cambridge pet essay example

Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET): How to write an article in 2021

Home or cinema – How do you watch your favourite films? I know many people who love animated or romantic films, but for me, there is nothing better than an amazing drama or adventure movie like ‘Indiana Jones’ because I’m a big fan of stories with a fascinating plot. In my opinion, watching a film at home isn’t the same as going to the cinema to enjoy a great movie on a huge screen with popcorn and cola. If it wasn’t so expensive, I would go every week. So, if you want to give me some money to go to the cinema more often, or to tell me which you prefer – the cinema or the TV screen, leave a comment.

Introduction

What does a typical article task look like, how to organise your article, always make a plan, the different parts of an article, main paragraphs.

I know many people who love animated or romantic films, but for me, there is nothing better than an amazing drama or adventure movie like ‘Indiana Jones’ because I’m a big fan of stories with a fascinating plot. In my opinion, watching a film at home isn’t the same as going to the cinema to enjoy a great movie on a huge screen with popcorn and cola. If it wasn’t so expensive, I would go every week.

In the first paragraph I talk about film genres (animated, romantic, drama, adventure) as well as one specific film (Indiana Jones). I also tried to include some interesting grammar (I know many people who…, nothing better than) and vocabulary (amazing drama, I’m a big fan of…, fascinating plot). On top of that, I used different linking words to connect my ideas (who, but, because).

Final sentence

So, if you want to give me some money to go to the cinema more often, or to tell me which you prefer – the cinema or the TV screen, leave a comment.

Start to practise today

Similar posts, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): everything you need to know in 2021, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): reading part 5, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): reading, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): reading part 6, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): how to calculate your score, cambridge b1 preliminary (pet): how to write an email in 2021, 24 comments.

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Cambridge English: Preliminary

Practice tests for the Cambridge PET exam

Writing Practice Tests

Cambridge english preliminary: writing practice tests.

Writing is tested in Paper 1 of the Cambridge English Preliminary Test. There are 3 writing tasks and we've included practice tests for each part below. We will be adding more tests soon.

Part 1: Email Part 2: Article Part 2: Story

More help with the Preliminary English Test Writing Paper

Get higher scores in your PET Writing practice tests with these quizzes to help you improve your writing skills.

Paraphrasing 1 Paraphrasing 2 Paraphrasing 3 Paraphrasing 4

Contractions in Informal Emails It is very important to write your Part 1 email in the correct style. One way of achieving an informal style is to remember to use contractions.

Phrases for informal emails Use these words and expressions to help you write your email in an informal style.

Paragraphs in informal emails Organising your email into clear paragraphs will help you to structure your email and will make it easier for the examiner to see your organisation.

We all have our own strengths and weaknesses when we are learning a language. In writing this includes our use or grammar, vocabulary and punctuation. Get to know which areas of English you need to improve by keeping a record of your most common mistakes. Then the next time you do any writing check for these mistakes before you finish.

Breakout English

Preliminary (PET)

Breakout English has plenty of Preliminary (PET) materials which can be used to prepare for the Cambridge B1 exam. The PET exam is often the first time candidates step into the world of official exams, making it a significant challenge. Cambridge doesn’t make it easy either. While the exam doesn’t include the dreaded Use of English seen at higher levels, it still has demanding Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking sections.

B1 fixed phrases, dependent prepositions and collocations

How to write an email – PET Writing Part 1

Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 6 – Open Cloze

Preliminary (PET) Writing Sample Tests

How to do Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 2

Pictures to describe for Preliminary (PET) Speaking Part 2

Dead Famous – Past Simple Game

Describing a Picture – Preliminary (PET) Speaking Part 2 Plan

Christmas Songs Listening

Make and Do – Collocations

Writing an Article – Rhetorical Questions

Preliminary (PET) Speaking – Sample Tests

Preliminary (PET) Reading Part 4 – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

First day get to know you questions

Cambridge Exam Changes 2020 – Updates for Preliminary (PET) and Key (KET)

Preliminary (PET) Writing Part 2 – Emoji Story 😀

Liar, liar! – present perfect / past simple game

Preliminary (PET) Transformations – Conditionals

How to teach Cambridge exam classes

Preliminary (PET) Speaking Parts 3 & 4

Expressing Preferences – Would you rather…

Preliminary (PET) Transformations – Passive

Preliminary (PET) Transformations – Comparatives and Superlatives

How to do PET Reading Part 1 – Signs and Modals of Obligation

Cambridge Speaking Part 1 – Chat Cards

First day of exam class – Get to know the exam (Cambridge)

