For example, if you tap on the word “brought,” then you see this:
g. Active voice You can learn any video’s vocabulary with FluentU’s fun
quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re
learning.
a. speed The videos are organized by genre and level, so it’s super easy to find
the ones that work for you. FluentU also keeps track of your learning,
then suggests videos and examples perfect for you.
b. access Start using FluentU on the website or download the FluentU app from
theiTunes store or Google Play store.
i. forwarding 6. Avoid forwarding emails and replying to all
and reply
j. Edit Subject The “Forward” option on email is a blessing (a good thing) and a curse
(a bad thing). It can be good to quickly pass on important information
to a new person. However, it can also be annoying for the recipient if
it’s not used correctly. (The same thing is true about the “Reply All”
option.)
a. Retrieval If you need to forward an email, check carefully what information
you’re forwarding.
e. Confidentiality, In some cases, it may be personal, confidential or just plain excessive
access to PA, (unnecessary). If so, cut those parts out.
Also, some email programs filter out emails marked with “Fwd” at the
beginning of the subject line, and may even put them in the Spam filter
or refuse to deliver them.
And if you click on “Reply All,” look closely at all of the recipients
who will receive your email. Some people may not need to see your
message. It’s frustrating to receive emails about subjects that aren’t
relevant to you.
i. spell checker 7. Use a spell checker
k. grammar Most email programs have this option, so make sure you use it before
sending the email.
Or if your email program doesn’t offer English spell checking, you can
add an extension like Grammarly to your browser and use it anytime
you’re writing anything.
To get the most accurate version of Grammarly, you’ll need to make
sure you have Grammarly Premium, which highlights and offers
corrections for more advanced English issues,
l. signature, 8. Watch out for signatures
mob No.
Many people put “cool” or “funny” signatures at the bottom of
emails.They often include contact information, like email addresses or
phone numbers. That can be useful, but if your emails get forwarded
(see #5), that information may get to people you don’t know, or even
people you wouldn’t want to have that information.
Additionally, if you send multiple emails back and forth with another
person, it may include your signature every time, and the email chain
just gets longer and longer. So consider not including your signature in
some emails.
Or if you do want an email signature, try to keep it simple, without
including your personal information.
j. read again 9. Have a native speaker proofread your email, if possible
and send
If you know any native speakers or have friends who speak English
very well, you may want to ask them to review your email before you
send it.That’s especially true if it’s about something important.
If you’re taking an English class, you might even be able to ask your
teacher to review the email—just be sure to ask nicely and say
“please”!
10. Read your email personally before sending it
It might not always be possible to find a native speaker to check your
email. In those cases, it’s still useful to read your email yourself. It can
help your English, too.
Try to read the text of your email out loud. First of all, that will help
you work on your pronunciation, which is always nice. Second, it can
help you see and hear mistakes in grammar.
It also helps you understand how your email “flows.” If it’s too long or
complicated to read out loud, then you should probably make it shorter
and clearer.
m. email ID 11. Double-check email addresses for all recipients
As I mentioned before, I live in Costa Rica. People here often have the
same last name as many other people. It’s basically like “Smith” or
“Johnson” in the U.S., but about 10 times worse.
I’ve even had multiple students at the same time who had the exact
same first and last names.
And I’ve mistakenly sent emails to people who had very similar names.
So just check those email addresses twice to be safe.
Tips for Writing Emails in English with a Strong Structure
After you’ve followed the general email writing tips in the previous
section, you need to actually write the email. So how do you do that?
There’s a specific structure and format of email writing in
English, shown in the following tips.
a. subject line 12. Use the subject line
It’s surprising how many people don’t do this. Be specific in your
subject line, as well.
For example, don’t just write “Question.” Instead, be more specific, like
“Question About Schedule for Friday’s Meeting.” That way, the
recipient will know immediately what your email is about, even before
opening it.
c. greeting, 13. Start with an appropriate greeting
salutaion
It’s most polite to begin with some type of greeting. If you know the
person well and it’s an informal email, you can just say “Hey [First
Name].”
You can also use “Hi [First Name]” or “Hello [First Name],” to be a
little less casual.
If you don’t know the name of the person (like if you’re writing
to customer service), you can use “To Whom It May Concern.”
Notice that after greetings, you should generally use a
comma. According to many sites like Business Writing, you should use
a comma after a greeting in personal emails and letters, and use a colon
after a greeting in business or formal emails/letters.
But in reality, a comma will probably always be fine if you can’t
remember the rule.
14. Pay attention to punctuation
Start each sentence with a capital letter. Be sure to put periods or other
appropriate punctuation at the end of each sentence.
It’s a small detail, but it can really help to make a positive impression.
15. Consider where to put “small talk”
If you know the person you’re writing an email to, you might want to
include a bit of “small talk.” That could be something like asking about
the person’s family, a mutual friend or an activity that you have in
common.But where and how can you include this?
a. Link with Personally, I actually prefer to include this information after the
previous “business” part of an email. If I’m asking for a favor, I prefer to ask
reference first, and then to make small talk after.
Other people or cultures may prefer to have the small talk first, so you
may want to adjust it if you know the reader’s personality well.
16. Start with the end in mind
h. action point for As you write, focus on the purpose and the goal of your email. If you’re
the receipient asking a question, that should be the main focus of your email. If you
need a favor, then it should be very clear what favor you need and
exactly how the reader can help you.
