sincerely, / Yours faithfully, (Kind regards, is also used in emails) + full name on the next line

Where emails sit in the exam

Emails are Paper 1 (Non-fiction) writing. Paper 1 lasts 1 hour: Section A Reading (25 marks) and Section B Writing (25 marks), with about 30 minutes suggested for the writing.
An email task will name the format ("Write an email to…"). If the task does not say email, do not add a subject line or a greeting. That is the G.A.A.P. golden rule.
Read who the reader is. The reader decides your tone, your greeting and your sign-off.

2. How an email is marked (out of 25)

Emails are marked with the same five categories as every Checkpoint writing task.

Category (official name)	Marks	What the bands ask for (in simple words)	What it means for this genre
Creation of texts	5	Low: little link to the task. Middle: relevant ideas, some of them explained. Top: every point in the task is covered and developed, the tone suits the reader all the way through, and the writing keeps the reader interested.	Cover every task point in detail and keep the right tone for your reader all the way through. A formal email should sound polite and sensible; an informal one should sound like a real friend chatting.
Vocabulary and language	3	Low: simple words, often repeated. Middle: some well-chosen words that suit the text type. Top: precise, interesting words chosen for their effect on the reader.	Informal: vivid, friendly words (epic, I was speechless). Formal: polite, exact words (enquire, available, arrangements).
Structure of texts (the teacher's older name: Text structure)	7	Low: few or no paragraphs. Middle: paragraphs in a sensible order with simple links. Top: well-organised paragraphs that link smoothly, a strong opening and ending, and the correct layout for the text type.	A subject line, a greeting on its own line, one task point per paragraph, a clear ending and the correct sign-off with your name on the next line.
Grammar and punctuation (the teacher's older name: Sentence structure, punctuation and grammar)	7	Low: mostly simple sentences with many errors. Middle: some variety, mostly correct verbs and full stops. Top: a range of sentence types used for effect, correct verb tenses and a range of punctuation used correctly.	Mix sentence types. Use question marks in your questions, apostrophes in short forms (informal), and commas after openers (After lunch,…). Add a colon or brackets used correctly.
Word structure (spelling)	3	Low: many common words spelt wrongly. Middle: most common words correct. Top: nearly all words correct, including longer, ambitious words.	Check email words: information, available, sincerely, faithfully, definitely, beautiful, surprised.

Three marking rules you must know

Wrong text type = heavy penalty. If the task asks for an email and you write something else, Creation of texts is capped at 1 mark and Structure of texts is capped too (at 3, or 2 if the content is also off-task).
Length: 20 words or fewer scores 0, and 21–60 words can score no more than 7 out of 25. A full answer is several developed paragraphs.
Your plan is not marked. Plan quickly, then spend your time on the writing itself.

3. Features of emails

Feature	Informal email: example	Formal email: example
Subject line (the first line)	Subject: The best school trip EVER!	Subject: Request for information about a Year 6 visit
Greeting on its own line, with a comma	Hi Adam, (no comma after Hi)	Dear Mr Nabil,
Opening paragraph	How are you? + ask about the reader + sorry for not writing for so long + the reason.	Who you are and why you are writing: I am writing to ask…
Body paragraphs	One task point each, told like a chat with your friend.	One task point each, clear and polite, with questions where needed.
Closing paragraph	Write back soon! / Let's meet up soon.	Thank you for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sign-off on one line + comma, name on the next line	Cheers, / Hamza	Yours sincerely, / Malak Tarek
Language	Short forms (I've, it's), exclamations, questions, friendly words.	Full forms (I have, it is), polite requests (Could you please…?), formal linking words.
Things an email does NOT have	No address, no date, no stamp.	No address, no date, no emojis, no CAPITAL LETTERS for shouting.

Greeting and sign-off rules (they are easy marks)

Greeting = Hi / Dear / Hello + name + comma, all on ONE line. There is no comma after Hi itself: Hi Adam, not Hi, Adam,
Informal sign-off = closing word + comma on one line (Cheers, / Love, / Your pal,), then your FIRST name only on the next line.
Formal: Dear Sir or Madam, → Yours faithfully, / Dear Mr Nabil, → Yours sincerely, then your full name on the next line.
Writing the sign-off and the name on the same line, or using your full name in an informal email, counts as a layout mistake.

