Students also learn a 7-minute writing strategy that breaks the task into simple time stages: understanding the purpose, drafting each move, checking bullet points, and polishing tone and accuracy. Three high-scoring sample emails demonstrate how to apply the structure effectively across different communicative goals.
By the end of the lesson, learners understand how to write concise, natural, and fully developed emails that meet TOEFL scoring standards — sounding like real, practical communication rather than memorized templates.
Lesson Introduction
Bolum 1
In this task, you will read a short situation and then write an email to someone. Every email has a communicative purpose — a real reason for writing.
Based on official TOEFL questions, there are seven types of email prompts you may encounter:
| Type | What You Do | Example Situation |
|---|---|---|
| Making an Inquiry or Request | Ask for information, help, or a meeting. | Asking a hotel about room availability for a group trip. |
| Providing Feedback with Suggestions | Share your experience and recommend improvements. | Telling a concert venue what you enjoyed and what could be better. |
| Organizing or Asking for Help | Coordinate plans and recruit people to assist. | Planning a company picnic and asking coworkers to volunteer. |
| Expressing Appreciation | Thank someone and discuss future plans. | Thanking a professor for judging a competition and planning improvements. |
| Giving Advice | A friend asks for your opinion and you respond thoughtfully. | Advising a friend on whether to adopt a pet. |
| Applying or Volunteering | Express interest in a role and present your qualifications. | Applying to volunteer at an animal shelter. |
| Responding to a Concern | Address someone's problem with empathy and alternatives. | A book club member says the novel is too difficult; you help them. |
The prompt will give you three bullet points that tell you what to include. You must address all three.
Length: about 100–130 words | Time: 7 minutes
The good news: the same writing structure works for all seven types. Let's learn it.
| Criterion | What It Means | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|---|
| Task Completion | Did you address all three bullet points with specific, relevant details? This is the most important criterion. If you skip a bullet point, your score drops significantly. | Describes the issue, explains the reaction, suggests the next step — all in one email. |
| Organization & Coherence | Does your email flow logically? Can the reader follow your ideas from beginning to end without getting confused? | Opening → main details → closing action. Ideas connect smoothly with transitions. |
| Language Use | Is your grammar accurate? Do you use varied vocabulary? Is the tone appropriate for the person you are writing to? | "Unfortunately," "I'd appreciate it if…," "To keep the session focused" — these show strong, natural English. |
Keep these three criteria in mind as you study the structure and examples in the next slides. Every scoring decision comes back to these areas.
Think of these three moves as the "skeleton" of your email. Once you learn them, you can apply them to any of the seven question types.
| Move | What You Do | Helpful Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| Move 1: Introduce the Context | Start with a greeting. Then briefly state why you are writing. This sets the scene for the reader and usually covers part of the first bullet point. | "Thanks for…," "I'm writing to…," "I wanted to let you know…," "I heard about… from…" |
| Move 2: Share Key Details | This is the main body of your email. Provide the facts, describe the situation, or explain your reaction. This is where you cover the first two bullet points fully with specific details. | "Unfortunately,…" "On top of that,…" "I particularly enjoyed…" "One issue I noticed was…" |
| Move 3: Propose Next Steps | End by suggesting a solution, making a request, or recommending what to do next. This covers the third bullet point. Close politely. | "Could you please…," "For future events,…" "I would suggest…," "Would it be possible to…" |
Why does this work? Because it mirrors how real emails are written: you explain why you're writing, give the important details, and then tell the reader what you need. ETS rewards responses that follow this natural, logical flow.
| Time | Step | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:40 | Read & Identify the Purpose | Read the scenario and bullet points. Which of the seven types is this? Who are you writing to — and how formal should you be? |
| 0:40–4:30 | Write Using the 3 Moves | Write your greeting and Move 1 (context). Then write Move 2 (details for bullet points 1 and 2). Then write Move 3 (next steps for bullet point 3). Add a closing phrase. |
| 4:30–6:30 | Check Your Bullet Points | Go back and compare your email to the three bullet points. Did you cover each one with specific details, not just vague statements? Add details where needed. |
| 6:30–7:00 | Polish Language & Tone | Fix any grammar or spelling mistakes. Add a transition word if two sentences feel disconnected. Make sure your opening and closing match the tone (formal, semi-formal, or friendly). |
Tip: Don't spend too long on the first sentence. Many students waste time trying to write the perfect opening. Just get your ideas down, then improve them during the polishing step.
