Email Writing Guide

ENGLISH FOR E-MAILS
Sophie Remizova
April 25, 2013 www.ExigenServices.com

2 www.ExigenServices.com
Introduction
Sophie Remizova,
Teacher of English at Exigen Services
Hi! Nice to meet you!

1 E-mails: the basics
2 Beginning and ending your e-mail
3 Tone and style in e-mails
4 The structure of e-mails
5 Clear and effective writing
6 Q&A
Webinar overview

E-mails: the basics
E-mails and Letters

E-mails: the basics
An e-mail should always be:
Clear
Complete
Concise
Correct
Courteous
Careful
Considered
E-mail: the 7 C’s

E-mails: the basics
Subject line
Salutation
Main body
Closing and signature

E-mails: the basics
Subject line
• Hi
• Urgent
• Ideas
• I would like some information about the new catalogue.
• Schedule, Guest List, Lunch Requests, and Meeting Overview for March 12th
 Welcome to Exigen Services!
 Meeting at 10am about pay rise
 Corporate party – ideas for venue?
 REQ: new catalogue info
 Meeting with clients on March 12th

Salutations
Very informal
(very close
friends, family)
Informal/semi-formal
(Friends and
colleagues)
Very formal
(People with whom you have a
very formal relationship or whom
you don’t know personally)
Hi there!
Hey!
Hi+ first name,
Hello + first name,
Dear Mr + last name,
Dear Ms + last name,
Dear Sir,
Dear Madam,
Dear Sir / Madam,
Beginning and ending your e-mail

Informal/semi-formal Formal
Hi all,
Hello everyone,
Dear all,
Dear colleagues,
Dear customers,
Dear partners,
etc.
Writing to a group of people:

Beginning your e-mail
Replying
Stating the reason
why you’re writing
Giving bad news
Giving good news
Informal/semi-formal Formal
Re your e-mail, I…
Thanks for your e-mail…
In reply to your e-mail…
Just a quick note to let you know…
I’m writing to… call off…
put off…
(e.g. the meeting)
Just wanted to ask you if…
I am writing to.. inform you…
(I’d like to) complain…
cancel…
postpone…
arrange…
enquire…
I’m afraid…
I’m sorry…
We regret to tell you that…
Unfortunately…
I’m happy to tell you that… We are pleased to inform you…

Ending your e-mail
When you want a
reply:
Offering more
help:
General:
Semi-formal Formal
Looking forward to your reply.
I’d appreciate a reply asap.
I look forward to hearing from you
(soon).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Feel free to get in touch if you
have any other questions./if you
need more help./with any
questions.
Let me know if you need anything
else/if I can help you further.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you
need any assistance/further
information.
Thanks for your help.
Hope all is well with you.
Have a nice day/weekend!
I’ve attached…
Thank you for your
assistance/cooperation.
Please find attached…

Closings
Very informal Semi-formal Very formal
Bye for now
Take care
Cheers
Love
Yours
Best regards
Kind regards
Best wishes
Regards
Best
Yours sincerely
Yours faithfully
Yours truly

Hi.
Got your order yesterday – 7 Macintosh glass lampholders and
three pull switches. Should be dispatched tomorrow, but can’t
be sure. Will let you know, when I find out, when you will
receive them. BTW the seventh lampholder will be free
because of the special offer we’ve got on at the moment.
We’re really pleased to have got your order and to be supplying
you with this.
Cheers.
Nigel
Tone and style in e-mails

Dear Ms Bathson
Many thanks for your order dated 7th November for seven Macintosh
glass lampholders and three pull switches. We’re pleased to inform you
that we have a special offer at the moment, which will mean you will
receive the seven lampholders for the price of six.
We expect to dispatch these items to you tomorrow (9th
November) for
delivery the following day but will let you know if this changes.
Many thanks once again for your custom.
Kind regards.
Nigel Marr
Senior Sales Consultant
Bright Lights Ltd
1 The Promenade, Weston super Mare BS22 1AB
01934 654321
www.brightlights.com
Many thanks for…
We’re pleased to inform you that…
We expect to…
We will let you know
Tone and style in e-mails

The structure of e-mails
most important point
e.g. conclusion
explain and support point
e.g. reasons for your conclusion
develop further
e.g. facts underlying your
reasoning
The Inverted Pyramid Structure

We have decided to expand our operation.
The research supports it.
It is within our budget, our employees agree.
For example:

The Diamond Structure
background
leading up to the
main point
main point
(e.g. refusal)
more details, facts
(to soften refusal or
open possibility of
other options)
When you need to:
•say “no” to a request
•ask for something that the
reader doesn’t want to give
•must catch the reader up on
the history

I was flattered to be asked to speak at your
Hamilton Corporation’s Award Banquet.
Although I would like to share the event with
you, I will be in New York that night. Therefore,
I must decline your invitation.
Please keep me in mind for the future. I admire
your organisation’s method of rewarding its
employees.
For example:

Clear and effective writing
 use short and informative vocabulary
 keep sentences short and simple
 use effective paragraphs
 link your paragraphs
To write clearly and effectively:

Use short and informative vocabulary
For example:
initiate – start
terminate – end/finish
acquire – buy
enhance - improve
optimum – the best
expenditure – costs
assist – help
utilise – use
supplementary – extra
come to a realisation - realise
frequently occur – often happen
for what reason…? – why…?
due to the fact that… – because…

Keep your sentences short and simple

I was flattered to be asked to speak
at your Hamilton Corporation’s
Award Banquet. Although I would like
to share the event with you, I will be
in New York that night. Therefore, I
must decline your invitation. Please
keep me in mind for the future. I
admire your organisation’s method of
rewarding its employees.
Paragraphs
I was flattered to be asked to speak at
your Hamilton Corporation’s Award
Banquet.
Although I would like to share the event
with you, I will be in New York that
night. Therefore, I must decline your
invitation.
Please keep me in mind for the future. I
admire your organisation’s method of
rewarding its employees.

How to make your paragraphs effective
 write one topic per paragraph
 begin with topic sentence
 keep your paragraphs short (1-3 sentences)
 connect paragraphs with connecting phrases

Some connecting phrases for paragraphs:
Sequence linkers:
Firstly,
The most important idea is
The most important reason is
The main reason is
The primary purpose of … is
Secondly,
Another reason for … is
The second reason for … is
In addition,
I also…
Lastly,
Finally,
The last reason is …
Other logical linkers:
Addition (=and):
Besides
Moreover
What is more
Furthermore
Consequence (=so):
Therefore
Consequently
For that reason
As a result
Contrast (=but):
However
On the other hand
Despite this

E-mail Checklist
Before you press ‘SEND’…
 Does the e-mail address one topic?
 Is the subject line informative and concise?
 Is it clear what the respondent has to do?
 Are you sure there is no unnecessary information that can be left out?
 Are all the important details on the first screen?
 Have you checked all dates, figures and numbers?
 Have you used spellchecker?
 Are you sending this e-mail to the right person/people?
 Have you included all of the attachments mentioned in the message?
 Have you included all of the necessary contact details?

Any questions?
If you have any further questions or
comments, feel free to e-mail me at
Sophia.Remizova@exigenservices.com

Email Writing Guide

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