B2 First Informal Email Writing: How to Write an Email to a Friend
- Dave
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
In Cambridge B2 First Writing Part 2, you may choose to write an email or letter.
You will be given a situation and you need to write a clear response in an appropriate style. The email or letter may be informal, semi-formal or formal, depending on who you are writing to.
You should write 140-190 words.
What Do You Have To Do?
In this task, you need to:
read the situation carefully
understand who you are writing to
decide the correct style
answer all the points in the task
organise your ideas clearly
use suitable opening and closing phrases
write between 140 and 190 words
Unlike B1 Preliminary, you do not usually have four notes around an email. At B2 level, the task gives you a situation and tells you what information to include.
Focus On The Instructions
Before you start writing, ask yourself:
Question | Why It Matters |
Who am I writing to? | This tells you the style: informal, semi-formal or formal. |
Why am I writing? | This gives your main purpose. |
What points must I include? | These are essential for content marks. |
What tone should I use? | Friendly, polite, apologetic, persuasive, grateful, etc. |
How many words do I need? | 140-190 words. |
Example Exam Task
You recently received this email from your English-speaking friend Max.
From: MaxSubject: Visit to your town
Hi,
I’m coming to your town next month and I’d love to spend a day with you. What do you think we should do? I know you’re really into sport, so maybe we could do something active. Also, could you suggest somewhere good to eat?
Let me know what you think!
Max
Write your email to Max.
In your email, you should:
suggest what you could do together
explain why Max would enjoy it
recommend somewhere to eat
say how you feel about his visit
Write 140-190 words.
Focus On The Task
Before writing, answer these questions:
Who are you writing to?
Is the style formal, semi-formal or informal?
Why are you writing?
What activity could you suggest?
Why would Max enjoy it?
Where could you eat?
How will you end the email?
A Simple Email Structure
A B2 First email usually works well with 4 paragraphs.
Paragraph 1 - Opening
Start naturally and respond to the situation.
Useful phrases:
Hi Max,
Great to hear from you!
I’m really glad you’re coming to visit.
Thanks for your email.
It’ll be great to see you again.
Paragraph 2 - First Main Point
Answer the first part of the task.
For example:
I think we should...
Why don’t we...?
We could...
I’d suggest...
It would be a good idea to...
Paragraph 3 - Second Main Point
Add more detail, explanation or another suggestion.
For example:
I’m sure you’d enjoy it because...
The best thing about it is...
Another option would be...
As you’re into sport, I think you’d really like...
Paragraph 4 - Closing
Finish naturally and warmly.
Useful phrases:
I can’t wait to see you.
Let me know what you think.
Write back soon.
See you soon!
All the best,
Best wishes,
Informal Or Formal?
The style depends on the person you are writing to.
If You Write To... | Style |
a friend | informal |
a classmate | informal or semi-formal |
a teacher | semi-formal |
a course organiser | formal or semi-formal |
a company or manager | formal |
For Max, the style should be informal, because he is your friend.
Useful Language For Informal Emails
Opening
Hi Max,
Great to hear from you!
Thanks for your email.
I’m really happy you’re coming to visit.
Making Suggestions
Why don’t we go...?
We could try...
How about going...?
I think you’d really enjoy...
I’d suggest visiting...
Giving Reasons
I’m sure you’d like it because...
The reason I’d recommend it is that...
It would be perfect for you because...
As you love sport, I think...
Recommending Places
There’s a great place near...
I know a small restaurant where...
The food is excellent and it isn’t too expensive.
It’s popular, so we should probably book a table.
Closing
Let me know what you think.
I can’t wait to see you.
Write back soon.
See you soon,
Best wishes,
Model Answer
Hi Max,
Great to hear from you! I’m really happy you’re coming to visit next month, and it would be brilliant to spend the day together.
As you enjoy sport, I think we should go to the new tennis club near the park. The courts are excellent, and we can rent rackets there, so you don’t need to bring anything with you. I’m sure you’d enjoy it because you told me you’ve been playing a lot recently.
After that, we could have lunch at Mario’s, a small restaurant in the town centre. It serves great pasta and pizza, and the prices are quite reasonable. It’s also only ten minutes from the tennis club by bus.
I can’t wait to see you. Let me know if this sounds good!
Best wishes,
David
Why Is This A Good Email?
This answer works well because it:
uses an informal style
answers all parts of the task
gives clear suggestions
explains why Max would enjoy the activity
recommends somewhere to eat
uses natural opening and closing phrases
stays within the word limit
Common Mistakes
Avoid these problems:
writing too formally to a friend
forgetting one of the task points
writing too little
using no paragraphs
giving suggestions without reasons
ending the email too suddenly
using memorised phrases that do not fit the situation
Practice 1 - Understand The Task
Read the exam task again and answer the questions.
Practice 2 - Useful Email Phrases
Match the phrases to their function.
Practice 3 - Plan Your Email
Use the task below.
Write your email to Anna.
In your email, you should:
suggest what kind of course she should choose
explain how she can practise outside lessons
give your opinion about online lessons
encourage her
Write 140-190 words.
Planning table:
Paragraph | Notes |
Paragraph 1: Opening | |
Paragraph 2: Course suggestion | |
Paragraph 3: Practice and online lessons | |
Paragraph 4: Encouragement and closing |
Practice 4 - Write Your Email
Now write your own email to Anna.
Remember:
write 140-190 words
use the correct style
answer all parts of the task
organise your email into clear paragraphs
use natural opening and closing phrases
check spelling and punctuation
Need Help Preparing For B2 First?
These free activities are a good start, but writing improves much faster when you get clear feedback and regular practice.
You can book a private lesson bundle with a mother tongue teacher to work on:
essays, reviews, reports, articles and emails
grammar and vocabulary accuracy
Cambridge B2 First exam technique
speaking practice and mock tests
personalised feedback on your writing
We are also developing a new B2 Writing Booster area with premium tutorials, downloadable resources and AI-powered writing feedback.
For now, you can choose a private lesson plan here:
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