Write a Simple Email A1 Writing Practice Tests Rules & Examples

How to Write a Simple Email in English

An email is a message you send to someone using a computer, tablet, or phone. We write emails to friends, family, and teachers every day. For example, you might write an email to say hello to a friend, to ask a question, or to share some news. In this lesson, you will learn how to write a short, simple email in English.

Essential Writing Rules & Sentence Structure

1. Word Order: Subject + Verb + Object

Every English sentence needs a subject (who?) and a verb (what action?). Keep your sentences short and clear.

• Subject + Verb: I live. She works. We eat.
• Subject + Verb + Object: I like football. She has a cat. We eat pizza.
• Subject + Verb + Place/Time: I live in London. She works on Monday.

2. Capitalization Rules

Always use a capital letter for:

• The first word of every sentence. (My name is Sara.)
• The word I. (I am happy.)
• Names of people and places. (Tom, Paris, Brazil)
• Days of the week. (Monday, Friday, Sunday)
• Months of the year. (January, March, October)

3. Basic Punctuation

• Use a full stop (.) at the end of every sentence. (I am fine.)
• Use a question mark (?) at the end of a question. (How are you?)
• Use a comma (,) to separate items in a list. (I like tea, coffee, and juice.)
• Use a comma (,) after the greeting in an email. (Dear Tom,)

Useful Linking Words (Connectors)

Linking words connect two ideas in one sentence. They make your writing easier to read. At A1 level, use these four connectors:

Model Writing Sample: A Simple Email to a Friend

Read this model email carefully. Look at the different parts of the email.

Subject: Hello from London!

——————————————————

Dear Anna,

Hello! How are you? I am fine.

My name is Sam and I live in London. London is a big city. I like it because it is very exciting. I have a small flat near the park.

I work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Friday, I play football with my friends. It is very fun but it is also very tiring!

Please write to me soon. I want to know about your life.

Best wishes,
Sam

——————————————————

Email Breakdown

Key Phrases & Sentence Starters

Greetings (How to Start Your Email)

• Dear [name],
• Hello [name],
• Hi [name],

Opening Sentences

• How are you?
• I am fine, thank you.
• I hope you are well.
• Thank you for your email.

Sharing Information (Main Body)

• My name is ...
• I live in ...
• I am from ...
• I work / study at ...
• I like ... because ...
• I have a ...
• On [day], I ...
• In my free time, I like to ...
• My favourite [food / colour / sport] is ...

Closing Sentences (How to Finish the Main Body)

• Please write to me soon.
• I want to know about you.
• Write back soon!
• I hope to hear from you.

Sign-offs (How to End Your Email)

• Best wishes, [your name]
• Bye for now, [your name]
• Take care, [your name]
• Love, [your name] (for close friends and family)

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Forgetting Capital Letters

❌ dear tom, my name is sara. i live in paris.
✅ Dear Tom, My name is Sara. I live in Paris. — Always use a capital letter for names, the word I, and the first word of every sentence.

Mistake 2: Forgetting the Full Stop

❌ I am happy I like my job I start work on Monday
✅ I am happy. I like my job. I start work on Monday. — Every sentence must end with a full stop.

Mistake 3: Wrong Word Order

❌ Like I football very much.
✅ I like football very much. — Remember: Subject + Verb + Object. The subject (I) comes first.

Mistake 4: No Comma After the Greeting

❌ Dear Maria
✅ Dear Maria, — Always put a comma after the name in your greeting.

Mistake 5: Using a Capital Letter for Days Incorrectly

❌ I work on monday and tuesday.
✅ I work on Monday and Tuesday. — Days of the week always start with a capital letter in English.

Mistake 6: Missing the Subject in a Sentence

❌ Am very tired today.
✅ I am very tired today. — Every English sentence needs a subject. Do not forget I.

Mistake 7: Using and When You Need but

❌ I like swimming and I don't like running.
✅ I like swimming but I don't like running. — Use but to show a contrast or a difference between two ideas.

Writing Checklist & Practice Task

Writing Checklist

Before you finish your email, check these things:

• ✅ Did I write a subject line for my email?
• ✅ Did I use Dear / Hello / Hi + the person's name as a greeting?
• ✅ Did I put a comma after the greeting? (Dear Tom,)
• ✅ Did I use a capital letter at the start of every sentence?
• ✅ Did I use a capital letter for all names, days, and months?
• ✅ Did I use the word I with a capital letter every time?
• ✅ Did I use a full stop at the end of every sentence?
• ✅ Did I use a question mark at the end of every question?
• ✅ Did I use linking words like and, but, because, or so?
• ✅ Did I use a closing sentence? (Please write to me soon.)
• ✅ Did I use a sign-off? (Best wishes, [my name])

Your Practice Task

Write a short email to a new English friend called Chris. Use the model email and the key phrases in this lesson to help you. Your email should include:

• A subject line for your email
• A greeting (Dear Chris,)
• An opening sentence (say hello and ask how Chris is)
• Your name, where you live, and where you are from
• One thing you like and one thing you don't like — use but
• What you do in your free time
• A closing sentence (ask Chris to write back)
• A sign-off (Best wishes, [your name])

Try to write 6–10 sentences. Use short, clear sentences. Check your capital letters, full stops, and connectors before you finish.

Now test your writing mechanics and sentence skills in the exercises below.