Simple Rules for Writing Effective Emails

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

greeting

Noun

ˈgriːtɪŋ

something that is said or done when you meet someone

The two presidents exchanged greetings before the meeting.

thread

Noun

θred

a series of connected emails or messages about a particular subject

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, that project has been cancelled.

direct

Adjective

daɪˈrekt

saying exactly what one means

Sometimes being direct with your boss can get you in trouble.

automatic

Adjective

ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk

able to work without human control

Almost all modern trains have automatic doors.

This bathroom has an automatic light switch.

I'd like to rent an automatic.

font

Noun

fɑːnt

a particular size and style of letters

I like the colors on the T-shirt, but I think we should change the font.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Simple Rules for Writing Effective Emails

Making a few small changes to how you write emails can save time, and get people to reply sooner and more often.

Subject lines

A good subject line can be the difference between someone opening your email, or deleting it. Your subject line should be short, and explain the main thing the email is about. Cole Schafer, who runs a creative writing website called Honey Copy, says you should spend twice as long writing your subject line as the email, "because if they don't open the email, it doesn't matter."

What to write

Unless you want to be formal, don't start an email with "Dear." "Hi" or "Hello" are fine, and no greeting is needed after the first email in a thread. Be polite but direct, and keep your main message short and simple. However, take the time to use correct grammar and spelling, and write in complete sentences.

The ending

It's easy to set up an automatic signature that gets added to every email you send, but don't make it too busy with pictures, different fonts, or different colors. A final line, like "Kind regards," "Sincerely," or even just "Thanks," followed by your name and contact information is enough.

Exercise 3

Discussion

Do you spend a lot of time each day reading and writing emails?

Do you ever send emails in English? Why? Why not?

How many different email accounts do you have? Why?

Do you end your emails with an automatic signature? Why? Why not?

Do you ever check your work email outside of office hours?

Exercise 4

Further Discussion

Do you use any instant messaging apps? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

Have you ever sent a text or email to the wrong person?

Do you know anyone who takes too long to reply to emails and messages?

When was the last time you sent a hand-written letter to someone?

No one ever got rich checking their email more often. – Noah Kagan. What do you make of this statement?

Source

This lesson is based on an article by H.J. Meech.