1 SPEAKING In pairs, discuss the question.
What type of messages do you usually read or write?
Use the prompts below to help you.
computer chat email letter social media message (post-it) note text message
I don’t often write emails or letters, but I write text messages and social media messages to my friends and family.
Answers Students’ own answers
2 Read messages 1 and 2. Who are they to and from? What are the messages about? Are they formal or informal?
1 William,
Going to be late tonight – going to parents’ evening. Dinner in oven just need to heat it up for ten minutes.
Don’t forget homework.
See you later,
Mum
2 Muna,
Really sorry. We're in the car, but going to be late – heavy traffic. We'll be at your house by 7.30.
Please tell your mum.
Thanks!
Reem
Answers Message 1: from mother to son, instructions for the evening, informal Message 2: from friend to friend, plans for the evening, informal
3 Read messages 1 and 2 again and choose the correct answers a–c. Message 1:
a The woman is going to meet her son at the parents’ evening.
b The woman can’t go to the parents’ evening because she is working late.
c The woman is going to be late home because she is going to the parents’ evening.
Message2:
a Reem isn’t going to get to Muna's house on time.
b Reem and Muna are meeting at Reem's house.
c Reem is going to tell her mum.
Answers Message 1: c Message 2: a
4 Compare the message below and message 1 in Exercise 2. Which kinds of words are missing in the message in Exercise 2? Study the Writing box and check your answers.
William, I'm going to be late home tonight because I'm going to the parents' evening. There's some dinner in the oven – you just need to heat it up for ten minutes. Don't forget homework. See you later, Mum
WRITING | A short message In an informal message, you can leave some words out: the verb to be: am, is, are determiners: some subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they there is/there are articles: the, a, an conjunctions: because, ... prepositions: for, in, on, at, ...
Answers the verb to be, determiners, subject pronouns, articles, conjunctions, prepositions - see Writing box.
5 Read the message and remove some words to make it shorter.
Hi Mum, Thanks a lot for dinner. I loved your lasagne! I'm sorry that I'm not home. I'm at Tyler's. We've got some History homework to do. Dad is picking me up at 10 o'clock. Love, William
Suggested answer Mum, Thanks for dinner. Loved your lasagne! Sorry I’m not home. At Tyler’s, got History homework to do. Dad picking me up 10 o’clock. Love, William
6 SPEAKING In pairs, take turns to role play this situation: phone your friend and arrange to go shopping together on Saturday afternoon. Agree a time and a place to meet.
Answers Students’ own answers
7 WRITING TASK After your phone call, you remember you agreed to help your mum/dad on Saturday afternoon. Write a message to your friend. Then shorten your message – leave out all the words that you can. In your message:
• apologise for a change in your plans.
• explain the reason for the change.
• suggest a new plan.
Answers Students’ own answers
