When you’re applying for jobs, writing a great CV is only half the battle. Many companies also expect a cover letter…and this is where a lot of candidates go wrong! A cover letter isn’t just a copy of your CV. It’s so much more. It’s your chance to show motivation, tailor your application to the company, and highlight why you’re the right person for the role. This B1 cover letter lesson helps students practise these skills and avoid the most common mistakes.
This lesson follows directly from my earlier B1 class on Applying for Jobs (Beating the ATS), where students learned how applicant tracking systems filter CVs. After working on CVs, the natural next step is to guide learners through how to write a strong cover letter that complements their CV instead of repeating it.
The idea for this lesson came after I read an article 15 Cover Letter mistakes and How to Avoid Them on Indeed. Some of these errors are painfully easy to make: forgetting to include the job title, sending the same generic letter to every company, talking about salary, or even admitting you don’t know much about the employer. I decided to adapt this list to B1 level, simplify the explanations, and give students useful phrases they can immediately use in their own writing.
If this sounds useful, scroll to the end of the post to download the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes. This B1 cover letter lesson works perfectly alongside my earlier B1 CV class (Beating the ATS), and together they give students a complete toolkit for job applications.
Warmer: Do Cover Letters Still Matter?
Students begin by discussing whether cover letters are still important today. Are they as essential as a CV, or are they sometimes ignored? Learners also predict the kinds of mistakes candidates make when writing them. This short task activates ideas and gets everyone thinking about real-life job applications.
Reading: Mistakes to Avoid
Next, students read a simplified version of Indeed’s list of mistakes. Their job is to compare the list with their own predictions. For many, it’s a surprise to see just how damaging simple errors can be, such as writing too negatively about a past employer or failing to tailor the letter to the company.
Bad Cover Letter Analysis: Catherine’s Motivation
Students return to Catherine Bennett, the 3D character animator they met in the CV lesson. This time, Catherine has written a very poor cover letter. Her mistakes are deliberately obvious. They don’t mention the job title, say that she doesn’t like her manager, she admits that she sends the same letter everywhere, and more. Learners underline the errors and match them to the list. There are eight mistakes in total, and one from the list that is missing.
Language Focus: How to Fix Mistakes
Learners move on to a reading task with advice on how to avoid these mistakes, supported with useful phrases. This stage gives students ready-to-use building blocks for their own writing, for example:
- I am writing to apply for the position of [Job Title] at [Company Name].
- I admire your company’s focus on [value/mission], and I would like to contribute to…
- One achievement I am especially proud of is… which demonstrates my ability to…
Writing Skills: Correcting the Bad Letter
Using the tips and phrases, students rewrite Catherine’s underlined sentences in a more professional way. For example, I don’t really know much about your company becomes After reading about your company’s projects in animation, I believe my skills in Blender and character design would be useful. This activity reinforces the lesson message: a good cover letter is positive, specific, and tailored.
Good Cover Letter Analysis: The Structure
After seeing Catherine’s bad and good versions side by side, students break down the structure of an effective cover letter into four parts: Introduction, Motivation, Suitability, and Closing. They match sentences from the model to these sections and then use a table of useful phrases to help plan their own letter.
Production: Planning and Writing a Letter
Students choose a real or imagined job and plan their own cover letter, writing one or two sentences for each section. They then draft a short letter (aim for 100–120 words), swap with a partner, and give peer feedback.
Discussion: Do Cover Letters Still Have a Future?
The lesson closes with a reflective discussion about the usefulness of cover letters. Encourage students to talk about their experiences and whether they believe that employers even read their letters.
This lesson gives B1 learners the tools to move beyond the CV and write clear, professional cover letters that show motivation and suitability. Paired with the previous session on Beating the ATS, it offers a complete introduction to the essentials of job applications in 2025.
If you’d like to try it out with your learners, scroll down to download the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes. Together, this B1 cover letter lesson and the earlier CV session help students not only practise English but also build real-world career skills.
What do you think, are cover letters here to stay, or will they disappear as hiring moves online?
