Write a postcard

A postcard is a short, friendly message you send from a holiday or trip. It usually has three parts: a greeting, a short body of two to four sentences, and a sign-off. The language is simple and warm – postcards are like short letters to family or friends.

Useful phrases for each part of a postcard:

How to use these phrases: Start your postcard with a friendly greeting, such as Dear Maria or Hi from London. Then write two or three short sentences about where you are, the weather, what you are doing, or the food. Finish with a warm sign-off such as Love or Best wishes followed by your first name.

Postcards are short – usually 30 to 60 words only. Do not write long, complicated sentences. Use the simple present (The weather is sunny) or the present continuous (I am having a great time). Remember to put a comma after the greeting and after the sign-off.

Two friends talk about writing a postcard. Listen for the useful phrases.

Say this classic postcard opening. Speak clearly and with a smile.

Say this friendly sentence. It is a typical ending for a postcard.

In this section, you will listen to a short conversation between two friends, Sarah and Tom. Tom is on holiday in Spain. He is writing a postcard to their friend Emma. Listen carefully – you will need to answer three questions after the conversation.

Before you listen, think:

• What can you see and do in Spain in summer? (sunny beaches, old cities, delicious food)
• What is the weather often like? (very hot and sunny, around 30 degrees)
• What activities do tourists enjoy? (swimming, eating local food, visiting museums)

While you listen, look for these key words:

• the place where Tom is
• the weather he describes
• the name of the person he is writing to
• the food he talks about

After you listen: You will answer three questions:

1. A gist question – what is the conversation mainly about?
2. A specific information question – one clear fact from the dialogue.
3. A detail question – a small piece of information, with a missing word.

Don't worry if you don't understand every word. Focus on the answers to the questions. You can listen more than once.

Listen to the conversation between Sarah and Tom. Tom is on holiday and is writing a postcard to their friend Emma.

Question 1 (gist): Where is Tom on holiday?

Question 2 (specific information): What is the weather like in Barcelona?

The schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel sound in English. You can hear it in small, unstressed words like a, the, from, and to. It is a very short, very relaxed sound. In natural English, about one in every four vowels is a schwa – so learning it will make your speech sound much more fluent.

How to make the schwa sound:

• Relax your tongue in the middle of your mouth. Do not lift it to the top or push it forward.
• Keep your lips in a neutral position. Do not round them and do not smile widely.
• Open your jaw just a little. The sound is very short – about half as long as other vowels.
• The sound is quiet and unstressed. Do not make it strong or loud.

Where do you find the schwa in postcards? Look at these common words:

Why is this important? When you speak English naturally, the small words become very short. If you say a like ay or the like thee, your English sounds slow and unnatural. Listen carefully to the recordings in this section and copy the short, relaxed sound. Soon your speech will sound smooth and natural – perfect for a friendly postcard!

Remember: the schwa /ə/ is a short, quiet, relaxed sound. Your tongue is in the middle of your mouth, your jaw is only slightly open, and your voice is soft. The word the in The weather is lovely is /ðə/, not /ðiː/. The word a in a postcard is /ə/, not /eɪ/. Practise this short sound before you move on.

Say this short phrase out loud. Listen to the schwa in 'a' – it is a tiny, quiet sound, not a strong 'ay'.

Say this phrase. The vowel in 'from' is a schwa. Keep it very short and relaxed.

Say this whole sentence. Notice the schwa sounds in 'the', 'weather' and 'today'. Keep them short.

In this section, you will read a real postcard from Anna to her friend Sara. Anna is on holiday in Malaga, a city in the south of Spain. Before you read, here is a useful strategy and some key vocabulary.

Strategy: Find the three parts of a postcard When you read a postcard, find these three parts quickly:

1. Greeting – who is the postcard from? (top, e.g. Dear Sara,)
2. Body – what is the writer doing and thinking? (the middle sentences)
3. Sign-off – who wrote the postcard? (bottom, e.g. Love, Anna)

Once you find the three parts, read the body carefully. The body usually tells you:

• Where the person is
• The weather
• What they did yesterday
• What they will do tomorrow
• What they like (food, places, activities)

Key vocabulary:

• postcard (n.) – a small card you send from holiday
• beach (n.) – sand by the sea
• museum (n.) – a building with old art or objects
• seafood (n.) – fish and other animals from the sea that you can eat
• tomorrow (adv.) – the day after today
• wonderful (adj.) – very, very good

Reading tip: Don't read every word slowly the first time. Skim the postcard to find the three parts. Then read the body for the details. This is faster and helps you understand more.

