TOEIC Writing Q6-7 Respond to a Written Request: The Two-Email 10-Minute Format

You open Q6. The prompt email reads: "We are considering holding our team offsite at your venue next month. Please send pricing information for a group of fifteen, and let me know whether a morning trial of the space would be possible." You have ten minutes. You write a friendly reply that attaches a pricing sheet, thanks the sender, and signs off. You submit, feeling fine. The response scored 2. Why? You answered one request. The second request — the trial morning — never appeared in your reply. Your rater saw "let me know whether… would be possible" and flagged the missing response. One missed request caps Q6-7 at 2 regardless of how clean the rest of your writing was.

Q6-7 is the middle tier of TOEIC Writing. Two tasks, 10 minutes each, scored 0-4. The tasks look forgiving — short emails, familiar workplace contexts, familiar register conventions. But the 0-4 rubric introduces two things Q1-5 did not test: register control and completeness of multi-request response. Missing one hidden request, or mismatching a formal prompt with a casual reply, drops you from 4 to 2 in a single scoring move.

This guide walks through the format, the rubric, the hidden second-request trap, the salutation and sign-off conventions that separate a 3 from a 4, and the internal paragraph rhythm that banks the last 0.5 rubric point on each item.

The Format at a Glance

Questions 6 and 7 are two independent email-response tasks. Each gives you:

1. An on-screen prompt message — usually an email, occasionally a letter or instant-message thread
2. Task instructions above or below the prompt that tell you what role you are writing as (the customer, the manager, the vendor, the colleague)
3. A 10-minute timer per item
4. A blank text field for your reply

Both items follow the same format, so Q6 and Q7 are tested as if they were one skill — only the content changes. The prompt genres vary: a customer inquiry, a supplier announcement, a manager's schedule change, a vendor complaint, a booking request, a policy notification.

The task instructions always name at least two things you must address. Sometimes the two are labeled explicitly ("In your reply, (1) apologize for the delay, and (2) propose a new schedule"). More often, they are embedded inside the prompt itself, and identifying them correctly is the first skill the task tests.

The 0-4 Rubric, Unpacked

The Q6-7 rubric scales along four dimensions, each roughly equal in weight:

1. Quality and variety of sentences
2. Vocabulary
3. Organization
4. Register appropriate to the context

A response is scored holistically against these four dimensions. The rubric does not tally sentence-by-sentence deductions the way Q1-5 does — it places the response in a band.

The 4-ceiling is not reached by writing more. It is reached by writing in a range of sentence shapes with appropriate register and clear organization.

A response that mechanically ticks off each request in five consecutive simple sentences — "Thank you for your email. I got your message. I can help. Here is the pricing. Please let me know." — scores 3 even though it is grammatically clean, because there is no sentence variety. A response that combines a simple sentence, a complex sentence with a subordinate clause, and a compound sentence with a contrasting conjunction scores 4 if the other dimensions hold.

The Hidden Second-Request Trap

The most reliable way to drop from 4 to 2 on Q6-7 is to miss a request. Candidates do this routinely because the second request is often buried inside a sentence rather than labeled as a separate ask.

Example 1 — Comma-Separated Requests

"Please send the pricing information for a group of fifteen and let me know whether a morning trial of the space would be possible."

On casual reading, this sounds like one big request — "send me information about the venue." But it contains two discrete asks:

1. Send pricing for a group of fifteen
2. Confirm whether a morning trial is possible

A reply that sends pricing but does not address the trial morning is missing request #2. Score drops to 2.

Example 2 — Requests in Different Sentences

"We expect roughly twenty attendees. Could you also include information about your dietary accommodation policy, and let me know if there are any restrictions on outside catering?"

This has two requests, but the verb "include" carries both — information about dietary accommodation AND outside catering rules. Miss either and you are at 2.

Example 3 — Requests Disguised as Statements

"We are considering rescheduling to July 15. I would also appreciate a draft of the proposed agenda before the end of the week."