You are a member of your university's hiking club and have volunteered to arrange hotel accommodations for the club's upcoming trip to Green Mountain. There are fifteen to twenty people in your group, and you will need to check out at 4 a.m. to start hiking. Another member has recommended Green Mountain Inn, where he has stayed before.
Write an email to Lisa Ngo, manager at Green Mountain Inn. In your email, do the following:
- Explain how you heard about the inn.
- Describe your schedule and needs.
- Ask for availability and room rates.
Dear Ms. Ngo,
I am writing on behalf of my university's hiking club. A fellow member who stayed at your inn recently recommended it for our upcoming trip to Green Mountain. Our group of fifteen to twenty people will need rooms for one night, with an early checkout at 4:00 a.m. since we plan to begin our hike at dawn. Because of our early departure, it would be very helpful if a light breakfast or packed meals could be arranged the evening before. Could you please let me know whether you have availability for a group of our size and what the room rates would be? We would also appreciate any information about group discounts. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
- Move 1 (Context): "I am writing on behalf of my university's hiking club. A fellow member… recommended it…" — explains the purpose and how they heard about the inn (bullet point 1).
- Move 2 (Details): "Our group of fifteen to twenty people… early checkout at 4:00 a.m.… a light breakfast or packed meals…" — describes the schedule and specific needs (bullet point 2).
- Move 3 (Next Steps): "Could you please let me know whether you have availability… room rates… group discounts" — asks for the information needed (bullet point 3).
- Task Completion: all three bullet points are fully addressed with specific details.
- Organization: smooth flow from introduction → needs → polite request.
- Language: formal and appropriate for a business inquiry — "on behalf of," "it would be very helpful," "we would also appreciate."
- Tone: professional and courteous throughout.
You recently attended a music concert at a local venue and had a great time, but you noticed some issues with the sound quality and seating arrangements. You want to provide feedback to the venue manager to help improve future events.
Write an email to the venue manager, Ms. Taylor. In your email, do the following:
- Describe what you enjoyed about the concert.
- Explain the issues you noticed with the sound quality and seating arrangements.
- Suggest possible improvements for future events.
Dear Ms. Taylor,
I recently attended the jazz concert at your venue and truly enjoyed the performance — the musicians were talented, and the atmosphere was lively and welcoming. However, I noticed a couple of issues that affected the overall experience. The sound quality in the back rows was uneven, with the bass overpowering the vocals at times, making it difficult to hear the singer clearly. Additionally, the seating was quite cramped, and several audience members had limited views due to the row layout. For future events, I would suggest adjusting the speaker placement to ensure more balanced sound throughout the venue, and perhaps spacing the rows slightly further apart. These small changes would make an already enjoyable experience even better.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
- Move 1 (Context): "I recently attended the jazz concert… truly enjoyed the performance…" — establishes why they are writing and what they enjoyed (bullet point 1).
- Move 2 (Details): "The sound quality in the back rows was uneven… the seating was quite cramped…" — describes specific issues with details (bullet point 2).
- Move 3 (Next Steps): "I would suggest adjusting the speaker placement… spacing the rows…" — offers practical improvement suggestions (bullet point 3).
- Task Completion: praises the event, explains the problems with specific detail, and offers concrete solutions.
- Organization: positive → negative → constructive suggestion. A natural and diplomatic flow.
- Language: varied and precise — "overpowering the vocals," "limited views," "balanced sound."
- Cohesion: smooth transitions — "However," "Additionally," "For future events."
You are the president of your university's book club. The club has decided to read a classic novel for the next meeting. One member, Maria, emailed you to ask if the club can read another book instead. She wrote that she finds the novel too difficult for her to read.
Write an email to Maria. In your email, do the following:
- Acknowledge her concerns.
- Explain why you cannot switch to another book.
- Suggest some online resources that may help her with the novel.
