Email Writing

INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE

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Introduction to email
 Email is an important business communication tool.
 Email allows you to communicate with people and
transfer files from one place to another rapidly.
 Communicate with people from all over the world
with the press of the Send button.

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 EMAIL FUNCTIONS

 Making arrangements
 Making invitations
 Request
 Making enquiries (= Asking for information)
 Making Complaint (demanding some action)
 Asking for permission
 Asking for feedback on something
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EMAIL FUNCTIONS
 Offering help
 Offering a product or service (= sales email)
 Asking for advice/ recommendations

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Work Email-General rules
 Clear
 Concise

 Polite

 Short sentences

 Simple structures

  Enable receivers quickly see points

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EMAIL STRUCTURE
 SALUTATION-GREETING
 OPENING
 BODY
 CLOSING
 SIGNATURE

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 SALUTATION
Greeting to one person
 Dear Mr/ Ms/ Dr/ Professor + family name

 Dear Alex

 Dear Sir or Madam

Greeting to more than one person

 Dear all

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OPENING-mentioning the last
contact
 Thank you for your email about…
 Thanks for your quick reply
 Thanks for sending me/ for contacting me
about/ for attending/ asking us about/ informing
us/ giving us feedback on/ inviting me to/ talking
to me about…
 Sorry for my late reply

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OPENING with purposes of emails
 I’m writing to you about your latest model/
about the meeting next week/ about your
presentation yesterday/ about…
 I am writing to you in connection with/ with
regards to/ regarding/ concerning/in reference
to …
 I’m contacting you regarding…
 This is to ask/ to enquire/ to confirm/ to check/
to inform you/ to announce that/ to ask for a
favour..
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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Requests
 Could you (possibly)…?

 Would you mind sending me/ …ing…?

 I was wondering if you could/ if you would be

able to…
 I’d be very grateful if you could take action in
the next few days/ if you could…
 I’d really appreciate (some help with)…

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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Enquiries/ Asking for information
 Could you (possibly) tell me…?

 (First of all) I’d like to know…

 My (first/ second/ third/ next/ last/ final)

question is about…
 I (also) have a question about…

 (If possible) I (also) need to know…

 My three (main) questions are below./ Please

find my three (main) questions below
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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Answering questions/ Giving information
 You asked us about…

 The answers to your question are below./

Please find my answers below.
 In order to answer to your first/ second/ third/
last question…
 To answer your question about…

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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Making arrangements/ Changing
arrangements/ (Re) scheduling
 I’d like to meet on… if you are available/ free
then.
 (Due to…) I’m afraid we need to put forward/
delay/ postpone/ put back/ cancel/ call off/
reschedule/ move/ rearrange…

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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Making complaints
 I’m afraid I was not (very) happy with…

 Unfortunately, … was not (really) what I

expected.
 I’m afraid I was not (completely/ fully)
satisfied with…

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BODY-with separate paragraphs

Apologising/ Replying to complaints

 (First of all) I would like to apologise for…

 Please accept our (sincerest) apologies for

the inconvenience caused/ for any
inconvenience caused/ for…

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BODY-with separate paragraphs
Making announcements
I/ We would like to inform you that…
Giving bad news
 We regret to inform you that…

 We are sorry to announce that…

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CLOSING
when you need a reply
 I look forward to hearing from you (soon).

 Please let me know if that is acceptable with

you/ if you can help/ if you need an
extension/ if you need to reschedule…

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CLOSING
 Offering more communication if needed
 (In the meantime) if you need any more
information,…/ If you require any further
information (about/ in order to
 … please do not hesitate to contact me./…
please contact me

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CLOSING
mentioning the next (face to face) meeting
 I look forward to seeing/ meeting you then.

 (I) hope we have the chance/ opportunity to

meet again soon.

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CLOSING
Closing for requests
 Thanks/ Thank you (in advance).

 Any help you can offer me)/ Any feedback

you can give me (on this)/ Any assistance
you could give me in this matter would be
greatly appreciated/ would be highly
appreciated/ would be much appreciated/
would be gratefully accepted.  