Imagine you are the recipient: Would you understand immediately what
you needed to do in response to the email?
m. Formatign 17. Put spaces between paragraphs
If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with a giant block of text. Just hit the
“Return/Enter” key twice between paragraphs. It’s much easier to read
and less overwhelming.
z. Closing 18. Use an appropriate closing
You can find some examples below, but be sure that it’s a goodbye
that’s appropriate for the purpose of your email. In other words, don’t
sign an email with “Love, Ryan” if you’re writing to your boss.
Similarly, don’t sign it “Sincerely, Ryan Sitzman” if you’re writing to
your grandma to thank her for the birthday present she gave you. (And
definitely don’t sign your emails as “Ryan Sitzman” if that’s not your
name!And if it is your name, let me know. I’d like to start a Ryan
Sitzmans Club!)
Now, let’s put all of these tips into practice!
Sample of Common Types of Emails in English
One note before we continue this guide on how to write an email in
English: As I mentioned in the first section, if you’re writing a very
important email—for example, if you’re applying to a university or you
need to send condolences (express sympathy) after someone dies—then
you should definitely ask a native speaker to read your email and help
you.
a. Introduce Personal emails: Introducing yourself for the first time
your self
a. Chatting, Many people still write formal business emails, but these days there
whatsapp aren’t as many reasons to write personal emails. A lot of our
communication is through online chatting, apps, texts or other
methods. But there are still some situations when an English student
might need to write a personal email in English.
General rules for personal emails in English:
Politeness Politeness: You don’t need to use formal language, but you do want to
appear polite and friendly. Because of that, if you make any requests,
be sure to make them polite.
Write me back Instead of saying “Write me back,” for example, try something like “If
you have a chance, I’d love to hear back from you,” or even “Please
write back when you have a chance.”
Greetings Greetings: For greetings, it’s common to use “Dear [First Name].”
Closings: To say goodbye, use something like “Thanks,” “See you
Closings and Mob
No. soon!” or even a brief sentence like “I’m really looking forward to
meeting you in person.” Be sure to write/type your name, even if it will
be included in your signature.
General tenor Casualness: With these types of emails, you can probably include more
jokes or informal comments. However, still be careful about the tone of
your email, especially if you don’t know the recipient well.
Example of a personal email:
For this example, let’s imagine that you’re going to travel to the U.S.,
Canada or another English-speaking country. When you get there,
you’ll stay with a host family. So the organization has matched you
with a family and you need to introduce yourselves before you meet in
person.
Here’s what you might send:
Dear Smith Family,
Hello, my name is John. I received a confirmation letter from the
exchange organization today. It said I’ll be staying with you for two
months later this year. I wanted to introduce myself so you can know a
bit more about me.
I’m 18 years old. I like listening to rock music, playing basketball and
reading comic books. I will graduate from high school later this year,
and I hope to go to college next year.
I’ve never traveled outside of my country, so meeting you and visiting
your country will be an exciting, new experience for me!
I’d also like to know more about you, so if you have a chance, please
write back at this email address. If you have any questions for me, I’d
be happy to answer them.
Thanks again for agreeing to host me—I’m very excited to meet you in
person!
John
Semi-formal emails: Writing to request an appointment or
meeting
This is a very common type of email, especially if you’re an English
student. You may need to write to your teacher to request a meeting
with him or her.
General rules for semi-formal emails in English:
A. brief Length: Again, keep it short. Especially when you’re trying to find a
time that works for many people, you may have to exchange a few
emails. So make them short and clear.
Respect: Remember that you’re requesting a favor from the recipient,
so be respectful and not demanding.
Greetings: Use formal or semi-formal greetings. You can still use
“Dear _____,” but instead of including the recipient’s first name, use
their title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Prof. etc.) and last name.
Closings: Depending on the purpose, you can probably use a semi-
formal goodbye, such as “Thanks,” “Hope to hear from you soon” or
“Thanks in advance.” If it’s someone you have talked to before in
person, you can maybe use something less formal, like “Have a great
weekend.”
Clarity: If you’re requesting a specific day, that day/date and time
should be very clear. Try to give multiple options. That way, if your top
choice doesn’t work, your recipient has other dates/times to choose
from.
Example of a semi-formal email:
Dear Professor Smith,
I really enjoyed your Introduction to Writing Course, and I was
interested in continuing by taking the Advanced Writing Course next
semester. I’d like to meet with you to ask a few questions about the
course, and also to get more information about the scholarship for
international students.
Would it be possible to meet with you at your office sometime next
week? I’m available during your regular office hours on Monday and
Wednesday (2-5 p.m.), but if you’re busy on those days, I could also
meet any time on Tuesday or on Friday afternoon. Please let me know
what day and time would work best for you.
Thanks very much for your time and help!
John Johnson
Formal emails: Writing about a problem with a product
I have to write emails like this pretty often, unfortunately. I say
“unfortunately” because it’s frustrating to have a problem with a
product.Dealing with a company’s customer service representatives can
be difficult at times. But a clear, polite email should help you resolve
your problems faster.
General rules for formal emails in English:
Politeness: Once again, be very polite. Remember that if someone
works in customer service, they probably receive many complaint
emails every day. So have some patience and compassion. The other
person is human, too.
