often operates at a semi-formal Openings and closings level. Language is friendly and There are a number of common openings and closings to an email which will show you whether welcoming, but with some the author is being formal, informal, or semi-formal. formal expressions. However, when dealing with people Contractions outside the company and people When writing formal emails, do not use contractions, such as I’m, he’d, you’ll, etc. that the writer has never met, Formal I am writing to ask if you have seen the news from Jo. formal English is used. Formal Semi-formal / Informal I’m writing to ask if you’ve seen the news from Jo. emails are also used in business transactions: purchasing, Modal verbs ordering, booking, apologizing, To make requests and give instructions, formal English frequently uses modal verbs: would, etc. In certain larger companies, could etc. However, note that modal verbs are also used in this way in informal and semi-formal formal writing is frequently used English. in emails sent among colleagues, especially when corresponding Formal Would you be able to deliver the report by tomorrow? with people at different levels Semi-formal Can you deliver the report by tomorrow? of the organization. Formal Could you ask Pierre to come to the meeting? The following are some Semi-formal Can you ask Pierre to come to the meeting? guidelines to help you identify and use formal email writing Questions style. In preference to asking a direct question, formal emails frequently use indirect questions. Formal I wonder if you would like to join us for dinner on Tuesday. Informal Do you want to join us for dinner on Tuesday? Formal Could you see if the components have been ordered yet? Informal Have the components been ordered yet? In addition to this, offers are often made using would. Formal Would you like to see the new prototype? Informal Do you want to see the new prototype?
Opening sentences After the greeting, English emails normally begin with an opening sentence. Common opening sentences for a formal email are as follows. • I hope that all is well with you. • I was just emailing to request some assistance. (The past tense is frequently used to make a sentence more polite.) • Thank you for your email of 12 March. Emails that omit this opening sentence are usually official correspondence between governments and individuals, or formal demands for payment, etc.
Formal and informal vocabulary
Formal emails tend to use slightly different vocabulary to informal emails. Informal emails often use phrasal verbs and sound more like standard spoken English. Formal I would like to request some assistance. Informal I’d like to ask for some help. Formal Once I have received the information from our suppliers, I will reply to Mr Braun’s email. Informal After I hear back from the suppliers, I’ll get back to Mr Braun. Certain terms have a formal or informal equivalent. Try not to mix informal and formal styles in the same email.
Formal Informal
Thank you Thanks
I would like to apologize for … Sorry for … I would appreciate it if you … Can you … ? Would you happen to know … ? Do you know … ? Unfortunately, I will not be able to … I can’t … I am unable to say whether … I don’t know whether … I would rather not … I don’t want to …
