How to Write

an Email
Abdul Saboor Zaheeb
Lecturer at Kunduz University
June 6, 2020
Contents
• What’s an email?
• Types of email.
• Format (elements) of an email:
Subject line
Greetings/Salutations/Openings
Body/Content of an email
Sign Offs/Closings
• Email Etiquettes
• Examples
• Useful Phrases/Sentences
About e-mail (email)
• E-mail: a way of sending messages and data to other people by means
of computers connected together in a network. (Oxford Dictionary)
• Among the most commonly used means of communication in the world.
• Fast, immediate, and allow you to interact with all kinds of businesses
within and beyond the national boundaries. 
• Invented by Ray Tomlinson in 1960s
• Used for personal/business communications
• It is considered as a business and legal document
• It is a quick, easy, flexible and fast method of communication.
Popular email providers and number of
sent/received email per day (2013-2023)
General Tips (before writing email):
• Who is your audience?
• What is the purpose?
• Organize your thoughts in logical sequence
• Be brief, simple and clear
• Write email address correctly
• Write a clear subject line
• Identify yourself clearly
• Write email in a positive tone
• Never write emails in capital letter
• Use appropriate fonts/format
• Use space to separate paragraphs into blocks of text (maximum 3-4 paragraphs)
• Bullet points important details/main points
• Use bold type/capital letters to highlight critical information such as dates
• Don’t send large attachment, instead, share a link
• Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
• Don’t use e-mail for immediate action
• Don’t (over)use abbreviations (like u, instead of you)
• Use standard spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.
• Open your email with a greeting
• Don’t use emoticons
• Don’t use all capitals when typing
• Use plain English which communicates as simply and effectively as possible.
• Sentence length—average of 15 to 20 words
• Active voice—‘We did it’, not ‘It was done by us’
• Direct speech—‘We will’ not ‘The Company shall’
• Avoid unnecessary repetition/irrelevant words—‘We can pay you once you have
signed the form’
• Use courteous language
• Provide an action statement when necessary
Formatting and Structuring a Formal Email
At a minimum, a formal email should contain all of the following
elements:
• Subject line. Be specific, but concise. Many experts agree that the
ideal subject line is six to ten words long.
• Salutation. Address the recipient by name, if possible. Use honorifics,
as appropriate. For example, write Dear Professor Smith, not Hey.
• Body text. This section explains the main message of the email. For a
formal email, use proper grammar and complete sentences.
• Signature. Your email closing should be formal, not informal. Use your
first and last name. If you're writing on behalf of an organization and
you know the title of the person you're sending the email to, use it.
Components/Format of email:
Professional Email Message Guidelines
Types of email: Formal
• Formal emails are similar to letters.
• Written to a professor, public official, colleague, boss, etc.
• Must always be professional
• Accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling necessary
Example:
Dear Professor Johnson,
I was unable to attend class today due to a doctor’s appointment. When you
have a moment, could please let me know what I missed and what homework I
need to have completed for Friday?
Thank you,
Julia Smith
• Writing to someone you do not know the name.
Opening
Dear Sir/Madam
Closing
Yours faithfully (UK)
Sincerely (US)