Preliminary PET Writing Part 1 – Improve a letter

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How to prepare for Preliminary PET exam

Passing the Cambridge PET exam is all about getting the basics down. Once you’ve got a solid grasp of basic grammar and vocabulary, you need to work on practising the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. You can also start to learn some more advanced concepts to try to capture the highest marks in the exam, but remember not to complicate your life too much.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the exam:

• Study vocabulary – Vocabulary can be one of the biggest challenges at B1 level. Using course books designed for a B1 level will often expose you to a lot of vocabulary about common topics for the level including travel, shopping, describing a town or city and much more.
• Perfect the basic grammar – You should be able to write and speak in the present, past and future without making lots of mistakes. Memorise your irregular verbs, work on using modal verbs to give advice and discuss obligation and in general get those basics covered.
• Start listening to more English – There are some great websites like BBC 6 Minute English which give intermediate level learners the chance to practice listening without getting overwhelmed. Try to make listening in English part of your study routine.
• Get a graded reader – Graded readers like these ones from Penguin Books are novels and stories which have been adapted to a specific level. Find one at B1 level and get reading!
• Learn how to organise your writing – The biggest problem a lot of PET exam writing has is a lack of organisation. You don’t need to write Shakespeare for the Preliminary exam, but you do need to organise a letter, article and story in a logical way.
• Take a class or find a language exchange partner – It can be hard to find opportunity to speak in English, especially if you are self-conscious about your speaking. Force yourself to speak by taking a class with other learners at your level. The teacher will help too!
• Do some practice exams – You should never take an official exam without practising first. There are books available with practice exams where you can check your own answers and get a feel for the real day.

Enjoy the Preliminary (PET) materials!

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Writing the Perfect Email for B1 Preliminary (PET)

Luis @ kse academy.

• noviembre 14, 2019

As we’ve already seen in the B1 Writing Guide (in Spanish), updated for the 2020 changes , the Writing component consists of 2 parts. The first one is an email whereas the second one is a story or an article, as you can choose which to do. For this reason, in this post I’m going to teach you how to write an email at B1 level for your Preliminary (PET) exam .

Email structure

Saying goodbye.

Este artículo también está disponible en castellano.

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary (PET)

In order to know the steps to write an email for this B1 exam , the first thing we need to do is to find out what the instructions are like and know what you’re expected to do. And even though we saw this in the B1 Writing guide (in Spanish), we will now go over it again and dive in even deeper.

Instructions for Writing B1 Preliminary Part 1: Email

In this part of the test, you are given an email from an English friend or relative, and you are asked to respond to it in about 100 words . This email contains annotations which help you identify exactly what you need to respond to.

As regards the topics, they’re usually not very difficult, as you’re expected to write at an intermediate level, about topics you are familiar with: sports, hobbies, TV programmes, the weather, your town/city, etc. Here’s an example taken from Cambridge English sample papers :

As you can see in the example above, taken from Cambridge’s official website, we have received an email from a person so-called Sandy , who is a friend of ours. In addition, we have made some annotations, which are the points we need to address in your email:

• Say which I prefer
• No, because…
• Ask Sandy…

In this sense, Cambridge is making this task easier, as we definitely won’t go blank and they are pointing out the structure that our email should have , which we will see in the following section.

The first thing you need to know is the different parts of an email , and these are:

• Greetings:  we greet  the other person (i.e. say «hi» or «hello»).
• Opening paragraph:  we react to the other person’s news and ask them how they are feeling and whatever else you feel is appropriate.
• Main paragraph 1:  in this paragraph we deal with the first important point, which we can identify in the instructions.
• Main paragraph 2: if there is a different point to deal with, this paragraph will do so.
• (We might have more main paragraphs, depending on the task.)
• Closing paragraph: in this paragraph we «start» to say goodbye by wishing the other person well and asking them to reply to your email.
• Goodbye: we use a short expression to say goodbye.
• Signature:  we sign the email with our name.

In general, all emails must follow the same structure, and also, I recommend you following these two pieces of advice::

• Don’t write From: y To: , as it is completely unnecessary and Cambridge won’t penalise you. Also, you’re saving words which you can use in the body of your email.
• Don’t write a subject , for the same reason as before.

Now that we know the different parts of an email, we should see an example.

