EMAILS: Understanding the Rubric
Your email should be between 120-160 words. What happens if you write only 95 words?
Your response is too short, meaning you won’t develop your ideas enough and will lose marks.
How can you make your informal email sound more natural?
Use friendly questions, contractions, and expressions like “That sounds awesome!” / Use contractions (I’m, you’re), friendly greetings ("Hey! How have you been?"), and make it feel like a real conversation.
What should you always do before each section of the listening test begins?
Read the questions
What is a distractor?
An exam answer choice that has the appearance of being correct (tries to trick you into choosing it for some erroneous reason)
Your email must match the task and the audience. What mistake would cause you to lose points in this area?
Using the wrong tone (e.g., writing too formally when it should be informal).
What is one common mistake students make in their informal email that makes it sound unnatural?
Forgetting to ask about the other person’s life
(e.g., “How have you been?”) – a real email doesn’t just jump into the main topic!
TRUE or FALSE: It is important to listen for times when a speaker changes their mind.
Why?
TRUE. Because Camridge will use the first idea as a distractor and the new idea as the correct answer.
What is a keyword?
A word or phrase from the listening script which points to the correct answer choice (it is not the ANSWER itself but the CLUE)
If your email is missing one of the three bullet points in the task, how will it affect your score?
You will lose points because your response is incomplete. Always cover all bullet points!
Why is this sentence too formal for an informal email?
“I was extremely pleased to receive your invitation.”
It sounds unnatural.
A better phrase is: "I was so happy to get your invite!"
Why are synonyms important in a listening test?
Because most answers will be given using a synonym of a multiple choice option
→ example:
Question says “Why was he disappointed?”
Recording says : “He wasn’t satisfied with…”
For the question: “Why is the speaker going to Italy”
with the script “Of course they’re famous for their pasta and pizza, and they have some lovely scenery, although I’ll be too busy getting to grips with the language to get out much”.
→ what is:
The answer
The keyword
A distractor
Answer: to study Italian
Keyword: getting to grips with
Distractor(s): pasta and pizza; lovely scenery
Your email should be well-organized and easy to follow. What simple habit can help with this?
Using paragraphs (one for each main idea) so the reader can easily follow your email.
Which is the best way to end an informal email?
A) "Yours faithfully"
B) "Looking forward to your reply!"
C) "Sincerely, John"
D) "To whom it may concern"
B) "Looking forward to your reply!"
(best of THOSE options...)
BONUS POINTS: Make it even more informal:
--> "I can't wait for you to write back!"
Make up one example of a speaker changing their mind about something.
Respond to the question: “Did you enjoy the school event?”
Suggested answer:
“At first I thought it would be boring… but actually I ended up making some new friends so I really enjoyed it.”
For the question: “Where is the speaker going?”
with the script: “Well, the trains are on strike and the motorway into the city will be busy, so we’ll have to leave early otherwise it will have taken off by the time we arrive.”
→ what is:
The answer
The keyword
A distractor
Answer: the airport
Keyword: taken off
Distractor(s): motorway; city; trains
What makes an informal email sound natural and engaging instead of robotic?
Using contractions (I’m, you’re), friendly greetings ("Hey! How have you been?"), and making it feel like a real conversation.
What makes this email closing weak?
How can you improve it?
--> "See you later."
It’s too short and lacks warmth.
A better closing is:
--> "See you soon! Can’t wait to catch up."
What idea could each of the following ‘signposting language’ phrases introduce in a listening script:
However
Actually
First of all
In the end
The main reason
However → introduces a change of thought from a previous idea
Actually → same as above
First of all → starts a list (usually for GIVING REASONS for something)
In the end → signifies the FINAL CONCLUSION (usually a CHANGE of idea from earlier)
The main reason → signals the speaker will answer a WHY question
For the question: “What facility does the school lack??”
with the script: “The students are all complaining that there’s nowhere to go to relax after their lessons, apart from the classrooms, and the garden, which is so tiny it might as well not exist.”
→ what is:
The answer
The keyword
A distractor
Answer: a lounge
Keyword: to relax
Distractor(s):classrooms, garden