Formality and Formality: Avoid making jokes, using slang words or saying things
formal that seem informal.
Linking reference Clarity: Be clear by including any relevant details.
Requests: State the result or response that you want or expect.
This is also called “actionable” writing. For example, if your product
broke, you may want to request a replacement or a refund. So state
exactly what you are requesting.
Greetings: For greetings, a common phrase is “To Whom It May
Concern,” since you probably won’t know the name of the person who
will be receiving the email. But if you do know the name, you can use
“Dear [Title] [Last Name],” like in the semi-formal email example.
If those seem too formal, you may want to try something like “Good
Morning/Afternoon/Evening.” It could make you seem friendly and
make the recipient more receptive to your complaint or questions.
Closings: For goodbyes, a simple “Sincerely” is best. But if it’s a less
formal company or you’ve already interacted with them, you could also
say some kind of thanks.
Samples: In addition to asking a native speaker to check your email,
it’s a good idea to search for templates or samples of the type of email
you’re writing. There are many different examples on the internet, and
you can probably find ones that will help guide you in your situation.
Example of a formal email:
To Whom It May Concern,
I recently bought a toaster from your company, but unfortunately it
appears that the heating element isn’t working correctly.
For reference, the model number is TOS-577, and I bought it on May 1,
2016 at the Toaster Emporium in New York City. I returned the toaster
to the store, but they said I should contact you because the model had
been an “open-box” discontinued model. Because of that, they weren’t
able to offer a refund or exchange.
I can understand the Toaster Emporium’s position, but the toaster
shouldn’t have broken so soon. It is still covered under your company’s
one-year warranty, so I would like to exchange the toaster for a
working model. If that isn’t possible I would like to receive a
refund. Please let me know what steps I need to take for this to happen.
Thanks very much for your help with this situation.
Sincerely,
John Johnson
So, there you have it! If you keep these tips in mind while writing
emails in English, you can become an email expert.
If you would like more guidance for how to write an email in English
(or improving your English writing skills overall), go to Inklyo. This
website has instructional courses and books all about English writing,
and there are even special materials that can teach you how to write
emails better than ever before.
Make your purpose clear early on in the email, and then move into the
main text of your email. Remember, people want to read emails
quickly, so keep your sentences short and clear. You’ll also need to pay
careful attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation so that you
present a professional image of yourself and your company.
business email
Aren’t you an EF English Live student yet? See the general and
business English course in action by requesting a one month for only
one dollar* trial. Find more information about essential professional
English tips here.
Start your English Learning Online with EF English Live. Sign up today
and get a free 14-day trial! Whatever your goals, our online English
course guarantees your success.
=-=
Email Tips: Top 10 Strategies for Writing Effective Email
Jerz > Writing > E-text > Email Tips
Follow these email etiquette tips in order to write more effective
email.
Emoji icons But most professionals do not want to engage in a leisurely back-
and-forth in order to get their work done. They want to clear this
item from their inbox, perhaps by passing it to an assistant or
kicking it upstream, without having to ask the sender “I dunno,
what do you think?” or “What did you mean by that emoji?”
A blank subject line suggests that your name in the “From” line is all your recipient
should need in order to make you message a top priority. That could come across as
arrogant, or at the very least, thoughtless. A well-chosen subject line is an important
opportunity to inform and persuade your reader.
Rather than brashly announcing that the secret contents of your mystery message are
inexplicably important…
…write a functional subject line that actually conveys the important idea.
If the question is quick, why not just ask it in the subject line? This subject line is
hardly useful.
Fractionally better — provided that the recipient remembers why a follow-up was
necessary.
Many email users get scads of virus-laden spam with vague titles like this. The more
specific you are, the more likely your recipient’s spam-blocker will let your message
through.
Upon reading this revised, informative subject line, the recipient immediately starts
thinking about the size of the room, not about whether it will be worth it to open the
email.
Blunt to the point of rudeness: “Need the password for the website
If you get a message like this, you might assume the sender trusts you and real
needs your help; however, if you send a message like this, you might appear
needy and panicky. Is that how you want to come across? Think about it.
Okay, raise your hands… how many of us would delete the above message
immediately, without looking at *any* of those attachments?
Professor Blinderson will probably reply, “Please let me know your name and which
class you’re in, so that I can respond meaningfully. I don’t recognize the address
FuZzYkItTy2000@hotmail.com.”
To: Professor Blinderson
From: m.ponsybil@gmail.com
Subject: EL227 Absence, Oct 10Hello, Prof. Blinderson. This is Morris
Ponsybil, from EL227 section 2.This morning, I just found out that the curlin
team has advanced to the playoffs, so I’m going to be out of town on the
10th.According to the syllabus, it looks like I will miss a paper workshop an
the discussion of Chapter 10. May I email you my Chapter 10 discussion
questions before I leave town? And could I come to your office hour at 2pm
on the 12th, in order to discuss the paper? I’ve asked Cheryl Jones to take
notes for me.Thank you very much. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.
If you are asking the other person to do you a favor, providing the right information
will give him or her a good reason to decide in your favor. In this case, Morris
Ponsybil shows his professor he cares enough about the class to propose a solution to
the problem his absence will cause.
Mob No. Even if you already have a connection with the person you are
contacting, a little context is helpful. Every fall, I get emails from
“bad_boy2315@yahoo.com” or “FuZzYkItTy2000@hotmail.com”
who ask a question about “class” and don’t sign their real names.
