The Formal Email: Register and Task Fulfilment in Guided Writing
A B1 writing task: "You are a student who booked a language course in Varna. The course was moved to a different date without notice. Write a formal email (80–100 words) to the school director to (1) explain the problem, (2) ask for a solution, (3) request a written reply." A candidate writes: "Salut! J'ai un problème. Vous avez changé la date de mon cours et je suis très énervé. C'est pas normal! Donnez-moi une solution vite. Répondez-moi. Merci, Ivan." Word count: 45.
1. Score this response against the three task requirements and register. What are the main failures?
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Requirement 1 (explain problem): partly met - the date change is mentioned but with no details (which course, which dates). Requirement 2 (ask for a solution): weakly met - "Donnez-moi une solution" is a demand, not a request for a specific remedy (refund, transfer, alternative date). Requirement 3 (written reply): met minimally - "Répondez-moi" lacks the written specification. Register: failed - "Salut", "très énervé", "C'est pas normal" (missing ne), and the imperative "Donnez-moi" are all inappropriate for a director. Length: failed - 45 words against an 80–100 requirement, which usually triggers a penalty. The core judgement: this is a task-fulfilment and register failure more than a grammar failure. A passing rewrite needs a formal opening (Madame, Monsieur,), a factual problem statement with dates, a polite specific request (Je vous serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir…), and a closing formula (Dans l'attente de votre réponse écrite, je vous prie d'agréer…).
2. Rewrite the email in 80–100 words at B1 level, and justify two language choices you made.
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Model rewrite (≈90 words): "Madame, Monsieur, Je me permets de vous écrire au sujet du cours de français que j'ai réservé pour le mois de juillet. J'ai appris que la date de ce cours a été modifiée sans notification préalable, ce qui me pose un problème d'organisation. Je vous serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir me proposer une solution: un report à une autre session ou un remboursement. Je souhaiterais également recevoir une confirmation écrite de votre décision. Dans l'attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées. Ivan Petrov"
Justifications: (1) "Je me permets de vous écrire" and "Je vous serais reconnaissant de bien vouloir" are fixed B1 formal formulae that signal register instantly and are safer than inventing polite phrasing. (2) The conditional (serais, souhaiterais) softens requests, which is the expected politeness strategy in French formal writing - using the present imperative would read as aggressive. The rewrite also adds specificity (month, two concrete solutions, written confirmation), which is what distinguishes a full-mark B1 response from a minimal one.