The second sentence does not contain "please" or a question mark. It is stated as a preference ("I would appreciate"). It is still a request. A reply that only addresses the rescheduling and does not mention the agenda draft is missing a request.

Example 4 — Conditional Requests

"If the conference room is unavailable, suggest an alternative. Either way, please confirm your availability for Thursday."

Two requests: alternative (conditional) and Thursday confirmation (unconditional). A reply that says "the room is available" and stops has missed the Thursday confirmation — the "either way" makes it unconditional.

The Request-Counting Habit

Before you write a single word of reply, read the prompt twice and underline (mentally) every verb that asks for an action on your part: please send, let me know, confirm, include, propose, suggest, could you, would you, I would appreciate, we need, please find out. Count the asks. Most Q6-7 prompts contain exactly 2 or 3 requests. If your count is 1, reread — you missed one.

In your reply, address every request with a visible sentence — not a clause buried inside another sentence. A rater scanning your reply needs to see that the second request was handled.

Register: Formal vs Neutral

Register is the second dimension that commonly drops candidates from 4 to 2. The prompt establishes a register; your reply must match it.

The test rarely uses fully casual prompts. Most Q6-7 prompts are neutral business register — the safe default for replies.

Red-flag register mismatches:

• Replying to a formal prompt ("Dear Ms. Tanaka, We would be grateful if you could provide…") with a casual reply ("Hi! Sure, no problem, here's what I've got!"). Score drop to 2.
• Replying to a neutral prompt with overly stiff formality ("Most esteemed sir/madam, I hereby acknowledge receipt of your communication…"). Rater reads this as awkward, register mismatch. Score drop to 3.
• Using slang or idiomatic shortcuts ("no worries," "for sure," "gonna") in a business email. Mismatch.

Salutation and Sign-Off Conventions

A complete Q6-7 response has a salutation, body, and sign-off. Missing any of these three is a structural problem the rubric scores.

The safest default when register is ambiguous: "Dear [First Name]," + "Best regards,". This works in both neutral and semi-formal contexts and is rarely penalized.

Under your sign-off, put a name — either your own (if instructions give you one) or a plausible business-appropriate name. "Thanks, Alex" reads as complete; "Thanks," alone looks truncated.

A Concrete Example

Here is a realistic Q6 prompt and a 4-band reply.

Prompt

To: [You] From: Anna Martinez, Events Coordinator, Highland Inn Subject: Corporate offsite pricing

Dear [You],

I'm reaching out on behalf of Highland Inn regarding the corporate offsite your company mentioned. Could you please send over your typical package options for a group of approximately twenty attendees? We would also appreciate knowing whether outside catering is permitted on the property, as we may have dietary needs that are easier to accommodate through our usual vendor.

Thank you, and I look forward to your reply.

Best, Anna

Instructions

Write a reply as the corporate events manager. Address Anna's two requests.

Sample 4-band reply (~120 words)

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your email and for considering Highland Inn for our team offsite. I am attaching our standard package options for groups of twenty, which include a daytime venue rental, coffee and lunch service, and access to the breakout rooms. Pricing scales slightly depending on the chosen time slot, and I have highlighted the option that usually works best for a group your size.

Regarding outside catering, we do allow it with advance notice. If you let us know your preferred vendor at least five business days before the event, our team can coordinate delivery and setup on the day.

Please let me know if you have any further questions. I am happy to set up a call to discuss details.

Best regards, Morgan Lee

Why This Scores 4

• Both requests addressed in visible, separate paragraphs. Pricing handled in paragraph 2. Catering handled in paragraph 3.
• Sentence variety. Simple sentences ("I am attaching our standard package options…"), compound sentences with conjunctions ("Pricing scales… and I have highlighted…"), complex sentences with subordinate clauses ("If you let us know your preferred vendor at least five business days before the event, our team can coordinate delivery and setup on the day.").
• Register is neutral-business, matching the prompt's tone. "Dear Anna" mirrors "Dear [You]." "Best regards" mirrors "Best."
• Organization is paragraph-based, with each request in its own paragraph and a closing sentence that offers continued help.
• Vocabulary range: "considering," "scales slightly," "advance notice," "coordinate delivery." No single word is rare, but the combination avoids repetition.