Dear Sara,

Greetings from Malaga! I'm having a wonderful time here. The weather is hot and sunny, and the sea is beautiful. My hotel is small but very clean, and it's near the beach. Yesterday, I went to the old city and visited a big market – the fruit was very fresh and cheap. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Picasso museum – did you know he was from Malaga? The food here is delicious, especially the seafood.

Wish you were here!

Love, Anna

Question 1 (gist): Where is Anna on holiday?

In this section, you will practise saying postcard messages out loud. Speaking a postcard is easy when you use short, simple sentences. Smile, speak slowly, and use pauses.

Useful speaking phrases:

How to speak naturally:

• Speak slowly and clearly – do not rush.
• Smile when you say Greetings from... and Wish you were here!. Postcards are happy.
• Use pauses between sentences. This makes your English sound confident.
• Do not worry about your accent. Focus on clear words and a friendly voice.
• Record yourself and listen back if you can.

Practice steps: First, listen to a short model conversation between Tom and Anna about a holiday. Then repeat two key postcard sentences. Finally, you will have a real conversation with the AI about your own holiday. The AI will ask questions, and you will answer using the phrases above. Speak clearly and don't worry about making small mistakes – the goal is to be friendly and clear.

Listen to a model conversation. Tom is asking Anna about her holiday. Notice the short, friendly sentences.

Say this as a postcard opening. Speak clearly and with a smile. Pause after 'London'.

Say these two short sentences. Use a friendly voice and remember the schwa in 'the' and 'a'.

In this final section, you will learn how to write your own short postcard. Look at the model postcard first, then study the writing strategy, and finally write your own.

Model postcard from Tom to his mum:

Dear Mum,

Greetings from Brighton! I'm having a lovely time. The weather is warm and sunny, and the hotel is small but very clean. It's near the beach. Yesterday, I walked along the pier. The sea is beautiful, and the fish and chips are delicious!

See you on Sunday!

Love, Tom

Strategy: Using capital letters and commas A good postcard uses correct punctuation. Look at the model and notice these patterns:

• Capital letters at the start of every sentence: Dear, Greetings, I'm, The, It's, Yesterday, The, See, Love.
• Capital letters for names: Mum, Brighton, Tom.
• A comma after the greeting: Dear Mum,
• A comma after the sign-off: Love, Tom
• A full stop at the end of every sentence.

Your task: Write a short postcard to a friend or family member. Use 4-6 sentences in the body. Include:

• a greeting (Dear ...,)
• where you are (Greetings from ...!)
• the weather (The weather is ...)
• one thing you did or will do (Yesterday, I ... or Tomorrow, I'm going to ...)
• a friendly sign-off (Love, ... or See you soon!)

Before you finish, check:

• Did you use capital letters correctly?
• Did you put commas in the right places?
• Did you use simple, short sentences?
• Is your postcard between 30 and 60 words?

When you finish, read your postcard aloud. Listen to your own English – it should sound like the model.

Writing strategy: Using capital letters and commas in a postcard.

1. Start every sentence with a capital letter: Dear, Greetings, The, Yesterday, See, Love.
2. Use capital letters for names: places (Brighton, Paris), people (Mum, Emma), and the first person pronoun I.
3. Put a comma after the greeting: Dear Mum,
4. Put a comma after the sign-off: Love, Tom,
5. End every sentence with a full stop.

Look at the model postcard again and check: can you find five capital letters and two commas?

Which of these is correctly written for a postcard sign-off?

Now write your own short postcard to a friend or family member. Use 4-6 sentences, the phrases from this lesson, and correct capital letters and commas. When you finish, click the button below and read your postcard aloud. Listen to your own English and check: does it sound like the model?