HOW TO WRITE AN INFORMAL E-MAIL?

1. Greeting (Saludo)

• Saludo inicial: Utiliza un saludo adecuado para un contexto informal.

• Frase de apertura: Comienza con una frase amigable que rompa el hielo.

2. Body (Cuerpo): El cuerpo del email se compone de varios párrafos, cada uno con
una función específica.

• Primer párrafo

• Introducción del tema principal: Explica brevemente por qué estás escribiendo.

• Párrafos siguientes

• Desarrollo del contenido:

o Explica los eventos o la situación en detalle.
o Añade anécdotas o comentarios personales para mantener un tono cercano
y personal.
o Usa preguntas retóricas o directas para involucrar al destinatario y hacer
el email más interactivo.
• Información adicional o temas secundarios: Puedes introducir temas adicionales o
preguntas que sean de interés mutuo.
• Párrafo final del cuerpo: Cierra el cuerpo del email preparando el terreno para el
cierre.

3. Párrafo de Cierre

• Frase de despedida: Utiliza una despedida amigable y personal.

• Firma: Incluye tu nombre o apodo.

1ST EXAMPLE

Hi David,

How have you been? I just finished reading the book you recommended, and I wanted to thank
you for suggesting it. It was such a gripping story!

The characters were really well-developed, and I loved the plot twists. I couldn’t put it down! We
should definitely have a chat about it when we meet next. There are so many things I want to
discuss.

Speaking of meeting up, how about we go for a hike this weekend? The weather is supposed to
be nice, and it would be great to catch up while enjoying some fresh air. Let me know if you’re
up for it.

Take care and talk to you soon!

Best,

Laura
2nd EXAMPLE
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS INFORMAL E-MAIL

Saludo:

• Hi [Nombre]: Hola [Nombre]

• Hello [Nombre]: Hola [Nombre]
• Hey [Nombre]: ¡Hola [Nombre]!

Preguntar por el Bienestar:

• How have you been?: ¿Cómo has estado?

• I hope you’re doing well: Espero estés bien.
• How’s everything going?: ¿Cómo va todo?

Introducción:

• It’s been a while since we last spoke: Ha pasado un tiempo desde la última vez que
hablamos.
• I hope this email finds you well: Espero que este correo te encuentre bien.

Expresar el Propósito del Correo:

• I’m writing to tell you about…: Te escribo para contarte sobre…

• I wanted to share some news with you…: Quería compartir algunas noticias contigo…
• Just thought I’d drop you a line to let you know…: Solo quería escribirte unas líneas
para informarte…
• I hope you don’t mind me writing to you about…: Espero que no te importe que te
escriba acerca de…
• I wanted to ask you something…: Quería preguntarte algo…

Compartir noticias y experiencias

• You won’t believe what happened…: No te vas a creer lo que ha pasado…

• Guess what? I’ve got some great news!: ¿Adivina? ¡Tengo buenas noticias!
• Last weekend, I went to…: La semana pasada fui a…
• I recently tried…: Recientemente he…
• It was such an amazing experience because…: Fue una increíble experiencia porque…

Expresar sentimientos y opiniones

• I felt so […] because…: Me sentí […] porque…

• It made me think about…: Me hizo pensar sobre…
• I couldn’t believe it when…: No me lo podía creer cuando…
• I was so thrilled to hear that…: Estaba emocionadísimo/a de escuchar eso…
• It really blew my mind!: ¡Realmente me dejó impresionado/a!

Hacer preguntas y pedir opiniones

• What have you been up to lately?: ¿Qué has estado haciendo últimamente?
• Have you ever experienced something similar?: ¿Alguna vez has experimentado algo
similar?
• What do you think about…?: ¿Qué opinas sobre…?
• How do you feel about…?: ¿Cómo te sientes acerca de…?
• I’d love to hear your thoughts on this: Me encantaría escuchar tu opinión sobre esto.
Transiciones y conectores

• By the way,… Por cierto,…

• Anyway,… De todos modos,…
• Oh, and another thing,… Oh, y otra cosa,…
• On top of that,… Además de eso,…
• Speaking of which,… Hablando de eso,…

Cierre

• Anyway, I should get going. De todos modos, debería irme.

• Looking forward to hearing from you. Espero tener noticias tuyas.
• Can’t wait to catch up soon. No puedo esperar para ponernos al día pronto.
• Hope to hear from you soon. Espero recibir noticias tuyas pronto.

Despedida:

• Best,: Mejor,
• Take care,: Cuídate,
• Cheers,: Saludos,
• All the best,: Todo lo mejor,
• Talk soon,: Hablamos pronto,

QUESTIONS AND EXCLAMATIONS

Engaging your reader is essential in informal emails and letters, and one way to do this is by
asking questions and using exclamations. These elements can make your writing more dynamic
and interactive.

Examples:

Questions

• “How have you been?”

• “Did you hear about (the new café that opened downtown)?”
• “Are you free (this weekend)?”
• “Would you like to join us for (dinner one day)?”
• “What do you think about (the new project at work?)”
• “Which (book) did you enjoy (reading) the most?”

Exclamations

• “I can’t wait to see you!”

• “That sounds amazing!”
• “You won’t believe what happened!”
• “Guess what!”
• “I’m so happy for you!”
• “That’s fantastic news!”
• “This is going to be great!”
• “I’m thrilled about (the upcoming trip)!”
USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS
1. Carry on (with something)

Scenario: Before signing off, you should give a reason you cannot write more. So, you could
write,
“I’d love to keep writing, but I need to carry on with my homework/house chores.”

