How to Write a Formal Letter for B2 First

how to write a formal email for b2 first

In this lesson, you will learn how to write a formal letter for B2 First, including the correct structure, useful phrases, common mistakes and a complete model answer.

Writing a formal letter may sound slightly old-fashioned in a world of emails, messages and emojis, but it is still an important writing skill — and one you may need in the B2 First Writing exam.

In Part 2 of the Writing paper, you choose one task from three. One of the possible text types is an email or letter, and the style you use depends on who you are writing to and why you are writing. You might need to write to a potential employer, a college principal, an organisation or an editor.

A formal letter is not simply an informal letter filled with longer words. To do well, you need to:

answer every part of the task
use an appropriate formal or neutral tone
organise your ideas clearly
use suitable linking words
show a good range of grammar and vocabulary

Formal Letters in B2 First Writing Part 2

The complete B2 First Writing paper lasts 1 hour 20 minutes. You write two texts:

Part 1: a compulsory essay
Part 2: one task chosen from three

Possible Part 2 text types include an article, email, letter, review or report. Each answer should contain 140–190 words.

The important thing is not simply recognising that the task says letter. You must also identify the target reader.

Compare:

Write to your English-speaking friend…

This would require an informal or friendly style.

But:

Write to the manager of the sports centre…

This requires a more formal style.

So before you start writing, ask yourself:

Who am I writing to? Why am I writing? What information must I include?

How to Write a Formal Letter for B2 First: Structure

A clear structure makes your letter easier to read and helps you organise your ideas.

A useful plan is:

Greeting
Opening paragraph
Main paragraph 1
Main paragraph 2
Closing paragraph
Sign-off

Let’s look at each part.

1. Greeting

If you know the person’s name, use:

Dear Mr Brown,
Dear Ms Williams,

If you do not know the person’s name, use:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Avoid informal greetings such as:

Hi
Hello there
Hey

The greeting immediately establishes the tone of your letter.

2. Opening Paragraph

Your first paragraph should make the purpose of the letter clear.

Do not spend several sentences introducing yourself unless this information is relevant to the task.

Useful opening phrases

Applying for something

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

Requesting information

I am writing to enquire about…
I would be grateful if you could provide further information about…
I am writing to ask for further details regarding…

Making a complaint

I am writing to complain about…
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with…
I am writing regarding a problem I experienced…

Responding to an advertisement

I am writing in response to the advertisement published on your website.
I am writing regarding your recent advertisement for…

3. Main Body

The middle of your letter should deal with all the content points in the task.

This is extremely important.

If the question asks you to:

explain why you are interested
describe your experience
say when you are available

then your answer must cover all three points.

Do not write a beautiful letter about only two of them.

Cambridge assesses Content, which means the examiner looks at whether you have actually done what the task asked you to do.

Useful linking expressions

Instead of beginning every sentence with Also, try:

Firstly,
In addition,
Furthermore,
Moreover,
However,
Although…
As a result,
For this reason,
Therefore,
As well as…
In particular,

You do not need to use all of them. Two or three well-chosen linkers are much better than filling every sentence with Furthermore.

4. Closing Paragraph

Your final paragraph should bring the letter to a natural conclusion.

Depending on the task, you may:

ask for a reply
request action
express hope
offer further information
thank the reader

Useful closing phrases

I would be grateful if you could…
I would appreciate it if you could…
I hope you will consider my application.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to receiving your reply.

5. Sign-Off

The traditional rule is easy to remember.

If you know the person’s name:

Dear Mr Smith → Yours sincerely,

If you do not know the person’s name:

Dear Sir or Madam → Yours faithfully,

Then write your name underneath.

For example:

Yours faithfully,

Sophie Taylor

Formal or Too Formal?

One common mistake in B2 First is thinking that formal English must sound extremely complicated.

It does not.

Compare:

❌ I hereby wish to express my sincere desire to submit my candidature for the aforementioned position.

This sounds unnatural and far too elaborate.

Much better:

✅ I am writing to apply for the position advertised on your website.

Useful Language for a B2 First Formal Letter

Here are some useful ways to make everyday language more suitable for a formal letter.


ask about	enquire about
ask for	request
get	receive / obtain
give	provide
tell	inform
need	require
help	assist
say sorry	apologise
show	demonstrate
job	position
about	regarding/concerning
because	as/since
so	therefore/as a result

Be careful, though: formal does not automatically mean better.