Or would they be impressed by how you kept your cool, how you
ignored the bait when your correspondent stooped to personal
attacks, and how you carefully explained your position (or
admitted your error, or asked for a reconsideration, etc.)>
Will you have to work with this person for several months? Do
you want a copy of your bitter screed to surface years from now,
when you want a letter of recommendation?
Go ahead… write it, revise it, liven it up with traditional Lebanese curses, print it out,
throw darts on it, and scribble on it with crayon. Do whatever you need in order to get
out of your system. Just don’t hit “Send” while you’re still angry.
If your recipient has just lambasted you with an angry message, rather than reply with
point-by-point rebuttal, you can always respond with a brief note like this, which
1. casually invokes the name of someone the angry correspondent is likely to
respect (in order to diffuse any personal antagonism that may otherwise have
developed) and
2. refocuses the conversation on solutions (in this conversation, Ann has already
dug herself into a hole, and Clair has nothing to gain by joining her there)
6. Proofread.
If you are asking someone else to do work for you, take the time
to make your message look professional.
While your spell checker won’t catch every mistake, at the very
least it will catch a few typos. If you are sending a message that
will be read by someone higher up on the chain of command (a
superior or professor, for instance), or if you’re about to mass-
mail dozens or thousands of people, take an extra minute or two
before you hit “send”. Show a draft to a close associate, in order
to see whether it actually makes sense.
7. Don’t assume privacy.
A good motto: praise in public, and criticize in private. Don’t send
anything over email that you wouldn’t want posted — with your
name attached — in the break room.
Email is not secure. Just as random pedestrians could reach into
a physical mailbox and intercept envelopes, a curious hacker, a
malicious criminal, and your IT department can probably
read any and all email messages in your work account.
If you stretch the truth in an email (downplaying a problem,
leaving out an important detail, etc.), you’re creating a written
record that your recipient can (and will) use to determine whether
Gather the facts, Always know the situation, and write accordingly.
first
While most people know that email is not private, it is good form
to ask the sender before forwarding a personal message. If
someone emails you a request, it is perfectly acceptable to
forward the request to a person who can help — but forwarding a
message in order to ridicule the sender is tacky.
What I meant to say was “[I] should have looked more carefully
at my[list of incoming] email [before replying],” but I could tell
from my colleague’s terse reply that she had interpreted it as if I
was criticizing her.
If I hadn’t responded so quickly to the first message, I would
have saved myself the time I spent writing a long answer to an
obsolete question. If I hadn’t responded so quickly to the second
message, I might not have alienated the person I had been so
eager to help. –DGJ
HubSpot also recommends upgrading your email signature using our free Email Signature
Generator.
If you’re not a native English speaker, it’s normal to feel like you
should be more formal when it comes to your email writing.
However, this results in emails that are too formal, and come off as
awkward or stiff. For example:
Native English speakers write more informally -- their writing sounds
like one person talking to another.
Here is a quick grammar tip that will always help you sound more
native: Write in an active voice and avoid the passive voice.
An “active voice” shows that a subject is performing the verb’s
action, e.g.: “Marilyn mailed the letter.”
In contrast, the “passive voice” shows that the verb is acted upon by
the subject, e.g.: “The letter was mailed by Marilyn.”
Instead of writing “your feedback would be much appreciated”, try
saying “I would appreciate your feedback.” Instead of writing “your
request has been received”, try saying “I received your request.”
Notice how writing in an active voice sounds more human.
How To Write An Effective Email
1. The Subject Line
The subject line is usually the first thing someone reads before they
decide to open your email. This also means that the subject line holds
the key to whether your email is opened, ignored, or deleted.
Unfortunately, non-native English speakers don't always know what
to write in the subject line.
Take a look at this example:
To kick off the email, you should begin with an appropriate greeting.
There are two components to the greeting: the salutation and the
opening sentence.
Most non-native English speakers, probably out of fear of offending
someone, tend to stick to just one salutation -- Dear [X]. No matter
the context, non-native English speakers will use Dear [X] over and
over again.
The appropriate salutation actually depends on the situation. If you’re
writing a formal email to a bank or government institution, it would
be better to start off with Dear [X].
If you’re sending an email to someone you know, or work in a casual
environment, then it is perfectly fine to go with a Hi [name].
To help you out, here is a list of salutations you can open with in your
emails:
Dear [First Name]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]
[Name]
Good morning/afternoon
Hi
Hey
Hey/Hi there
Once you’ve gotten the salutation out of the way, it is time for an
appropriate opening sentence. While the subject line determines
whether your email is opened, your opening sentence determines
whether your email is read till the end.
The best way to do this correctly is to research the person you’re
writing to. Find out what your recipient is interested in. Look around
their social media profiles (e.g Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), and if they
publish, read some of their blog posts.
Do a Google search on their name, and see if anything interesting
comes up. Visit their company’s website, read their About Us page,
and find out what they are working on or interested in collaborating
on.
With this information, you can write an opening sentence that builds
rapport. Show that you understand them, what they need, and how
you can help them.
With this, you can also show that you’re different -- that you’re
interested in them, are willing to go the extra mile to find out more.
Showing that you understand their challenges helps build trust.
