Hello everyone, and welcome back to Dr. Byrnes’ TOEFL Show! Today, we’re focusing on the TOEFL email writing task. We’ll be examining several student email responses to see how well they perform for this type of assignment.
Here’s the scenario: You submitted a poem to a literary magazine and want to confirm whether your submission was received.
Your email should accomplish three main goals:
Express what you appreciate about the magazine.
Describe your online submission.
Inquire politely about the status of your submission.
Remember, you are writing to an editor—someone you have not met personally—so the tone must be formal. Many students make the mistake of opening with phrases like “I hope you are doing well.” This is semi-informal and appropriate for friends or colleagues, but it is inappropriate when addressing a stranger in a formal context. Think of it like this: When you meet someone for the first time, you shake hands—you wouldn’t give them a hug. Similarly, opening an email to a stranger with phrases like “I hope you are doing well” is like giving an inappropriate hug.
Because you are essentially requesting a favor—checking the status of your submission—polite wording is essential. Before we review student responses, let’s look at a perfect 6 out of 6 example. This email demonstrates proper format, precise word choice, and a polite tone—all key elements for achieving a high score.
Now, I have three student emails ready for feedback. Let’s begin with the first one.