4. How to structure an email

Part	Informal email	Formal email
Subject line	A short, fun hint of your news.	Exactly what the email is about.
Greeting	Hi Adam,	Dear Mr Nabil, / Dear Sir or Madam,
Paragraph 1: opening	How are you? Ask about their life (new school, family, a match). Say sorry for not writing for so long and give the reason.	Introduce yourself and give your purpose in one or two sentences.
Paragraph 2: task point 1	Set the scene: where, when, who.	The main request or problem, with details.
Paragraph 3: task point 2	The best (or funniest, or worst) moment, with feelings.	Your questions, or more details the reader needs.
Paragraph 4: task point 3	Invitation, suggestion or advice for your friend.	Any special needs or a polite suggestion.
Paragraph 5: conclusion	Ask for a reply and send regards to the family.	Thank them + I look forward to hearing from you.
Sign-off	Cheers, / first name	Yours sincerely, / full name

The narrative email. Many informal email tasks ask you to tell a friend about something that happened: a trip, a match, a party. The layout stays the same, but the body is told in time order like a short recount: set the scene → the main events → the best moment and your feelings → a short reflection. Use time connectives (First, After that, Later, Finally) and past tenses.

5. How to start and how to end

Informal openings

How are you? I hope you're enjoying life in Alexandria.
How did your football match go? Did your team win?
Sorry I haven't written for so long; we've had tests every single day.
I'm really sorry for the late reply. Our internet stopped working for a whole week!
You'll never guess what happened on our school trip!

Formal openings

I am writing to enquire about…
I am writing on behalf of Year 6 at … School to ask…
My name is Malak Tarek, and I am the class representative of Year 6A.
I am writing to request information about…

Informal endings

Write back soon and tell me everything!
Let me know if you can come.
Say hello to your brother for me.
Cheers, / Love, / Your pal, / Speak soon, (then your first name on the next line)

Formal endings

Thank you in advance for your help.
I would be grateful for a reply at your earliest convenience.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely, / Yours faithfully, / Kind regards, (then your full name on the next line)

6. Useful phrases and strong vocabulary

Telling a story (informal)

It all started when…
Just when we thought the day couldn't get any better, …
I've never laughed so much in my life!
The highlight of the whole trip was…

Asking questions (formal)

Could you please tell me…?
I would also like to know whether…
Would it be possible to…?
Please could you let me know if…

Explaining (formal)

The reason for this request is that…
In addition, one of our pupils uses a wheelchair, so…
We would be very interested in…

Word / phrase	Meaning / use
enquire	to ask for information (formal: I am writing to enquire about…)
available	free to be used or booked (Is the hall available on Monday?)
arrangements	plans made before an event
accessible	easy to reach or use, e.g. for a wheelchair user
confirm	to say that something is definitely true or booked
appreciate	to be thankful for (I would appreciate your help.)
representative	a person who speaks for a group
highlight	the best part of something
speechless	so surprised that you cannot speak
breathtaking	extremely beautiful
exhausted	very, very tired
hilarious	extremely funny
catch up	to talk about everything that has happened since you last spoke
keep me posted	keep telling me your news (informal)

7. Timing in the exam

Time (Writing section, about 30 minutes)	What to do
0–5 min	G.A.A.P.: underline the Genre, the Audience, every point in the Area of content, and the Purpose. Write a short plan (one line per paragraph).
5–25 min	Write. Write for about 20 minutes: 4–6 paragraphs, about 250–350 words.
25–30 min	Check: layout, every task point covered, full stops and capital letters, commas, apostrophes, spelling of key words.

8. Strong sample 1: informal (narrative) email

Informal email: a trip to the Red Sea263 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: You have just come back from a school trip to the Red Sea. Write an email to your friend, who has moved to another city. In your email you should: • describe what you did on the trip • tell your friend about the best moment • suggest a trip you could take together in the holidays.

Subject: The best school trip EVER!

Hi Adam,

How are you? I hope you're settling in at your new school in Alexandria and that your new classmates are kind. I'm sorry I haven't emailed for so long; I've been away on our class trip to Ain Sokhna, and I only got back last night. I have so much to tell you!

We left school at six in the morning, and the coach was so noisy that Mr Samir had to put on his earplugs (he really did!). On the first day, we went snorkelling near the coral reef. I was nervous at first, but the water was so clear that I could see my own toes. In the evening, we played beach football until it was too dark to see the ball.