Of course, this is not necessary if you’re emailing a colleague or
someone you know, but it is still important to establish some kind of
context so that they know what’s happening.
3. Keep your message short and concise.
According to Statista, we send and receive roughly 269 billion emails
a day.
If we average out across everyone in the developed world (~4 billion
people), every single person would receive about 68 emails/day!
This alarming statistic make one thing very clear: we spend a lot of
time reading emails.
To write an email that is opened, read and acted upon is not easy. You
have to put in the work upfront to ensure that the email is
professional, empathetic, and easy to read.
You have to respect your readers’ time. While you may feel like you
need to tell them everything in one email, don’t. No one is eagerly
awaiting a three-page essay arriving in their inbox. Here's one I
received recently:
Ugh.
Instead, keep the email short, concise and to the point. Stick to
essential and specific information.
Think about it this way: what’s the ONE thing you want to achieve
after the person sees your email?
Make sure the email is written in such a way where it achieves the
end result you want.
When you need to include a lot of information in an email, it's
probably better to suggest a phone call or a meeting instead.
Pro-Tip: Use this free meeting tool to schedule your meetings faster
and avoid back-and-forth emails.
4. Use standard fonts.
Once you’re done with the content of your email, it’s time to close it
off.
You don’t have to make it fancy -- just keep your closing simple and
straightforward.
So, nothing like this:
Instead, stick to the safe, proven closing lines -- and you should be
good.
You can choose from some of the most common closing lines below:
Yours sincerely
Yours truly
Yours
Sincerely
Best regards
Best
Warm regards
Warm wishes
Kind regards
Kind wishes
Thank you
Thanks
If you’re really looking for something out-of-the-ordinary and fancy,
then take a look at this list of email sign-offs that you can try.
6. Schedule your emails.
Because you’re writing an international email, time zones matter.
Due to the influx of emails one receives, an email you sent early in
the morning could be buried at the bottom of his inbox by the time
your recipient checks it. This may also mean that all your hard work
spent crafting the email would be wasted.
Instead, set yourself up for success.
Remember Rule #1? Put yourself in their shoes.
When would they be most receptive? When would their inbox be
“emptier”?
It might be during lunch. It might be Sunday evening when they are
preparing for the week ahead. It might even be Friday -- they're
probably in a good mood because the weekend is coming.
Then, use our free email scheduling tool to ensure that your emails are
sent at the right time to the recipient’s inbox.
7. Do a final spelling and grammar check.
Business emails are a pillar of modern communication. On any given day, the
average office worker receives over 80 emails.
While we send a lot of emails, many of them are not effective. Everyone’s inbox
holds those difficult to read or process emails, hanging around because the
recipient is unclear on how to reply or act. Don’t let that happen to your business
emails. Etiquette, style, and format are essential to writing emails that get results.
This article will highlight best practices and walk you through an effective
business email, step-by-step. By integrating these methods into your email
preparation, you will write better emails and improve overall communication.
There are four questions that you must consider as you begin to draft a business
email:
1. Who is My Audience?
In all business writing, the audience is the top consideration. Who you are writing
for will determine how you write your email. The reader will determine the tone,
formality, and content of the communication.
Your email’s reader may be your colleague, client, or supervisor. Each reader will
have a different background, project knowledge, and priorities. You can use
project acronyms with a colleague who has the same deep project knowledge as
you do. Those same acronyms will be confusing to an executive who needs an
update for budget forecasting.
With your audience at the forefront, you will always write a more effective email.
The audience includes all the people included in the sender fields. This includes
the To:, CC:. and BCC: fields but main focus should be on those in the To field.
Writing for the audience also means using these fields correctly.
The ‘To:’ field is for the direct audience who needs to reply or take action from
the email content. The ‘CC:’ field is for readers who need to receive the email
conversation for reference or clarity, but do not need to take action nor reply. The
‘BCC:’ field is for the audience who only needs to see the initial email and none of
the later chain of replies.
Use the Bcc field very judiciously. Often it's best to forward an email separately,
with a brief statement on why you're sending this information.
By limiting emails to one thing, the email is easier for the recipient to understand,
process and act upon. This clarity increases understanding and productivity.
I need you to review these three items before we release the sketch to the
production team:
1. Content
2. Design
3. Color choice
Ask yourself: “Is this email really necessary?” Perhaps a quick phone call or a
ping on the company messenger is more appropriate. If you’re expecting a lot of
back-and-forth on the topic, a short conversation can eliminate a lengthy email
chain.
Choose the right channel to send information. Email is great, but it's one channel.
4. Is Email Appropriate?
Email can be used in many scenarios but is not always appropriate.
If you are delivering bad news, do so in person or buffer the email thoughtfully.
An email is impersonal and is difficult to convey empathy or compassion. If you
must write a business apology email follow these rules.
Sensitive information sent by email runs the risk of being accidentally shared.
There are plenty of cases of email mishaps, ranging from funny to serious.
Whether the information is personal contact or personal opinion, consider
whether it’s appropriate for an email. If you wouldn’t want it accidentally shared,
be very thoughtful about how it is sent in the first place.
Email Style
Business emails have a very specific style. They are professional but brief. They
should be written to be skimmed, but with enough information to allow a complete
response.
If you like this article you may be interested in our online email writing course.
