6 original Write an Email prompts (6 questions) written for the current TOEFL iBT format, each with a full explanation. Free, with no account needed.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated October 1, 2026
How to use this page
Start the 7-minute timer, write an email that covers every point in the task, then compare it with the model and tick off each requirement you met.
These are open responses, so there is no automatic score. Compare your response with the model and the checklist instead. New to the task? Read the Write an Email guide first for the format and strategies.
1. A consent form that bundles two choices
1 question
To: Dr. Elena Park, supervisor of the student oral-history activity
Subject: Consent form clarification
You are reviewing the consent form for the student oral-history project. The form currently says that if someone agrees to be interviewed, their real name will appear in the public exhibit too. One participant is happy to talk about their experiences but only if the project uses a pseudonym. You need to ask for a clearer form before more interviews are collected.
In your email:
Explain why participation and identification are separate decisions
Propose separate choices on the form
Ask how already collected interviews will be checked before publication
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Dear Dr. Park,
I am reviewing the oral-history consent form, and one part is causing confusion. Right now it makes interview participation and name publication one choice, but those are separate decisions. Someone may be willing to share personal experiences and still prefer a pseudonym in the public exhibit.
Could we revise the form so it has separate choices: one for agreeing to be interviewed and another for choosing whether the project may publish the real name or should use a pseudonym? That would match what contributors actually decide.
I would also like to know how the interviews already collected will be checked before publication. If some forms were signed under the current wording, it may help to review them carefully so no one is identified by mistake.
Thank you for considering this,
Jordan
Last Friday you deposited your paycheck at your credit union's branch before the posted 3 p.m. cutoff. The credit union held the money for two days, and meanwhile an automatic rent payment pushed your account below zero, triggering an overdraft fee. In six years as a member, you have never had one. Write to the member services manager.
In your email:
Describe what happened to your deposit.
Ask the credit union to reconsider the fee.
Suggest how members could be warned about holds in the future.
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Dear Ms. Haddad,
I am writing about an overdraft fee charged to my checking account on Monday. Last Friday I deposited my paycheck at the Main Street branch at about 1:30 p.m., well before the 3 p.m. cutoff. I expected the money to be available that evening, but it was held for two days. In the meantime, my automatic rent payment went through, and the account dropped below zero.
I understand that holds are sometimes necessary, but nobody at the counter mentioned one, and my receipt did not show it. I have been a member for six years without a single overdraft, so I would be grateful if you could reconsider the fee as a one-time courtesy.
For the future, it might help to print the release date on deposit receipts or to send a text alert whenever a hold is placed. That way, members could move money before a payment fails.
Thank you for your time,
Daniel Mensah
Last month you booked a lake house for a weekend with four friends and paid the full cost with your credit card. Everyone agreed to pay you back within a week. Three weeks later, your friend Tomás still has not sent his share, and your credit card bill is due on the 15th. Write an email to Tomás.
In your email:
Mention something you enjoyed about the weekend.
Explain why you need the money soon.
Suggest a way for him to pay you back.
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Hi Tomás,
I'm still thinking about that weekend at the lake. The early-morning swim was freezing, but it was one of the best parts of my summer, and your campfire pasta was a hit with everyone.
I did want to check in about the house, though. As you know, I put the whole booking on my credit card, and we agreed to split it five ways. Everyone else has sent their share, but I haven't received yours yet. I don't want to make a big deal of it, but my card bill is due on the 15th, and I'd really rather not pay interest on it.
If paying the whole amount right now is difficult, that's completely fine. You could send half before the 15th and the rest at the end of the month. Or, if it's easier, just transfer it through the same app we used to split the groceries.
Let me know what works for you!
Cheers,
Ana
You share an apartment with Hiroshi, who handles the internet bill while you each pay half. Without asking you, he recently switched to a much faster plan that costs almost twice as much, saying it would help with his online gaming. He has now asked you to pay half of the new price. Write an email to Hiroshi.
In your email:
Let Hiroshi know what has worked well about sharing the bill so far.
Explain why you do not want to pay half of the new price.
Propose a fair way to divide the cost.
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Hi Hiroshi,
Thanks for sorting out the internet bill every month. Honestly, it's been one of the easiest parts of living together: it always gets paid on time, and I've never had to think about it.
About the new plan, though, I'm not comfortable splitting the full price. The old speed was fine for what I do, which is mostly email, the occasional show and video calls with my family, so I wouldn't notice the difference. I also wish you had checked with me first, since the change nearly doubles what we pay.
Here's an idea: I'll keep paying half of what the old plan cost, and you cover the extra amount, since the upgrade is mainly for your games. If I start using the extra speed a lot, say for my online course next spring, we can revisit it and split the difference.
Does that sound fair to you?
Best,
Lucas
You have applied to your bank for a small loan to buy a used car. The loan officer has twice asked for your latest pay statements, and both times you uploaded them through the bank's website. This morning a third request for the same documents arrived. The seller will hold the car only until Friday. Write to the loan officer.
In your email:
Remind Mr. Oduya what you have already sent.
Ask him to confirm what is still missing.
Suggest another way to get the documents to him before Friday.
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Dear Mr. Oduya,
I received your message this morning asking again for my latest pay statements. I want to sort this out quickly, because I have already uploaded them twice through the online document portal, first on May 3 and again on May 9. Both times I got an on-screen confirmation, and I saved screenshots of those pages.
Could you please check whether the files reached you and let me know exactly what is missing? If the problem is the file format, or if you need statements covering a longer period, I am happy to provide them, but I need to know which it is.
The seller has agreed to hold the car only until Friday, so I would like to avoid another delay. If it would help, I could bring paper copies to the branch on Wednesday morning or email them to you directly as PDF files.
Thank you for your help,
Grace Liu
While traveling abroad last month, you lost your debit card, and your bank froze your account. When you called the bank's support line, the agent was impatient and said nothing could be done until you got home. After you returned, a teller at your local branch, Sunita, solved the problem in ten minutes. Write to the branch manager.
In your email:
Tell the manager what happened when you called the support line.
Describe how Sunita helped you.
Suggest a change that would help customers who are traveling.
Write an email that addresses all three points. You have 7 minutes.
00:07:00
Show the model response and checklist
Check your response: does it…
Model response (one good answer — yours can differ)
Dear Ms. Moreau,
I would like to share some feedback about how my lost debit card was handled last month.
While I was visiting my aunt in Portugal, I lost my card, and my account was frozen. When I called the support line, the agent sounded rushed and told me that nothing could be done until I returned home. I had very little cash with me, so I spent four stressful days borrowing money from relatives. I understand that security matters, but I was not offered any alternative, such as an emergency transfer.
In contrast, when I visited your branch after I got back, Sunita verified my identity, unfroze the account and ordered a new card in about ten minutes. She was calm and patient, and she deserves recognition.
In the future, perhaps the support line could offer travelers a temporary virtual card or emergency cash so that they are not left stranded.
Sincerely,
Marco Bianchi