How to write an email
- 1. STEPS TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL.
- 2. 1. SUBJECTS Give the message a subject/title. E-mail messages without a subject may not be opened because of a fear of viruses and especially note that it is very easy to forget to type this important information.
- 3. 2. SUBJECT CONTENTS Keep the subject short and clear but avoid such headings as: ‘Good News’, ‘Hello’, ‘Message from Mary’. These headings are common in messages containing viruses. Short but specific headings are needed, Example Order No. 2345X Delayed Shipment Laboratory Equipment Order.
- 4. 3. GREETING Start the message with a greeting so as to help create a friendly but business-like tone. The choice of using the other name versus the surname will depend on who you are writing to. If you have communicated with the receiver previously and he/she is at a similar level to you, then the use of the other name would be appropriate. If the receiver is more senior to you, or if you are in doubt, it would be safer (particularly in the first communication) to use the person’s surname/family name together with a title,
- 5. GREETINGS Example: Dear Mr Smithson, Dear Ms Stringer. It is also becoming quite common to write the greeting without a comma, e.g. Dear Miss Lawson e.g. Dear KK
- 6. PURPOSE Start with a clear indication of what the message is about in the first paragraph. Give full details in the following paragraph(s). Make sure that the final paragraph indicates what should happen next.
- 7. PURPOSE Example I will send a messenger to your office onç Tuesday morning to collect the faulty goods. e.g. Please let me have your order by the beginning of the month.
- 8. ACTION Any action that you want the reader to do should be clearly described, using politeness phrases. Use expressions such as 'Could you...' or ' I would be grateful if...'. Superior staff should also use polite phrases, for example, 'Please...'.
- 9. ATTACHMENTS Make sure you refer, in the main message, to any attachments you are adding and of course make extra sure that you remember to include the attachment(s).
- 10. ATTACHMENTS As attachments can transmit viruses, try not to use them, unless you are sending complicated documents. If you use an attachment, make sure the file name describes the content, and is not too general; e.g. 'message.doc' is bad, but 'QA Report 2012.doc' is good.
- 11. ENDINGS End the message in a polite way. Common endings are: Yours sincerely, Best regards, Best wishes, Regards,
- 12. ENDINGS If you did not put a comma after the greeting at the beginning of the message, then do not put a comma after the ending either, e.g. Best wishes e.g. Regards
- 13. NAMES Include your name at the end of the message. It is most annoying to receive an email which does not include the name of the sender. The problem is that often the email address of the sender does not indicate exactly who it is from, e.g. 0385915d@polyu.edu.hk Example: Kind regards Jennifer Ranford Human Resources Manager---- Taken from: http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/eiw/e-mail.htm
- 14. EXAMPLE Example: I received an email from my boyfriend. In it he invited to have dinner with his family. I need to reply the email and accept the invitation.
- 15. SUBJECT: ACCPETING YOUR INVITATION Dear Jhon, I received your email with a wonderful invitation to have dinner with your family. I am more than pleased to meet with them and have a wonderful night. I would like to know the time and the place where we are meeting. With love, Diana