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CLOSING
 Closing with apologies/ Closing when
responding to complaints
 I hope that is acceptable with you
 Once again, please accept our apologies for
any inconvenience caused/ for the
inconvenience caused/ for the delay
 Thanks for your patience./ Thank you for your
patience.
 Thanks for your understanding
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SIGNATURE
 Best/Kind regards,
 Sincerely (yours),

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PRACTICE

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PRACTICE 2

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PRACTICE 3

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PRACTICE 4

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PRACTICE 5

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COMPLAINT EMAIL
 Greeting:
Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,
 Opening:

I am writing to express/convey my
disappointment with/dissatisfaction with……..
I’m writing with great concern about..
I would like to lodge a formal complaint against
your company for the reasons outlined below:

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COMPLAINT EMAIL
 Listing problems:
First of all,
On top of that…
Firstly,
My first concern is…

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COMPLAINT EMAIL
 Complaint expressions:
The standard of the…was not up to the
expected standard.
The… left a lot to be desired.
The… failed to live up to our expectations.
We were disappointed with…
The quality of the customer service we
received was fully inadequate.

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COMPLAINT EMAIL
 Requesting Action
I would appreciate it if you…
I would be grateful if you…
I expect to receive…(refund/compensation)
for…
 Making Recommendations

I strongly recommend that your company

should…
It would be advisable to…
I would suggest…. 35
COMPLAINT EMAIL
 Closing
I look forward to receiving your reply.
I expect to receive a prompt reply to this email.

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COMPLAINT EMAIL-PRACTICE

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APOLOGY EMAIL

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APOLOGY EMAIL
 Opening:
I’m writing in reference to your complaint
about…
 Apologising (opening-purpose)

I would like to apologise for + something

I must apologise for (not) +verb+ing….
I do apologise for (not) +verb+ing….
Please accept my/our apologies for +
something.
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APOLOGY EMAIL
Giving Reasons
….. was due to……
…… happened because …..
….. was the result of….
….. was because of …….
…. was caused by….

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APOLOGY EMAIL
 Showing Sympathy
We hope you haven’t been inconvenienced by..
We hope this hasn’t inconvenienced you too
much.
We hope this hasn’t caused you too much
trouble.

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APOLOGY EMAIL
 Giving Assurances
I assure you that…
I would like to assure you that…
I promise/guarantee you that…
I can give you my/our assurances that….
 Closing

Thank you once again for informing about …..

Once again, we apologise for ……

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APOLOGY EMAIL
Rectifying Problems / Mistakes
We are doing our best to resolve/rectify….
We are taking the necessary steps to…
We are doing everything we can to…
We have resolved the problem…
We have rectified the situation…
We will correct the problem….

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APOLOGY EMAIL-WRITING
PRACTICE

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ENQUIRY EMAIL-SAMPLE

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EMAIL OF ENQUIRY
 Opening
I am writing to enquire about…
We are writing with reference to your
advertisement …We would like to know further
details.
 Body

I would like to know if/whether...

Could you confirm that …
I would appreciate it if you could provide us
with the following information:
I would be grateful if you could send me…
In addition/Furthermore, please would you 46let
ENQUIRY EMAIL
 Closing
Thank you in advance for your assistance
I look forward to hearing from you.
We would appreciate it if you could let us have
this information as soon as possible.

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ENQUIRY EMAIL PRACTICE

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MAKING ARRANGEMENT EMAIL
 Opening
(Reference)
I am writing with regard to your recent email.
Thank you for contacting us about …..
Thank you for your interest in .....
We have received your request for a
demonstration of….

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MAKING ARRANGEMENT EMAIL

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MAKING ARRANGEMENT EMAIL
State your Purpose
I’m writing to arrange a time for our meeting.
I’d like to give you a personal demonstration of.
Could we arrange a time for one of our
representatives to….?
Could we meet you to explain the benefits
of….?
We’d like an opportunity to show you how your
company can benefit from….
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MAKING ARRANGEMENT EMAIL
 Ask about Availability
I would be grateful if you could let me have
your availability over the coming weeks.
 Suggesting Specific Meeting Times

Could you meet us on….?

Are you available on Monday at 10.30 a.m.?
How does Wednesday afternoon, around 4
o’clock suit you?
Could you possibly make Thursday at around
10?
Would you like to meet (on the 8th) to discuss
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(the presentation)?
MAKING ARRANGEMENT EMAIL
 Suggesting Specific Meeting Times)
Could you meet us on….?
Are you available on Monday at 10.30 a.m.?
How does Wednesday afternoon, around 4
o’clock suit you?
Could you possibly make Thursday at around
10?

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