Hi Maria,
Thank you for reaching out — I completely understand that the novel can feel challenging, especially with its older writing style. Unfortunately, the club already voted on this book two weeks ago, and several members have started reading it, so switching to another title at this point would not be fair to them. However, I don't want you to feel left behind. SparkNotes and CliffsNotes both offer chapter summaries and character guides that make the story much easier to follow. You could also try the audiobook version on Librivox, which is free — hearing the text read aloud often makes it clearer. I hope these resources help, and I am really looking forward to hearing your thoughts at the next meeting!
Best,
[Your Name]
- Move 1 (Context): "Thank you for reaching out — I completely understand that the novel can feel challenging…" — acknowledges the concern with empathy (bullet point 1).
- Move 2 (Details): "the club already voted… several members have started reading it… would not be fair…" — explains clearly why the book cannot be changed (bullet point 2).
- Move 3 (Next Steps): "SparkNotes and CliffsNotes… audiobook version on Librivox…" — suggests specific, helpful resources (bullet point 3).
- Task Completion: shows empathy, gives a clear reason for declining, and offers multiple specific resources.
- Organization: understanding → explanation → helpful alternatives. Diplomatic and supportive.
- Language: warm and natural — "I don't want you to feel left behind," "hearing the text read aloud often makes it clearer."
- Tone: friendly and encouraging — perfect for a fellow student.
This template follows the 3-move structure. Replace the bracketed sections with your own content based on the prompt.
[Greeting],
Move 1 — Context: [State the reason you are writing. Connect it to the situation in the prompt. This often covers the first bullet point.]
Move 2 — Details: [Provide specific facts, descriptions, or reactions. Cover the first and second bullet points fully. Use transitions like "Unfortunately," "On top of that," or "In addition" to connect your ideas.]
Move 3 — Next Steps: [Suggest a solution, make a request, or recommend what to do next. This covers the third bullet point. End politely.]
[Closing phrase],
[Your Name]
Adapting the tone:
- Writing to someone you don't know (hotel manager, venue manager)? Use "Dear [Title/Name]," and "Best regards,"
- Writing to a professor? Use "Dear Professor [Name]," or "Dear Dr. [Name]," and "Thank you," or "Sincerely,"
- Writing to classmates or coworkers? Use "Hi everyone," or "Hi [Name]," and "Best," or "Thanks,"
Important: Do not memorize this template word for word. Practice using it with different prompts so that your response sounds natural and fits each specific situation.
| ✓ | Check | Ask Yourself |
|---|---|---|
| □ | All bullet points covered | Did I address each of the three bullet points with specific details, not just vague statements? |
| □ | Clear purpose | Would the reader immediately understand why I am writing and what I need? |
| □ | Logical flow | Does my email follow a natural order: context → details → next steps? |
| □ | Smooth transitions | Did I use linking words ("Unfortunately," "Additionally," "For future events") to connect my ideas? |
| □ | Appropriate tone | Does my greeting and closing match the relationship? (formal for strangers, friendly for classmates) |
| □ | Grammar & spelling | Did I check for verb tense errors, subject-verb agreement, and spelling mistakes? |
| □ | Word count | Is my email around 100–130 words? Not too short, not unnecessarily long? |
The big picture: ETS is testing whether you can communicate clearly and effectively for a real purpose. A strong response sounds like a real message someone would send to get something done.
Your action plan:
- Identify the purpose — Which of the seven types is it? Are you making a request, giving feedback, offering advice, applying, organizing, expressing thanks, or responding to a concern?
- Use the 3-move structure — Context → Details → Next Steps. This covers all three bullet points and creates a natural flow. It works for all seven question types.
- Match your tone to the recipient — "Dear Ms. Ngo," for a hotel manager; "Hi Maria," for a classmate.
- Be specific — Don't write "there was a problem." Write "the page became unresponsive and I did not receive any confirmation."
- Follow the 7-minute strategy — Read (40s) → Write (4 min) → Check bullet points (2 min) → Polish (30s).
Practice with different question types until the 3-move structure feels automatic. The more you practice, the faster and more confidently you will write on test day.
You've completed the lesson: Write an Email - How to get a High Score
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