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Lesson 26.12A2
Exam Writing: Responding to a Message
Exam Writing: Responding to a Message
A standard A2 writing task: reply to a short informal message from a friend. These openers and closers are the reusable scaffolding examiners look for.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
Informal letter register: tu, not vous
French
Salut Marie, Merci pour ton message !
English
Hi Marie, Thanks for your message!
Because this is a reply to a friend's message, the whole letter stays in the tu register throughout — mixing in vous would read as jarringly formal. Keep this consistent with the tu/vous distinction from the very first lesson — a distinction English doesn't mark grammatically at all, since 'you' works the same for a close friend and a stranger.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Salut [nom], | sah-LEW | Hi [name], |
| Merci pour ton message. | mair-see poor tohn may-SAHZH | Thanks for your message. |
| Comment vas-tu ? | koh-mahn vah TEW | How are you? |
| Pour répondre à ta question, | poor ray-pohn-druh ah tah kes-tee-OHN | To answer your question, |
| Je suis désolé(e), mais... | zhuh swee day-zoh-lay meh | I'm sorry, but... |
| Ça me ferait plaisir de... | sah muh fuh-reh play-ZEER duh | I'd be happy to... |
| Tiens-moi au courant. | tee-ahn mwah oh koo-RAHN | Keep me posted. |
| À bientôt, | ah bee-ahn-TOH | See you soon, |
| Grosses bises, | grohs beez | Lots of love, (informal sign-off) |
| Réponds-moi vite ! | ray-pohn mwah veet | Reply to me soon! |