COMMUNICATING

LIKE A PRO:
BUSINESS ENGLISH
WRITING

Week 3 – Emails

Oct/Nov 2018
Jacqueline Hiemstra
Kyra Macfarlane
 Week Subject

Weekly Week 1 General Introduction

Overview
Week 2 Reports
• Memo report
• Proposal
Week 3 Emails
Week 4 Formal Letters
• Inquiry letter
• Thank you letter
• Resignation letter
Week 5 Business Attitudes
• Complaint letter
• Reply to complaints/
Apologising
• Social Media
Week 6 Applying Abroad Letters
• Motivation letters
• Different CVs
Week 7 Writing Lab/ Questions
 Why do we
write emails?

Photo by ©Dennis Skley @dskley on Flickr.

10 Rules for 1.
2.
Be clear and concise.
Prefer the simple to the complex.
Effective 3. Get to the point as quickly as possible.

Business 4. Do not write in CAPITALS.

Writing 5.
6.
Do not overuse abbreviations and emojis.
Only copy in other people if they know why they are
receiving a copy of the message.
7. Try to reply to customers’ emails within 24 hours.
8. Leave the message thread in your email to save the
recipient time and frustration looking for earlier
messages.
9. Proof-read your email before you send it.
10. Do not request read receipts.
 Email • Who is the sender; who is the recipient?
• Is this email appropriately written?
Example: • What can you say about its content?

discuss the • Who is Philip to John?

following
email

Inspired by ©linguahouse.
 Writing • Who is my audience?
– Reader determines tone, formality, and content of the
Formal communication.

Emails (1) – To, Cc, Bcc

• What is the purpose?

– The ‘one thing rule’ – each email should cover only one
specific item, task or request.
– Numbered list
– Clarity increases understanding and productivity.
 Writing • Is this email necessary?
– Avoid lengthy chain emails
Formal – Quick phone call or text

Emails (2) – Short conversation

• Is this email appropriate?

– Bad news
– Sensitive information

• Remember: an email is impersonal

– Difficult to convey empathy
Reasons for In business, people tend to write emails to:
• Clarify something
Writing • Let someone know about something
• Confirm something
• Follow up on something
• Update someone
• Ask a question
• Answer a question
• Thank someone for something
Email Style • Tone
– Changes based on audience
– Avoid ALL CAPS
– italics, underlining or bold
– Punctuation or emojis

• Format
– White space
– Headings
– Shorter paragraphs, lists and bullet-points
– Sans serif, 10-12pt
– Avoid using multiple text colours
 Email
• Subject Line
– Clear and Informative

Structure (1) –

–
Short and Specific

Invitation to read

– 4U’s
By ©instructionalsolutions.com
– Should include proposed action

• Appropriate Greeting
– Business emails require a level of formality

– Dear Mr./ Ms./ Dr. Last Name

– Dear First Name (Last Name),

– Hi First Name,
• Casual: To a colleague with whom you are friendly.

– To whom it may concern

• Try to avoid this!

• “Dear Sir or Madam”

 Email
• Easy to read Body Text
– Optional Pleasantry

Structure (2) •

•
“It was great to meet you at...”

“I appreciate you taking the time to…”

• “I hope you are well.”

– Say thank you

• “Thank you for your (prompt) reply”

• “Thank you for your consideration/patience/cooperation”

• Start and/or end email on a positive note

• Creates a good first impression

– Define purpose clearly at the beginning

• “I am contacting you as…”
• Remember: business people often have
• “I am writing to you in reference to/regarding…”
no time to read all emails!
• Request / Inquiry

Save someone’s time by keeping emails • Conclusion / Closing Remarks

specific and concise.
– Action-eliciting
 Email • Sign-off and Signature
– Best regards / Kind regards / Sincerely
Structure (3) – Full Name and Function
– Contact Information By ©instructionalsolutions.com

• Attachments and Links

– Included in the email
– Name the file or include document title in parenthesis
– Integrate hyperlink into a sentence

• Always proofread your email before sending it.

