TOEFL Writing Task 2 – Write an Email

Writing Task 2 format: Write an Email

Hi! In this lecture, we will talk about Writing Task 2: Write an Email. Like the first one, this task is new in the writing section. In this task, you will see a description of a situation. Inside the description, you will see bullet points that you need to address in your email. For example, you may have to reply to your coworker and state your opinion about the situation, and then propose a solution to the problem.

In this task, you need to write a polite, goal-focused email that addresses every bullet in the prompt. You need to include the recipient of the email, as well as the subject, a greeting, short paragraphs, and a closing with your correct name. For this task, you have 7 minutes, and in the whole test you will see only one task of this type. You need to focus on the input prompt, matching the original style of the request, and, of course, time management.

How the email task is scored

But first of all, let's talk about the scoring. You can get the full score if you fully address all the bullets. Without addressing all the bullets, all the points from the prompt, you cannot get the full score. So it is very important that you read and fully understand what your colleague, your friend, or the person at the university is asking you about, and you have to address every single bullet from his or her email. You also have to follow the same tone: if it is a professional letter, you have to write an equally professional and concise email.

To get 4 points, you usually address most of the bullets, but not all. Your email is usually clear, and you might have some minor issues in tone or language. A 3-point response usually covers the basics but has uneven detail and organization and noticeable language errors. You get 2 points if you miss bullets, your structure is weak, and you have many errors.

Strategy 1: Use the correct email structure

Now let's talk about strategies. First of all, you have to use the correct structure for your email. Use proper email conventions. Start with an appropriate greeting, such as "Hello" or "Dear." Organize your email into clear paragraphs addressing each bullet point, so for each bullet you have a separate paragraph in your email. End with an appropriate closing, such as "Best regards" or "Sincerely," and then put your correct name.

Usually, the structure of your email is the following. You have a greeting, then you state the topic, and then you answer the bullets, which usually involves a proposal or a solution to some unresolved situation. You can also include details. Then you write a summary or state a request, and then you add the closing, like "Best regards" or "Sincerely," and put your name.

Strategy 2: Match the tone and language

The next strategy is about tone and language. You have to match the tone of the original request you see in the task. In most cases, you'll get a formal prompt, so you have to adjust any casual words or phrases in your email to match the formal tone of your response. For example, instead of "I have a problem," say "I encountered a technical issue," "I encountered an issue," or "I experienced difficulties with..."

You have to be polite and direct. Use phrases like "Could you please..." or "I would appreciate..." Use neutral verbs and avoid blame. At the same time, offer resolutions. Link ideas with transitions such as "however," "additionally," and "as a next step."

Strategy 3: Proofread your email

In the last part of your time, you have to proofread. What is this technique, this strategy? First of all, you have to check names and addresses, scan for missing bullets, and check the indentation between the paragraphs. Can you spot what is incorrect in this example? It might not be that easy, right? In the incorrect option, the letters n and h are swapped. So you have to proofread, because sometimes you might misclick on the keys and end up with incorrect words like this, which will lower your score.

Then you have to fix verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and spacing as well. For example, when you write your email, you may write: "He asked me for the report yesterday, I have sent it today." Then, if you proofread the email, you may spot that you actually have to write: "He asked me for the report yesterday, and I sent it today." If you are talking about the past, the tenses of the verbs should match within the sentence, or better, within your whole text. This is the common rule, and while you proofread, you may spot these mistakes.

Also replace unclear words with precise alternatives. For example, instead of "thing," use "document," "task," or "issue." Instead of "a lot of problems," say "several technical issues."

Timing: how to plan your 7 minutes

What about timing for this task? As you may notice, you only have 7 minutes for this task, so you have to be very fast. That's why it is also very important to get enough practice before you go to the actual test. Here is how you should plan your response. In the first 30 to 40 seconds, you have to read the task carefully, look at the points you need to include in your email, and pay close attention to what you are asked for.

After that, you have to proceed to writing the email, following the strategies provided. Again, you have to use short paragraphs, 2 to 4 sentences each, and focus on completing the task and being clear. It's better to spend up to 5 minutes on the main part of the email, and then you have one minute or slightly more left to proofread your email. You check that it's clear, polite, and accurate in grammar and vocabulary, and you make corrections if needed.

