Chapter 7: Interpersonal Writing: The Email Reply

Exam Section II, Task 1

  • The email reply involves reading, comprehending and writing
  • It takes 15 minutes
  • Doing this in time will require training
  • In conclusion- the email reply requires you to read and comprehend a simulated email, and then write a response—all within a 15-minute time limit.

Strategies and Tips

  • Show What You Know- if you have a good vocab, show it off, if you can construct complex sentences, do that.
  • Quality Over Quantity- don’t make the reply too long
  • Use a Formal Business-Style Tone:
    • Use formal salutations and closings;
    • closings
Les lettres personnellesPersonal letters
^^Je vous envoie mes amicales pensées^^Works like "Best wishes" but literally means "sending my friendly thoughts to you'
^^Recevez, je vous prie, mes meilleures amitiés.^^Yours sincerely
^^Je vous adresse mon très amical souvenir^^Kindest regards
^^Cordialement (à vous)^^Cordially (yours)
^^Votre ami dévoué(e)^^Your devoted friend
^^Chaleureusement^^With warm regards; Warmly
^^Bien amicalement^^Sincerely
^^Amitiés^^Best wishes
^^Bien à vous, Bien à toi^^Best wishes
^^A bientôt!^^See you soon!
^^Affectueusement^^Fondly
^^Affectueuses pensées^^With fond thoughts

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Les lettres formellesFormal letters
^^Meilleures salutations^^Best regards
^^Salutations distinguées^^Sincerely
^^Je vous prie d'agréer, 'expression de mes sentiments distingués.^^Please accept, , the expression of my highest consideration.
^^Je vous prie d'agréer, 'expression de mes meilleures salutations.^^Please accept, , the expression of my best regards.

[[Reminder*- Take note of proper spacing when writing punctuations in French. When writing a sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point, there should be a space before and after it. For example: Bonjour ! Ça va ?*[[

  • ^^Detect the Questions That You’ll Need to Answer^^- the email you get will contain questions you need to respond to (maybe questions will be indirect and the request for information will not be followed by a question mark)
  • ^^Ask Questions Back to the Sender^^- What questions would follow naturally and pertain directly to the information you’ve been given in the email? You can ask for more information, for specifics, for clarification, etc.
  • Read through the checklist on page 208 in the textbook and memorise it

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