How to write email letters in english

How to Write Formal e-Mails in English

If you are new here please read this first.

I’ve been working in a number of jobs where there’s constant e-mailing going on – not to mention the fact that I’ve been running this website and providing customer support via e-mail since 2007 ❗

And considering that I’ve been receiving quite a few requests to provide a comprehensive guide on how to write e-mails in English, I decided to publish this article where I’ve compiled the most popular means of expression used in formal e-mails.

Now, traditionally people would divide e-mails into two types:

In reality though, it’s sometimes quite hard to draw a distinct line between the two for the simple reason that you can have a situation, for example, when you’re very familiar with your superiors at work.

In theory, it would be considered formal communication.

In reality, there’s nothing wrong with you using less formal means of expression in that communication – and believe me, it’s common practice in companies and organizations all over the world!

Greetings

A greeting is the first line of the e-mail; basically it’s how you address the person you’re contacting.

Dear Mr/Ms [ followed by surname], – it’s worth noting that lately Ms is replacing Mrs (married) and Miss (an unmarried woman) so basically you have two options – Mr for men and Ms for women.

Dear [followed by name], – if it’s a person you know on a more personal level, you can address them by their name, for example, a bank manager who happens to be your former school mate.

Hi [ followed by name], – it’s actually totally acceptable to greet a person with a “Hi!” even in professional e-mail correspondence provided you know each other very well – so there’s no reason why you couldn’t address your boss, for example, the following way when writing an e-mail: “Hi Mark,…”!

Opening phrases

Opening phrases are the ones you’d typically use to provide the main reason for writing the e-mail.

In relation to the e-mail I received, – if your e-mail is a response to another e-mail sent by that person, this is a good way of starting it.

I am writing in relation to – and this is a great way of beginning a sentence which would explain why you’re writing the e-mail.

I am writing in connection with – this is pretty much the same phrase as the previous one.

I am writing with regard to – and this one also conveys the same message, it’s just that it’s worded differently.

Sorry for the late reply, I have been… – if you’ve been unable to respond to the original e-mail for a while, this is how you can start yours: “Sorry for the late reply, I have been out sick since Monday (away on a business trip).”

I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your query – it’s only human that you can’t always respond to your work-related e-mails on time, and this is a perfect way of apologizing to a customer, for example, for keeping them waiting.

With reference to…, I would like to inform you that… – this is a very handy way of letting the other person know why you’re writing the e-mail.

Thank you so much for the quick response, I really appreciate it! – this phrase, I guess, is quite self-explanatory, isn’t it?

Thank you for getting in touch with me (us)! – I often start my e-mails with this phrase and the reason I do it is simple enough – I want to make the recipient feel appreciated, and I’d warmly suggest you do the same if working in a customer support related industry.

If you are interested to know more useful expressions, read also this article: 35 Perfect Ways of Starting Sentences in English!

Providing information

I would like to inform you that… – this is how you can start a sentence where you’re providing specific information to the recipient of that e-mail.

I am writing to inform you that… – pretty much the same as the previous one.

I am writing to let you know that… – and again, this phrase can be used the exact same way as the two previous ones, it’s just that it’s worded a bit differently!

I am attaching the file (report, spreadsheet etc.) you requested to this e-mail – if you have attached something to your e-mail, this is how you describe it.

Please see the file (report, spreadsheet etc.) attached – a different, simpler way of describing the same thing as above.

According to the information available to me,… – a great way of starting a sentence in which you’re letting the e-mail recipient know that whatever you’re saying is based on a particular source of information.

I regret to inform you that… – this is how you provide bad news such as refusals via an e-mail. For example, the mortgage application has been turned down and you have to inform the customer of that decision.

I am pleased to inform you that… – and this is how you give good news!

Asking for information/favors

I would really appreciate if you could provide me with some information on… – if you’re asking for some specifics via an e-mail, this is the right way of doing it.

I would be grateful if you could… – and this is how you can initiate a request asking the other person to do something for you.

I was wondering if you could…? – this is an alternative way of asking the same thing.

I understand you must be extremely busy at this time of the year, but I would really appreciate if you could… – most industries experience seasonal growth in sales figures or demand for their services, so if you happen to contact someone at that time of the year via an e-mail – this is a good sentence to use!

… at your earliest convenience – this English expression simply means “whenever you get a chance” and can be used in the following context, for example: “Please fill in the form attached to this e-mail at your earliest convenience.”

I am sorry to ask you this on such short notice, but… – if you’re giving the other person very little time to respond to your e-mail, this is the right way of apologizing for it.

