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THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO READING AND WRITING EMAILS IN ENGLISH
How to read difficult emails written by someone who writes English as a 2nd
language and
How to write emails in English language like a pro
A publication of
How to understand “difficult to read emails”that have been written in English as a 2nd Language, and
How to write emails in Englishwhen English is your 2nd language.
Is this the right eBook for you? English for Emails comes in two levels of
knowledge capacity. Review the two descriptions below to see if this eBook is
the one the best matches your level of English language use.
Introduction
This eBook is designed give you some
basic tools and tips to reading emails
that have been written in English as a
2nd language.
Learn the secrets to writing emails in
English that are easy to write, easy to
read and easy to understand.
Intermediate
Intermediate is for students and
professionals that have more
experience using English language in
written and spoken communications.
This eBook will show you more
advanced language use and
communication techniques that will
have you sounding like an English
language pro!
This eBook!
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO READING AND WRITING EMAILS IN ENGLISH
By Brian McCarthy
Brian McCarthy is a leading expert in English language
communications coaching.
Brian uses three unique specialties (language teaching, coaching and
communications) in his training modules that make them easy to learn, simple
to use and extremely FUN!
You might be thinking… how much fun can an eBook be? This is true but
when you’ve finished with this eBook you can take a free on-line (live) mini-
course with Brian. This is where the rubber meets the road and you will soon
discover just how much fun and effective training with Coach Brian can be!
One of the things Brian has seen time and time with Companies he has
worked for are issues with email messages that have been written in English
when the writer of the message is using English as a 2nd language.
This problem is compounded when both the writer of the email and the reader
of the email message are both using English as a 2nd language.
So Brian has developed the “English For Emails” training course that will have
you and your staff communicating email messages (both inbound and
outbound), with understanding and efficiency. As they say time is money and
confusion is lost profits.
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................2
Intermediate...............................................................................................2
The Purpose and Benefit of this eBook................................................................5
Getting Started............................................................................................5
Email Structure............................................................................................6
Sample of a well written email message:.............................................................8
Register.....................................................................................................9
Using Polite Language..................................................................................11
Talking About Deadlines and Taking Action.............................................................................................................12
Colloquial Phrases and Contractions.................................................................13
Being Diplomatic.........................................................................................14
Prepositions of Time (Western Time Culture).............................................................................................................15
Reading “Difficult” Email Messages..................................................................16
Focus on the Message not the Words.................................................................16
When Less is More ......................................................................................18
Conclusion................................................................................................19
The Purpose and Benefit of this eBook
The purpose of this eBook is to help you to read emails that are “hard to
understand” and to write emails in English that are “easy to understand”.
The problem most people who speak and write English as a 2nd language is
writing an email that the other person (receiver) can understand. This problem
is worse when the writer and the receiver of the email messages are both
using English as a 2nd language.
This eBook will teach you the secrets to reading and
understanding email messages that are written in English as a
2nd language and show you how to write a clear response back
to the person.
Getting Started
First, I would like you to take our short survey on our website. It’s free and you
don’t need to leave an email address. After you complete the survey you will
be taken to a page with a lot of “free” detailed information about the survey
questions and writing emails in English.
Here’s the link to the survey: English for Emails Survey
You have our permission to share this eBook but you cannot edit or alter it in
anyway.
4
“The main problem is when both the writer
and receiver of a message are using
English as a 2nd
language.”
Email Structure
One of the advantages of emails over
normal mail (snail-mail) letters is that they
are quick and direct. We send an email for
a particular purpose and we expect a fast
response or immediate action.
For emails, whether formal or informal, to be most effective, it is a good idea
to give them a clear, logical structure.
Subject Line: This should be short and give some specific information about
the contents of your message.
Salutations: As in letter writing, the salutations can be formal or informal,
depending on how well you know the person you are writing to.
Dear Mr, Mrs, Ms - A formal form of address, also used when first contacting
a person.
Dear John - Less formal, either you have had contact with this person before,
or they have already addressed you by your first name.
Hi or Hello Mary (or just the name) - Informal, usually used with colleagues
you often work with. In the U.S.A. and the U.K. also sometimes used at first
contact.
With no salutation - Very informal, usually used in messages which are part
of a longer email exchange or thread. 5
This is how we build an email…
Opening Sentence: This is used to explain why you are writing. Remember
the opening sentence should always start with a capital letter.
I’m writing to… More formal introduction to say why you are writing.
Just a quick note to… Friendly, informal way to say why you are writing.