 Identify • 1 email
• Rearrange the email parts in the correct order
Structure • Discuss the structure
 Email • Reason for writing
– I am writing to... inform/inquire/apply/confirm/ask etc.

Language (1) – With reference to..., I would like to...

• Making a request / Asking for information

– Would you be able to...
– Could you please let me know.. / Could you arrange...
– I wonder if you would like..

• Offering help / Giving information

– We are happy/delighted to let you know...
– I am glad to inform you... / I regret to say/inform you...
– Should you need any further assistance/information/help, please do
not hesitate to contact us.
– If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know.
 Email
• Apologising
– We would like to apologise... / Please accept our apologies..

Language (2) –
–
We will make sure that this does not happen again in the future.
Our sincere apologies for the inconvenience.

• File Attachments
– Please find attached... / Please see.. attached.
– I am attaching my CV for your consideration.

– I’ve attached...
– I am sending... as an attachment.

• Closing Remarks and Sign-off

– I look forward to hearing from you. (formal)
– Looking forward to hearing from you. (less formal)
– Kind regards / Sincerely / Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully / Yours
respectfully
 Phrasal verbs
1. It looks like we really need to do up the office.

2. Mary is off at the end of the month.

vs. Formal 3. Don't worry. I'll back you up during the meeting.

4. Good news. It looks like our application finally went through.

Language 5. If profit keep dropping, we are very likely to go under.

6. I haven't got around to contacting the client yet. I'll do it first thing tomorrow.

7. I tried calling him several times but I couldn't get through.

8. I'm afraid I have to call off tomorrow's meeting.

Phrasal verbs are often used in informal
emails as well as spoken English.
Cancel - found the time to - go bankrupt - is taking leave - make contact – renovate – support
- was formally approved

Look at the informal sentences to the right and

match the underlined phrasal verbs to their
formal synonyms.

Inspired by ©linguahouse.
 Positive Hello Steve Jindal

Message? I understand that you want to participate in our workshop

on Balancing work and social life.

The registration deadline was last week. I f you still want

to participate, you have to register ASAP! You must fill in
the registration form completely.

If you don’t register before Wednesday, you can’t

participate.

Kind regards,

Charlotte Flesh
 Compare and Discuss
Hello Steve Jindal
I understand that you want to participate in our
workshop on Balancing work and social life.
The registration deadline was last week. I f you still
want to participate, you have to register ASAP! You
must fill in the registration form completely.
If you don’t register before Wednesday, you can’t
participate.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Flesh
Dear Mr Jindal,
Thank you for showing interest in our workshop on
Balancing work and social life.
Did you know that the registration deadline was last
week? If you would still like to participate, please register
as soon as possible. You can fill in the registration form on
our website.
You are still more than welcome to partcipate if we receive
the form before Wednesday.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact
me.
I look forward to meeting you at the workshop.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Flesh
Rewrite the
Email:
informal to
formal

1. Locate the language errors and correct.

2. Rewrite from informal to formal.

Remember: Student Stay provides family hosting for

students. Jack is an employee. Lisa is a student from abroad.
Assignment • Write one formal email from the topic list below. Try to include
words and expressions from this workshop.
1. You called a colleague to give her some information she wanted,
but you were unable to make contact. Write to her instead and
mention this in your email.
2. You have suddenly fallen ill and are unable to attend a lecture.
Write an email to your English teacher.
3. You want to arrange a meeting with a colleague from another
branch. You attach a map showing where exactly your office is
located.
4. You spoke to your supplier on the phone about changing the terms
of delivery. Write an email to them confirming that you would like
20 days instead of 30 days.
5. You have to postpone a business meeting due to unforeseen
circumstances. Write an email to inform those who would have
been expected to turn up at the meeting if it hadn’t been
cancelled, and suggest another time and place.
• Deadline: 6 March 2019 23:59h. Upload via VLO / Group /
Assignments.