• Writing to someone you know the name

Opening
Dear Mr. Ahmadi
Dear Dr. Ahmadi
Dear Ms Smith (married/unmarried women)
Dear Jawid Ahmadi
Closing
Regards
Yours sincerely (UK)
Sincerely (US)
Types of email: Informal
• Written to friends and family
• Accuracy and grammar (spelling and punctuation) are not important
• You can make up your own rules
• Example:
Hi Anne, I miss you so much! Can’t wait to see you on Friday!! We
haven’t hung out in so long! I miss my bestie! Maybe we can go to the
movies or dinner or just chill and watch TV and catch up…idc,
whichever you want.
Love ya,
Jules
In many companies, informal emails are sent between colleagues.
Greetings/Salutation:
Dear Smith
Hello John
Hi Dennis,
Dear Mum,
Hi (without the person’s name)
Hello (without the person’s name)
John (start with the person’s first name)
(note: salutations are followed by a (,) comma, exception: ’To whom it may concern:’)
Closing
Best wishes
All the best
Thanks
Difference between Formal & Informal Email
Subject line
• It’s the first piece of information that the recipients of an email see
• Write the subject lines clearly to let the recipient know what the message is about.
• What you write in the subject lines should reflect the content of the e-mail.
• People will read an email because of two things:
1. The addressee is one they want, need or expect to hear from
2. The subject line is relevant or interesting
Example 1: Information (Not Clear)
Request for Salary Information (Clear)
Example 2: Budget (Not Clear)
Quarterly Budget Review (Clear)
Example 3: Upcoming Meeting (Not Clear)
Required Student Meeting: December 5th, 9:30 a.m. (Clear)
 Introduction
•Start a greeting.
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (surname of the recipient, e.g. Mr Black)
Dear Sir/Madam (if you don’t know the name of the recipient) or more generally ‘To whom it may
concern’
•Then introduce yourself briefly.
My name is Ahmad. I am the professor of Kabul Education University.
•Write an introductory sentence to indicate the reason for writing.
I am writing with regard to… (email subject)
I am writing in connection with… (email subject)
I am writing in reference to…
•If you’re writing an email to send information, you can start with one of the following sentences:
I am writing to let you know…
I am delighted to tell you… (if you’re communicating good news)
I regret to inform you that… (if you’re communicating bad news)
•If instead you’re replying to an email you received, you can say:
I am writing in response to…
I am writing in reply to…
I am writing to thank you for… (if you need to thank the recipient
Salutation
• The salutation directly addresses the person you're sending the email to.
• It's always used in formal email messages, but sometimes skipped in informal messages.
• If you're sending the email to a group, address the entire group.
Dear Students,
• If you've got the person's name you want to send the email too, use their name along with a title.
Here's a sample formal salutation for an individual:
Dear Professor Smith,
• If you don't know the name of the person you're trying to reach, you should know his/her position.
Here's an example of a formal salutation without a name:
Dear Human Resources Director,
• In rare instances where you don't know a person's name or title, it's okay to use this salutation:
To whom it may concern,
• Contrast the formal salutation examples with the following informal salutations:
Informal Salutation for a Group
Hey Class!
Informal Salutation for an Individual
Hello Taylor,
Titles (used in email greetings):
 Body of the text
• The body elaborates on the purpose of the email.
• It contains detailed information about the topic (subject)
• You don't want your email recipient to misunderstand an important
point.
• The text should be divided into short paragraphs (maximum 4) that
avoid abbreviations and acronyms
• Each paragraph should contain a single point
• At the end of your last paragraph you should provide a “thank you” or
“call to action” depending on the subject of your email.
There are various ways to write a final invitation before ending the
email, such as:
Thank you for your assistance with…
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from
you.
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.
I would appreciate it if this could be taken care of promptly.
I look forward to hearing from you soon
Thank you in advance
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me
Please let me know if you have any questions
Thanks for your attention
Provide an action statement
At the end of your email you should conclude with an action
statement. What especially do you want your readers to do as a
result of reading your email? Do you want them to reply to your
email, or is it for their information only?
 Closing
• How you end a formal email is equally important.
• A good formal email closing also reminds the reader who you are since it should
include your full name, contact information, and title (if appropriate).
• If you can, use a professional signature template for added impact.
• In contrast, an email closing may be extremely casual for an informal email.
• The most common way to start a formal email closing is with the word "Sincerely.
•Like the salutation, the closing of a formal email can be the same as the
closing to a letter.
Thank you
Best regards
Regards
Sincerely
Yours
• When contacting someone outside your organization, always include your
name, occupation title, contact number and any other contact
information. This will help your reader to respond to you better.
Use Courteous Language
Read the email below and consider how you would feel if you
were the reader. Then compare it with the revised email which is
written in a polite way.
Examples of Formal Emails in English
Example 1: Delay with the delivery of an
order
Subject: Delivery delay
Dear Mr Pascal, 
We regret to inform you that we will not be able to respect the deadline
previously agreed for the delivery of your order. Our supplier has
warned us today that they are experiencing supply problems, which will
result in a delay in our production chain. We count on your
understanding and thank you for your patience. 
Please accept our apologies.
Best regards,
Example 2: Replying to a job
advertisement
Subject: Web Content Editor position
Dear Sir/Madam, 
With reference to your job ad in xxx, I would like to submit my application for the
position of Web Content Editor in your company. 
I graduated in Communication Sciences at the University of xxx and worked for
several years in a Digital Agency as Content Specialist. I believe my skills and
experience are in line with the requirements for the job position. I will be glad to
introduce myself in an interview, that will allow you to better evaluate my possible
recruitment. 
Please find attached a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Example 3: Sending a product catalogue
Subject: New product catalogue 
Dear Ms.Chapman, 
Following your request, we have recently sent you our new catalogue.
We are convinced that it will enable you to see the quality of our
products. Our local agent will contact you soon to arrange a meeting on
a day and time that suits you in order to discuss in detail how our
products can be of benefit to your company’s needs.
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 
Yours sincerely, 
The Most Commonly Used Phrases/Sentences
Email Greetings and Sign Offs
By adding these at the beginning of your emails you will
sound more friendly and social.
I hope you had a good weekend.
I hope you had a great trip.
Hope you had a nice break.
I hope you are (doing) well.
I hope all is well.
Hope you're enjoying your holiday.
I hope this email finds you well.
I hope you enjoyed the event.
I'm glad we had a chance to chat at the convention.
It was great to see you on Thursday.
It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday.
Making a request/Asking for information
Could you please let me know
if you can attend …
if you are available for a meeting on 6th June
Could you possibly arrange a meeting with the manager?
I would also like to know if there are any house to rent in your
area
Complaining
I am writing
to express my dissatisfaction with …
to complain about …

I regret to say that I was not completely satisfied with the

room/services you provided us.