The best moment was on the second morning. A guide took us out on a glass-bottomed boat, and suddenly a group of dolphins appeared right beside us. Everyone screamed, then went completely silent. One dolphin jumped so high that it splashed Karim from head to toe! I was speechless – it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

Now I have an idea: why don't we go snorkelling together in the summer holidays? My uncle has a flat in Hurghada, and Dad says you're welcome to stay with us for a week. I'll show you how to use the mask, and you can finally beat me at beach football (maybe).

Write back soon and tell me if your parents agree. Say hello to your little sister for me.

Cheers,

Hamza

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5: all three task points are developed: what they did (paragraph 2), the best moment (paragraph 3), the holiday suggestion with real details (paragraph 4). The writer talks to Adam like a real friend (his new school, his little sister, the football joke), so the purpose and audience are clear.
Vocabulary 3/3: lively, exact words: snorkelling, coral reef, glass-bottomed boat, splashed, speechless, settling in.
Structure 7/7: correct email layout (a subject line, Hi Adam, on its own line, Cheers, on its own line and the first name only underneath). The opening follows the taught order (How are you? → asking about his new school → sorry + reason). The body is told in time order (We left school… / On the first day… / The best moment was on the second morning… / Now I have an idea…).
Grammar & punctuation 7/7: short sentences and exclamations for effect, complex sentences (…the water was so clear that I could see my own toes), a semicolon joining two related sentences, brackets for extra information, a single dash for emphasis (I was speechless – it was…), a colon before an explanation (Now I have an idea: …), apostrophes in short forms.
Spelling 3/3: snorkelling (British double l), earplugs, suddenly, completely, dolphins, Alexandria, welcome, all correct.

9. Strong sample 2: formal email

Formal email: planning a class visit257 words · Strong answer — Creation 5/5 · Vocabulary 3/3 · Structure 7/7 · Grammar & punctuation 7/7 · Spelling 3/3

Task: Your class would like to visit a nature reserve. Write an email to the education officer, Mr Sherif Nabil. In your email you should: • introduce yourself and explain why your class wants to visit • ask for information about the visit • mention any special arrangements your class needs.

Subject: Request for information about a Year 6 class visit

Dear Mr Nabil,

My name is Malak Tarek, and I am the class representative of Year 6A at Nile Hills International School. I am writing to enquire about a class visit to Green Wings Nature Reserve next month.

This term, our science topic is habitats and food chains. Our teacher, Mrs Rania Adel, believes that seeing real birds and plants in their natural home would help us to understand the topic far better than any textbook. Several pupils in our class have visited the reserve with their families, and they say that the bird-watching hide is fascinating. After the visit, we hope to create a class display with our own photographs and drawings.

I would be grateful if you could answer a few questions. Firstly, which days are available for school groups in March? Secondly, could you please tell me the cost per pupil and how long a visit usually lasts? Finally, I would like to know whether a guide could lead a short talk about the birds that live at the reserve.

There are twenty-four pupils in our class, and three teachers would come with us. One of our classmates uses a wheelchair, so we would need to know if the paths and the toilets are accessible. In addition, we would like to bring packed lunches. Is there a shaded area where we could eat?

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Malak Tarek

Why this gets the marks

Creation of texts 5/5: the writer introduces herself and gives a clear reason (paragraphs 1–2), asks three exact questions (paragraph 3) and explains the special arrangements (paragraph 4). The tone is polite, serious and helpful all the way through, which suits an officer she has never met.
Vocabulary 3/3: precise, formal words: class representative, enquire, habitats, fascinating, available, accessible, shaded area.
Structure 7/7: a clear subject line, Dear Mr Nabil, → Yours sincerely, (the name is known), full name on the next line. The purpose is in the first paragraph, each paragraph has one job, and the questions are ordered with Firstly, Secondly, Finally. The closing thanks the reader and asks for a reply.
Grammar & punctuation 7/7: full forms only, polite modal verbs (could, would), a range of sentences including complex ones (…so we would need to know if the paths…), correct question marks, and a pair of commas for extra information (Our teacher, Mrs Rania Adel, believes…).
Spelling 3/3: representative, enquire, fascinating, accessible, wheelchair, sincerely, information, all correct.

