Here's some of my IGCSE students' work on informal emails.
The IGCSE Task:
You've recently moved to a big city in a foreign country. Write an email to a friend telling him / her about some of the problems you've been facing. Write between 150 - 200 words.
Dear Maria,
I've recently moved to a new city and I have a lot to tell you. I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time but I've been really busy trying to get used to the city. I'm sure you can't wait to hear about my life in the city, so here goes!
Firstly, all the buildings here are very tall and the sun is almost hidden and ... you know how much I love sunshine! Secondly, at night, the city gets very noisy and it's hard for me to sleep but I guess I'll get used to it.
Everyone here is very distant and that's not easy to make new friends. Most kids at my new school don't like the fact that I come from a rural area. They're a bit posh! Last but not least, distances here are very long and I sometimes feel I'll get lost. Despite all the difficulties I'm now facing, there are lots of interesting things to do here.
That's all for now. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon. Hope all's well with you and yours.
Lots of love,
E
(184 words)
Hi John,
How are you? I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time, but I've been really busy lately. I've just moved to Miami, Florida, USA. This change of lifestyle is...huge! Last time we talked, you asked me to tell you about my new life in Miami, so here goes!
Well, I've got to say that Miami's wonderful! And it's huge! Now I go to East Miami High School which is really cool! I don't know anyone there and, at the moment, I'm alone at breaks, but I don't worry too much about it! I'm sure I'll make new friends soon.
Anyway, there have been lots of problems. My mum still doesn't know in which building her new job is. It's hilarious, isn't it? My new neighbours aren't very friendly or helpful and then , the people here have a funny accent!
What's up with you? Write soon and tell me everything! I miss you and the rest of the boys of our gang.
Write back soon!
Yours,
Y
(167 words)
Dear Emily,
I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time, but I've been really busy since I moved to a foreign country. As you can see, Emily, I recently moved to New York City because my mother was offered a better job there.
It's been a big sacrifice for all of us since we left our small town, Larnaca. It's hard to survive here in New York cause everything is different and new to me. There's too much noise and pollution. The school is huge! What's more, the people aren't very friendly and I don't have a lot of friends to hang out with. I hope things will look up soon.
I really miss the good old times when I used to go out in Larnaca and relax with my friends. I miss you too!!! Things are sort of tough here but I think I'll survive.
That's all for now. Please write back soon. Take care!
Love,
A
(156 words)
Dear Peter,
Thank you for your letter. I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time but I've been really busy with moving to the city. You asked me to tell you all about my news, so here goes.
You see, Peter, I've got a few problems here. Maybe , the worst is that I have difficulty fitting in with my peers. and since I don't know anyone here, things are looking even worse! The other major problem is that there's no natural scenery. It's more like urban blight! I miss the clean air of the country, the calming sound of the sea, and the night sky full of stars! Instead, I have to put up with an unhealthy environment and annoying traffic jams!
I'm open to suggestions. What should I do? Try to adapt to a new lifestyle or ask my parents to return to Cyprus? Can't wait to hear from you.
(152 words)
Love,
A
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