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E8 E - Write a simple application email

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E8 E - Write a simple application email

Mini-description: You apply for a fictional one-week school internship. Your goal is a short, clear and polite application email with motivation, skills and a polite ending. This aiMOOC is designed for English as a first foreign language, Year 8, E-level, Baden-Württemberg.

Learning route: English first → understand the context → try it yourself → ask a partner or teacher → use a hint → use short German help only if needed. Do not translate the whole text.

Introduction

Imagine this situation: Green Wheels Bike Workshop is a fictional local company. It offers a one-week school internship. You want to apply by email. The company is not real, and all names in this course are invented.

Your email should be short enough to read quickly, but specific enough to show why you are interested and what you can do.

I-can goals

After this course, you can:

I can identify the main parts of a simple application email.
I can explain my motivation in one or two clear sentences.
I can describe useful skills with simple examples.
I can use a suitable greeting and a polite ending.
I can write and revise a short application email independently.
I can react to simple feedback and improve language, structure and tone.
I can notice whether online advice about application emails fits the situation.

Before you start

What do you already know?

Think of three qualities that could be useful during an internship.
Say one polite English phrase for starting an email.
Say one polite English phrase for ending an email.
Decide: Is an application email usually more formal or less formal than a message to a friend?

Help if needed: zuverlässig = reliable, freundlich = friendly, organisiert = organised, motiviert = motivated.

Your fictional internship context

Green Wheels Bike Workshop – School Internship

You can help with greeting customers, keeping the workshop organised, preparing simple materials and learning how a small team works. The workshop is looking for a student who is reliable, friendly, interested in bikes and ready to learn.

Your task: Write an email to Ms Reed and apply for the internship.

Important: Use only fictional names and details. Do not add real addresses, phone numbers, private accounts or social-media information.

First try

Before you read a model, write three short sentences:

Why are you interested in the internship?
What two skills can you offer?
How can you end your email politely?

Do not worry about perfect grammar yet. Focus on meaning first.

Listening and Viewing

Watch the Cambridge video about formal emails. First watch without stopping. Then watch again and pause when you hear useful phrases.

Viewing focus:

Which opening sounds suitable for a formal application?
Which expressions sound too informal?
Which phrase can politely show that you expect a reply?
Which ending fits an application email?

Quick feedback: A good application email normally avoids chat-style expressions such as very casual greetings or endings. A clear greeting, a direct purpose and a polite closing make the message easier to understand.

Media check

The video gives useful advice, but real email style can vary between workplaces and countries. Ask yourself:

Who is the receiver?
Is this a first contact?
How formal is the situation?
Does the advice fit a school internship?

Media literacy task: Find one recommendation in the video that is useful for your situation and one point that may depend on context.

Reading

Read the fictional model email.

Subject: Application for a one-week school internship

Dear Ms Reed,

My name is Jamie Miller and I am a Year 8 student. I am writing to apply for a one-week internship at Green Wheels Bike Workshop.

I am interested in bikes and sustainable transport, and I would like to learn more about your work. I am reliable, organised and friendly. At school, I often help to organise group projects, and I work well in a team.

I would be happy to help customers and learn new tasks. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards, Jamie Miller

Reading check

Answer in short English phrases.

What is Jamie applying for?
What is Jamie interested in?
Which three qualities does Jamie mention?
What example supports one of the skills?
Which sentence shows polite interest in a reply?

Feedback: A strong short email gives a purpose, motivation, skills, at least one useful example and a polite ending.

Structure of the email

Part	Function	Useful language
Subject	tells the reader what the email is about	Application for a school internship
Greeting	addresses the reader politely	Dear Ms Reed,
Purpose	says why you are writing	I am writing to apply for ...
Motivation	explains your interest	I am interested in ... / I would like to ...
Skills	shows what you can do	I am reliable ... / I work well in a team.
Example	supports a skill	At school, I often ...
Polite ending	closes the message professionally	I look forward to hearing from you.
Sign-off	ends the email	Kind regards,

Context vocabulary

English	Simple meaning	Useful in an application
internship	short work experience	I am applying for an internship.
apply	ask formally for a place or position	I am writing to apply for ...
motivation	reason why you want to do something	I am interested in ...
reliable	people can depend on you	I am reliable and punctual.
organised	you plan and keep things in order	I am organised.
teamwork	working well with other people	I work well in a team.
experience	something you have already done	I have experience with ...
available	free and able to take part	I am available during the internship week.

Try first: Choose four words and make your own sentences.

German help if needed: Praktikum = internship, sich bewerben = apply, Erfahrung = experience, verfügbar = available.

Pronunciation

Focus on clear, understandable speech. You do not need to sound like a native speaker.