2. Come forward with (some tips)

Scenario: Your friend is struggling with their science project, for example, and asks for help.
You respond,
“I’m happy to help! I’ll come forward with some tips that might make it easier for you.”

3. Come up with (an idea)

Scenario: You’re sharing ideas for a group presentation your friend is asking about. You write,
“How about we come up with an idea that involves an interactive activity? That could keep
everybody engaged.”

4. Count on someone

Scenario: Your friend is organizing a surprise party and needs reliable help. They ask if they
can count on you to keep it a secret and help with preparations. You assure them,
“You can count on me! I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.”

5. Deal with (this matter)

Scenario: Your friend is worried about a forthcoming trip. You write to them,
“Don’t worry about the details; I’ll deal with this matter and let you know the plan.”

6. Face up to someone

Scenario: Your friend is hesitant about confronting a difficult situation at work. You encourage
them,
“It’s time to face up to your boss about the unfair workload. You deserve better.”

7. Feel up to doing something

Scenario: Your English-speaking friend has been feeling under the weather, and you decide to
invite them to a picnic. You write,
“We are having a picnic this weekend. Do you feel up to joining in once you check in at the
hotel? My family will be so excited to see you!”

8. Get on with someone

Scenario: Your friend has some amazing news. They started a new job, and you ask how it’s
going. You write,
“Great news! Hope you get on with your new colleagues.”

9. Get along with someone

Scenario: You are curious about your friend’s neighbours. You ask,
“Do you get along with each other? Hope they’re really friendly and easy to talk to.”
10. Go away (on holiday)

Scenario: Your friend is stressed and you suggest,

“You should go away on holiday for a week. It would do you a lot of good to relax and recharge.”

11. Look up (on the internet)

Scenario: Your pal is planning a trip and needs some information about local attractions. You
tell them,
“I’ll look up the best places to visit on the internet and share them with you.”

12. Go in for something

Scenario: Your friend asks if you want to join a sports club. You reply,
“I don’t really go in for sports, but I’d love to join the robotics club instead.”

13. Go/Come round to someone’s place

Scenario: Your friend writes to you that they are planning to visit your country, and you reply,
“Fantastic, why don’t you come round to my place? We can watch a movie or something.”

14. Be held up (in traffic)

Scenario: You’re writing an email to a friend but need to cut it short. You explain,
“Sorry to keep this short, but I was held up in traffic and need to catch up on some work.”

15. Look after someone

Scenario: Your friend asks if you can lend them a hand with some advice about caring after
their new pet. You respond,
“Of course, as I used to have a dog when we lived in the country, I’ll give you some tips about
how to best look after it.”

USEFUL IDIOMS AND COLLOQUIALISMS

Idioms and colloquialisms are phrases where the meanings aren’t immediately clear from the
individual words. They are often unique to certain cultures or regions and can add colour and
character to your writing.

Examples:

“It’s been ages” – “It’s been ages since we last met!”

“Over the moon” – “I was over the moon when I got your letter.”

“Piece of cake” – “Fixing my bike was a piece of cake after I found the right tools.”

Here are 15 examples of idioms and colloquialisms, along with explanations and contexts for
using them in writing informal emails and letters.
1. Break the ice

Meaning: To initiate conversation in a social setting.

Example: “Don’t worry about your new classmates. You are so good at telling jokes! This will
surely break the ice and everyone will start laughing.”

2. Hit the nail on the head

Meaning: To be exactly right about something.

Example: “Hope I hit the nail on the head with my suggestion for the project.”

3. Spill the beans

Meaning: To reveal a secret.

Example: “You’ve got my word I won’t spill the beans about the surprise party.”

4. Under the weather

Meaning: Feeling ill or unwell.

Example: “Sorry to hear you’ve been feeling a bit under the weather. Why don’t you unwind a
bit?”

5. Cut to the chase

Meaning: To get to the point.

Example: “Let’s cut to the chase— would you rather do a team sport or an individual one?”

6. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To face a difficult situation bravely.

Example: “You ought to finally bite the bullet and tell your boss that you need a raise.”

7. On cloud nine

Meaning: Extremely happy.

Example: “I was on cloud nine when I heard that you got the job.”

8. Costs an arm and a leg

Meaning: Very expensive.

Example: “The new phone costs an arm and a leg, but it’s worth it.”

9. Let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.

Example: “I won’t let the cat out of the bag about your surprise visit. Don’t worry. My lips are
sealed!”

10. Hit the books

Meaning: To study hard.

Example: “I need to hit the books this weekend to prepare for my exams.”
11. Throw in the towel

Meaning: To give up.

Example: “After all your hard work, you shouldn’t throw in the towel.”

12. Pull someone’s leg

Meaning: To joke with someone.

Example: “I thought you were just pulling my leg when you said you were moving away.”

13. The ball is in your court

Meaning: It’s your decision or responsibility to do something.

Example: “I’ve given you all the information you need; now the ball is in your court.”

14. Burn the midnight oil

Meaning: To work late into the night.

Example: “It was high time I knuckled down. I had to burn the midnight oil to finish the report on
time.”

15. A blessing in disguise

Meaning: Something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.
Example: “Don’t worry about it. Losing your job is a blessing in disguise because it will lead you
to your dream career.”