B1 – Beyond the CV: Writing a Cover Letter

Description

A B1-level Business English lesson on writing cover letters, ideal for learners preparing to apply for jobs or seeking international career opportunities.

Students revisit Catherine Bennett, a 3D character animator, and analyse her poorly written cover letter to spot common mistakes adapted from 15 Cover Letter Mistakes and How to Avoid Them by Indeed. They then learn practical tips and useful phrases to improve it, discover the four key parts of a strong letter, and plan their own. The session includes reading for gist and detail, error correction, and a short writing task with peer feedback. Clear, engaging, and easy to teach, this lesson blends language practice with real-world career skills.

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.