Making promises

I can assure you that… – this is how you reassure the e-mail recipient of a successful end-result.

I will look into the matter as soon as possible – self-explanatory, isn’t that right?

… and I will inform you in due course – the expression “due course” simply means that you’ll get in touch with the other person when the information is available to you!

Closing phrases

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me – this is how I often close my e-mails when responding to a customer’s query.

If you require any further information, please feel free to contact me at any time! – another way of closing the e-mail and encouraging the other person to contact you if they have any need to do so.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon – this is one of the most commonly used phrases in written communication, but it doesn’t mean you should stay away from it – it’s quite the opposite, actually! It’s a great way of finishing the e-mail and letting the other person know that you’re eager to hear from them soon.

I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay – if you’ve been late dealing with this particular e-mail, this is how you apologize for it at the end of your written response.

Please let me know how I can be of further assistance – another popular phrase of finishing off your e-mail and reassuring the customer, for example, to get back to you in case they have any further questions.

Please let me know if you… – this is how you’d start a sentence when asking the other person to inform you in case they need something.

Please advise as necessary – this is a very formal phrase which can be used as a general closing of the e-mail – it basically tells the recipient of your e-mail to keep you informed.

Complimentary close (followed by your name)

Best Regards, Kind Regards, Regards, Sincerely, – I guess there’s no need to explain what those words mean – we’ve all seen them and most likely used them, and there’s no real need to try and find any differences between them.

Sample e-Mail

And here’s a fictional e-mail that I’m going to write just to show you how all those phrases can be used in real life communication!

Thank you for getting in touch with us, and I really hope that this marks the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship between us!

With reference to your broadband connection application, I would like to inform you that our service is available in your building and I am writing to inform you that one of our engineers is going to be in touch with you within the next 24 hours to arrange a visit.

Also, I would be really grateful if you could respond to this e-mail today with a filled in contract – please see the application form attached below.

I am sorry to ask you this on such short notice, but please allow me to point out that it is in your best interests to get it done as quickly as possible to avoid any delays due to an increased subscriber activity in the area.

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Using Contractions in Formal e-Mail Writing

If your e-mail communication happens on a very official capacity (meaning – you communicate with customers or superiors in relation to very important matters), try to avoid contractions. It means you have to write “I am” instead of “I’m” and so on.

The less formal the e-mail is, the more likely you are to use contractions, and by the way – if I were to write the above e-mail in real life, I would most likely write “I’m looking forward…” instead of “I am looking forward” and so on.

I’m a really friendly guy, you know, so personally I would see the lack of contractions as a too formal way of writing.

But then again – it all might depend on the company policy, so I guess it’s always best to run it by someone first – just to avoid getting yourself in trouble!

Robby

P.S. Would you like to find out why I’m highlighting some of the text in red? Read this article and you’ll learn why it’s so important to learn idiomatic expressions and how it will help you to improve your spoken English!

P.S.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out my English Harmony System HERE!

P.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out the English Harmony System HERE!

i just want to know if this sound and looks professional

kindly assist below as i need to send to my creditors

We would like to inform you that we are still having challenges with regards to RAF payments, and that our financial situation hasn’t changed but we would like to ensure you that we are currently working on how we can obtain payment from RAF in order to fulfil our obligation

Today I have visited on your page and like too more. It is excellent to learn more for official E-mail or other types of email skills.

Pls find the below update for logged complains:

Location Name :
Priority :To be resolved on high priority.
Update: Still your Technician not reached at site, kindly align your technician to address the complaints & get it done asap, we can’t wait further.

this will help me alot. thank you very much Robby

How to Write an Email in English: 18 Office-ready Email Writing Tips (With Sample Emails)

Emails have been hugely important to the internet for decades, as most people read and send emails almost every day.

That’s why being able to write a strong, clear email in English is a really important skill, on top of the fact that. It can help you get a job, make friends, get into a university and much more.

If it’s your first time writing an email in English, check out this guide for beginners, but if not, continue reading this post for useful tips about email writing and email culture (dos and don’ts).

You’ll get comfortable with the format of email writing in English and you’ll see full samples of different types of emails written in English.

Contents

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General Tips for How to Write an Email in English

1. Be sure an email is necessary

Like most of the email writing tips in this section, this may seem obvious. But sometimes we forget obvious things.

So ask yourself, “Is there a better or faster way to take care of this situation?” Many people get dozens or even hundreds of emails a day, so be sure that email is the fastest, clearest and most efficient way to communicate in your situation.