10. Common mistakes

Mistake	Why it loses marks	Fix
No subject line	It is the main layout feature of an email.	Always start with Subject: …
Adding an address and a date	That is letter layout, not email layout.	Emails start with the subject line and the greeting.
Hi, Adam / Hi Adam How are you? on the same line	The greeting must stand alone and be punctuated correctly.	Hi Adam, on one line. How are you? starts paragraph 1.
Cheers Hamza on one line, or Cheers, Hamza Ali	Sign-off layout is wrong.	Cheers, (one line) / Hamza (next line).
Emojis, text-speak or !!!!! in a formal email	Wrong tone for the reader.	Polite full sentences, one full stop or one question mark.
Asking no clear questions in an enquiry email	The purpose (to get information) is not achieved.	Ask two or three exact questions with question marks.
Forgetting a task point	Creation of texts cannot reach the top band.	One task point = one paragraph. Tick each point when it is done.

11. Checklist before you hand in

I wrote a subject line that matches my email.
I chose formal or informal by looking at the reader.
My greeting is on its own line with a comma (no comma after Hi).
My opening paragraph does the right job (informal: How are you? + sorry + reason / formal: who I am + why I am writing).
Every task point has its own paragraph with details.
My tone stays the same from start to finish (no slang in a formal email).
My sign-off has a comma and my name is on the next line (first name for informal, full name for formal).
I checked question marks, apostrophes and spelling.

أهم قواعد الإيميل

الإيميل ليس فيه عنوان مرسل ولا تاريخ في الأعلى، بل يبدأ بسطر Subject: ثم التحية.
اكتب التحية في سطر مستقل، مثل: Hi Adam, ولا تضع فاصلة بعد كلمة Hi.
في الإيميل غير الرسمي ابدأ بـ How are you? واسأل عن أحوال صديقك، ثم اعتذر لأنك لم تكتب منذ مدة طويلة واذكر السبب، ثم اكتب كل نقطة من نقاط السؤال الثلاث في فقرة مستقلة.
في الختام اكتب Cheers, في سطر، واسمك الأول فقط في السطر التالي. كتابتهما في السطر نفسه أو كتابة اسمك كاملاً خطأ.

12. Practice tasks

Task A (informal): You have started a new after-school club. Write an email to your cousin. You should: • describe the club and what you do there • tell your cousin about a funny moment • invite your cousin to join you. Write a quick plan.
Show answer
Subject: Guess what I'm doing after school now! Greeting: Hi Nour, P1: How are you? How is your new puppy? Sorry for not writing for so long (the club takes three afternoons a week). P2: the robotics club (where, when, what we build). P3: funny moment (our robot drove straight into the teacher's bag). P4: invitation (the club is open to visitors on Saturday, and Mum can drive us). P5: write back soon, love to Auntie. Sign-off: Love, / Salma.
Task B (formal): Your school wants to invite an author to talk to pupils. Write an email to the publisher (you do not know the person's name). You should: • explain who you are and what you want • suggest a date and describe the audience • ask about cost and what the author needs. What greeting, sign-off and paragraphs will you use?
Show answer
Subject: Invitation for an author visit to … School. Greeting: Dear Sir or Madam, → Yours faithfully, + full name. P1: I am writing on behalf of… to invite… P2: the date (Wednesday 15 April) and the audience (about 90 pupils in Years 5 and 6 who have read her books). P3: questions (Is there a fee? Will the author need a screen or a microphone?). P4: thank you + I look forward to hearing from you.
Find four mistakes: "Dear Mr Nabil, hi!!! I'm writing cos we wanna visit. Thanks, Malak"
Show answer
1) Delete hi!!! (a greeting appears once, and !!! is never formal). 2) I'm → I am. 3) cos we wanna → because we would like to. 4) Thanks, Malak → Yours sincerely, on one line, then Malak Tarek (full name) on the next line. Also missing: a subject line.
Which is correct for an informal email, and why? (a) Hi, Adam, (b) Hi Adam, (c) Hi Adam
Show answer
(b) Hi Adam, because it has the greeting word + name + comma on one line, with no comma after Hi.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Reading: grammar & punctuation

Reading: understanding texts

Paper 1 writing: non-fiction

Paper 2 writing: fiction