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E-mail WritingE-mail Writing

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Defining Email

Email is an electronic, computer-assisted online communication tool.

We all in the business world use emails as the main, and in some cases the only, means of written communication. For many students studying Business English and practising their business email writing skills is an important part of their course.

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Cont…Cont…

While most of us are happy to write informal emails to friends that might have grammatical mistakes in them, the same is not true when writing to colleagues and clients with whom we want to make a good impression. Or where we need to be a bit more careful or more diplomatic than usual. 

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General Tips for Writing E-mail

1. Subject Line

Always have a subject line that summarizes briefly and clearly the contents of the message for example:

1) Summary of Our Meeting with ABC Suppliers.

2) February Sales Report.

2. Simplified Sentences

Don’t make your email look overcrowded by using too many technical terms or long words.

It is good to use complex sentences, but ensure that they are easy to understand.

Keep It Short and Simple.

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3.Keep Messages Clear and Brief Emails need to be clear and concise. Keep your sentences short and to the point. The body of the email should be direct and informative, and it should contain all pertinent information.

If you need to communicate with someone about a number of different topics, consider writing a separate email for each one. This makes your message clearer.

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Bad ExampleSubject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending that report last week. I read it yesterday, and I feel that Chapter 2 needs more specific information about our sales figures. I also felt that the tone could be more formal.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I've scheduled a meeting with the PR department for this Friday regarding the new ad campaign. It's at 11:00 a.m. and will be in the small conference room.

Please let me know if you can make that time.

Thanks!

Monica

Good ExampleSubject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending that report last week. I read it yesterday, and I feel that Chapter 2 needs more specific information about our sales figures.

I also felt that the tone could be more formal.

Could you amend it with these comments in mind?

Thanks for your hard work on this!

Monica

(Monica then follows this up with a separate email about the PR department meeting.)

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4. Think of who your reader is going to be

Is it a colleague, a client or your boss? Should the email be informal or formal? Most business emails these days have a neutral tone. Note the difference between Informal and Formal:Informal – Thanks for emailing me on 15th JanuaryFormal – Thank you for your email dated 15th Janyary

Informal – Sorry, I can’t make it.Formal – I am afraid I will not be able to attend

Informal – Can you…?Formal – I was wondering if you could….?

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5. Be very careful of capital letters, punctuation, spelling and basic grammar

While these can be tolerated in informal emails, they are very important in business emails as they are an important part of the image you create. Give yourself time to edit what you’ve written before you push that Send button.

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6. Think about how direct or indirect you want to be

In some cultures, it is common practice to be very direct in email correspondence. However, this can cause a problem if you’re writing to someone in another country and in a language that is not your mother tongue. They might find your directness rude and possibly offensive.

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Direct – I need this in half an hour.Indirect and polite – Would it be possible to have this in half an hour?

Direct – There will be a delayIndirect – I’m afraid there may be a slight delay.

Direct – It’s a bad ideaIndirect – To be honest, I’m not sure if that would be a good idea.

By adjusting your tone, you are more likely to get a positive response from your reader.

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7. Check the Tone When we meet people face-to-face, we use the other person's body language, vocal tone, and facial expressions to assess how they feel. Email robs us of this information, and this means that we can't tell when people have misunderstood our messages.

Your choice of words, sentence length, punctuation, and capitalization can easily be misinterpreted without visual and auditory cues. In the first example below, Emma might think that Harry is frustrated or angry, but, in reality, he feels fine.

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Bad Example

Emma,

I need your report by 5 p.m. today or I'll miss my deadline.

Harry

Good Example

Hi Emma,

Thanks for all your hard work on that report. Could you please get your version over to me by 5 p.m., so I don't miss my deadline?

Thanks so much!

Harry 13

8. Be positive!

Look at these words:

helpful, good question, agreed, together, useful, I will do my best, mutual, opportunity.

Now look at these:

busy, crisis, failure, forget it, I can’t, it’s impossible, waste, hard.

The words you use show your attitude to life, so choose your words wisely. 14

9. Get feedback Try and get some feedback on the emails that you write from someone you know whose English is at a good level.

Study the English in any emails you receive. If it is a well-written email, look carefully at some of the language used.

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Formal and Informal Email Phrases – from Greetings to Closing Phrases!

Whether you’re writing to friends, colleagues or to a potential business partner, your main goal is to get your message across, in other words, to ensure the recipient understands you.

If you use improper or incorrect language and continuously make mistakes in your e-mail, you might fail to make a good impression on the reader.

