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DEPARTAMENTO DE CINCIAS DA SADE Medicina Dentria

UBA IV ENGLISH

Worksheet: Writing Emails in English

Exercise 1: Match the informal phrases (1-15) to the more formal/neutral equivalents (a-o).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

What do you need? D

Thanks for the email of 12 Feb.
Sorry, I cant make it.
Im sorry to tell you that
I promise
Could you ?
You havent
Dont forget
I need to
Shall I ?
But / Also ./ So
Please could you
Im sorry for
Re
See you next week.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.

With regard to (or With reference to)

I can assure you that
We note from our records that you have not
Please let us know your requirements.
I was wondering if you could
We would like to remind you that
I look forward to meeting you next week.
Thank you for your email received 12 February.
I am afraid I will not be able to attend.
Would you like me to ?
I would be grateful if you could
Please accept our apologies for
It is necessary for me to
We regret to advise you that
However / In addition ./ Therefore

Exercise 2: Look at this business e-mail. What is it asking the reader to do?

2.1. Identify the different parts of the e-mail body (opening greeting; contents; closing remarks)
2.2. Which part of the email is the most formal and polite? Underline the expressions that refer to this style.
2.3. Identify in the e-mail body three different verb structures:
Imperative:
If-clause (conditional sentence):
Exercise 3: What are the following extracts about? Underline the REQUESTS for action.
A. Thank you for your e-mail. Please, change your reservation as soon as possible. If you wait until the day of
travel, you will have less chance of obtaining a place on the later sailing.
B. Please contact me urgently on 0124 3477 67 concerning your account. Alternatively if outside normal office
hours, contact customer care on the above number, which offers a 6am to 9pm service.
C. Thank you for your kind inquiry. We have one room left on 28th August with en-suit shower and sea view. The
rate is 86 inclusive of breakfast. If you could give us a credit card number, we will reserve the room for you.
In the extract C above, the writer used a conditional form. Change it into a direct request using an imperative form. How
does this change the effect?

!DEPARTAMENTO DE CINCIAS DA SADE Medicina Dentria

UBA IV ENGLISH

Exercise 4: Get the right style and tone for your reader. Read the two versions below of an email from a student who
needed to write to someone in authority (a professor) to get permission to use a facility in the faculty of a university.
Which email is better? List your reasons.
Email #1
Subject: Career Fair

Hi Lee
Im an engineering student from NUS Careers Club, organizing a career fair next month. The committee has spotted a
place. We are wondering if we cd use the corridor outside AS6 for the booths we will be putting up. That is a great spot
for us to put the booths heavy traffic and all.
Let me know soonest possible if this is OK? Awaiting your positive response!
Mark

Email #2
Request for permission to use LT6 Foyer
Subject: Request for permission to use LT6 Amphitheater

Dear Prof Lee

I am an engineering student who is involved in organizing this years career fair for Engineering students. This will take
place in the last week of November. We would like to use the foyer outside Lecture Theatre 6. This is an ideal location
for the fair for these reasons:
1. The place is quite large and will be able to take the number of booths we are planning for.
2. Traffic is heavy so the fair will get maximum exposure and attention.
3. We used it last year and the employers who participated reported that their booths were very well-visited.
Hence, we would appreciate it if you could let us use this location. If you think this is possible, I will send you the
official request letter.
We look forward to your response.
Respectfully yours
Mark Jones 3rd Year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department

Exercise 5: Be considerate of your reader. The student in the email below needed to write to request a letter of
recommendation. She sent the email on the Monday before the Tuesday in question. Read the email and state why it is
considered to be an inconsiderate email.
Subject: Letter, please?

Hi Miss Fonseca
I am going for a Work & Travel Programme on the April holiday. I was required to submit a letter to prove that i am
proficient in English. The letter should be official (with school letterhead) and duly sealed with the school stamp. Can
you help me to write this letter, and can i collect it on Tuesday? It is quite urgent.
Maria

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4 Opening and closing

A

Match the email beginnings (18) with the endings (ah).

Beginnings

Endings

1 I am writing with regard to your recent

email. We regret to inform you that there
are no double rooms available for the nights
you require. c

a) Anyway, thanks again for inviting me, and

Im really looking forward to it. Do you want
me to bring anything?

2 Thanks so much for the wonderful present.

Its exactly the book that I wanted how did
you know? Im really looking forward to
reading it.

b) You know you can count on me if you need

any support. Ill call you at the weekend to
see how things are.

3 Patricia, Ive just read your email. Im so

sorry to hear about what happened.

c) Should you need any further information

about room availability, we will be happy to
assist you.

4 Sorry, I cant make it to your birthday party

at Fishers restaurant, as Im away on that day.

d) I look forward to receiving this information

as soon as possible.

5 I am mailing this via the Contact Us link

on your website. Id like to know a few more
details about the anti-virus software thats
listed on the site.

e) It really is great news, and Im sure that its

only the beginning of our work in the
French market.

6 I am writing with reference to our order

number GH67. The goods arrived this
morning, but you only sent 200 pieces
instead of the 300 that we ordered.

f) Please deal with this matter urgently. I

expect a reply from you by tomorrow
morning at the latest.

7 Yes! Great! Id love to come to the party.

g) Thanks again for the gift, and give my

regards to your family.

8 Ive just heard from Antonio about the Paris

contract. Its fantastic news you worked
really hard on this and you deserve the
success.

h) Anyway, sorry again that I cant come, but

have a great time. I hope we can meet up
soon. What about going to see that new
Speilberg film?

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Basics

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Match the beginning and ending pairs in section A with the descriptions (18) below.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

8/11/07

An email asking for information. Neutral style.

An email giving information. Formal style.
An email accepting an invitation. Informal style.
An email refusing an invitation. Informal style.
An email of congratulations. Neutral style.
An email of complaint. Formal style.
An email of thanks. Neutral style.
An email of sympathy. Informal style.

5d

Read the following sentences. Decide whether they are beginnings or endings. Then decide
whether they are neutral or informal.
1 The computer network will be shut down for maintenance
at 5pm on Thursday.
2 Oh, yes Ill be back late tonight. Can you do the shopping
and buy something nice for dinner? Thx.
3 I look forward to receiving your advice on this matter.
4 What a surprise how nice to hear from you!
5 Bye for now. See you soon.
6 I hope that everything is okay, but do not hesitate to contact
me if you need any clarification.
7 Please find attached my report, as promised in Fridays meeting.
8 Im so happy for you! Write again soon and tell me how its going.
9 We are writing to advise you about some changes in our price list.
10 If youd like any more details, just let me know. Im away
all next week but Andrea is dealing with this in my absence.
11 Just a quick note to say I really enjoyed last night.
12 Simon and I have been talking about your holiday plans for next
August. It looks like we wont be able to join you. Im really sorry.

Beg/End

Neut/Inf

Beg/End

Neut/Inf

Beg/End
Beg/End
Beg/End
Beg/End

Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf

Beg/End
Beg/End
Beg/End
Beg/End

Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf

Beg/End
Beg/End

Neut/Inf
Neut/Inf

Look back at the examples in section C. Find:

a)
b)
c)
d)

two written to someone unknown or little known. 3 /

four written to colleagues, perhaps sent to several people.
five written to a friend.
/
/
/
/
one written to a very close family member.

Basics

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