At a glance
The parts of an email
- Towho gets it
- Subjecta short, clear title
- GreetingHi Sam, / Dear Ms Rahman,
- Bodyshort paragraphs: why, details, what you want
- ClosingBest wishes, / Kind regards,
- Your nameand your phone or job, if needed
- Start
- Is it to a friend or to family?YesFriendlyHi Sam, … See you soon,
- Is it to a teacher, a company or someone you don't know?YesFormalDear Ms Rahman, … Kind regards,
- A colleague you know well: neutralHello Ms Rahman, … Best regards,
A formal email
To: admissions@example.com
Subject: Question about the summer English course
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am interested in your summer English course for teenagers.
Could you please tell me the dates and the fee? I would also like to know if there is a level test before the course.
Thank you for your help.
Kind regards,
Rafi Ahmed
A friendly email
To: sam@example.com
Subject: Film on Saturday?
Hi Sam,
Are you free on Saturday? There's a new film at the cinema near my house. It starts at 4 pm.
We could get pizza after the film. What do you think?
See you soon,
Ben
Useful phrases
| To… | Say… |
|---|---|
| start | I am writing to… / I hope you are well. |
| ask | Could you please…? / I would like to know… |
| attach a file | Please find attached… / I have attached… |
| finish | I look forward to your reply. / Let me know if you have any questions. |
- Write a clear subject: "Meeting on Monday", not "Hello".
- Use short paragraphs and one topic in each email.
Practice
Answer the questions. Get 7 out of 10 to finish this lesson.