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GREETINGSFormal

Dear Sir/ Madam,

Dear Sir or Madam,

To whom it may concern: (especially AmE)

Dear Mr/ Ms Jones,

Dear Dr Smith,

(Note: First names are NOT used. Using Miss or Mrs to address a woman  is not appropriate, as you don’t know whether she’s married or not)

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Cont…

Informal

Hi Dennis,

Hello Claire,

Dear Mary,

(Note: salutations are followed by a (,) comma, exception: ’To whom it may concern:’)

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REASON FOR WRITING / REPLYINGFormal

I am writing to make a reservation/ to apply for the position of…/ to confirm my booking/ to ask for further information about …

I am writing with regard  to the sale of …/ to the complaint you made on 27th May

Thank you for your e-mail of 27th May regarding the sale of… / concerning the conference in Kabul.

With reference to our telephone conversation on Friday, I would like to let you know that…

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Cont…

Semi-formal / Informal

Just a quick note to invite you to…/ to tell you that…

This is to invite you to join us for...

Thanks for your e-mail, it was wonderful/great to hear from you.

I wanted to let you know that / tell you about / ask you if…

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MAKING A REQUEST / ASKING FOR INFORMATION

Formal

Could you please let me know if you can attend … / if you are available for a meeting on 12th December?

I would appreciate it if you could please send me a brochure/ if you could please reply within two days.

Could you possibly arrange a meeting with the HR Manager?

I would also like to know if there are any swimming pools in your area.

Please let me know how much the tickets cost.21

Cont…Informal

I was wondering if you could come and see me sometime next week.

Would you mind coming early to help me clear up the place?

Do you think you could call Jerry for me?

Can you call me/ get back to me asap? (as soon as possible)

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OFFERING HELP / GIVING INFORMATIONFormal

We are happy to let you know that your article has been selected for publication.

I am glad to inform you that we will be holding our annual conference in Kabul on 20 September 2015.

We regret to inform you that the show has been canceled due to bad weather conditions.

We are willing to arrange another meeting with the MD.

We would be glad to send you another statement if necessary.

Please do let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Should you need any further information/assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. 23

Cont…Informal

I’m sorry, but I can’t make it tomorrow. (= I can’t come tomorrow.)

I’m happy to tell you that John and I are getting married next month.

Would you like me to come early and help you clear up the place?

How about I come and help you out?

Do you need a hand with moving the furniture?24

COMPLAININGFormal

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with… / to complain about…

I regret to say that I was not completely satisfied with the room you provided us.

We regret to inform you that your payment is considerably overdue.

I would like to receive a full refund and compensation for the damages.

I am interested to hear how your company can compensate us for the distress we suffered.

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Cont…

Informal

I’m sorry to say that you’re late with the payments.

I hope you won’t mind me saying that the place you’d recommended to us wasn’t as nice as we’d expected.

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APOLOGIZINGFormal

We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Please accept our apologies for the delay.

Please let us know what we can do to compensate you for the damages caused.

We will make sure that this will not happen again in the  future.

I am afraid I will not be able to attend the conference. 27

Cont…

Informal

I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.

I apologize for the delay.

I promise it won’t happen again

I’m sorry, but I can’t make it to the meeting.

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ATTACHING FILES

Formal

I am attaching my CV for your consideration.

I am sending you the brochure as an attachment.

Please see the statement attached.

Please find attached the file you requested.

I am afraid I cannot open the file you have sent me.

Could you send it again in … format?29

Cont…

Informal

I’m attaching/sending you the holiday photos.

Sorry, but I can’t open it. Can you send it again in … format?

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ENDINGFormal

I look forward to hearing from you.

I look forward to hearing when you are planning to visit our town.

Informal

Hope to hear from you soon.

I’m looking forward to seeing you.31

CLOSING FORMULA

Formal

Yours faithfully, (when you start with Dear Sir/ Madam,)

Yours sincerely, (when you start with the name e.g. Dear Ms Collins)

Sincerely Yours, (AmE)

Sincerely, (AmE)

Yours Truly, (AmE)32

Cont…

Informal

Love,

Thanks,

Take care,

Yours,

Best regards, (semi-formal, also BR)

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E-mail FormatTo: email address of the recipient 

CC: If any  

Subject: E-mail Writing Guidelines 

Dear Mr. John,

_____________________________________

______________________________________

_______________________________

Best regards,

________ 34

Email Sample To: email address of the recipient

CC: If any

Subject: Inquiring the procedures of CD copying

Dear Mike,

I saw the advertisement you were publishing about learning English in the UK, so I am interested to do one of the courses; I would only like you to send me the different levels of courses so I can show my parents what this is about, and convince them so they let me study here.

Finally, I would like you to send me also the schedule, so I can show my parents the times also, because I have more activities after school.Sincerely,

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