A 3-band reply would address both requests but run everything together in two or three sentences with uniform syntax. A 2-band reply would miss the catering question. A 4-band reply reads like a real business email a real events manager would send.

The Internal Paragraph Rhythm

Most 4-band Q6-7 responses follow a recognizable three-paragraph rhythm:

This shape satisfies the organization dimension of the rubric without effort. Each request gets its own paragraph, which makes it visible to the rater; the opening and closing frames the response as a coherent business communication.

If there are three requests, add a third body paragraph. If the prompt is very short, you can fold body 2 into body 1, but keep the opening and closing separate.

Tactical Prescriptions

Underline Requests Before Writing

Spend the first 30 seconds of the 10-minute budget reading the prompt twice and identifying every request. You are looking for verbs of asking — send, confirm, let me know, suggest, propose, include — and statements of preference ("I would appreciate," "we would like"). Count them. Most Q6-7 prompts contain 2-3 requests. Write the count down mentally before you start drafting.

Draft the Skeleton, Not the Email

For the next 60 seconds, mentally draft the three- or four-paragraph skeleton: which request goes in which paragraph, and what one sentence answers each. Do not start typing prose until the skeleton is clear. Typing the first sentence before the skeleton exists is the fastest way to produce a response that covers request 1 in detail and forgets request 2.

Use Varied Syntax Deliberately

One of the 4-band rubric's explicit criteria is sentence variety. Inside each body paragraph, try to use at least one complex sentence (with a subordinate clause) alongside a simple one. Examples of easy syntactic moves:

• Subordinate clause with "if," "when," "because," "although": "If you let us know by Friday, we can send the draft…"
• Participial phrase: "Having reviewed your request, I am happy to confirm…"
• Relative clause: "The package, which includes daytime rental and coffee service, runs…"
• Compound sentence with contrast: "Pricing is per head, but discounts apply for groups over twenty."

Using two or three of these per response lifts syntax from uniform to varied.

Register Match: Mirror the Prompt

Look at how the prompt opens and closes. If the prompt opens "Dear [Title Surname]," match with "Dear [Title Surname]." If it opens "Hi Maria," match with "Hi [First Name]." If the prompt closes with "Yours sincerely," match with something at the same register. This mirror trick resolves 90% of register-mismatch issues automatically.

Leave 90 Seconds to Proofread

At the 8:30 mark, stop composing and reread. Check:

• Every request from the prompt has a visible sentence in your reply
• Salutation and sign-off are both present
• Register matches the prompt
• No comma splices or run-on sentences
• Spelling of names from the prompt is correct (misspelling the sender's name signals carelessness)

One proofread pass on each of Q6 and Q7 typically catches 1-2 raw points across the two items — meaningful at the top of the scaled scale.

How Q6-7 Fits the Writing Score

Q6-7 together contribute 8 raw points of the 28-point Writing maximum. A candidate who banks 8/8 here needs a 3 on Q8 to land a 165-170 scaled score. A candidate who scores 4/8 on Q6-7 (missing a request on each) will need a 5 on Q8 to break 150 — an unlikely recovery.

Q6-7 rewards mechanical discipline: count the requests, assign them to paragraphs, match register, write with sentence variety, proofread. None of this requires advanced English. It requires attention to the specific criteria the rubric scores.

Before advancing to Q8 prep, confirm you can reliably hit 3-band or 4-band responses on both Q6 and Q7 under real 10-minute timing. That is the middle tier of the Writing pyramid, and it is achievable with two weeks of disciplined practice.

Ready to practice Q6-7 with prompts covering the full range of workplace scenarios? ExamRift provides timed 10-minute email-response drills across customer inquiry, supplier coordination, internal scheduling, and complaint-handling contexts — with AI-scored feedback that flags missed requests, register mismatches, and sentence-variety gaps before they cost points on test day.