Tone
Finding the correct tone can be the biggest headache in drafting an email. The
tone changes based on your audience. It can range to formal to friendly but is
always professional and should always be matched to your audience.
Avoid ALL CAPS because it SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING (and could route
your email to the spam folder). If you wouldn’t shout the statement in person,
don’t shout it in an email. Instead, use italics, underlining or boldto emphasize
important points.
Notice the harsh tone if the bold text is swapped for caps: Vacation requests
must be submitted AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE.
One exception: Do use all caps in email headings when writing to any
organization that strips html formatting from email. The military, military
academies, and some financial institutions with strict security protocols often strip
html formatting.
Headings are very helpful to readers. They allow a reader to skim and find
information easily. They're a business writer's best weapon against information
overload.
Format
Emails are meant to be skimmed, so they should have plenty of white-space to
assist the reader. Use shorter paragraphs, lists and bullet points to streamline the
information. And, use headings to break up concepts and allow a reader to skim.
Here are the most common formatting features and how to use them.
Font: The font is the typeface that you should choose for your email. It is best to
choose a sans serif (a typeface without decorative strokes at the end) as they are
more modern and simple and easy to read onscreen. They are also easier to
read at a small size. Gmail uses Sans Serif as the default. You could also use
Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Terbuchet MS, or Verdana.
Text Size: You should try to keep your email in the normal size. This is between
10–12pt.
Bold: You can use bold for headings and to emphasise important text. Bold text
catches the eye of readers as they scan the email.
Italics: Italics are a softer way to draw attention to an area of text. They are used
to bring emphasis to an area of a sentence. They do not make words stand out
when the user is scanning a page the way bold text does. Italics should also be
used for titles of full works.
Underline: Underlined text can easily be confused for a link. When writing an
email, it's best not to use underlined text to draw attention to an area of an email.
It is better to use bold or italics.
Text Color: You should avoid using multiple text colors in an email as it draws
the eye in to multiple locations and looks unprofessional. It is likely that your
email program makes your hyperlinks blue.
Alignment: Business writing uses text that is fully aligned left. Academic writing
indents the first sentence of a paragraph five spaces. In business email, you will
never need to indent the start of a paragraph.
Bullet Points: Bullet points are a great way to create white space on your page
and draw attention to related items. Bullet points work best for unordered lists.
Indent More: In business emails you should not indent the first sentence of a
new paragraph. A line break represents the start of a new paragraph. The indent
more button allows you to add an indent to text. This is useful on rare occasions
when you want to indicate that some information is a subset of what preceeded it.
It creates a visual indication that the indented information is less important.
Indent Less: This allows you to move your content to the left
Quote Text: If you are referring to quoted text you should use the quote text
function. It provides a slight indent to your content and a grey vertical line to the
left. This shows readers that you are quoting text.
Remove Formatting: If you are pasting text into your email it is vital you use the
remove formatting function. Otherwise you will paste the text styles and it will be
obvious to your reader that you copy and pasted that text. To use this function
select the text you want to remove formatting. Then click the remove formatting
button.
Email Overview
Let's dissect each section of a business email to highlight best practices for you
to implement in your writing.
Subject Line
The subject line is the mini-summary of your email. It provides the biggest
opportunity to ensure your email gets read. The goal of a subject line is to get
your reader to open the email without tricking them. It is also the place where
mistakes are most commonly made.
Subject lines that are too brief or too lengthy cause confusion. If it makes the
email seem difficult or confusing to reply to, the recipient may not open it
immediately or at all.
Bad Examples:
‘Important!’
Good Examples:
Also make sure you are replying to the correct thread. Do not use an old email
thread for a new topic.
Greeting
Your greeting should be professional and concise. It is always preferable to
address the recipient using their name, but it may not always be possible.
Good afternoon,
Greetings,
Brief Pleasantry
If you’re emailing someone for the first time, your opening line could be a short
pleasantry connecting you and the recipient. One sentence should be enough.
Indicate how you connected. This reminder will give the reader context for the
following information.
If you’ve received something from the recipient, offer your thanks. It could be a
thank you for an offer of assistance, for an interesting piece of content they
shared or even for simply reading the email.
“Thank you for sharing your article on management strategies. The findings are
valuable.’
Be very careful of overspinning pleasantries at the start of the email. The purpose
of your email should be the overt start. Remember the acronmy B.L.O.T —
bottom line on top. What do you want your reader to know or do? That's the most
important opening.
Purpose
As previously noted, each email should address just one thing, one purpose. This
task, request or information should be presented clearly and directly after the
pleasantry. This is the B.L.O.T— bottom line on top.
Be concise and direct. Don’t hide your request or it can easily be overlooked or
ignored.
Additional Information
Some business emails may require additional information for the reader. It could
be clarification on the task, a link to resources or examples, or other helpful
information. This information should be included thoughtfully. Only directly
relevant content should be added.
Call to Action
Near the end of the email, include a specific call to action. The email is being sent
to accomplish one task. The call to action should leave no confusion as to your
request. Do not assume the reader understands the desired result from prior
information. Emails can easily be misinterpreted if there is any grey area.
This statement should include the specific action and the timeline. If you are
sending the email to multiple people, clarify task responsibility by directly naming
the intended person.
Clarification of tasks and expectations allows for the recipient to respond more
effectively.
Good examples: “Sarah: can you forward the survey to all staff by Friday at
noon, please?”