Example Email for PET Writing Part 1

Let’s take a look at the following example of a Preliminary (PET) task answer for Writing Part 1 , where we can see an answer to the sample task we saw above:

In the example above, you can see the different parts of an email well defined. It’s important that your writing is visually appealing , apart from having good grammar and vocabulary. This means that the paragraphs should be well defined , with a space in between, and that you should know when to break lines. This is specially important after greetings, after opening and closing paragraphs, and after saying goodbye. This will make your text visually appealing, as it will look like a real email.

Expressions to use in your email

In this section, we are going to focus on different expressions you can use in the different parts of the email . While the main paragraphs will vary completely depending on the topic of your writing, most of the other parts in the email can be practised and memorised almost completely. Let’s take a look:

In order to start your email in Writing Part 1 for Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) , you can use different expressions, which are really typical and easy to remember. We have 3 basic ways to greet in this kind of writing, which is usually for a friend or family member:

• Hi John, 
• Hello John,

Notice how «hi» is less formal than «hello» or «dear». Also, don’t forget to write a comma (,) right after greeting your friend or relative. After greeting the addressee (i.e. the person who will read the email), you must start the opening paragraph in a new line .

Opening paragraph

The opening paragraph is the place to react to your friend’s or relative’s email . In order to do so, you can use a number of different expressions. Here we have some examples:

• It’s nice / great / good to hear from you. 
• It’s nice / great / good  to read your email. 
• I’m glad to hear your news. 
• I’m excited about…  (your news.)
• It’s great to hear that…
• I’m sorry to hear that…
• I’m really sorry to read your news. 
• Thanks a lot for writing!
• It was good to receive your email. 
• Thank you very much for your email. 

And many more. Also, it’s a good idea to ask your friend or relative how they are feeling , which you can do like this:

• Hope you are doing well. 
• How’s it going? 
• How are you (doing)?
• How are things (going)?

You can also add some information that you think is relevant or necessary, but don’t expand this paragraph very much, because the important information must go in the main paragraphs .

Main paragraphs

For the main paragraphs, there aren’t any fixed expressions which you must use, as it depends mostly on what you have to write about. However, you should try to make use of connectors and appropriate punctuation . So let’s take a look at  common useful connectors and the punctuation we use them with:

• … and… :  to connect two similar things or ideas.

I love reading and listening to music. My favourite meal is fish and chips.

• …, but… : to connect two contrasting ideas.

I love watching Tv , but I don’t have a favourite show. I am reading a book, but I don’t remember the title.

• . However, … : to connect contrasting ideas.

Last month, I went to the cinema . However, I didn’t enjoy the movie. I am a very big fan of this author . However, I haven’t read his last novel.

• Moreover, … : to add more information about something.
• … because… : to justify an opinion or idea.

My mum is the perfect cook because she knows a lot of recipes and has plenty of experience. Moreover, she experiments with different ingredients all the time.

• . Because of that, … : to justify an opinion, fact or idea.

My mum likes to cook using new ingredients all the time. Because of that, she creates original dishes every month.

• . As for…/ Regarding…  : to switch to a new topic. For instance, you can use this connector to start the second main paragraph.

As for/Regarding why I like this cookery show, I think it’s because it’s a great way to see new recipes.

• Time linkers: then, after that, yesterday, this morning, last summer, etc. 

Last night, I watched a very good action film.

With many connectors, we typically use a comma (,) after it when we start a sentence (e.g.: However, Last night, Moreover, etc. ).

Closing paragraph

As we mentioned earlier, a closing paragraph in this Writing part 3 is used to start saying goodbye to the addressee and to ask for a response to your email. So we can use the following expressions:

• Well, it’s time to say goodbye. 
• Anyway, I have to go now. 
• Well, it’s time to go. 
• Anyway, gotta go. 
• I really hope to hear from you soon. 
• I’m looking forward to hearing from you. 
• I hope you write back soon. 
• Make sure you write back soon. 

Also, if you still have to write more words, you can add a question for a subsequent email. This question should be related to the topic of your piece of writing.

There are many ways in English to close an informal email. The most frequently used ones are the following:

• Best wishes,
• Sincerely, 
• Take care, 
• All my love, 
• Lots of love, 
• See you soon, 
• Regards, 

Notice how there is a comma (,) after each of the phrases . Also, after writing any of these sentences, make sure you write your name on a different line . And write your name without a full stop!

