Writing emails in Portuguese A2: structure and examples

Short answer: address the task before memorising phrases

A simple email needs to fulfil its purpose: explain why you are writing, provide necessary details and say what reply you expect. A greeting and closing organise the text, but cannot make up for a missing date or important question.

The examples and lists below are this site’s learning suggestions. They are not official answers, predictions of exam topics or a CAPLE marking grid.

How writing relates to CIPLE

In CIPLE, reading and writing share a component. CAPLE’s description includes producing two short texts. Choosing correct options is therefore partial preparation: you also need to produce a message another person can understand.

A simple four-step structure

Before writing, turn the task into a small checklist. If it asks for day, time and place, all three should appear. Then write short sentences and reread the text as if you were receiving it.

1. Greeting: Olá, Rita! for a friend; Bom dia, for a straightforward request to a service.
2. Purpose: Queres ir comigo…? or Gostaria de pedir informações sobre….
3. Details and questions: include dates, places, people and what you need to know.
4. Closing: request a reply when necessary and use an appropriate farewell.

Example 1: arrange an activity with a friend

Imagine inviting a friend to visit a fair. The purpose is to arrange a meeting and find out whether she can come. The original text below is one possible response, not the only correct form.

How to review the first example

Find the activity, day, time and meeting point. The message also asks for confirmation. Removing junto à entrada principal would give the friend less information about where to meet.

Now write a version with a different activity and location without copying every sentence. Read it aloud. If a sentence feels long or unclear, split it into two while keeping the main information.

Example 2: request information from a school

Here the recipient is a school and the purpose is to find a course compatible with working hours. The email should introduce the request and ask specific questions. There is no need to invent registration documents or requirements.

Useful phrases: choose a function, not an entire text

Use short expressions you understand and adapt the rest to your request. Queria saber… requests information; Não consigo chegar… explains a difficulty; Podemos combinar…? proposes an alternative.

Do not turn a formula into an entire email without reading the task. A well-written sentence about price does not answer a question about availability. When learning an expression, practise it with at least two different subjects.

A checklist you can reuse

Review content first and language second. Correcting every accent without addressing the main request does not fulfil the task. If possible, ask a teacher or partner to explain what they understood from the message.

• Did I answer every requested point?
• Are dates, times, names and places clear?
• Can the reader understand what I want them to do?
• Do verbs and other words agree in the sentences I used?
• Do the greeting and closing suit the situation?
• Did I use fictional details when practising?

Length and timing: distinguish targets from rules

This site’s papers display word targets for individual exercises. These are editorial choices. Do not treat them as universal official limits: consult the task instructions and applicable official exam information.

In practice, first aim for a complete, understandable reply. Then try writing without looking at an example and leave time to review. The word counter helps track length but does not assess message quality.

Your next exercise: write before opening the example

Open a practice paper, choose a writing task and draft your text. Only then compare the requested points with the self-review checklist and open the possible example in final review. Text stays only in the browser session; changing modes or reloading clears it.

Keep questions that need help: a structure you do not understand, a sentence your partner could not follow or a point you forgot to answer. Concrete examples are more useful for the next session than repeatedly copying the same model.

Sources and scope of this guide

Official sources describe the level and exam. The plan, examples and study methods are independent editorial recommendations, not CAPLE instructions.

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