“I’d appreciate your feedback on the draft agenda. If you have any edits, please
send them by tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10 AM.”
If you would like a confirmation, you can phrase the call to action as a question. If
the call to action is a notification that does not necessarily require a reply, you
can structure the call to action as a statement.
Closing Message
The closing message simply indicates that the email is complete. While it is not a
requirement in modern email writing, a brief, polite phrase will nicely round out
your email.
‘Kind regards,’
Dr. Smith
John Smith
Don’t make the reader go hunting for the information they need.
If an attachment was sent to the recipient previously, attach it again anyway. This
way, they can easily access the information rather than searching through their
inbox. Of course, double-check that the file is attached and correct. Forgetting to
include an attachment requires an unnecessary (and embarrassing!) reply
requesting it, which can delay the work.
Bad example: You may find this resource useful in preparing the
report: http://www.instructionalsolutions.com/blog/technical-writing-engineers
Good example: You may find this technical writing resource useful in preparing
the report.
You should also test the link to ensure that it opens the correct site.
Review
Once your email is composed, do not click send. Yet.
Take a moment to review your email. Check for grammatical or spelling errors
(Grammarly has a helpful free tool). Typos suggest carelessness and can even
convey incorrect information.
Double-check dates, times, names, links, attachments and other specific details.
Undo Send
Have you ever clicked send and then gasped in horror? Perhaps it’s an ‘I didn’t
mean to send it to that Brad!’ situation. Or it may be the less embarrassing but
still annoying ‘I meant to include Brad on that email!’ scenario.
In OutLook, you can recall an unread email sent to a recipient with an Exchange
account in the same organization. This feature does not work will in practice
because if it has been read by anyone, it cannot be recalled. In this case, simply
forward the email with an error and state your apology and clarification.
This function allows you to save standard emails. When you would like to send
the standard reply, simply select your preferred prepared template in the
Compose window. You can also set Canned responses to send automatically to
inbound email with specific details.
You can label and even color-code emails from specific people or even whole
domains. These labels will allow the emails to be easily archived once read.
You can set up filters to automatically mark as read or archive low priority
reference emails, like a delivery tracking update.
You can schedule emails to send at a specified time in the future using
the Boomerang add-on.
Caution: If you are sending information to recipients who report to you, don't send
late evening emails because it can create an expectation of 24/7 work across
your team. Schedule the emails to send at the start of normal work hours.
Keyboard shortcuts
Drafting an effective business email takes time. However, you can save time by
using keyboard shortcuts. Save clicks while selecting emails, marking unread,
adding a hyperlink and more. Check out the shortcuts for Gmailand Outlook.
There are a wide range of email add-ons and applications that will track if your
email is opened by the recipient.
Conclusion
The volume of email we receive and send can sometimes diminish our motivation
to write an effective business email. Consider the four key questions when
preparing an email. Write it in a way that is concise yet clearly conveys the
information and request to the reader.
Mary Cullen
Mary founded Instructional Solutions in 1998, and is an internationally recognized
business writing trainer and executive writing coach with two decad... read more
11 Comments
Peter Giblett
11/20/2017, 9:01:21 PM
I have received some dreadful emails sent by highly intelligent, indeed brilliant,
people over the years. It is not that they can't write , they simply forget the basic
rules of communication in that moment. A timely reminder.
TWAZAMPORA ALEX
12/1/2017, 5:49:06 PM
thank you for the great work work you are doing allover the world.
tonye ethofe
8/14/2018, 3:58:25 PM
MOHD FASIH
11/3/2018, 8:33:06 AM
Sam Taylor
11/5/2018, 11:56:17 PM
Hi Mohd,
We offer an online email writing course that may be a great fit for your team.
Take a look!
Thanks,
Sam
Lauren Smith
11/12/2018, 10:58:10 AM
Writer
11/20/2018, 3:59:19 PM
Thank you for your recommendations. Now business writing plays a very
important role in the business society. Many people enter into a partnership or
transaction using a business letter. It is important to understand how it should be
written so that it does not appear in the trash.
Working with business clients of the same company, I realized that the right letter
template can increase your sales or just success in the market!:)
Good luck
Reply to Writer
Diana Dupre
3/13/2019, 11:59:42 PM
I use Mail Chimp for my email blasts which tracks opens, bounces, and others.
Just don't feel my email is effective enough to generate more traffic to my
website. Also I want to be able to have a "get my foot in the door" email to
potential clients & businesses - I paint "Practical Mini Works of Art".....
wineglasses! Thank you!
Tech simian
5/9/2019, 4:51:06 PM
This article really cleared my idea about email witting, good stuff is various
examples covered most of the queries which i face personally while writing
emails. Thanks keep it up.
Gina Parker
6/26/2019, 6:25:32 AM
What a great read! I currently work in administration and can honestly say this
has taught me a thing or two regarding my business emails.
https://www.instructionalsolutions.com/blog/business-email
Closing or signature:
Best,
Cordially yours,
Fond regards,
In appreciation,
In sympathy,
Kind regards,
Kind thanks,
Kind wishes,
Many thanks,
Regards,
Respectfully,
Respectfully yours,
Sincerely,
Sincerely yours,
Thanks,
Thank you,
Thank you for your assistance in this matter,
Thank you for your consideration,
Thank you for your recommendation,
Thank you for your time,
Warm regards,
Warm wishes,
Warmly,
With appreciation,
With deepest sympathy,
With gratitude,
With sincere thanks,
With sympathy,
There are certain closings that you want to avoid in any business
letter. Most of these are simply too informal. Some examples of
closings to avoid are listed below:
Always,
Cheers,
Love,
Take care,
XOXO,
Capitalize the first word of your closing. If your closing is more than
one word, capitalize the first word and use lowercase for the other
words.
