Purpose and Audience

I’m trying to learn for my English class and I’m stuck. Can you help?

Part I: Scenario

You just won tickets to that thing you love as a prize in a contest sponsored by Cool Ranch Doritos™ that you forgot you entered three months ago! Bummer, though, you have both class and work on the day of the thing. Now you have to write a bunch of emails, because there’s no way you’re going to miss the thing, if at all possible.

In one word document, write an email to each of the following people:

• Your boss: You must get out of work!
• Your teacher: You are so not going to class, but your teacher is a total freak about attendance and pop quizzes and junk!
• Your buddy: You wouldn’t dream of going to the thing without your buddy, but–oh, no!–your buddy is in class with you on that day. What do you say to your buddy? Will they write the instructor, ditch, or just not go to the thing? Email your buddy with a plan!

Part II: Comparison

When you write your emails, imagine your boss, one of your teachers, and your best buddy. Try to imagine what you would say to each person in your email. Make your tone realistic for each situation. Once you have written the emails, use the Comments feature in your Word or Google doc to compare the style you used in each, and address the following:

• Highlight and comment on the general differences do you see
• Highlight and identify words and/or sentences that characterize the different styles
• Comment on which email do you think would be the most effective, and why

Submit your highlighted and commented Word document.