Writing an E-mail about an Important Issue

When writing a formal letter or e-mail, what kind of words should the writer use to convey a formal tone? Check all that apply.

-confident -polite -serious -unemotional

What should the writer include in the second body paragraph of an e-mail that addresses a problem? Check all that apply.

-the importance of solving the problem -a clear solution to the problem

Read the sentence. You have to agree that paving over that muddy, gross area where we wait before school is a good idea. Which revision makes the tone of the sentence appropriate for a formal e-mail?

Please review our suggestion for paving over the muddy area where students wait before school.

Read the excerpt from a formal letter. The woods behind the high school have become littered with trash. The students at the school are partly responsible for the problem. We are often careless with our trash when we are in the schoolyard. Since we helped make the mess, we should organize a clean-up day. Which sentence from the paragraph best identifies the letter's purpose?

Since we helped make the mess, we should organize a clean-up day.

Read the paragraph from an e-mail. Students who visit the school library can't find the materials they need for reports or projects. There are also so few fiction books available that most students don't even consider visiting the library for their own reading pleasure. Which viewpoint would be the best addition to the paragraph?

The school library needs an update in order to be an effective resource for the students.

Read the first paragraph from a letter arguing for pothole repairs. It's that time of year again, known locally as "pothole season." Each winter, harsh weather, snow plows, and salt on the roads work together to create potholes. Now that the snow is melting, this year's potholes are being revealed. So far, the large pothole on Main Street has caused two flat tires and a big traffic snarl. And that's just one pothole among the many that riddle the downtown area. What should be added to this paragraph to make the writer's argument more effective?

the author's viewpoint

Which part of a formal e-mail is optional?

the contact information

Read the paragraph from a formal letter. Please drop students off no more than fifteen minutes prior to the start of the dance, which will last two hours. After the dance, the school will remain open for an additional thirty minutes, although we prefer that students do not linger until the last minute. If you would like to help with the dance, please contact the principal for volunteer opportunities. Who is most likely the intended audience of the letter?

the students' parents

Read the prompt for a formal e-mail. Write a letter to the school board in which you propose turning part of the schoolyard into a garden. What is the purpose of the e-mail?

to persuade the school board

In any kind of formal writing, the writer should be sure to use a formal ________ or attitude, toward the subject.

tone