WRITING EMAILS

TOPICS

PART I

Introduction

Vocabulary

Idioms

Do’s and Don’ts

Organizing a Letter

Formal versus Informal Words

Writing a Letter to city council

Part II

Tips

Write an email to a client Salutation Opening Body Closing

Linking Words

Review

Part III

Frequently Confused Words

Attachments

Internal Messages

Formal Email

INTRODUCTION New forms of Communication = New styles of writing. #Twitter Instagram SMS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXlgOX95Q0U

Email Interesting Facts In 2009, 123456 was the most common Hotmail password. How do you spell e-mail, email, Email, E-Mail, E-mail or eMail? It seems, the correct answer is e-mail. In Dutch, the @ symbol is called apestaart, which means monkey’s tail and in Italian it’s chiocciolina,

which means small snail.

Learning Objectives: To write professional correspondence in English. To distinguish between formal and informal language. To identify the various parts in the body of an email.

VOCABULARY Concerning

Regarding, with regards to…

Reference, with reference to…

Appreciate

Arrangements

Attention

Regret

Inconvenience

Complaint

Apologize

Details

DO’S AND DON’TSSubject: Hello!

Hi Jack!!!

My name’s Jaana and I’M FROM FINLAND!!! I bet you haven’t had students from here B4 ;-) ;-) That’s probably coz we’re so amazing at languages, that we don’t need any xtra help?except me – I need all the help I can get!! FYI: the problem really started when I was in primary school, and my parents, who had been arguing non-stop since I was a little baby, got divorced and decided that I should be adopted as they couldn’t decide who should have custody of me. If I had been in their situation, I think I probably wouldn’t have known either!! Anyway, this was all a bit traumatic, so all my school subjects suffered, especially English. HAHAHAAA ONLY JOKING!!!! :-) (Actually, don’t tell anyone, but I’m actually quite a good student? but if anyone found out, my reputation would be ruined, so shhhhhh!) BTW do u do courses for uni students? How many lessons/week? Is there any extra stuff after school, SO I CAN MEET SOME COOL PEOPLE? How about trips? Give me all the info you can, man.

Jaana (although all my mates call me Jakki!!)

DO’S AND DON’TS Dear Mr. Jones,

I am a university student from Finland. I would like some information about the language courses you are offering this summer.

I have the following questions:

1. Do you offer a course for university students, which helps them with their essay writing skills?

2. How many hours a week are the courses?

3. What sort of accommodation do you offer?

4. What after-school activities are there?

5. Do you do any trips to other towns in the UK?

I am hoping to arrive in Finland by June. I would greatly appreciate it if you can get back to me as soon as possible. I can be reached by phone at ____ or by email at _____.

Best regards,

Jaana Nikkinen

DO’SIf you want action, then give a deadline.E.g., I would appreciate it if you could please get back to me by September 1, 2014.

Write action required in the subject.

Use an informative subject line, which says what the email is about.

Write the most important information first.

Use numbers and bullet points to make the message clearer.

Use simple grammar. Avoid things like the passive. (As emails are a fast means of communication, they tend to be less wordy and complex than formal letters.)

Write short sentences.

Use paragraphs to keep the email clear and easy to understand

Date and Time: use full month, not abbreviation. Eg., September, not Sept.

DON’TS Write ‘hello’ as your subject line.

Use capital letters to write whole words as in emails, THIS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING.

Use different fonts in the email (the recipient’s computer may not be compatible)

Use Italics (the reason may be misunderstood, due to cultural differences).

Use exclamation marks.

Use abbreviations like coz and uni, as the recipient may not understand them.

Use acronyms like BTW for the same reason.

Use smileys. They may be misunderstood and come across as unprofessional.

Complete handout 2, Formal vs Informal, underlining the correct term.

ORGANIZING A LETTER

What are the different components found in a letter? Address Bloc Greetings Opening Body Closing Salutation Name at the end

ORGANIZING A LETTERAddress - To:

Address - From:

Date

Greetings

Opening Line

Body

Closing LineClosing

GreetingSignature

Spacing = 3 lines

Spacing = 3 lines

ORGANIZING A LETTERAddress block

Use both first and last name

Example:

Mr Tom Tobiason and Ms Heidi Moore

Microsoft Corporation

10 Eddystone Ct

Redwood City

CA 94065

USA

July 28, 2014

Salutation

Use last name only.

Example:

Dear Prof. Smith/ Dr Smith/ Mr Smith/ Ms Smith

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL Handout 3 Formal vs. Informal

Sort the greetings under the correct headings: formal, standard, informal.