Another example of an email at B1 level

Now that we know what expressions we should be using in our writing, we are going to take a look at another task and a sample answer. In this case, this is an example of an old task, but the email follows the same rules. Pay close attention to how it’s structured and how its paragraphs are well defined and separated:

Notice how the expressions in bold  are used. Whenever you write an email, you should think about this type of expressions and make sure you use them appropriately .

Top 5 Tips for writing an Email for B1 Preliminary (PET)

• Learn and memorise a set of expressions . Make sure you already know a set of expressions to use in your greetings, opening and closing paragraphs, and to say goodbye. This will save you a lot of time while doing a task, and you will avoid making silly mistakes as you will already know the expressions by heart.
• Write a well-structured and visually-appealing email . One of the things Cambridge English examiners pay attention to is the organisation of your piece writing, so make sure not to write a messy email. Also, remember that  punctuation matters , so be sure to separate your sentences with stops and commas and don’t write excessively long sentences.
• Brainstorm, write, read and edit . Before starting to write your email, brainstorm a couple of things and write down some ideas. This can include vocabulary related to the topic. For example, if you have to write about TV shows, you can write down thinks like «contestants», «cookery show», «prize», etc. Then, write out your email. After that, read it and look for possible mistakes or opportunities for improvement (e.g.: adding descriptive adjectives, rephrasing sentences, etc.).
• Read carefully and identify the task . Don’t start writing right away. Make sure you read the task carefully and that you identify exactly what you are being asked. Sometimes, we don’t pay attention to the instructions and we end up writing about something different. This will mean losing points, in a very silly way, I must say.
• Experiment at home, be conservative in the exam . Homework is the best chance to be creative and experiment different ways to express yourself. So make sure you try your hardest to keep improving when you write at home. On the other hand, when you’re doing an exam, don’t risk trying out new words or expressions, as you may be making a terrible mistake. So be safe in your exam and stick to what you already know works .

Did you find this post useful? Did you? Well, don’t forget to comment and share. And if you love the English language, follow KSE Academy on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube! And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog!

Oh, and don’t forget to keep smiling!

44 comentarios en “Writing the Perfect Email for B1 Preliminary (PET)”

EXCELLENT HELP FOR THE NEW 2020 PET FORMAT. THANKS A LOT

Hi Liliana! Thanks a lot for your comment! Take care!

Grazie mille di tutto, saluti dall’ Italia

you are great Luis. Thanks a lot for your good work. Paqui Muñoz Mendoza

Thank you very much, Paqui. It’s great to receive comments like this from time to time.

Thanks Luis

Your help was so useful. Thanks.

Thanks for your comment, Rocío. Take care!

Thank you so much!

Thank you so much for sharing. It’s very useful and helpful.

Thank you! 🙂

Nice work, Luis! I’m continuing my classes online during the coronavirus, and this post provides a great, visually-appealing review of this part of the new test. I will be sending my students here next week to help with their homework!

Thank you very much for your comment. Hope your students find it useful. Take care!

The best email. that I found. Thanks.

Thank you, Angelines! 🙂

Super clear!!!! Thank you very much. Claudia

Thank you, Claudia! 🙂

EXCELLENT GUIDE!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING IT

Thank you for your comment, Paola. 🙂

You’re welcome! 🙂

Thank you soo much, im 12 and doing the test, this is the day before the test and your info was soo usfull, have a good evening

Hi, Cameron. Thanks a lot for your comment. Sorry for taking so long to reply. I hope you passed your test! 😀

Absolutely clear guidelines for Writing Part 1 Email Thanks a lot for sharing it!!!

Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂

Great work! Thank you for sharing

Thank you for reading, Susana! 🙂

Happy New Year! Useful tips, good job. Thanks!

Thank you so much for your feedback. Take care and Happy New Year to you too!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MY DEARRRRRR. I’m having the Cambridge PET exam tomorrow and I’m really nervous… Wish me luck!

Hey, Camila! Hope your exam was fine! Don’t forget to come back here and let us know your score! 🙂

I love you Luis

Haha, thank you, Carlos! Love u too!

Precious guide and helpful insight, thank you.

Thank you very much! 🙂

Great post, thanks!

Thank you, Juliana! 🙂

As an exam coach myself, I really want to congratulate you for this wonderful and useful site. It’s great to see an updated B1 Preliminary writing guide; I’m using it right now with the candidates I teach. Keep up the great work!

