Email

Email is a main form of written communication in the workplace. Short emails are often used to give instructions, request favors, or to report on actions taken. Your professionalism, credibility, and competence can be judged from how you communicate through memos and emails. Therefore, it is very important to understand the basic etiquette and processes of them. The following activities will give you a better idea of the functions of emails and memos, and the proper methods for using them.

Examples

Common Expressions

Beginning an email message / Referring to previous correspondence

  1. Thanks for your message.
  2. Thanks for your call this morning. I’d like to provide further information re…
  3. As mentioned / discussed (in our telephone conversation yesterday/in our last message), …
  4. Following / Following on / Following up on your suggestion / our meeting this morning, let me add that…

Giving information

  1. Please note that…
  2. Please be informed that…
  3. I'm pleased to let you know that…

Referring to attachments

  1. Please refer to the attached…
  2. I attach … here for your reference.

Making requests

  1. Please…
  2. Could you please…?
  3. I'd be grateful if you could…

Offering suggestions

  1. You may like to…
  2. Perhaps you can…
  3. It would be better if you…

Showing thanks and appreciation

  1. Thanks very much for…
  2. Many thanks for…

Closing an email

  1. Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
  2. I'll follow up on this and get back to you soon.

Making your writing clear and concise

  • Use a clear subject line.
  • Cut out unnecessary words / Use the active voice if possible.
  • Use parallel structure.
  • Consider using numbered or bullet points instead of continuous text if possible.
  • Use punctuation for effect.

Using Parallel Structure

Parallel verb phrases

  • The Children’s Theatre offers a yearly activity agenda: It has science exhibits, offers plays, and provides interactive technology experiences.
  • The company president asked for an audit, notified employees to update accounts, and called an accountant to schedule the audit.

Parallel clauses

Each department had a role in planning: marketing estimated the size of the market, human resources projected personnel needs, and marketing prepared recruitment materials.

Parallel noun phrases

Managing costs, planning new products, and implementing plans are critical business functions.

Activities