Email templates: follow-up, apology, complaint and request

Now we will go through templates that you can use for different types of emails. It's also rather important to identify which type of email you're dealing with. Apart from the tone, you may get a request from your groupmate, or you may need to write a follow-up email, or it may be an apology. For each of these cases, you can use different templates. In the materials provided with this lecture, you can get many templates, and I encourage you to revise them every time before you practice. That way, you can master those templates and use the most accurate one you need on the actual test.

So let's start with follow-up emails. When you explain the purpose of your email, you can use phrases such as "I'm following up on my previous message about..." or "I just wanted to check whether you received my earlier email." For the context or details, you can say "I wanted to make sure everything is clear about..." or "In my previous email, I asked about [topic], and I just wanted to confirm if there are any updates." If you are making a request, you can say "Please let me know if I need to take any further action" or "I look forward to hearing from you soon."

If it is an apology email, you can say "I'm writing to apologize for..." or "Please accept my apologies for..." For the context and details, you can support your reason with phrases like "The delay was caused by..." or "Unfortunately, I was not able to [do something] because of..." As for the request, you can say "I would be grateful if you could let me know how I can fix it." Again, you can come back to this part anytime, revise these materials, and make sure you know the proper templates before you practice.

If you need to write a complaint or problem email, you can use phrases like "I'm writing to inform you about a problem I have experienced" or "I'd like to report an issue regarding..." For details, you can say "The issue occurred when I was [doing something]" or "I noticed that..." As for requests, you can say "Could you please look into this issue?" or "I would really appreciate your assistance."

If it is a request or inquiry, you can say "I'm writing to ask you about..." or "I'm contacting you to find out if you can help me with..." As for details, you can say "I saw your announcement about..." or "I heard from [someone or somewhere] that..." For the request, you can say "Could you please tell me...", "Would it be possible to...", or "I was wondering whether you could provide me with..."

Sample task and model email

Now let's go to an actual example of this task. After that, we'll go through a sample answer and talk about how it is structured. Here is the task: "Your coworker Kevin recently recommended a new restaurant for your team to visit. You took the team there, but everyone was disappointed. The food was not as good as expected, and the service was slow. You need to inform Kevin about the situation and discuss future lunch options. Write an email to Kevin."

Now you see the bullets that you have to address. You can imagine that you have three paragraphs, one for each of these bullets, where you do what is required of you. "In your email, do the following: Explain what was wrong with the restaurant. Describe the team's reaction to the visit. Suggest alternative lunch arrangements. Write as much as you can and in complete sentences."

Let's go to the sample answer. To: Kevin. The subject is the same as in the task. Then you proceed with the part that you have to write on your exam. Notice what type of email this is: it is rather a complaint, or reporting a problem, email.

"Dear Kevin, I hope you're doing well. I wanted to thank you for recommending the new restaurant for our team lunch. However, I feel I should inform you about the experience so we can plan future lunches more effectively. Unfortunately, the visit did not meet our expectations. The food quality was lower than anticipated, with some dishes arriving cold and under-seasoned, and the service was slower than usual."

Then you proceed to the team's reaction: "The team's reaction reflected these issues. While everyone appreciated the chance to get together, many were disappointed by the combination of slow service and the quality of the meals." And then we proceed to the next bullet: "For our upcoming team lunches, I suggest we consider alternative options. We could either return to some of our previously enjoyed restaurants or explore new places that have consistently positive reviews. Thank you again for your suggestion, and I hope this feedback is helpful for planning future team events."

Notice that this email addresses all the bullets. Again, we can come back and see that you have to explain what was wrong with the restaurant, and this is exactly what is stated in the paragraph that starts with "Unfortunately, the visit did not meet our expectations." It goes on to say that the service was slow and that the dishes were arriving cold and under-seasoned. Then, according to the bullets, you had to describe the team's reaction to the visit, and that's exactly what is stated in the next paragraph, "The team's reaction reflected these issues," where you explain what actually happened during the visit.

In the last part, you have to suggest alternatives, which is accurately done in the last paragraph: "We could either return to some of our previously enjoyed restaurants or explore new places that have consistently positive reviews." That's how you fulfill all the requested bullet points. Then you have to use a closing. In this case: "Thank you again for your suggestion, and I hope this feedback is helpful for planning future team events. Best regards, [Your name]."

As you can see, this task is not hard, but you have to do enough practice by yourself, using the strategies and the templates that you choose from the options provided, and do as much practice as you can. Then you will definitely get a full score on this task easily using the information provided. You just have to put enough effort into your practice, and this information and these templates will help you a lot.