★ Learn American English Easy

Your First Email: Greeting, Message, Closing

A1 · Writing Lab · about 25 minutes

Learn→See an Example→Analyze→Practice→Write→Check→Improve→Rewrite
🎯 Objective. Write a complete short email with the three parts every email needs: a greeting, a short message, and a closing with your name.

1 · Learn

Every email, long or short, has the same skeleton: Greeting → Message → Closing. “Hi Sarah,” opens it. Two to four sentences carry your news or request. “Best,” or “Thanks,” plus your name closes it.

Write the subject line too — it tells the reader what the email is about before they open it: “Homework question”, “Party on Saturday”, “Thank you”. An email with no subject looks unfinished.

2 · See an Example

A Short, Complete Email

Subject: Thank you for dinner

Hi Sophia,

Thank you for dinner on Friday. The food was delicious, and your family is very kind. I had a great time.

Let’s meet again soon. Maybe coffee next week?

Best,

Emma

3 · Analyze the Example

Useful Vocabulary

subject line — the title of an email that shows its topic

Write a clear subject line.

greeting — the first line of a message: Hi, Dear, Hello

Start with a friendly greeting.

closing — the last words before your name: Best, Thanks

“Best,” is a friendly closing.

delicious — tasting very good

The dinner was delicious.

soon — in a short time from now

See you soon.

Useful Expressions

Common Mistakes

✗ Hi Sophia. Thank you for dinner.

✓ Hi Sophia, Thank you for dinner.

A greeting takes a comma, and the message starts on a new line.

✗ Dear teacher Johnson,

✓ Dear Mr. Johnson,

Use Dear + Mr./Ms. + last name for teachers and formal emails.

✗ (no subject) — an email that starts with “Hi,…” only

✓ Subject: Homework question

Every email needs a subject line that names the topic.

4 · Guided Practice

  1. Write a subject line for an email that thanks your teacher for a book.

    See a model answer

    Subject: Thank you for the book

  2. Fix the greeting and closing: “hi mr. parkersee you emma”

    See a model answer

    Hi Mr. Parker, … See you soon, Emma

  3. Write one thank-you sentence for a birthday gift.

    See a model answer

    Example: Thank you for the birthday gift. I love it!

5 · Write — Your Task

✍️ Write a short email to a friend: thank them for something (a dinner, a gift, help with English), add one detail you liked, and suggest meeting soon.

Goal: Subject + greeting + 3–4 sentences + closing · Length: 40–60 words

  • Do not forget the subject line.
  • Greeting: “Hi + first name,” for a friend.
  • Close with “Best,” or “Thanks,” and your name on its own line.
✍️ Writing Studio0 words
Sentences: 0Tap an expression to insert it:
Subject: …Hi … , / Dear Mr. … ,Thank you for …Let’s … soon.Best, / Thanks,

6 · Check — Self-Check

Work through your checklist honestly, then run the Self-Check. It counts words and sentences and spots mechanical points — it does not grade your English. You are the editor.

Read a model answer for the task

Subject: Thank you for the cake

Hi Lily,

Thank you for the birthday cake. It was beautiful and delicious. My family loved it too.

Let’s have coffee at my house next week. Saturday or Sunday?

Thanks,

Julia

7 · Improve & Rewrite

Weak version — rewrite it in your notebook first, then compare:

hi jack thanks for the game it was fun bye tom (no subject)

See an improved version

Subject: Thank you for the game
Hi Jack,
Thank you for the game. It was fun, and your team played very well.
Best,
Tom

Quick Quiz

Keep going

📘 Grammar deep-dive: Punctuation Masterclass for Sentences🌱 Vocabulary Builder: the A1 School Places set🎓 TOEFL Writing: the exam version of this skill

← Previous lesson · A1 — all lessons · Next: Notes and Lists: Writing to Remember →

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