Opening Greeting: Dear Sir or Madam Dear Prof. Smith/ Dr Smith/ Mr Smith/ Ms Smith Dear all Hi everyone Dear Steve/ Hi Steve Steve Hi (nothing) To Steve Dear Mr Steve Dear you all To whom it may concern: To: The marketing team

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL

Sort the opening line under the correct headings: formal, standard, informal. About… How’s it going?/ How are things?/ How’s life? I am writing to you concerning/ with regards to/ regarding/ in connection with/ in order to…

Thank you for your interest in our company. I hope you are well. I am writing to you about/ to… Re: Thanks for your email yesterday. Thanks for your quick reply./ Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Thanks for your quick replying. I write to you about…

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL Sort the closing line under the correct headings: formal, standard, informal. I look forward to seeing you soon. If you need any more questions, just let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks in advance./ Thanks. If you need any more information, please let me know. Thanks again. If you need any more info, just drop me a line. Looking forward to hearing from you. Please get back to me asap. See you then.

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL

Sort the closing greeting under the correct headings: formal, standard, informal. See you/ CU Cheers Yours/ All the best/ Best regards/ Best wishes Yours sincerely/ Yours faithfully/ Sincerely yours

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL

Sort the name at the end under the correct headings: formal, standard, informal. A (nothing) A. M. Case (Mr) Alex Alex Case

WRITE A LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL Handout 4 Write a Letter to City Council

1. Match the formal words to its informal meaning.

2. Remove the words that are not relevant.

3. Fill in the blanks to write your letter.

4. Put the letter in the correct order and fix any mistakes.

TIPSThere is no need to repeat your contact information each time you send a message to the same person.

While with letters you may wish to begin with “Thank you for your letter of 12 June…” In emails you do not need to do this. It is still nice to begin by thanking them for something if you can. However, “Thanks for your email” may be seen as a waste of time.

Use linking words, such as sequencing, eg., firstly, secondly, lastly. Or, number your action items.

The word ‘that’ is the most boring word in the English language and in most instances, you can do completely without it. Eg., I think that EPAM is a great place to work. I think EPAM is a great place to work.

WRITE AN EMAIL TO A CLIENT

You have been asked to start work on a new project. Your client is Tommy Hilfiger in the US. Write a brief email:

Thanking them for choosing EPAM;

Introducing yourself to their company;

Explaining your role on the project;

Providing your contact details for any follow up.

Turn to Handout 5, the email template

SAMPLE LETTER11 June 2007

Mr Tom Tobiason and Ms Heidi Moore10 Eddystone CtRedwood City CA 94065USA

Dear Mr Tobiason and Ms Moore

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the Guest Comment Card during your recent stay with us. I am delighted that you enjoyed your visit and very pleased with the high rating of our services and facilities.

Once again, thank you for your valuable feedback and for choosing Four Seasons. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

GREETINGS

Do not use ‘Dear Mrs.’

Use: Dear Ms. Sajan:, Dear Mr. Smith:

Do not use “Dear Full Name”

When writing less formally to a friend or a colleague always first name

Example: Dear Slavik,

When writing formally, if you don’t know the person’s name, use “Dear Sir or Madam”

When writing to several people, you may use: “Dear All” or “Dear Colleagues”

OPENING LINE State your reason for writing:

- I am writing regarding…

- I am writing in response to ….

- I am writing to you about …

- I am writing to complain / protest about …

- I am sorry to have to inform you that…

Remind the reader of the first contact or previous meeting:

- It was good to meet you at the seminal in Paris

- We spoke at the recent conference.

- In reply to your request I can confirm that…

- Thank you for sending me you catalogue…

- Thank you for your interest in our products/company

- Thank you for your e-mail of the (date)

- Further to our phone call (if you have spoken to the person on the phone)

- Following our (telephone)conversation on(date)

BODY

Tips:

Must be clear and concise, be specific and to the point

Should consist of: Opening, Details, Action, Closing

Paragraphs should be short, no more than 5 lines

BODY

Forwarding information:

I’m forwarding to you/ I’ve forwarded to you: I’m forwarding Bill’s email to you. I’ve forwarded the report to you, please have a look.

Request of action: Could you please call me later today? Please reply as soon as possible. Please review the website and send me your feedback by Friday, September 1, 2014. I look forward to receiving your comments by Friday, September 1, 2014.Could you possibly…Do you think you could… I would be grateful if you could…

BODY

Asking Questions

Could you tell me… Could you tell me when you will arrive… NOT: “…when will you arrive?”

Could you let me know… I would like to know what the part costs. NOT: “…what does the part cost?”

I am writing to ask…

BODY

Enquiry

In particular, I would like to know...

I visited your stand at… and was impressed by…

Reply to enquiry

Can I draw your attention to?

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs in more detail.

Thank you for your email of 12 February enquiring about…

BODY Good news: I am pleased to say that we… I am happy to say that we… I am pleased to inform you that we have…

Bad news: I am afraid the… I am sorry to say the… I am sorry to inform you that… Unfortunately, at the moment… I am afraid it is not possible…at the moment.

