Give Advice to a Friend A2 Writing Practice Tests

Exercises: 1 2 3 4 5

Exercise 1

Read the mixed-up words below. Arrange them in the correct order to form a proper English sentence giving advice to a friend.

Example: should / you / more / drink / water / every day
Answer: You should drink more water every day.

1. You are writing a short message to a friend who feels sad. Which sentence gives advice correctly?

You should to talk to someone you trust.

You should talk to someone you trust.

You should talking to someone you trust.

You should talked to someone you trust.

2. Your friend is very tired. Which sentence uses the correct connector to give a reason for your advice?

You should go to bed early so you are very tired.

You should go to bed early although you are very tired.

You should go to bed early because you are very tired.

You should go to bed early when you are very tired.

3. Which opening line is most appropriate for an informal message giving advice to a friend?

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to inform you of the following advice.

Hi Laura, I hope you're well! I heard you have a problem, so I want to help.

To Whom It May Concern, Please find below my advice for your situation.

Hello, This letter is to advise you on the matter you raised.

4. Which sentence has the CORRECT use of an apostrophe in a piece of advice to a friend?

You shouldnt worry so much about it.

You should'nt worry so much about it.

You shouldn't worry so much about it.

You should not' worry so much about it.

5. Your friend wants to feel healthier. Which sentence correctly uses 'going to' to give a suggestion?

I think you are go to feel better if you exercise.

I think you going to feel better if you exercise.

I think you are going to feel better if you exercise.

I think you will going to feel better if you exercise.

6. Which sentence is a correct compound sentence giving advice, with no comma splice?

You are stressed, you should take a break.

You are stressed so you should take a break.

You are stressed, so you should take a break.

You are stressed, and so should take a break.

7. Which sentence has CORRECT capitalisation in a message giving advice about learning English?

You should practise your english every day.

You should practise your English every day.

you should practise your English every day.

You Should Practise Your English Every Day.

8. Read this sentence from a message to a friend: 'Although you feel nervous, _____ go and talk to her.' Which word best completes it?

but

you should

because

9. Which sign-off is most suitable at the end of an informal message giving advice to a friend?

Yours faithfully, Tom

Yours sincerely, Tom

Best wishes, Tom

Respectfully yours, Tom

10. Which sentence correctly uses 'when' to give advice about what to do in a difficult situation?

When you feel angry, you should take a deep breath.

When you feel angry you should, take a deep breath.

When, you feel angry you should take a deep breath.

You should take a deep breath, when feel angry.

Exercises: 1 2 3 4 5

How to Give Advice to a Friend in English

Sometimes a friend has a problem and needs your help. One great way to help is to write them a short message or email with some advice. You might say what they should do, explain why it is a good idea, and show that you care about them.

In real life, we write this kind of message when a friend is stressed about work, has an argument with someone, feels unwell, or is not sure what to do. It is a very common and useful type of informal writing in English.

In this lesson, you will learn how to organise a short advice message clearly, use helpful linking words, and write in a warm, friendly tone.

Essential Writing Rules & Sentence Structure

1. Organise Your Message into Clear Paragraphs

A good advice message has three parts:

Paragraph 1: A friendly greeting and an opening line that shows you understand the problem.
Paragraph 2: Your advice — what your friend should do and why.
Paragraph 3: A warm closing line and a call to action (e.g. ask them to reply or offer more help).

2. Use Modal Verbs to Give Advice

At A2 level, use these simple modal verbs to make suggestions and give advice:

should / shouldn't — "You should talk to your teacher." / "You shouldn't worry so much."
could — "You could try going to bed earlier."
Why don't you...? — "Why don't you call him?"
I think you should... — "I think you should see a doctor."

3. Give Reasons for Your Advice

Always explain why you are giving the advice. Use because to give a reason and so to give a result.

"You should sleep more because you are very tired."
"You are very tired, so you should sleep more."

4. Comma Rule with Time Clauses

When you start a sentence with a time word like when, before, or after, use a comma after the first clause.

"When you feel stressed, , it helps to take a walk." ✅
"Before you decide, , talk to your parents." ✅

Useful Linking Words (Connectors)

Use these connectors to join your ideas clearly and naturally in your advice message.

Connector	Function / Use	Example Sentence
because	Gives a reason	You should rest because you are ill.
so	Gives a result	You are ill, so you should rest.
and	Adds information	You should eat well and sleep more.
but	Shows contrast	I know it is hard, but you should try.
when	Introduces a time situation	When you feel nervous, take a deep breath.
before	Shows what to do first	Before you decide, talk to your boss.
after	Shows what to do next	After you speak to him, you will feel better.
also	Adds another point	You should also drink lots of water.
although	Shows a simple contrast	Although it is difficult, you should be honest.

