FCE (First Certificate in English) Formal & Informal Emails Transformation Game

Formal and Informal Emails Key Word Sentence Transformation Game
FCE Writing Parts One and Two/ Use of English Part Four

Instructions teachers

Photocopy, cut up and fold one set of cards per group of two to four students, with the fold
going vertically along the middle of the cards so that the cards that transform into each
other are on either side of the same card, like the heads and tails of coins.

Students should place the cards in vertical column on the table. It doesn’t matter which
side is up first. They need to go from the bottom to the top of the column without making
mistakes to win the game, each time correctly saying what is on the other side of the card
in order to be able to move onto the next one. The thing on the other side of the card uses
the word in capitals to say something with the same meaning but the opposite level of
formality.

If the person whose go it is makes a mistake, the next person does the same thing, also
starting right at the bottom of the column. The first person to go through all 11 cards
without making any mistakes wins the game. They must say exactly what is written on the
other side, even when other things might be correct. All cards which are guessed correctly
should be turned over, so that students get practice in transforming the sentences in both
directions.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

Formal and Informal Emails Key Word Sentence Transformation Game Cards

Check out my photo! – FIND

Please find my photo attached. – CHECK

Feel free to…– HESITATE

Please do not hesitate to… - FREE

I look forward to… - WAIT

Can’t wait to…! - LOOK

I am writing to you in connection with… –

MAILING

I’m mailing about… - CONNECTION

I hope you are well. – GOING

How’s it going? – WELL

It was a pleasure to… - THRILLED

I was absolutely thrilled to… - PLEASURE

Send my love to your husband. –

REGARDS

Please give my regards to your husband. –

LOVE

Sorry for taking ages to get back to you. –

REPLY

I am sorry for my late reply. – GET

Would you mind informing me…? – LET

Can you let me know…? – MIND

… please do not hesitate to contact me. –

LINE

… just drop me a line. – HESITATE

be of assistance – LEND

lend a hand – ASSISTANCE

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014