Email Writing

• Being able to write a polished, professional email is now a critical skill

both in college and the workplace.
• There are some key distinctions between formal and informal writing,
as well as some guidelines to follow when composing a formal email
to a superior (professor, current or prospective employer, etc.) or
someone who does not know you.
 Email Writing
• E-mails are among the most commonly used means of
communication in the world. They’re fast, immediate, and allow you
to interact with all kinds of businesses within and beyond the national
boundaries.
• At work above all, writing formal emails in English in the right way
requires certain skills, and being a professional situation, it’s essential
not to commit mistakes in order to make a good impression of
yourself and your company.
• In the information age, email has become the dominant form of
communication.
 Email Writing
• There are some key distinctions between formal and informal writing,
as well as some guidelines to follow when composing a formal email
to a superior (professor, current or prospective employer, etc.) or
someone who does not know you.
• Informal vs. Formal
• Informal:
• Written to friends and family
• Accuracy and grammar (spelling and punctuation) are not important •
You can make up your own rules.
 Email Writing
• Example:
• Hi Anne,
• I miss you so much! Can’t wait to see you on Friday!! We haven’t
hung out in so long! I miss my bestie! Maybe we can go to the movies
or dinner or just chill and watch TV and catch up, whichever you want.
• Love,
• June
 Email Writing
• Formal:
• Written to a professor, colleague, boss, etc.
• Must always be professional
• Accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling necessary
• Example:
• Dear Professor Johnson,
• I was unable to attend class today due to a doctor’s appointment. When you have a
moment, could please let me know what I missed and what homework I need to
have completed for Friday?
• Thank you
• Julia Smith.
 Email Format
• Salutation:
• The salutation of a formal email is similar to the salutation of a letter.
When writing to someone you do not know by name, you put “To
Whom it May Concern.”
• When applying for a job, you would address the person by, “Dear
Hiring Manager.”
• If you do know the recipient’s name, you put “Dear Mr./Ms. Smith.”
For a formal salutation, you should not use the recipient’s first name
or the informal greetings “Hello” or “Hey.”
 Email Writing
• Body Paragraphs:
• It is important to remember that an email needs to be concise. The first sentence, known as
the opening sentence, can be a greeting if the situation allows it.
• I hope all is well with you.
• Thank you for your prompt response.
• However, for most formal emails it is best to get straight to the point. Depending on the
subject, you should have a maximum of four paragraphs and each paragraph should contain
a single point.
• It is also important to provide questions in order to prompt a response. At the end of your
last paragraph you should provide a “thank you” or “call to action” depending on the subject
of your email.
• Thank you for your assistance with…
• Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
• Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.
• I would appreciate it if this could be taken care of promptly.
 Email Writing
• Closing: Like the salutation, the closing of a formal email can be the
same as the closing to a letter. However, unlike the salutation, there are
more options for a closing.
• Thank you
• Best regards
• Sincerely
• Yours
The closing is then followed by your full name. It is also beneficial to add
your job position (if applicable) and phone number under your name in
the 4th paragraph.
 Email Writing
• Example:
• Sincerely,
• Julia Smith
• Student Body President
• Menlo College (555) 555-5555
 Email Format
• Openings and closings
• There are a number of common openings and closings to an email
which will show you whether the author is being formal, informal, or
semi-formal.
 Email Format
• Contractions
• When writing formal emails, do not use contractions, such as
• I’m, he’d, you’ll, etc.
• Formal:
• I am writing to ask if you have seen the news from Jo
• Semi-formal / Informal:
• I’m writing to ask if you’ve seen the news from Jo
Modal verbs

• To make requests and give instructions, formal English frequently uses modal verbs:
would, could etc. However, note that modal verbs are also used in this way in
informal and semi-formal English.
• Formal:
• Would you be able to deliver the report by tomorrow?
• Semi-formal:
• Can you deliver the report by tomorrow?
• Formal:
• Could you ask Pierre to come to the meeting?
• Semi-formal:
• Can you ask Pierre to come to the meeting?
 Questions
• In preference to asking a direct question, formal emails frequently use indirect questions.
• Formal
• I wonder if you would like to join us for dinner on Tuesday.
• Informal
• Do you want to join us for dinner on Tuesday?
• Formal
• Could you see if the components have been ordered yet?
• Informal
• Have the components been ordered yet?
• In addition to this, offers are often made using
• would
• Formal
• Would you like to see the new prototype?
• Informal
• Do you want to see the new prototype?
 Opening sentences