More Information: This is where the body of your message goes…
remember that less is more, which means… keep the body of the message
short and to the point. Leave out emotion and unnecessary language.
Conclusion: This is where you tell the reader what kind of response, if any,
you expect.
Looking forward to your reply... More formal way to request a response.
Hope to hear from you soon… Friendly, informal way to request a response.
Hope to hear from you soon….
6
Close: Like the salutation, this can vary from
formal to informal.
Yours Sincerely - Very formal, rarely used in email correspondence.
Regards/Best regards/Best wishes - Most commonly used close, can be used in formal and informal emails.
Bye/All the Best/Best - Friendly, informal close.
James/Mary (blm) - Name only (or initials) is also common when writing to close colleagues.
Sample of a well written email message:
Subject Line: English for Emails Course
Salutations: Dear Sir,
Opening Sentence: I am writing to you about your English for Emails
course.
Message Body: I heard about you new course and would like to receive
more information. Can you please email the
information package to me?
Conclusion: I am looking forward to your reply and the information
about the course.
Close: Regards, Brian McCarthy 7
Register
The register of an email (how formal or
informal it is) depends on the type of
message you are writing and who you are
writing to. So an email about rescheduling
a meeting might be less formal than an
enquiry or an apology.
Similarly, an email to a new customer or the CEO of your company would
probably be more formal than an email to an old customer or a colleague.
You can tell how formal an email is by its …
Salutation and Close: see the previous section regarding
email structure for more information.
Colloquial Phrases: These are phrases normally used in
conversation which make an email less formal.
Examples are:
How’s it going? or How are you? or See you later.
Vocabulary: The words and expressions used in an email can make it formal
or informal.
Some examples are:
formal - to receive / to inform / to assist / to contact
informal - to get / to tell / to help / to get in touch 8
Formal Email (very formal)
Informal Email
Abbreviations: The use of abbreviations and symbols (for example, info for
information and & for and) are more common in informal emails, although
some standard abbreviations used in letter writing like asap (as soon as
possible) are also found in formal emails.
Emoticons: These image forms of expression language are often used in
informal emails to help the recipient understand exactly what you mean.
9
Using Polite LanguageEven in informal emails, it is important to use polite
language.
Please can be used in every type of request, and phrases with could and
would are more polite than phrases with can or want.
Could you please send me… Can you please send me…I would like to order… I want to order…
In enquiries it is best to avoid imperatives like Send me… or Inform me… By
adding please the sentence becomes more polite, but is still rather direct.
Please send me your current price list…Please give us your rates…
The following phrases can be used in formal enquiries to first-time contacts.
However, they can sound too formal in emails to colleagues.
We would be grateful if you could send us…We would also appreciate some information on…
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Talking About Deadlines and Taking Action
The present perfect is used to talk about deadlines and whether or not they
have been met. It is also used to describe the status of tasks in progress.
Have you coordinated your team & their results yet?I’ve already contacted my team and they have just finished their sales figures.
Adverbs like yet, already, or just are often used with the present perfect in
this type of sentence.
Have you sent in your registration for the conference yet?Sorry, I haven’t written the report yet.I’ve already sent in the registration form.We’ve just received the order.
In American English the simple past is used instead of the present perfect with
the signal words above. There is no difference in meaning.
Did you send in your registration yet?
The “will” future tense is used in replies to emails requesting action to say
what the writer will do and when. Note that the contracted form (‘ll instead of
will) is used.
You’ll have it on your desk by 4 May.Sorry, but I haven’t sent it yet. I’ll do it straight away. 11
Colloquial Phrases and Contractions
Colloquial phrases
When English native speakers write to each other as close business
acquaintances they often use colloquial phrases like the low-down, to chase
something up (or down), or cheers (for thanks). Be careful when using
colloquial phrases as they can make your English sound too fake, when used
in the wrong context.
Contractions
Emails often reflect spoken English and tend to use contractions instead of the
full form. For example:
here’s (here is), haven’t (have not), or I’ll (I will)
Watch out! - don’t leave out the apostrophe when using contractions as the
meaning of the word or sentence could be changed.
It’s = it is, its = possessive, I’ll = I will, ill = sick
12
Being DiplomaticWhen things aren’t going to plan, an email
exchange can become heated. The use of
diplomatic language lets you point out
mistakes gently, without offending the person
you’re writing to.
We have a slight / minor / little problem.
Unfortunately, the mistake is rather serious.