For example, if you’re writing to a coworker or a friend that you often see, you can probably just talk to him or her in person. Or you could also send a text message or call on the phone.

If you’ve decided that an email is the best option, then check the following tips before you click “Send.”

2. Use separate business and personal email addresses

This may not apply to everyone, but if you can do it, it can help you in many ways.

Many jobs automatically give you an email address that you have to use. If that’s the case, then the problem is solved. Use the business email address for work and your personal email address for personal emails.

If you have a business email address, it can make an email look more professional. That’s good if you’re writing a formal email, but it might not be as nice if you’re writing to a friend. So that’s why having two can be useful.

Also, if you have separate accounts, it can help you balance your personal and professional life.

3. Be clear, brief and polite

Again, many people receive so many emails each day. If your email is confusing, angry or really long, the recipient may not respond right away. Eventually they may forget to answer or even just delete it.

So be sure to get to the point quickly, but not in a rude way.

Treat an email similarly to an essay, only much shorter, and you will probably have good results. In an essay, you have to introduce the topic, explain the different points and then conclude the topic.

Honestly, this is something I have difficulty doing myself. I’m not (usually) rude in email, but I do have problems with the “brief” part. So when I’m done writing an email, I check it and try to eliminate about 20% of the content, since it was probably unnecessary.

4. Don’t write emails when you’re angry

It can be very tempting to write a mean email when you’re frustrated or angry at something. But it’s not worth it.

If you’re angry, wait until you’ve calmed down before writing your email. It’s better to wait a day than to lose a job or destroy a friendship because you said something stupid when you were angry.

5. Use short sentences

Like #3, this is a problem that I have myself. I like to write long, complicated sentences, but often those are very confusing for the reader. That’s especially true if the reader is not a native English speaker.

I teach English in Costa Rica, and in Spanish it seems to be more common to have really long sentences with many commas. That’s very confusing, especially if you translate those ideas into English.

So here’s a tip: Write short sentences. It’s not bad style in English if you write short, clear sentences. Some authors, like Ernest Hemingway, are famous for doing it. (There’s even an online tool called Hemingway App that can help you write more like him!)

If you’re very comfortable writing in English, you can use long, more complicated sentences. But then again, if you’re very comfortable writing in English, then you probably don’t need these email writing tips!

6. Avoid forwarding emails and replying to all

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.)

If you need to forward an email, check carefully what information you’re forwarding. In some cases, it may be personal, confidential or just plain excessive (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.

7. Use a spell checker

Most email programs have this option, so make sure you use it before sending the email.

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,

8. Watch out for signatures

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.

9. Have a native speaker proofread your email, if possible

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.

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.

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.

13. Start with an appropriate greeting

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?

Personally, I actually prefer to include this information after the “business” part of an email. If I’m asking for a favor, I prefer to ask 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

As you write, focus on the purpose and the goal of your email. If you’re 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?

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.

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.

Personal emails: Introducing yourself for the first time

Many people still write formal business emails, but these days there 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:

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.”

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!

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:

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!

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:

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.

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.

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.

Ryan Sitzman teaches English and sometimes German in Costa Rica. He is passionate about learning, coffee, traveling, languages, writing, photography, books and movies, but not necessarily in that order. You can learn more or connect with him through his website Sitzman ABC.

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How to write a perfect professional email in English in 5 steps

For most of us, email is the most common form of business communication so it’s important to get it right. Although emails usually aren’t as formal as letters, they still need to be professional to present a good image of you and your company.

How to write a formal email

Follow these five simple steps to make sure your English emails are perfectly professional:

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Begin with a greeting

Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Lillian”. If your relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name (eg. “Dear Mrs. Price”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Thank the recipient

If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to one of your emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite.

State your purpose

If you are starting the email communication, it may be impossible to include a line of thanks. Instead, begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing in reference to …”.

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.

Add your closing remarks

Before you end your email, it’s polite to thank your reader one more time and add some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your patience and cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.

End with a closing

The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends with the reader. Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one more time to make sure it’s truly perfect!

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.

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25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn best practices to write any formal email with confidence

Email writing is an art and doing it well takes know-how and practice. But you don’t have to make all the mistakes for yourself in order to write professional emails.

We assembled for you the essential tips for creating highly effective formal emails with a deep dive into formal email formats, structure, and best practices. We also gathered some real-life examples and templates you can use right away with a few tweaks.

