Write an Email Task Pack

About the task

Write an Email is the second task in the TOEFL Writing section (format effective January 21, 2026). You read a short situation with three required points and write an email in about 7 minutes. ETS publishes no required word count for this task — the prompt tells you to write as much as you can in the time. Writing30 practice uses an optional 80-120 word target because that length comfortably covers three points with time left to check your work; treat it as pacing guidance, not a test rule. The task is scored on a 0-5 rubric: content (all three points covered), organization, language use, and format and tone (greeting, closing, and register that match the recipient).

How to use this pack:

• Set a 7-minute timer per scenario. Count your words afterward.
• Cover every required point in at least one full sentence.
• Match the register column — the same request reads differently to a professor and a friend.
• Score yourself with the checklist at the end, one dimension at a time.

The structure that fits a short email

1. Greeting — "Dear Professor Lee," / "Hi Sam,"
2. Purpose sentence — why you are writing, in one line.
3. One sentence (or two) per required point — in the order given.
4. Closing line — thanks or a clear next step.
5. Sign-off — "Best regards," / "Thanks!" + name.

Tone guide

Avoid mixing registers: "Hey Professor" and "Dear Sam, I am writing to inquire..." both cost Format & Tone points.

The 10 scenarios

1. To: Your professor · Register: Formal
   Situation: A family commitment means you cannot submit Friday’s essay on time.

   In your email:

   • Explain why you need more time (briefly, without oversharing)
   • Propose a specific new deadline
   • Ask whether the extension affects grading

2. To: A volunteer coordinator · Register: Semi-formal
   Situation: You signed up for a weekend beach cleanup but your work shift changed.

   In your email:

   • Explain the schedule conflict
   • Offer to help with a different date or task
   • Ask how to update your registration

3. To: Your landlord · Register: Formal
   Situation: The heater in your apartment has stopped working during a cold week.

   In your email:

   • Describe the problem and when it started
   • Request a repair visit and suggest times you are home
   • Ask what to do if it worsens before the visit

4. To: The university housing office · Register: Formal
   Situation: You want to move to a quieter dormitory next semester.

   In your email:

   • State your current room and the issue
   • Ask about the transfer process and deadlines
   • Ask whether a quiet-floor option exists

5. To: Your manager at a part-time job · Register: Semi-formal
   Situation: You need to swap next Thursday’s shift to attend a review session.

   In your email:

   • State the date and shift you need to change
   • Name a coworker who agreed to swap
   • Ask for confirmation that the swap is approved

6. To: A librarian · Register: Formal
   Situation: You accidentally damaged a borrowed book.

   In your email:

   • Explain what happened
   • Ask about replacement or repair fees
   • Ask whether it affects your borrowing privileges

7. To: A friend · Register: Informal
   Situation: You must decline their birthday dinner because of an exam the next morning.

   In your email:

   • Decline warmly and give the reason
   • Suggest a specific alternative plan
   • Offer to help with the celebration in another way

8. To: Your academic advisor · Register: Formal
   Situation: Two required courses you planned to take are scheduled at the same time.

   In your email:

   • Name the two conflicting courses
   • Ask which one to prioritize this term
   • Ask about alternatives (another section, next semester)

9. To: The campus gym front desk · Register: Semi-formal
   Situation: You will be away for six weeks on a research placement.

   In your email:

   • Ask whether memberships can be paused
   • Give your travel dates
   • Ask what documentation is needed

10. To: A classmate · Register: Informal
    Situation: You missed Monday’s lecture and need the notes before the quiz.

    In your email:

    • Ask to borrow their notes
    • Explain briefly why you missed class
    • Offer something in return (e.g., your notes from another class)

Model response — scenario 3 (formal, 87 words)

Dear Mr. Alvarez,

I am writing to report that the heater in my apartment (unit 4B) stopped working on Sunday evening, and the flat is now very cold at night. Would it be possible to arrange a repair visit this week? I am home every day after 4 p.m. and all day Saturday, so any of those times would work. Could you also let me know what I should do if the problem gets worse before the technician arrives?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards, Aiste

Why this works: the purpose lands in sentence one with the specific unit and timing (point 1); the repair request comes with concrete availability (point 2); the follow-up question is separate and clear (point 3). Register stays formal throughout, and the length sits inside the practice target.

Model response — scenario 7 (informal, 91 words)

Hi Duygu,

I’m really sorry, but I can’t make your birthday dinner on Thursday — my statistics final is at 8 a.m. the next morning and I have to be sensible for once. Could we grab brunch together on Saturday instead, just the two of us? My treat — I already found a place near campus that you would love. And if you need help setting up before the dinner, I can come by in the afternoon for an hour or two.

Happy early birthday — celebrate loudly for me!

Duru

Why this works: warm decline with a concrete reason (point 1), a specific alternative with a day and plan (point 2), and a genuine offer to help (point 3). Contractions and exclamation marks fit the informal register — the same style would be wrong in scenario 1.

Self-review checklist (score each 0-5)

• Content: all three required points, each in a full sentence?
• Organization: purpose first, points in order, a closing move?
• Language: verb tenses consistent; no run-ons; natural collocations?
• Format & tone: greeting and sign-off present; register matches the recipient?
• Pacing: finished within 7 minutes? Length is not scored by a word rule — ETS sets no required count — but the 80-120 word practice target is a good sign you covered the points without running out of checking time.

To see what full scored feedback looks like on this exact task type, open the sample scored report. More free scenarios: Write an Email topics.