Lesson 22 · Speaking
Writing — informal messages (Cambridge B1 Preliminary Writing Part 2 / FCE Email style)
Your task
Write a short reply (30–50 words) to a friend's message inviting you out tonight. You're going to refuse politely and reschedule. Use contractions, ellipsis, and at least ONE softener / emoji / 'x' to keep the tone warm.
How to do it
Match the REGISTER of the message you got. If they used 'hey', don't reply with 'Dear'. CONTRACT everything ('I'll', 'won't', 'can't'). DROP obvious subjects when natural ('Just on my way', 'Sounds great'). SOFTEN — one 'haha', '!', 'x' or emoji is usually enough. Examiners mark down both the over-formal reply ('I regret to inform you…') and the slangy one ('nah u kno') — aim for warm, contracted, complete sentences.
Use these phrases
Talk about
- • What was the last English-language message you sent? Read it aloud. How natural does it sound?
- • When do you prefer a voice note over a text? Why?
- • When does a perfectly polite text suddenly feel cold or angry? What makes the difference?
Model answer
Aww I'd love to but I'm absolutely shattered after work, gonna have to take a rain check tonight 😩 Sunday brunch instead? I'll cook — bring the pastries! x
Pair / class extension: Role-play with your teacher (or a partner): record (or speak aloud) THREE voice notes of about 25 seconds each. Voice note 1: invite to a weekend plan. Voice note 2: refuse and reschedule warmly. Voice note 3: confirm the new plan and sign off. Then swap. Each note must start with a clear opener, stick to ONE topic, and end with a clear question or sign-off.
Giving opinions
Share what you think clearly and naturally.
- On the whole, I think…“On the whole, I think remote work suits me better.”
- In my view, …“In my view, schools should teach financial literacy.”
- If you ask me, …“If you ask me, it's not worth the money.”
- To be honest, …“To be honest, I wasn't a fan of the film.”
- I'd say (that)…“I'd say that's the best one.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Agreeing & disagreeing
Respond to opinions without sounding aggressive or weak.
- Absolutely / Definitely.“Absolutely — that's exactly what I meant.”
- I see your point, but…“I see your point, but I'd look at it differently.”
- I'm not so sure about that.“I'm not so sure about that — it depends on the price.”
- Yes and no.“Yes and no — partly true, but it's more complicated.”
- I'd have to disagree.“I'd have to disagree there — I had a great experience.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Asking questions politely
Soften questions for strangers, customer service, formal contexts.
- Could you tell me…?“Could you tell me where platform 4 is?”
- Do you know…?“Do you know what time it closes?”
- Would you mind + -ing?“Would you mind repeating that?”
- I was wondering if…“I was wondering if you had a moment.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Clarifying & checking
Make sure you've understood — without saying 'What?'.
- Sorry, do you mean…?“Sorry, do you mean Monday next week or this week?”
- Just to check, …“Just to check, that's £40 each, right?”
- So what you're saying is…“So what you're saying is we should leave earlier.”
- Could you say that again?“Could you say that again — I missed the last part.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Reactions & follow-ups
Keep conversations alive instead of letting them die.
- Oh really? / No way!“A: I quit my job. — B: No way! When?”
- Have you? / Did you? / Are you?“A: I've moved to Lisbon. — B: Have you?! How is it?”
- How come?“How come you decided to do that?”
- What's that like?“What's that like — working remotely full-time?”
- How about you?“I love thrillers. How about you?”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Suggesting & negotiating
Make plans, propose solutions, find middle ground.
- Why don't we…?“Why don't we meet halfway?”
- How about + -ing?“How about going to the Thai place?”
- Shall we…?“Shall we say 7pm then?”
- Would it work if…?“Would it work if we pushed it to Friday?”
- I'm easy / I don't mind.“I'm easy — whatever suits you.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Storytelling & anecdotes
Hold attention when you tell a story or share news.
- You'll never guess what happened.“You'll never guess what happened on the way here.”
- So basically, …“So basically, we missed the train by 30 seconds.”
- All of a sudden, …“All of a sudden, the lights went out.”
- Long story short, …“Long story short, we ended up driving instead.”
- Anyway, …“Anyway, that's how I met your dad.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Hedging & diplomacy
Soften strong opinions, disagree politely, sound less abrupt.
- It might be worth + -ing“It might be worth checking the schedule first.”
- I'd probably…“I'd probably go for the smaller one.”
- I'm not entirely sure, but…“I'm not entirely sure, but I think it closes at 6.”
- That's a fair point, although…“That's a fair point, although there's another side to it.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.