How to Write an Email in IGCSE ESL

By Jevin Chew · Updated 30 August 2026 · ~10 min read

In the Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) writing paper, Exercise 5 is a compulsory informal email. You write to a friend or relative and must cover three bullet points given in the question. Marks are awarded for Content (relevance and development) and Language (range, accuracy and organisation).

Most candidates only practise happy or exciting scenarios. Examiners also set questions about frustrating or difficult situations. Preparing templates for both types, and knowing how to expand each bullet point, is the fastest way to raise your score.

Exam Structure Overview

The writing component contains two tasks:

• Exercise 5 – Informal Email (compulsory): write to a friend or relative.
• Exercise 6 – Extended Writing: article, report, review or essay.

This guide focuses only on Exercise 5.

Deep Dive: How to Target Every Scoring Criterion (Mark Scheme)

To secure a Band 1 / Grade A score, you need to understand precisely what examiners evaluate under the Content and Language criteria and how to optimize your response for each.

1. Content (Relevance & Development)

Examiners grade Content based on how thoroughly you fulfill all three prompt bullet points while maintaining an appropriate, engaging informal tone.

• Rule of Three Details: Never answer a bullet point with a single line. For every bullet point, supply at least three concrete details (e.g., *where*, *why*, *how you felt*, *what happened next*).
• Natural Scenario Integration: Make your reasons sound realistic rather than forced. For instance, explain *why* you joined an activity (e.g., *"to gain theoretical knowledge and sharpen my competitive edge"*).

2. Language (Advanced Vocabulary & Expressions)

To impress the examiner and push your language mark into the highest band, swap repetitive everyday words with precise, high-level vocabulary:

3. Sentence Structure & Complex Grammar (Inversion & Variety)

Examiners award top marks to candidates who demonstrate control over a variety of sentence structures. Incorporating grammatical inversion is one of the most effective ways to show advanced language mastery:

• Negative Inversion (Not only... but also):
  Basic: "We studied hard and we also got help from our teacher."
  Advanced (Inverted): "Not only did we hit the books as much as we could, but we were also lucky to get help from our teacher."
• Hardly / Barely Inversion:
  Advanced: "Hardly had we stepped into the hall when the quiz started."
• Conditional Inversion:
  Advanced: "Had I known it would be this fun, I would have invited you earlier!"
• Participle Clauses:
  Advanced: "Having prepared extensively for weeks, we felt confident heading into the competition."

Recommended Structure

Expand each of the three bullet points into its own paragraph. For every bullet, aim to include at least three concrete details (who, what, where, when, why, how you felt, what happened next).

Example expansion – bullet “Describe the event you joined”:

“To select skilled players, the Badminton Association of Malaysia organises an annual national selection competition involving 68 participants from 13 states. This year the competition was held at National Stadium Bukit Jalil on 25 May.”

Adding specific numbers, locations and purposes makes it easy to reach the required length even if your vocabulary is limited.

Template 1 – Sharing Exciting News

Use this when the question asks you to describe a happy, successful or surprising experience.

Template 2 – Sharing Difficult or Bad News

Examiners sometimes set questions about problems, disappointments or stressful situations. The tone should still be friendly and natural, but more measured.

Model Answer Example

Here is two complete sample emails that follow the recommended structure and informal tone. Study how each paragraph develops a clear idea while staying natural and friendly.

Notice the clear opening, three developed body paragraphs, a concrete invitation, and a short friendly closing. This is the pattern examiners reward.

How to Use AI for Essay Marking (Self-Study Guide)

Not everyone has access to a 1-on-1 English teacher for daily essay feedback, but you can leverage AI (like ChatGPT or Claude) as your personal IGCSE examiner. By using a specialized prompt, AI can mark your informal email against official Cambridge criteria, point out repetitive vocabulary, and highlight missing sentence structures.

Copy and paste the prompt below into any AI model, followed by your written email draft:

Common Traps to Avoid

• Tense errors: Many questions describe a past event. Check whether each sentence needs past, present or future tense.
• Ignoring a bullet: Every bullet must be clearly addressed. Missing one costs Content marks.
• Too formal: “I am writing to inform you…” sounds like a business letter and lowers the Language score.
• Under-developed points: One short sentence per bullet is not enough. Expand with details, feelings and consequences.
• Forgetting the social opening and closing: Jumping straight into the topic or ending abruptly makes the email feel unnatural.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• Friendly greeting and short personal opening
• All three bullet points covered, each in its own paragraph
• At least three concrete details per bullet
• Correct tenses throughout
• Informal language and contractions
• Clear invitation or request for a reply
• Natural sign-off with your name

Frequently Asked Questions