Word	Stress help	IPA
application	appliCAtion	/ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/
motivation	motiVAtion	/ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃən/
reliable	reLIable	/rɪˈlaɪəbəl/
experience	exPErience	/ɪkˈspɪəriəns/

Speaking drill: Say each word once slowly and once in a complete sentence. Aim for clear stress, not accent perfection.

Speaking

Work with a partner. One person is the applicant, one person is Ms Reed.

Round 1: Give a 30-second introduction.

Use:

I am interested in ...
I would like to ...
I am ...
One example is ...

Round 2: React spontaneously to one question:

Why would you like this internship?
What are you good at?
How do you work in a team?
What would you like to learn?

Feedback partner: Name one clear strength and one sentence that could be more specific.

Recording option: Recording your answer is voluntary. Keep recordings private unless you have clear permission to share them. Do not upload them automatically.

Writing

Your main task is a short application email of about 90–130 words.

Write to: Ms Reed at the fictional Green Wheels Bike Workshop.

Your email should include:

a clear subject line
a suitable greeting
your reason for writing
your motivation
two or three skills
one example
a polite closing sentence
a suitable sign-off

Writing scaffold

Step 1 – Context: You want a one-week school internship.

Step 2 – Try: Write your first version without copying the model.

Step 3 – Ask: Ask a partner: “Is my purpose clear?” and “Which sentence sounds strongest?”

Step 4 – Hint: Use these starters only if needed:

Function	Sentence starter
Purpose	I am writing to apply for ...
Motivation	I am interested in ... because ...
Skills	I am reliable and ...
Example	At school, I ...
Learning goal	I would like to learn ...
Polite ending	I look forward to hearing from you.

Step 5 – German help if needed: Schreibe zuerst Stichwörter zu Motivation, Fähigkeiten und Beispiel. Formuliere danach wieder auf Englisch. Keine Vollübersetzung.

Functional grammar for E-level

For this email, simple and accurate language is more important than showing every grammar form.

Useful core forms:

Present simple: I work well in a team.
can: I can help with simple tasks.
would like: I would like to learn more about your work.

Passive – productive E-level practice:

Active: Our class chose me as team leader. Passive: I was chosen as team leader.

Try: The school organised a charity event. → A charity event was organised by the school.

Use the passive only when it helps your meaning.

Reported speech with backshift:

Direct: Ms Reed said, “We need reliable students.” Reported: Ms Reed said that they needed reliable students.

Direct question: She asked, “Can you work in a team?” Reported question: She asked me if I could work in a team.

Direct command: She said, “Bring comfortable clothes.” Reported command: She told me to bring comfortable clothes.

Past perfect progressive – receptive only:

Before I applied, I had been helping at a repair café for three months.

You only need to understand that the activity started before another past event and continued for some time. You do not need to use this form in your application email.

Mediation

Your German-speaking classmate says:

„Ich möchte schreiben, dass ich zuverlässig bin, gerne im Team arbeite und bei einem Schulprojekt schon Verantwortung übernommen habe.“

Do not translate word for word. Give the useful message in natural English in two or three sentences.

Possible direction: I am reliable and I enjoy working in a team. At school, I have already taken responsibility in a class project.

Feedback and revision

Use this quick checklist after your first draft.

Check	Yes / Not yet
My subject line is clear.
My greeting fits the situation.
My first sentence explains why I am writing.
I give a real reason for my interest.
I name useful skills.
I support at least one skill with an example.
My ending is polite.
My email is easy to read.
I checked spelling and punctuation.
I removed chat language and unnecessary emojis.

Error analysis

Improve these sentences.

I want internship give me place.
Hiya Ms Reed!!!
I am good in teamwork because I am very good.
I look forward hear from you.
Kind regards Jamie

Feedback:

Add polite structure: I am writing to apply for the internship.
Use a suitable greeting: Dear Ms Reed,
Give evidence: I work well in a team. For example, I often organise group tasks at school.
Use the -ing form: I look forward to hearing from you.
Add punctuation and layout: Kind regards, followed by your name.

Transfer

A written application may lead to a short conversation or interview.

After watching, choose one interview question and answer it with information from your email. Do not memorise a complete script. React naturally and give one concrete example.

Perspective change: Now imagine you are Ms Reed. Which sentence in the email helps you decide whether the student seems motivated? Which sentence gives evidence instead of only a claim?

Safe and responsible use of media and AI

Use fictional profiles for practice.
Do not publish private contact details, school details or social-media data.
Recordings are optional and should stay private unless sharing is clearly agreed.
Do not upload work to external services without permission.
If you use AI support, check its language, facts and feedback carefully.
AI can suggest improvements, but it should not replace your own text.
Keep your own purpose, examples and voice.

Can-do check

Rate yourself: Yes – Almost – Not yet.