I would like to receive a full refund and compensation for the

damage.
Ending
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
(when you start with Dear Sir/Madma,)
Yours sincerely,
(When you start with the name e.g. Dear MS Collins)

Sincerely,
Introduction: If you are the one emailing first, try these:
I am writing to you about our last meeting/your presentation yesterday/our next
event.
I am writing to you with regards to/regarding/concerning/in connection with...
I am writing to ask/enquire/let you know/confirm/check/invite you to/to update
you on/ask for a favor...
I am writing you to follow up on...
I am contacting you to inform...
I am reaching out because...
This is just a quick note to...
This is just a quick reminder...
I wanted to let you know that...
It's [Your Name] from [Your Company].
This email is just to let you know that…
Introduction: Replying
I am writing
to make a reservation
to apply for the position of
to confirm my booking
to ask further information about …
With reference to our telephone conversation on Friday, I would
like to let you know that …

I just got your request for...

I just read your email about...
As we discussed, I would like to send you...
Thank you for your email about...
Thanks for your email this morning/yesterday/on Wednesday/last
month...
Thanks for your feedback on/your invitation/your suggestion
Thanks for sending/asking about/attending
Thanks for your quick reply.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
Thank you for reaching out (to me).
Introduction: Apologizing
Sorry for my late reply.
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
I apologize for the late response.
Sorry it’s been so long since my last email.
I was sorry to hear about...
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Please accept apologies for the delay.
Please let us know what we can do to compensate you for the damage caused.
We will make sure that this will not happen again in the future.
Body: Attachments and Information
I am attaching my CV for your consideration.
I am sending you the brochure as an attachment.
Please see the statement attached.
Please find attached the file you requested.
I’ve attached…
Please find [file] attached.
I'm enclosing [file].
Please see the information below for more details about...
The parts in bold/in red/in blue are my comments/are the changes we
made. Here's the document that you asked for,
I’ve attached [file] for your review.
I'm sending you [file] as a pdf file.
The attached file contains...
Could you please sign the attached form and send it back to us
by [date]?
Here’s the [document] we discussed.
[file] is attached.
Please take a look at the attached file.
Take a look at the [file] I've attached to this email.
I've attached [file].
Please note that...
Body: Requests and Enquiries
Could you please...?
Could you possibly tell me...?
Can you please fill out this form?
I'd really appreciate it if you could...
I'd be very grateful if you could...
It would be very helpful if you could send us/me...
I was wondering if you could/if you would be able to...
If possible, I'd like to know (more) about...
Please find my two main questions below.
Body: Asking for Clarifications
I didn't/don't fully understand [something]. Could you please explain that again?
I didn't quite get your point about [something]. Could you be more specific?
Could you give us some more details on...?
If you could please shed some light on this topic, I would really appreciate it.
Could you please clarify [something]?
Could you please clarify when you would like us to finish this?
Could you please clarify what you would like us to do about...?
If I understood you correctly, you would like me to...
What exactly do you mean by [something]?
Could you explain what you mean by [something]?
In other words, would you like us to...
 Body: Sharing information
• Use these helpful phrases when need to give or receive some information (or
when you already did).
Thank you for letting me know.
Thank you for the heads up.
Thank you for the notice.
Quick reminder...
Just a quick/friendly reminder that...
Thank you for sharing.
I'd like to inform you that...
Just a quick heads up –
Thanks for keeping me in the loop.
Please keep me informed/posted/updated/in the loop.
Body: Getting and giving approval
Please let me know if this is OK with you.
What are your thoughts (on this)?
What do you think?
Please let me know what you think.
We just need the thumbs up/the green light. (=we're waiting for
approval)
You (totally) have the green light!
He approved of it, so you can go ahead with the project.
 Body: Scheduling
I'd like to schedule a meeting on [day] if you are available/free then.
I am available on [day], if that's convenient for you.
Would you be available on [day]?If so, I'll send you an invite shortly. Can
you make it on [day]?If so, I'll book accordingly.
I'm afraid I can't make it on [day]. How about...?
(Due to...) I'm afraid we need to reschedule/delay/postpone/put
back/cancel/call off/move/rearrange our meeting.
We are sorry to inform you that the interview/meeting scheduled for
[day] will have to be rescheduled.
Body: Giving bad news
Unfortunately, ...
Unfortunately, we cannot/we are unable to ... /I have to tell you that...
I'm afraid it will not be possible to.../afraid that we can't...
We regret to inform you that... /regret to inform you that (due to...) ...