What’s in this article

Formal vs informal email writing

Formal email writing is usually in a B2B or B2C scenario or a professional email between colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is something you might send a friend, family member, or sometimes even a quick email you’re firing off to a colleague.

When you’re emailing a friend there is not much risk in getting your words or meaning wrong, and there is little risk of hurting your reputation or wrecking an incredible business opportunity. But when writing a business email there is much at stake and many things that can go horribly wrong. This is why our article will deal mostly with formal email writing and how to get it right every time.

Here, we’ll go over all the ins and outs of what goes into an email structure, different email formats you can use, as well as short email templates that you can use in various scenarios. Keep reading to learn how to write the perfect email.

Basic formal email structure

Before we get into different email templates, it’s important to know how to build an email yourself. For the most part, every email, regardless of its contents, will follow the same structure with the same basic elements. You should get to know these elements in order to ensure proper and effective email writing as a whole.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

Now let’s break these down, one by one.

Email address

Your email address is oftentimes out of your control. If you’re working for a company or operate under the umbrella of a brand your email address will likely include the company or brand name domain.

For example, the emails in WiseStamp are all in the following format: [employee_name]@wisestamp.com. This ensures that we all have a professional business email address. Since only the owner of wisestamp.com can issue email addresses under that domain name, this ensures our emails appear legitimate.

Imagine if each employee would have a random Gmail address like [name]wisestamp@gmail.com, which anyone can create, that would be a bit suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependant on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address or suffer very low open rates.

If you are a freelancer professional, working separately from an established brand, consider buying a domain name for your personal brand. You can look up available domains on Google domain registrar.

Subject lines

Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see and unless you convince her then and there that your email is safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order) it may never be opened. If this happens, any effort you put into the rest of the email elements will go to waste.

Your subject line will depend on the purpose or content of your email, but overall, you want it to be something engaging enough for a recipient to click on.

Email subject line guidelines:

Studies have shown that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. You also want to tailor your email subject line to your email goal, whether it’s a sales email, a personal email, a newsletter, or something else. I advise that you take the time to think of 3-4 refined options then consider which of them will likely be most appropriate.

Email opening

The next most important way to hook a recipient into your email is by writing a strong email opening line. Like your subject line, the email opening is mostly used as another filtering stage for most people. If it fails to meet the promise made in the subject line, your readers will ditch.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to define your main point in 1 or 2 paragraphs tops. If you clearly convey your request or question and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, then they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay after this point, in most cases, they’ll return your email. Good for you.

Email opening guidelines:

Email body

The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether you’re composing an email to establish a new business connecting or just following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to-the-point. No one wants to sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended messages in their inbox.

Email body writing guidelines:

Email ending

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to end it with a respectful and brief salutation. You can either invite your recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question. It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.

Email sign-off

When closing your email, you’ll want to choose a suitable email sign-off. There are different sign-offs you can use for each occasion, such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “with love,” but you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager. Make sure your signoff is appropriate to your email content and your recipient.

A cool tip you can apply is to add a handwritten signature sign off.
A handwritten signature give your recipient the feeling that you gave the email special attention and a personal touch. You can create one here.

Как написать email на английском языке + 4 сайта для поиска друзей по переписке

Электронная почта, пожалуй, самое популярное средство общения после телефона. Мы пишем письма и отвечаем на них почти каждый день, и иногда приходится составлять их не только на русском. В этой статье мы объясним вам, как правильно писать электронное письмо на английском языке, приведем примеры формального и неформального email, а также расскажем, где бесплатно найти друга по переписке.

Мы рассмотрим как формальные email, так и неформальные. Конечно, в них нужно использовать совершенно разную лексику, поэтому для начала мы разберемся, какие письма относятся к формальным, а какие — к неформальным.

А теперь давайте узнаем, из каких частей должен состоять email на английском языке и какие фразы можно использовать при его написании. Обратите внимание: в нашей статье мы рассказываем, как писать обычные email. Если вас интересует письмо другу для экзамена, вы найдете подробную инструкцию по этой теме в статье о ЕГЭ по английскому языку.

Структура электронного письма на английском языке и полезные фразы для каждой части

1. Тема письма (subject)

Театр начинается с вешалки, а email — с темы письма, которая размещается в специальной строке сверху. Наличие заполненной темы письма — элементарное правило хорошего тона, особенно важно не забывать о нем в формальной переписке. Многие игнорируют тему и переходят сразу к тексту письма, а зря, ведь четко обозначенная тема сразу даст понять адресату, о чем пойдет речь в письме, важное оно или нет и т. д. Более того, если вы пишете деловое предложение партнерам, у письма с темой больше шансов быть прочтенным, а не заброшенным в корзину.

