Project - Write an Email
1) Subject Line
Put your Name and a few words about the email contents. If you are emailing about class, say which class!
- Hiroko Sato - ECB - Class 2 Homework 2
- Hiroko Sato - SSGB - Question about Thursday homework
- Hiroko Sato - ECB - Essay outline
- If I gave you a homework code or name, use it (e.g. Paragraph A Draft 2, or “A2”)
2) Start with a greeting
- “Malc,” Very informal, usually friends.
- “Hi Malc,” Informal. Use this one for me!
- “Dear Mr Prentice,” Formal. If you use this one I will think you are in trouble :-)
- “To Whom it May Concern:” Try not to use this. Find out who you are emailing
- “Dear Sir/Madam,” Try not to use this. Find out who you are emailing
- “Hi, Everyone” Informal, emailing a group of friends
- “Dear All, “ Semi-formal to a group (I use this for work emails)
3) If you haven’t emailed someone in a while
- Ask a question first
- “I hope you are well.”
- “How have you been?”
- “How are things?”
- You see me every week, so you don’t need this when you email me now. Maybe after a few years
4) Say the main thing
- For class emails, for example this would be
- “Please find attached my Essay C3”
- “I was absent on Tuesday - can you tell me my team name”
- “Here is my homework”
- “Here is my report. Sorry it is late. “
- “I was sick last week. Can I have an extension on A3”
- “I hope you can help. I read the schedule but I don’t understand what “SR” means. Can you explain it?”
- “I have a question and I’d like to come to your office hour. But I have a class that period this week. Can I come period 4 on Friday instead?”
- “I was in your NAME class last year. Next year I want to do an internship / study abroad, and I need a teacher to certify my English score. Would it be possible for you to do this? I can come to your office Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.”
5) Add a thanks/hope phrase (optional for informal emails)
| Line | When to use |
|---|---|
| Thanks in advance. | A task I would do anyway e.g. teacher marking an essay |
| I hope you can help. | A task that’s less common e.g. teacher writing a reference |
| I hope to hear from you. | If you’re expecting a reply - quite formal |
| Let me know if… | If there’s a chance they’ll say “no” |
6) Add a polite written goodbye phrase
Be careful - most have commas not periods
| Type | Style | Who for? |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing | Very informal. | People you know very well. |
| Cheers, | Very informal. | People you know very well. |
| Best, | Informal. | People you know very well |
| Regards, | Semi-formal | I use this for work. Use it for me! |
| Best Regards, | semi-formal | I’ve seen this used both ways. Maybe avoid. |
| Yours, | Formal | People you know formally |
| Your sincerely, | Formal | You started “Dear Mr. Smith,” |
| Yours faithfully, | Formal | You started “Dear Sir/Madam” |
7) Your name
If a class email, also give your student number in brackets
Regards,
Hiroko Sato (20150001)
Warning about footers
- Ignore the “Footer”.
- Your email will maybe automatically add something like this:
- 鈴木大志 （ペンギン大学） 経営学部経営学科
- e1659abc@myuniversityaddress.ac.jp
- 学籍番号 e1659abc
- This is OK, but it comes AFTER and IN ADDITION to “Regards, Hiroko” or similar.
Other tips
- Rename your attachments helpfully
- Hiroko Sato-SSGB-RR1.docx
- Hiroko Sato-ECB- AOutline.docx
- Not
- Document1.docx
- Hiroko.docx
- A3.docx