After careful consideration we have decided (not) to ...
Due to [reason], it won't be possible to...
It's against company policy to...
I tried my best, but...
Despite my best efforts, ...
I can't see how...
I'm sorry but it's out of my hands.
I'm afraid I won't be able to...
I'm sorry to tell you that…
 Conclusion: When something is expected
• Are you asking for a favor or you are meeting soon? These sentences are perfect for those
moments!
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Please let me know if this works/if you are available/if that sounds good/if you can/if you can
help/if you need to reschedule...
I look forward to seeing/meeting you.
See you on Thursday/next week.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you for everything.
Cheers.
Any feedback you can give me on this would be greatly/highly/much appreciated.
If you could have it ready by tomorrow/the end of next week, I would really appreciate it.
I would appreciate your help in this matter.
 Conclusion: Offering help or information
hope you find this helpful.
I hope it's clearer now.
I hope that answers all your questions.
If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know.
Let me know if you need any help.
If you have any (more) questions (about)...
I you need more information/more info/further information,
... please do not hesitate to contact me.
... please feel free to contact me/to get in touch.
... please let me know.
... drop me an email/drop me a line.
Conclusion: Apologizing
Thanks you for your understanding/for your patience.
Thanks again for your understanding/for your patience.
Once again, please accept our apologies for any/the
inconvenience caused / for the delay/ for the misunderstanding.
I hope this is okay with you.
I really hope we can find a solution soon.
I hope you can understand.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Conclusion: Closing greetings
Email Message Template
Subject Line of Email Message: Store Manager Position - Your Name
Salutation:
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name or Dear Hiring Manager:
First Paragraph:
The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing. Be clear and direct — if you are
applying for a job, mention the job title. If you want an informational interview, state that in your opening sentences.
Middle Paragraph:
The next section of your email message should describe what you have to offer the employer or if you're writing to ask for
help, what type of assistance you are seeking.
Final Paragraph:
Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position or your connection for helping
with your job search.
Email Signature:
FirstName LastName
Email address
Phone
Email Template and Email Example
Summary
 How to write an email?
• Subject Line: The subject line should concisely convey your purpose for writing. Your subject line
can be as simple as "Thank You" or "Request for Recommendation."
• Greeting: Even if you are writing a very short email, include a greeting. If you know the name of the
person, include it. Unless you are on a first-name basis with the person, call them by their title.
• Length: Keep your email as concise as possible. People tend to skim long emails, so only include
essential information.
• Font Style: Avoid ornate, playful, or colored fonts; these simply distract the recipient from your
actual message.2 Avoid overusing bold and italics as well, which make an email look cluttered. Do
not write in all capital letters either; this comes across as angry or overexcited in an email.
• Emoticons: Do not include emoticons in a professional email; save these for personal
correspondence.
• Spelling and Grammar: Just because you are writing an email does not mean you should be sloppy
about spelling and grammar. Edit your email carefully before sending it. An error-free message tells
the recipient that your email should be taken seriously.
• Closing: Sign off with a brief "Thank you," "Best," or another simple send-off, and then your name.
Most email accounts let you embed a signature with your name, title, and contact information into
every email. It is a terrific way to make each correspondence more professional.
 In order for an email to be effective, please consider the following
tips before sending it:

• Keep your message short

• Start your email with Dear and end with a simple closing (Thanks or
Regards).
• Always spell words correctly.
• Write your email in a positive tone.
• Sign your message with at least your name, job title and contact number.
• Don’t just rely on an email. An email can be lost. Follow-ups can often de
don via the telephone or regular mail.
• Avoid using abbreviations unless your readers are familiar with their
meaning.
• Tell people the format of any attachments you send if they’re anything
other than basic Microsoft Office file types.
References
• Business Emails, TALAERA Business English Training
• Business Result Pre-intermediate, Oxford University Press 2009
• Formal Email Phrases, MyEnglishTeacher.ed
• Words at Work: Th "How to“ Book of Writing Skills by J. H. Hood
• A Practical Guide to BUSINESS WRITING by Khaled Mohamed Al
Maskaris
• Wall Street English
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/e
mail_etiquette.html
• https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-format-an-email-mes
sage-2061888
 The End.

Thank You!