BODY

Complaints:

There seems to be a problem with the…

There may be a misunderstanding about…

Tip: Suggest a solution if you can.

Response to complaint:

I am very sorry to hear that…

I would like to apologize for…

I was very concerned to learn about.

Thank you very much for bringing this matter to my attention.

Closing line in case of complaint: Sorry again for the inconvenience.

CLOSING LINE

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

I look forward to hearing from you.

I look forward to meeting you in person.

CLOSING GREETING

Yours,All the best,Best regards,Yours sincerely,Yours faithfully,Sincerely yours,

LINKING WORDS

Linking words and phrases join one idea to another.

They help the reader understand the structure of your argument. There are two types: Words in the middle of a sentence that join two clauses: and, but, because, so etc.

Words/phrases at the beginning of a sentence: However, Therefore, In general, In addition, In relation to, etc. These are often followed by a comma.

Use them sparingly as they can make your email too wordy.

LINKING WORDS However,

First of all…secondly…finally

Furthermore,

The greatest advantage/disadvantage of..

In my opinion/view,

According to…

On the whole,

Due to…

As a result,

At any rate,

Under the circumstances…

Needles to say,

In fact,

At first sight,

Many people are in favour of/against…

While…

For instance,

In practice,

As a rule,

To some extent,…

As far as I know,

In other words,

SAMPLETo  Anthony SappFrom  Bakhoum OmarSubject Re: new hotel in Luxor_____________________________________________________________________________Dear Anthony,

Thank you your email about opening a new hotel in Egypt. In fact, we had a meeting about this yesterday, and we made some important decisions.

Needless to say, we think that opening a hotel in Luxor is an excellent idea. According to Ibrahim, many of our guests spend part of their holiday in our Cairo hotel and then continue to Luxor, where they change hotels. As a result, if we opened a hotel there, we would already have enough customers to make a profit. At any rate, I completely agree with him.

In my opinion, the most important thing now is to discuss the financial plan. Perhaps we could arrange a meeting to discuss the proposal in more detail?

Best regards,Omar BakhoumEgypt ManagerRoses Hotels

REVIEW

Complete handout 6, the email review handout.

FREQUENTLY CONFUSED WORDS Accept/except

Advice/advise

Affect/effect

Bare/bear

Brake/break

Complement/compliment

Ensure/insure

Farther/further

Hole/whole

Loose/lose

Maybe/may be

Precede/proceed

Sale/sail

Than/then

ATTACHMENTS

How to refer to attachments? Attached, you will find…. I am sending you a survey to complete, attached. In the attached document, you will find… Please find attached my resume. Please find attached the invoice. I have attached a copy of… The report is attached.

Complete handout 7 on referring to attachments.

INTERNAL MESSAGES

Remind Just a quick to note to remind you that…

Request I would appreciate your help with this. Can I ask you to…? I would be grateful if you could…

Be helpful Here’s the…you wanted. I have attached…

I will get onto it right away. Do you want me to?/Shall I…

Thank Well done! You have done a great job. I would like to thank you very much for…

Give news I am sure you will be pleased to hear that… Unfortunately,… Would all staff please note that…Friendly closePlease get back to me if you need any more information.Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.Thank you again for all your help. I really appreciate it.

INTERNAL MESSAGES

Complete Handout 8, Internal Messages

Write an email to your line manager about a training course you would like to go on.

Ideas:

- what the course will teach you;

- why you would like to go;

- how you and the organization will benefit;

- basic information like the cost and dates;

- whether you want the company to pay all or just a part of the cost etc.

Source: http://www.businessenglishonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Internal-messages.pdf

FORMAL EMAIL

Write to a customer to tell them that the product/service they want is not available at the moment.

Prepare the situation using the questions below. The information can be real or imaginary.

• What is your company’s business? What products/services do you offer?

• What is the particular product/service that you normally offer, but is not available at the moment?

• Why?

• When is it going to be available again?

• Who is the customer that you are writing to? Why do they need your product/service?

• Are you going to promise any action, give additional information, offer help, or simply say that you will tell them when the product/service is available again?

SAMPLE To  Pekka Halonen

From  Jason Fleet

Subject Your order (WDIYA120006)

______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Pekka Halonen

Thank you for your email, which I received this morning (28 January). I am very sorry that you have not yet received your order of 100 steel doors (code: 11100876), which you placed with us last week.

According to my information, the order was dispatched on 26 January. It was delayed because there was a problem with the ship transporting the goods. I am extremely sorry that you were not informed about this earlier. I received the news by email, but I have been away from the office over the last week. I am very pleased to say that your order is now on its way and it will be with you very soon.

Please accept my apologies once again.

Yours sincerely

Jason Fleet