Hey, Lenin. Thanks a lot for such a nice comment. I hope your students find it useful. If you ever have any feedback, let me know. Thanks again!

Extremely detailed and useful guidance for those who is taking the PET exams! Thanks a lot.

OLIVIA 15/1/2023 A LAS 11:49 Hello, happy new year.

As an exam preparation teacher myself, I would like to thank you for all your hard work. Yours is the best site I have found online with important tips and useful samples for our students. Keep up the great work! I really appreciate it!

Thank you very much for your comment, Tulia. 🙂

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Carl Gustav Hempel (1905–97) was one of the preeminent figures in the philosophical movement of logical empiricism. He was a member of both the Berlin and Vienna circles, fled Germany in 1934 and finally settled in the US where he taught for many years in New York, Princeton, and Pittsburgh. The essays in this collection come from the early and late periods of Hempel's career and chart his intellectual odyssey from a rigorous commitment to logical positivism in the 1930s (when Hempel allied himself closely with Carnap) to a more sociological approach close in spirit to the work of Neurath and Kuhn. The collection brings together essays which have up till now been difficult to find, four of which are appearing in English for the first time. Cumulatively they offer a fresh perspective on Hempel's intellectual development and on the rise and demise of logical empiricism.

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Exam Preparation Journey resource packs

The Exam Preparation Journey is a central online hub with teaching tips, classroom activities and more to support teachers preparing students for Cambridge English Qualifications.

Whatever stage you are at – starting out, considering a mock test or exploring your digital options – we offer timely support when you need it. Find advice such as how to create a positive learning environment, structure exam readiness and save time with lots of practical ideas ready to use in class.

Go to the Exam Preparation Journey

Handbook for teachers

A2 Key handbook for teachers

A2 Key handbook for teachers Listening Audio

Lesson plans

Our lesson plans include everything you need to deliver a 45-minute lesson in the classroom or online, including activity sheets, homework, and more.

A2 Key lesson plans

Teacher guides

Developing listening skills for Cambridge English Qualifications: A guide for teachers

Developing reading skills for Cambridge English Qualifications: A guide for teachers

Assessing writing for Cambridge English Qualifications: A guide for teachers

Writing checklist

This checklist is designed to help you assess your students’ writing. It includes a summary of the assessment criteria and useful questions tailored to each writing type in the Writing paper.

Mock test toolkit

Running a mock test gives your learners a true exam day experience, helps you understand their progress and decide if they are ready for their exam. Our interactive mock test toolkits are full of tips, strategies and materials to help you ensure your students are confident and fully prepared for their exam.

Mock test toolkit for older learners

Classroom warmers booklet

Classroom warmers activity booklet

This booklet includes seven exercises each for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary students.

Supporting learners with dyslexia

Supporting learners with dyslexia: A guide for teachers

Many teachers have learners with dyslexia in their exam preparation classes. This guide is for you. With lots of practical tips and ideas for lesson plans, it will help you prepare materials to support learners with dyslexia in preparation for our qualifications.

Teacher webinars

Cambridge English webinars and Facebook Live sessions are a great way for teachers to stay up to date with the latest developments and to interact with our experts.

Our webinars provide you with invaluable information about our exams, and cover a wide spectrum of subjects, including effective teaching methods, tips to improve student engagement and online professional development to help you develop your career.

Webinars for teachers

Teaching English with Cambridge Facebook page

You can connect with a lively community of teachers on our Teaching English with Cambridge Facebook page . We regularly post teaching tips, answer your questions, and host regular Live events to give you a chance to engage with the community.

Free online learning activities

We have hundreds of free learning activities to help you practise your English and prepare for your A2 Key exam.

Find out more

Exam information for candidates

Download our guide to the exam, with advice on preparing for the exam, tips for exam day and useful links.

A2 Key: Information for candidates

Social media

Join our lively Facebook community and take part in quizzes, talk to other English language learners and learn on-the-go.

Subscribe to our Learn English with Cambridge YouTube channel to get helpful tips for exam preparation, and lots of English language advice.

Exam tip videos

Get great tips for taking your A2 Key for Schools exams with our video playlist.

Write & Improve: Practise your writing for free

Write & Improve is a free online tool to help you practise and improve your writing. Just choose a task, write or upload your answer and use the feedback to quickly improve.

Improve your learning with the Exam Lift app

• learn English on the go – anytime and anywhere
• develop the skills you need for the A2 Key exam
• receive instant feedback on your performance.