Model Writing Sample: Advice Email to a Friend

Read this realistic example of an advice email written at A2 level. Notice how it is organised and which language features are used.

— — —

Hi Mia,

[Opening — greeting and showing you understand the problem]
How are you? I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling stressed about your job interview. I think that is completely normal!

[Body — advice with reasons]
I think you should prepare some answers before the interview because it will help you feel more confident. You could also practise with a friend. When you feel nervous, take a few deep breaths. Although it is scary, you are going to do really well.

[Closing — encouragement and call to action]
Let me know how it goes! I'm here if you need anything.

Love,
Sophie

— — —

Word count: 82 words ✅

Annotated Breakdown

Greeting: "Hi Mia," — warm and informal.
Opening line: "I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling stressed..." — shows empathy immediately.
Advice with reason: "you should prepare... because it will help you feel more confident" — uses should + because.
Second piece of advice: "You could also practise with a friend." — uses could + also.
Time clause: "When you feel nervous, take a few deep breaths." — comma after the time clause. ✅
Concession: "Although it is scary, you are going to do really well." — uses although for contrast.
Closing: "Let me know how it goes!" — friendly call to action.
Sign-off: "Love, Sophie" — appropriate for a close friend.

Key Phrases & Sentence Starters

Greetings

Hi [Name],
Dear [Name],
Hello [Name],

Opening Lines & Showing Empathy

How are you? I hope you're feeling better.
I'm sorry to hear about your problem.
I heard that you are having a difficult time.
Don't worry — I have some ideas that might help!
I understand how you feel.

Giving Advice

I think you should ...
You shouldn't ...
You could try ...
Why don't you ...?
It might be a good idea to ...
The best thing to do is ...
Before you decide, you should ...
When you feel ..., try to ...

Giving Reasons for Your Advice

... because it will help you feel better.
... because it is important to ...
... so you will feel more confident.
... so it will be easier for you.

Encouraging Your Friend

I know it is hard, but you can do it!
Although it is difficult, I believe in you.
You are going to be fine!
Everything will be OK.

Ending Your Message & Sign-offs

Let me know if you need anything.
I hope this helps!
Write back soon and tell me how it went.
I'm always here if you want to talk.
Hope to hear from you soon!

Love, [Name]
Best wishes, [Name]
All the best, [Name]
See you soon, [Name]
Take care, [Name]

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Confusing 'because' and 'so'

❌ You are tired because you should sleep.
✅ You are tired, so you should sleep. — Use so for a result. Use because for a reason: "You should sleep because you are tired."

Mistake 2: Missing the comma after a time clause

❌ When you feel nervous take a deep breath.
✅ When you feel nervous, take a deep breath. — Always use a comma after a time clause that starts the sentence (when, before, after, although).

Mistake 3: Using 'should' incorrectly with another verb

❌ You should to talk to your teacher.
✅ You should talk to your teacher. — After should, always use the base form of the verb. Never use to after should.

Mistake 4: Run-on sentences without a connector

❌ You are stressed you should take a break you will feel better.
✅ You are stressed, so you should take a break. Then you will feel better. — Do not join too many ideas without a connector or a full stop. Break long ideas into shorter sentences.

Mistake 5: Missing the apostrophe in contractions

❌ I dont think you should worry. Its going to be fine.
✅ I don't think you should worry. It's going to be fine. — Use an apostrophe to show where letters are missing: don't = do not, it's = it is.

Writing Checklist & Practice Task

Writing Checklist

Before you finish your advice message, check these points carefully:

✅ Did you include a friendly greeting (e.g. Hi Sam,) and a warm sign-off (e.g. Love, Anna)?
✅ Did you start with an empathetic opening line that shows you understand the problem?
✅ Did you give at least two pieces of advice using should, could, or Why don't you...?
✅ Did you use because or so to explain your reasons?
✅ Did you use at least one linking word from the table (e.g. also, when, before, although)?
✅ Did you use a comma after any time clause that starts a sentence?
✅ Did you check your apostrophes in contractions (e.g. don't, I'm, it's)?
✅ Is your message between 60 and 90 words?
✅ Did you end with an encouraging line or a call to action?

Practice Task

Read the situation below and write your advice message.

Situation:
Your friend Marco sent you this message:

"Hi! I need your help. I have an important English exam next week and I'm very worried. I don't know how to prepare. What do you think I should do?"

Write a reply to Marco. In your message, you should:

Start with a friendly greeting and an empathetic opening line.
Give Marco two or three pieces of advice and explain why each one is a good idea.
Use at least three different linking words from the lesson (e.g. because, so, when, also, before).
End with an encouraging sentence and a friendly sign-off.
Write 60–90 words.

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

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