==-=
Typed Signature
Email Address
Phone
LinkedIn URL (if you have a profile)
=-0=
==-==
Don’t get too carried away and be wary of including too many links
in your email signature. Just link to the most important information.
Before you add every possible URL where you appear online,
consider where you'd most like people to click.
==--
FirstName LastName
Marketing Director, ABC Company
Street
City, State Zip Code
Email Address
Phone
FirstName LastName
Email Address
Phone
LinkedIn URL
FirstName LastName
Email Address
Phone
LinkedIn URL
Twitter Account
==-0=
How to Set Up Your Email Signature
Each email server has different steps you must take to set up your
email signature. Typically, you can click “Settings” on your email
account, and find a tab that tells you how and where to add a
signature.
--=
Thanks for your consideration; please let me know if you have any
questions.
Your guidance has been invaluable, and I hope to work with you
again soon.
In this vein, you don’t want to be too casual when closing a letter. If
you’re writing a friend, you can get away with an informal “-xo” or
“ciao,” but with new work contacts, you’ll want to dial down your
effusion to “warm regards,” “cheers,” or “Happy Friday.”
As a writer, you may revel in finding new ways to get your point
across—to avoid communicating formulaically. But ending a letter is
not an ideal venue for tinkering with language or otherwise
reinventing the wheel. Just as such correspondence often begins with
the tried-and-true salutation “Dear Person’s Name,” you should be
comfortable using a variety of closing salutations. Take a look at
some of the best business letter closings you will come across.
1 Yours truly
Like a navy blue jacket or a beige appliance, “yours truly” doesn’t
stand out, and that’s good. The message here is “I think we can safely
agree how I sign off isn’t the part of this letter that matters.”
2 Sincerely
3 Thanks again
If you’ve already said “thanks” once, why not say it again? Just be
careful not to step on your closing sentence, if that also pertains to
gratitude: you don’t want to botch the finale with an unwieldy “thanks
again again.”
4 Appreciatively
This one can help you avoid overusing the word “thanks.” It also
sounds less clunky than “gratefully.”
5 Respectfully
This one is tinged with deference, so make sure it suits the occasion.
For instance, if you’re writing your landlord to enumerate a series of
egregious failures and abuses and your closing sentence is
“Unfortunately, if these deficiencies are not soon remedied, my next
step may be legal action,” then ending with “respectfully” is
awkward.
6 Faithfully
6 Regards
Like “sincerely” and “best,” this one is dependable and restrained, but
it comes with a variety of optional accessories. Consider tricking it
out with a gentle adjective, like so:
7 Best regards
8 Warm regards
9 Kind regards
A final variation on the theme of “regards,” this classy number strikes
a balance between formality and closeness. If you don’t want to be
too friendly but are worried about seeming stuffy or standoffish, “kind
regards” is a solid bet.
10 Best
Some see “best” as flippant and hurried. Best what, anyway? Best
wishes? Still, others argue it’s your best default option. Judge for
yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Grammarly
==-=\
--=-=
View gallery
My best to you – Lett also likes this one. I think it’s old-
fashioned.
Best Wishes –Seems too much like a greeting card but it’s not
bad.
Bests – I know people who like this but I find it fussy. Why do
you need the extra “s?”
Rgds – I used to use this but stopped, because it’s trying too
hard to be abbreviated. Why not type three more letters? OK if
you’re sending it from your phone.
Thanks so much – I also like this and use it, especially when
someone—a colleague, a source, someone with whom I have a
business relationship—has put time and effort into a task or
email.
Hope this helps – I like this in an email where you are trying
to help the recipient.
Yours Truly – I don’t like this. It makes me feel like I’m ten
years old and getting a note from a pen pal in Sweden.
Very Truly Yours – Lett likes this for business emails but I
find it stilted and it has the pen pal problem.
Sincerely – Lett also likes this but to me, it signals that the
writer is stuck in the past. Maybe OK for some formal business
correspondence, like from the lawyer handling your dead
mother’s estate.
;-) – I’ve gotten emails from colleagues with these symbols and
I find they brighten my day.
[:-) – I’m a sucker for variations on the smiley face made with
punctuation marks, though I suspect most people don’t like
them.
High five from down low – A colleague shared this awful
sign-off which is regularly used by a publicist who handles tech
clients. An attempt to sound cool, which fails.
See you around – Lett would cringe but this seems fine to
me.
vCards – I think these are a great idea. At least they work well
on my Dell desktop when I want to load a contact into Outlook.
This email is off the record unless otherwise
indicated – My colleague Jeff Bercovici, who covers media,
says he gets this email from friends who are inviting him to
birthday parties or other engagements and he finds it extremely
annoying. I’m wondering what kind of paranoid people put this
in their signatures.
=-=
==-=
=-=
E M AI L
==-=
Attaching and enclosing documents
I attach ... .
I enclose ... .
=-=