Formal & Informal E-mail expressions
The importance of writing well
So, today we are going to be looking at one of the most frequently asked about topics I get from my subscribers. How can I improve the clarity of my emails and make them more formal? What is the difference between formal and informal language when writing.
To my dismay, e-mail along with apps like “Whatsapp”, Skype chat, well any messaging client really, have led to an overall decline in the use of forma writing. Nowadays, people are writing emails so frequently that the art of proficient writing is being lost as we seek to reply faster and be more productive.
The importance of writing well cannot be overstated. Secondly, the challenges of writing in a second language also mean that we should pay extra attention to how we write. I have seen one to many times, where people have offended or upset a client or colleague with overly direct, informal or poorly structured emails. Students must remember that in English there is a certain degree of politeness that accompanies oral and written communication and being too direct can sound rude.
So, let’s take a look at what type of language we can use to sound more formal in our email communication. To do this I am going to break the email down into its various parts, and offer you some diverse types of email scenarios.
It’s important to think about the correct way to address the person you are emailing.
Formal E-mail when we know the name.
Dear Mr Smith,
Dear Mrs Smith, (married)
Dear Miss Smith, (single)
Dear Ms Smith, (don’t know)
Yours sincerely,
Formal E-mail when we don’t know the name.
Dear Sir/Madam,
To whom it may concern,
Yours faithfully,
Semi-formal E-mail.
Dear Mr/Mrs Smith,
Love/Regards/Best wishes/Yours,
Informal E-mail.
Dear Paul,
Hi Paul,
Hello Paul,
Love/Regards/Best wishes/Yours,
In the next section, we are going to break down different scenarios. The key to writing effectively is thinking about your audience and the different situations. For example, try and identify what type of e-mail you are writing before you start writing it. This will help you to get the style and tone right.
Below, I am going to look at the body and closing remarks. You will see that there are a lot of different scenarios.
E-MAIL ASKING FOR ADVICE
| Formal | Informal | |
| Opening remarks |
|
|
| Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL GIVING ADVICE
| Formal | Informal | |
|
Opening remarks |
|
|
|
Suggestions |
|
|
| Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL OF COMPLAINT
| Mild | Strong | |
|
Opening remarks |
|
|
|
Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL OF APOLOGY
| Formal | Informal | |
|
Opening remarks |
|
|
|
Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL OF INVITATION
| Formal | Informal | |
|
Opening remarks |
|
|
|
Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL REQUESTING INFORMATION
| Formal | Informal | |
| Opening remarks |
|
|
|
First request |
|
|
| Further requests |
|
|
| Closing remarks |
|
|
E-MAIL GIVING INFORMATION
| Formal | Informal | |
|
Opening remarks |
|
|
| Closing remarks |
|
|
Excellence in Email Writing
Need help writing emails in English?
If you want real, actionable business writing skills - if you want to escape the frustration and embarrassment of writing confusing and poorly worded emails - then taking a fast-track email writing course specifically designed for native Spanish speakers is the way to go.
Remember, choosing the correct style and tone is essential to writing an effective e-mail. If you are not sure if you should be formal or informal, then it is better to start by being more formal. Base on the reply you can either continue with formal language or you can transition to less formal expressions.
Try not to be too direct and always thank people for their e-mail. Rushing an e-mail is a bad idea, especially for non-native speakers of English.
Be sure to look at some of our other writing tips and listen to the podcast that accompanies this blog post.
If you want to improve your business English, then check out our professional business English courses.
If you found this post helpful then please share it using the share buttons below. Until next time, take care.
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Andrew Ambrosius