• After the greeting, English emails normally begin with an opening

sentence. Common opening sentences for a formal email are as
follows.
• I hope that all is well with you.
• I was just emailing to request some assistance
• (The past tense is frequently used to make a sentence more polite.)
• Thank you for your email of 12th March.
• Emails that omit this opening sentence are usually official
correspondence between governments and individuals, or formal
demands for payment, etc
 Formal and informal vocabulary
• Formal emails tend to use slightly different vocabulary to informal emails. Informal
emails often use phrasal verbs and sound more like standard spoken English.
• Formal:
• I would like to request some assistance.
• Informal:
• I’d like to ask for some help.
• Formal:
• Once I have received the information from our suppliers, I will reply to Mr Braun’s
email.
• Informal:
• After I hear back from the suppliers, I’ll get back to Mr Braun.
• Certain terms have a formal or informal equivalent. Try not to mix informal and formal
styles in the same email.
erent levelsof the organization.The following are so
Formal and informal vocabulary
• Thank you • Thanks
• I would like to apologize for … • Sorry for…
• I would appreciate it if you … • Can you … ?
• Would you happen to know • Do you know … ?
…? • I can’t…
• Unfortunately, I will not be • I don’t know whether…
able to …
• I don’t want to…
• I am unable to say whether …
• I would rather not …
Tricks to write effective emails
• Plan your message.
• Use the subject line to grab reader’s attention.
• Keep your message short and clear.
• Don't type your entire message in lower case.
• Proofread your message before sending it and assume accountability.
• If you are angry, take a few minutes to cool down before sending an
email.
• Don't type your message in capitals. Capitals are considered to be
SHOUTING.
In certain cases, emails may not be suitable
• Prefer to call someone when −
• You have to discuss personal, sensitive or confidential information.
• You are going to give bad news.
• Your message is complex and meaning might be lost in the wordings.
• You need an immediate response
 Legal Risks of Emails
• Emails are the preferred mode of communication for a lot of
workplaces, and this means they carry a lot of information that could
be confidential.
• The security and confidentiality of the information in the emails is the
joint responsibility of both the sender and the recipients.
• Companies have strict guidelines to safeguard their documents and
their contents. Let’s discuss some of the most commonly followed
guidelines to prevent the misuse of emails.
 Legal Risks of Emails
• You and your company will be held liable for numerous legal suits if −
You send or forward emails with offensive content.
• You send an attachment that has a virus.
• You forward the sender’s email to another person without
permission.
• You try to forge others’ emails or send emails from others’ accounts.
• You try to conceal your identity from the receivers when sending
email.
• You copy a message belonging to another person without permission.
 Format of a Format Email
• While most of us send informal emails to friends that might contain
grammatical mistakes in them, the same is not true when writing to
colleagues, especially when we want to make a good impression, as
we have to be more careful and diplomatic this time.
• Here are some general tips on the right format of an email −
• Background: The default white background should be used for all
emails. Coloured backgrounds or scroll designs are deemed
unprofessional and distracting.
 Format of a Format Email
• Font: Preferred fonts are Times New Roman, font size-12.
• Font Colour: Font should be navy blue or black only.
• Contact details: Official contact information like name, designation,
email id, contact number, company logo, and address of
correspondence should be mentioned in the signature area. Personal
statements are best avoided.
• First name and surname: They should be mentioned in the same font
as used in the body of the email, only two font sizes larger. Cursive
fonts are not recommended.
 Format of a Format Email
• Signature: The following information should be supplied in the same font and size as
the body of the email.
• Designation
• Department
• Company Name & Address
• Landmark and ZIP Code
• Contact Number
• Email address
• Company telephone number
• Company fax number
• Company URL
Rewrite the following email
• Dear Sally Blue,
• I read online that you’re selling business cards. I was wondering how
much if i only wanted 500? Is colour and a logo extra? Can I see an
example before all are shipped or will that cost extra? You seem to
have a great business so I hope you can help.
• Thanks,
• Jess Higgins
• Dear Ms. Blue,
• I was searching online for a company that makes business cards. I came across
your website and am extremely impressed. However, I do have a few questions.
If I were to order only 500 instead of the advertised 1000 business cards, how
much would that cost? Furthermore, I would like my business card to be
coloured and also include the logo of my company. Are those requests
possible, and if so, how much extra will they be? Due to my request for colour
and a logo I would like to preview the card before receiving all 500. Is that
feasible?
I appreciate your assistance and look forward to hearing back from you.
• Sincerely
• Jessica Higgins
• Managing Partner of First Financial Assistance
• (555) 555-5555