For example, help is perfectly good English. You do not need to replace every ordinary word with a more sophisticated one.

Should You Use Contractions?

In formal writing, full forms are generally safer.

Prefer:

I am rather than I’m
I would rather than I’d
cannot rather than can’t
do not rather than don’t

However, remember that the real issue is consistent and appropriate register. Cambridge expects candidates to choose a style and tone suitable for the target reader.

B2 First Formal Letter: Example Exam Task

You see this notice on the website of a local community centre:

Weekend Activity Assistant Wanted

We are looking for a reliable and enthusiastic person to help organise activities for teenagers at our community centre on Saturdays.

Write to the centre manager.

In your letter:

explain why you are interested in the position
describe any relevant experience you have
explain why you would be suitable

Write your letter in 140–190 words.

B2 First Formal Letter: Model Answer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your advertisement for a weekend activity assistant at the local community centre. I would be very interested in applying for the position.

I believe I would be suitable for this role because I enjoy working with young people and have considerable experience of organising group activities. For the past two summers, I have worked as a volunteer at a children’s sports camp, where I helped organise games, competitions and creative activities.

In addition, I am a reliable and patient person who works well as part of a team. I am also confident when communicating with teenagers and would be happy to help with both indoor and outdoor activities. As I am available every Saturday, the working hours mentioned in the advertisement would be convenient for me.

I hope you will consider my application. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Sophie Taylor

Why Is This a Good B2 First Answer?

The letter does several important things successfully.

It answers every part of the question

The writer explains:

why she is interested
what experience she has
why she is suitable

Nothing from the task has been forgotten.

The register is appropriate

Expressions such as:

I am writing in response to…
I believe I would be suitable…
Please do not hesitate to contact me…

are polite and appropriate for writing to someone the candidate does not know.

It is clearly organised

The letter has separate paragraphs for:

purpose
experience
suitability
closing

It demonstrates language range

The candidate uses:

present perfect: I have worked…
relative clause: where I helped organise…
a range of adjectives: reliable, patient, confident
linking expressions: In addition, As…

That is much more effective than trying to impress the examiner with unnecessarily complicated vocabulary.

Now that you know how to write a formal letter for B2 First, let’s put the structure and language into practice with an exam-style task.

Want More B2 First Writing Practice?

If you are preparing for the B2 First exam and would like more guided practice, take a look at my B2 First Writing Bundle.

The collection is designed to help you understand the different B2 First writing tasks, improve your organisation and language, and practise writing with clear models and exercises.

It includes:

Mastering Writing Skills for B2 First
B2 First Writing Practice Workbook
Writing for B2 First for Schools

Together, the books give you explanations, model answers and plenty of practice to help you become more confident with B2 First Writing.

Explore the B2 First Writing Bundle →

Common Mistakes in B2 First Formal Letters

1. Forgetting one of the content points

Read the question carefully and underline everything you must include.

2. Being too informal

Avoid expressions such as:

Hi!
Thanks a lot!
I really want this job.
Write back soon!

3. Trying too hard to sound formal

Do not fill your letter with words you would never normally use.

Clear, accurate B2 English is better than awkward C1 vocabulary.

4. Repeating the same linking words

If every paragraph begins with Furthermore, your writing will sound mechanical.

Vary your language naturally.

5. Writing one enormous paragraph

Paragraphing is part of good organisation. Give each paragraph a clear purpose.

6. Memorising an entire model letter

Learning useful phrases is a good idea.

Memorising a complete letter and trying to force it onto a different exam question is not.

The task must always come first.

Final Tips for Writing a Formal Letter in B2 First

Remember these five things:

Read the task before thinking about impressive vocabulary.

Your first job is to answer the question.

Identify the reader.

Your relationship with the reader determines the tone.

Be polite, but natural.

Formal English does not need to sound stiff.

Show some range.

Use different sentence structures, linkers and vocabulary where they fit naturally.

Leave time to check your work.

Look for missing words, spelling mistakes, repeated vocabulary and sentences that are difficult to understand.

A successful formal letter is not the one with the longest words. It is the one that makes its purpose clear, gives the reader all the information they need and uses an appropriate tone throughout.

Once you understand how to write a formal letter for B2 First, you can use the same basic approach for applications, complaints, requests for information and other formal writing tasks.

Discover more from My Lingua Academy

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

How to Write a Formal Letter for B2 First

Published by My Lingua Academy on 8 Aug 20258 Aug 2025

Formal Letters in B2 First Writing Part 2