An email is a form of written communication sent by electronic means which may require a response.
Structure
Model 1: giving information
Model 2: asking information
Structure
- Subject line. Keep the subject line short and provide specific information about the content of the message. Use sentence-style capitalization (first word and proper nouns).
- Salutation. Tailor the salutation to the person you are writing to. The salutation generally starts with Dear followed by a name or position and ends with a comma.
Dear Marina,
Dear Mr Davies,Dear Head of Department,
Dear Coordinator,
Less formal emails can also start with Hi or Hello, followed by a comma. - Opening sentence. The opening sentence is commonly used to explain why you are writing.
I am writing to inform you that… [formal beginning] I am writing to let you know that… [informal beginning] - Body. Formal emails are very similar to formal letters. Therefore, the body of a formal email should convey the information in a direct style and be paragraphed appropriately.
The following phrases may be useful in both emails and letters.In reply to…With reference to…I am writing to enquire about…I am writing to inform you of…I was happy to learn that…I was sorry to hear that…I would be grateful if…I would appreciate it if…I am pleased to announce that…You will be happy to learn that…I regret to inform you that…I am sorry to say that…You are advised to…You are requested to…Please do not hesitate to…Please feel free to…I look forward to…I am looking forward to… - Closing sentence. The closing sentence is commonly used to offer thanks or to state what kind of response you expect.
I look forward to your response. [formal closing sentence] I look forward to hearing from you. [informal closing sentence] - Close. To close, use the formal Sincerely or the informal Kind regards, followed by a comma.
- Signature line. Write your first name or your full name, depending on the level of formality.
Model 1: giving information
Model 2: asking information
Recommended citation:
«Email» [en línia]. A: Llibre d’estil de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona. Serveis Lingüístics. <https://www.ub.edu/llibre-estil/criteri.php?id=2608> [consulta: 16 desembre 2024].