Writing an email cover letter – B2 English writing

Writing an email cover letter

Exercise 2

Match each sentence with the correct paragraph in an email cover letter.

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1 I have developed strong cooking techniques and the ability to work effectively under pressure.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

2 I would like to apply for the Kitchen Assistant role advertised on your restaurant window.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

3 Your restaurant's focus on local ingredients and traditional recipes appeals to me.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

4 Having worked as a chef assistant in a restaurant, I understand the fast pace of a professional kitchen.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

5 I would be grateful if you considered my application.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

6 I am ready to start from next month on a full-time basis.

A. Paragraph 1 (Introduction)

B. Paragraph 2 (Experience and skills)

C. Paragraph 3 (Motivation and availability)

D. Paragraph 4 (Closing)

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Writing an email cover letter

When you apply for a job, you usually send two documents as attachments to your email:

• Your CV: a summary of your education, experience, and skills.
• Your Cover Letter: a short, formal message where you explain why you are applying and why you are a strong candidate.

An email cover letter is written directly inside the email instead of as a separate attachment. It should be short, polite, and well-organised, showing your professionalism and motivation.

Let’s look at this example task:

How to start and end your email

The language you use should be formal and polite. Avoid informal openings such as Hi or Hello in job applications.

Greeting:

• Dear Mr Roberts
• Dear Ms Nguyen
• Dear Hiring Manager

Closing:

• Yours sincerely (if you know the person’s name)
• Yours faithfully (if you don’t know their name)
• Kind regards (neutral and professional)

After your sign-off, include your full name and contact details. You can also include your LinkedIn profile if relevant.

Plan your paragraphs

An email cover letter should be concise but sufficiently detailed, and is usually organised into four short paragraphs:

1️⃣ Introduction – reason for writing

Say what position you are applying for and where you saw the advertisement. Add a brief summary of your background or current situation.

2️⃣ Experience and skills

Give specific examples of your professional or academic experience. Use formal phrases to show achievements or responsibilities.

3️⃣ Availability and motivation for the job

Explain why you are interested in this company and why you believe you would be a good fit.

4️⃣ Closing – thanks and next steps

Thank the employer for their time and say you would welcome the opportunity to discuss your application further.

Useful language

Reason for writing

• I am writing in response to your advertisement for…
• I would like to apply for the position of…

Highlighting experience

• Having worked as…
• I have experience working in…
• With over three years’ experience in…
• I have developed strong skills in…
• In my current role, I am responsible for…

Talking about suitability

• I believe my background in… makes me particularly suitable for…
• I am confident that I can contribute to…

Showing motivation

• I am especially interested in this opportunity because…
• Your company’s focus on… particularly appeals to me.
• What particularly attracts me to this role is…
• I am particularly keen to/I am eager to…
• I am highly motivated to…

Availability

• I am available to start immediately / from…
• I would be happy to work flexible hours.
• I am available on a full-time / part-time basis.

Referring to attachments

• Please find my CV attached.
• I have attached my CV for your consideration.

Closing politely

• I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application further.
• I look forward to discussing my experience in more detail.
• Thank you for your time and consideration.
• I would be very grateful for the opportunity to discuss my application in more detail.

Using B2 grammar to improve your cover letter

At B2 level, it is important to show that you can use a range of grammar structures in your writing. In a cover letter, these structures can help you express your ideas more clearly and make your application sound more formal and professional. Let’s look at some examples.

Participle clause = gives background information

Cleft sentence = adds emphasis

Inversion = makes the sentence more formal

Compound adjectives = combine words to describe nouns more precisely