I’m afraid we’re not happy with …
Furthermore, be careful when showing emotion in an email. Using
exclamation marks and writing words or phrases in captial letters can make
your message too strong – it can look like you’re shouting at the other person.
Joanne, I’m still waiting for a reply!!!Didn’t we agree to meet on TUESDAY?
A more moderate way to emphasize a word is to enclose it in asterisks.
Just writing to see what happened to your report. I needed it *Monday* and it’s now Friday. Can we discuss?
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Prepositions of Time (Western Time Culture)
Some cultures tend to emphasize the value of time more
than other cultures. This can be seen in the prevalence of
clocks and watches, for example.”What time is it” is a
question taught early on in foreign language and ESL
classes.
Lateness of more than ten minutes to an appointment generally requires some
sort of explanation and apology. We even speak of time in terms of money,
“to spend time” “to waste time” “to save time” and even ‘time is money”.
Prepositions of Time
On days of the weekon Sunday / Fridayon the weekend (American)
At definite times, holidays periodsat 5 o’clock, at 2:30 p.m.at midnightat the end of the week / monthat the Weekend (Australia, UK)at Easter / Christmasat the moment (not: in the moment)
In time periodsin the morning / afternoonin June / Augustin five minutesin the first / third quarter
By deadlinesby Friday / 4 p.m. / next month (at the latest)
We must finish the report by Friday. (Not: until Friday)
14
Reading “Difficult” Email MessagesReading email messages that have been written in English by
someone who writes and speaks English as a 2nd language
can be very challenging at the best of times.
What makes this worse is when you the receiver, who reads
and speaks English as a 2nd language, has to read an email
message that has been written by someone else who also
reads and speaks English as a 2nd language.
Focus on the Message not the WordsSometimes trying to understand the words in an email may not actually
provide you with the true meaning of the message.
How do you “unlock” the secrets to understanding confusing email messages?
Keywords: Learning how to filter out the keywords in an email message that
is written in any language can save you a lot of time, prevent
misunderstanding and even prevent arguments with customers, suppliers and
colleagues.
Emotion: Filtering out the emotion of an email that is from an unhappy
customer or an unhappy colleague can help you to not get emotionally
involved and help you to protect the relationship you have with the other
person. 15
Questions and Answers: When you just don’t understand a message, it’s
best to write an email back to the writer to check for understanding. Never say
“I don’t understand your message” rather take a couple of the keywords and
write back confirming what you believe the message is about. Sometimes
asking for more information can provide you with the information you need to
fully understand the customer or colleagues email message.
Ask questions and give answers that keep the
conversation in a positive mood. This is most important
for client relationships and future business. And of
course there’s ways to “not” to ask questions and give
answers too!
Polite Language: Again filtering language that may not seem polite to you is
the best way to understanding the email message. Also remember that
sometimes these words have different meanings in different cultures.
Whenever you’re reading a confusing email message first step is
to pause and think about what the writer is really trying to say.
Give yourself time to get a clear picture of the message.
“The number one rule is to always use positive language… even when you
have to say something negative.”
16
Cultural Language: Some language is just not
acceptable to particular cultures. So what’s the
answer? Simply keep you messages simple. Don’t
try to use “big” words. Native English speakers
rarely use big words in an email message.
When asking for clarity in a message or when asking for more information the
number one rule is “polite language” and sometimes using big words or strong
language will not get you what you want or need.
Remember you get what you give! Choose the “easy
way” to communicate with polite language.
When Less is More Skimming and scanning an email message instead of reading every word can
help you to find the keywords and understand the message much quicker.
Read less and understand more!
Skimming: this technique is used to quickly find the key points of any written
text.
Scanning: this technique is used to quickly find the detailed information that
supports the key points found in skimming.
17
ConclusionWriting and reading email messages in English language is very difficult for
people who speak English as a 2nd language.
This problem becomes larger when both the writer (sender) and reader
(receiver) of an email message are both using English as a 2nd language.
Always ask yourself these questions:
....Did I take note of the keywords or key phrases?
......Have I answered or asked the right questions?
...........Have I left my emotion out of the message?
.....................Did I follow the email structure rules?
....................................Am I using polite language?
After reading this eBook, you should have a better understanding of how to
read email messages that have been written by someone who writes in
English as a 2nd language.
You should also be able to respond to an email message or write a new email
message using correct structure, easy to understand language and keep you
message in a positive mood.
For additional information regarding our courses use these links below:
....................................................English for Emails
................................................English for Meetings
........................................English for Presentations
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