Skills in action Letters and e-mails

1 Letters and e-mails

Look at the two texts. You can see which is an e-mail and which is a letter. Read the skills boxes and explain the difference to your partner.

Hi, Josh! I just wanted to tell you about yesterday - I had the most embarrassing moment in my life! I was in the Blue Parrot Deli with Susi. Mel came in but I didn't see her. She sat behind our table. I told Susi how great she looked and asked her if she wanted to go to the movies with me. She was surprised. "What about Mel?" she asked. And I said, "Oh, that's over." Suddenly Mel was there at our table. She threw her milkshake all over my new T-shirt and walked out. What do I do now?

I know you are older and wiser* 1 than me. Bye, Todd □

2394 East Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90126 June 14

Dear Todd, Thank you for your e-mail. I can understand why you are worried and I’ll try to help. I know that I am your older brother but I am not always wiser. I met a girl last week at the station. Our train was late so we started talking. It was so interesting that we missed the next two trains and I arrived home at midnight. I sent my girlfriend, Tania, a text message to say that I couldn’t get home earlier because there were no trains. I didn’t say a word about the other girl. The problem was that Tania was on the first train. She was surprised when I didn’t get on. And she was really angry about the fact that I lied to her. Maybe you and I need to be more careful or more honest! If you really like Mel, then you shouldn’t do anything to hurt her. I hope this helps. Write and let me know what happens. Best wishes2, Josh

B Q O n i S B 0 Q D n o n

Planning a letter 1. Write your address and postal code. 2 Write the date. 3. Then comes Dear + name. 4. After coma you begin a new line with a capital letter. 5. Give a reason why you write. 6. Start every new idea with a new paragraph. 7. Finish your letter with closing remarks. 8. Then write your name. Planning e-mail 1. Hi or hello and a first name 2 T h e first word is capitalized. 3. Name one reason why you write. 4. Closing remarks. 5. Your name.

‘wise |waiz], 2best wishes (best ‘wijiz]

£ & 2 Most e m b a rrassin g m om ents a) Read one o f the two e-mails which kids sent to a youth magazine in California.

Your partner reads the other one. b) Tell your partner about the embarrassing mom ent What happened?

Use the pictures to help you.

embarrassing moments!

I was on my bike, on the way home from school. I wanted to be a pop star and I started to sing my favorite song - it was really loud. I imagined that the bell on my bike was a microphone. I threw back my head and closed my eyes - suddenly the bike hit a car. It was outside the house of a boy in my class. I didn't hurt myself. But I looked up. He was there at the door with another boy from my class. I felt like a real idiot. Emma, LA ( RED GRADE » » » ) Q Near the end of the homecoming dance I went to the bathroom. When I got back, everyone had a partner for a slow dance. There was only one person who was alone. It was our new sports teacher. She asked me to dance and I couldn't say 'no'! Just imagine! I was only five feet two and she was over 6 feet tall. My friends all started to laugh and I couldn't dance because I was so embarrassed1.

José, San Diego

( RED GRADE # # )

S Letters to a m agazine a) Think about an embarrassing moment which you or a friend had.

Write three or four sentences about it

Use the skills box to help you.

WR I T I N G B O D O 0 B

1. Where did it happen? 2 Who was there? 3. Who said what? 4. What happened?

b) Write a letter or e-mail to a magazine. Tell them about the embarrassing moment

Use the skills boxes on the opposite page to help you. Have you forgotten anything?

‘embarrassed [inibaerast]