E-mails

Informal emails:

Task: informal email ISE2:  You have just heard a family friend wants to leave the family business. Write an email of 150-180 words to him/her trying to persuade him/her not to leave the family business. 

Formal emails:

The target reader for an Email can vary greatly but will always be specified in the question (eg, an organisation, a newspaper). A good Email should have an appropriate opening and closing phrase and clear paragraphing. The first paragraph should outline the purpose for writing. The register and tone depends entirely on target reader and context.

Target reader

The reader is likely to be either someone in a higher position of authority to the writer or someone who the writer does not know.

Type of language

Formal register is used. This includes using appropriate grammar (eg no contractions such as ‘I’m’ or ‘doesn’t’) and vocabulary (eg ‘dissatisfied with’ and not ‘fed up with’. Register and tone must be consistent.

FORMAL EMAIL:  Organisation/format

The following opening and closing format should be used:

Dear Mr Brown/Mrs Smith/Ms Carter, Dear Kate, (it is the generally the accepted practice in British companies to use only the first name of colleagues, while still using a formal register for the email)

……………..

Kind regards,

Best regards,

PRACTICE: Email to the school principal