Что писать: Постарайтесь уложиться в 5-7 слов и в то же время обязательно укажите самую важную деталь в теме письма. Например, в формальном письме с информацией о совещании в следующем месяце можно написать: Meeting on the 26 th March at 11 a.m. (совещание 26 марта в 11 утра). В неформальном письме знакомому можно написать: Thanks for your present (спасибо за твой подарок). А, например, если вы пишете письмо в интернет-магазин, обязательно укажите в теме письма номер заказа, по которому хотите задать вопрос.

2. Обращение (начальная фраза)

Начинать письмо надо с обращения к адресату. Оно пишется на первой строке и отделяется запятой, а текст после него пишется уже с новой строки.

Что писать: Если вы пишете конкретному человеку в формальном стиле, используйте такие обращения:

Неформальное письмо можно начинать следующими способами:

3. Текст письма

В первом абзаце вам нужно сообщить адресату, для чего вы пишете ему письмо. Если вы хотите выразить несколько мыслей в своем email, то каждую из них начинайте писать с нового абзаца.

Правильное оформление письма — залог того, что его прочтут внимательно и ваши мысли будут правильно поняты. Используйте форматирование, чтобы сделать письмо более читабельным и легким для восприятия. Особенно важно учитывать этот момент, когда вы пишете длинные формальные письма. Сплошное полотно текста рискует быть отправленным в корзину сразу же после открытия.

Что писать: Начальное предложение в формальном письме может звучать так:

Если же вы пишете письмо другу, можно начать его так:

4. Вложения

Довольно часто мы не просто отправляем письмо, а пересылаем документ или фотографию по электронной почте. В таком случае обязательно сообщите адресату, что вы прикладываете к письму дополнительный файл.

Что писать: И в формальном, и в неформальном письме можно использовать следующие фразы:

5. Заключительная фраза

Если в письме есть начальная фраза, то будет и заключительная. Она пишется с новой строчки в конце письма, и после нее всегда стоит запятая.

Как писать: В конце формального письма можно использовать такие фразы:

После заключительной фразы в формальном электронном письме на английском надо написать свои имя и фамилию. Если вы пишете от лица компании своему контрагенту, укажите свою должность и название предприятия. Если же вы пишете письмо коллеге, можно не указывать эти данные и оставить в подписи только имя и фамилию.

Неформальное письмо можно завершить следующими фразами.

После заключительной фразы в неформальном письме нужно просто поставить свое имя.

После указания своего имени вы можете написать постскриптум: на новой строке напишите P.S. и предложение, которое забыли поставить в основной текст письма. Казалось бы, в электронном письме на английском языке можно просто вставить забытое предложение в текст, зачем же нам постскриптум? Наша психика устроена так, что лучше всего мы запоминаем первый и последний кусок информации, так что вы можете намеренно «забыть» указать что-то важное в теле письма и вынести это в постскриптум.

А теперь давайте рассмотрим примеры формального и неформального электронных писем.

Пример формального письма на английском языке:

Пример электронного письма другу на английском языке:

Примеры написания формального электронного письма на английском вы найдете на сайтах blairenglish.com и learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org. Также советуем вам зайти на сайт pbskids.org. На открывшейся страничке вы найдете пример неформального email на английском языке. Наведите курсор мыши на любую строку письма и увидите поясняющий текст, который расскажет, как писать каждую часть письма.

7 ценных советов по написанию email на английском языке

Списки значительно облегчают восприятие информации и упорядочивают ее. Но при их составлении важно соблюдать 2 правила:

Чтобы ответное письмо вашего адресата не попало в спам, добавьте адрес его электронной почты в «белый список контактов», «избранные» или тому подобный список, письма из которого не отправляются в папку спама.

Где найти друга по переписке: 4 лучших сайта

Итак, вы уже поняли, как легко написать email на английском языке, и с нетерпением ждете момента, когда можно будет применить знания на практике. Предлагаем вам найти друга по переписке, ведь это отличный способ улучшить английскую письменную речь да и просто расширить свой круг общения, познакомиться с зарубежной культурой. Для поиска друга советуем посетить такие сайты:

Думаем, теперь у вас не возникнет вопросов о том, как написать электронное письмо на английском языке и где найти друга по переписке. Если же у вас есть сложности с письменной английской речью, наши преподаватели английского языка помогут вам улучшить знания.