I can identify the purpose, motivation, skills and ending in an application email.
I can choose an appropriate level of formality.
I can write about 90–130 words independently.
I can give one example that proves a skill.
I can revise my text after feedback.
I can explain why one media tip may or may not fit a specific context.

If you choose Not yet more than twice, return to the model email and the writing scaffold before writing a new version.

Follow-up course

Next step: Prepare for a simple internship interview. Use your application email as the basis for short spoken answers.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which subject line is best for the fictional internship application? (Application for a one-week school internship) (!Hello from Jamie) (!Very important message) (!My cool week)

Which opening is suitable for a simple formal application email? (Dear Ms Reed,) (!Hiya Reed!) (!Yo!) (!Hey buddy,)

Which sentence clearly states the purpose of the email? (I am writing to apply for the internship.) (!I like emails.) (!My school is nice.) (!Yesterday was Monday.)

Which sentence gives motivation? (I am interested in bikes and I would like to learn more about your work.) (!I have a blue backpack.) (!The workshop has a door.) (!My friend likes football.)

Which sentence gives a useful skill with evidence? (I am organised, and I often help to plan group projects at school.) (!I am perfect at everything.) (!I am the best person ever.) (!I like weekends.)

Which phrase is a polite ending? (I look forward to hearing from you.) (!Answer me now.) (!Text me fast.) (!Bye bye!!!)

Which sign-off fits the application email? (Kind regards,) (!Love,) (!See ya,) (!Cheers mate,)

Which sentence uses the passive correctly? (I was chosen as team leader.) (!I chosen was as team leader.) (!I was choose as team leader.) (!I choosing as team leader.)

Which reported sentence matches She said We need reliable students? (She said that they needed reliable students.) (!She said that they neededs reliable students.) (!She said need reliable students.) (!She said that reliable students needing.)

What should you do before using AI feedback in your final email? (Check the suggestion and keep responsibility for your own text.) (!Copy every suggestion automatically.) (!Add private contact details.) (!Let AI invent all your experience.)

Memory

application	formal request for a place
motivation	reason for wanting the internship
reliable	can be depended on
teamwork	working well with others
greeting	polite opening of the email
subject line	short description of the email topic
kind regards	polite sign-off

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Subject line	tells the reader the email topic
Greeting	addresses the reader politely
Motivation	explains why you want the internship
Skills	show what you can offer
Polite ending	closes the message professionally

...

Kreuzworträtsel

application	What do you send when you formally ask for an internship?
motivation	What word means your reason for wanting something?
greeting	What is the polite opening of an email called?
subject	What line tells the reader what an email is about?
regards	Which word completes the sign-off Kind ...?
internship	What short period of work experience are you applying for?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Subject line lab: Write three possible subject lines and choose the clearest one.
Motivation sentence: Write two different reasons why a fictional student may want the Green Wheels internship.
Skill cards: Choose four useful skills and give one school-based example for each.
Formal or informal?: Collect five expressions from the course and sort them into suitable or unsuitable for an application email.

Standard

First draft: Write a complete 90–130 word application email without copying the model.
Peer feedback: Exchange drafts and give one strength, one question and one concrete improvement suggestion.
Mediation challenge: Turn a short German note about motivation and skills into natural English without translating word for word.
Voice rehearsal: Give a 30-second spoken summary of your email. Recording is optional and stays private unless sharing is agreed.

Schwer

Targeted revision: Improve your draft for clarity, formality, evidence and language precision. Mark three changes and explain why you made them.
Advice comparison: Compare two pieces of advice from the course media. Explain which one fits a Year 8 internship application better and why.
Employer perspective: Read a fictional classmate’s email as Ms Reed and write three questions you would ask the applicant.
From email to interview: Use your email to answer two interview questions spontaneously. Include one reported statement afterwards.

Lernkontrolle

Structure and purpose: Explain how subject line, motivation, evidence and ending work together to make the email useful for the reader.
Register decision: Rewrite an overly casual application email in an appropriate style and justify three changes.
Claim and evidence: Compare “I am organised” with a version that includes evidence. Explain why the second version may be more convincing.
Grammar transfer: Use one passive sentence and one reported statement in a short internship context, then explain what each form adds.
Media transfer: Decide whether advice from a formal-email video fits a fictional school internship and support your decision with two context factors.
Revision strategy: Improve a first draft after peer feedback and explain which feedback you accepted, changed or rejected.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, show that you can:

write a clear short application email with purpose, motivation, skills, evidence and a polite ending
choose language that fits a first formal contact
revise your text after useful feedback
explain at least one grammar choice in context
transfer information from your email into a short spoken response
distinguish your own writing from suggestions given by tools or AI
protect private information and use fictional practice data

OERs zum Thema

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