letter vs email essay

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Handwriting a Letter vs E-Mail

Writing a letter differs from sending an e-mail based on the means of communication. However, both writing a letter and sending an e-mail pass the same messages from the sender to the receiver. Therefore, the comparison between writing a letter and sending an e-mail depends on the messages that the sender passes to the receiver.

Some of the similarities between handwriting a letter and sending an e-mail are that both the handwritten letters and e-mails send salutations, conversations, greetings, and send notifications about events, information about family and business situations. Handwriting a letter and sending e-mails have undergone a significant change following the advent of the Internet. A person can compose a letter on a computer and send it by e-mail as a way of communicating with others, then writing a letters on a paper is an old-fashioned way of conveying information. Writing a letter using a pen and paper is about to become extinct following the advent of the computer technology, where many people feels that the Internet is the fastest way of communicating with other people by sending messages. However, some still value a pen and paper more than they value computer and the Internet because of their own viewpoints. People can prefer writing letters on a paper regardless of whether they are computer literate or they are computer illiterate. Some people prefer handwriting letter because of the belief that they can express their feeling confidently due to privacy. They know that the letter will reach only the intended receiver and not any other person.

The frequency of sending and receiving handwritten letters from sender depends on the postal service that the sender decides to use, with some postal services being faster and more reliable than others are. Over the Internet, sending a letter as an e-mail differs from regular mailings in a significant manner because there is no delay in between the sender and the intended receiver. To send e-mails is extremely faster than sending handwritten letter through a postal office. The sender of an e-mail can receive a reply in seconds, which is not the case with sending a handwritten letter by a postal service. However, letter writing helped people to improve their penmanship the more they wrote.

Some people prefer handwritten letters to receiving e-mails because letters are personal and the receiver can keep them. Therefore, the reason to why people write on a paper is to put a personal touch as well as personal feelings into it, and the intended receiver of the letter can cherish and keep it by saving each letter in a special place. Some people consider an e-mail as unfeeling and cold because the intended receiver cannot keep e-mails in special places as valuable documents. When people receive emails, they read and save them on the computer, which is unsafe because the computer may crash and, thus, impossible to access the e-mail if the receiver deleted it from the inbox.

Handwriting a letter and sending an email are two distinct forms of communication, each with its own unique advantages and characteristics. Here’s a comparison of the two:

Handwriting a Letter

• Personal Touch: Handwritten letters often feel more personal and thoughtful. The effort put into writing by hand can convey a sense of care and attention.
• Tangible Keepsake: Letters can be kept as physical mementos, cherished for years. They often hold sentimental value and can be revisited.
• Unique Expression: Handwriting varies from person to person, adding a unique and personal touch to the message.
• No Need for Technology: Letters don’t require electricity or internet access, making them accessible in areas with limited technology.
• Time-Consuming: Writing and mailing a letter takes more time compared to sending an email.
• Delayed Delivery: Letters can take days or even weeks to reach their destination, depending on the postal service.
• Inconvenience: Finding stationery, writing the letter, and going to the post office can be inconvenient for some.
• Speed: Emails are delivered almost instantly, making them ideal for quick communication.
• Convenience: Emails can be sent from anywhere with internet access, using various devices.
• Efficiency: Editing and formatting are easier with emails, and mistakes can be corrected quickly.
• Environmental Impact: Emails are more environmentally friendly as they don’t require paper.
• Impersonal: Emails can sometimes feel less personal and thoughtful compared to handwritten letters.
• Overlooked: Emails can be easily overlooked or deleted, especially if the recipient receives a large volume of messages.
• Security Risks: Emails can be susceptible to hacking and other security issues.

Both forms of communication have their own charm and utility. Handwritten letters are often appreciated for their personal touch and lasting impact, while emails are valued for their speed and convenience.

Therefore, there are many comparisons and contrasts between handwriting a letter and sending emails. Some of the comparisons on handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail are that both the handwritten letters and e-mails send salutations, conversations, greetings, and send notifications about events, information about family and business situations. The major contrast on the handwritten letters versus sending an e-mail is that e-mails reach the intended receiver within a matter of seconds after hitting a send button. On the other, a people can send handwritten letters any place, but can take many days to months, depending on how far the intended receiver is from the sender.

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What's the Difference? Beginning Writers Compare E-mail with Letter Writing

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E-mail style and conventions differ from traditional writing. E-mail messages are a particular form of writing that invites innovation and can be contrasted with more traditional letters to help children begin to appreciate the choices writers make and the genre constraints under which they operate. In this lesson, students use a Venn diagram to compare an e-mail with a traditional letter. They then work in small groups to identify the style and intended audience for sample letters and e-mails about forgotten homework. Finally, each student writes both an e-mail and a letter about the same topic.

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Venn Diagram : Students can use this online tool to compare any two items, including e-mails and letters.

From Theory to Practice

E-mail is a motivating tool for teaching writing because children enjoy communicating in this medium. E-mail has become a pervasive form of communication that children must learn in order to be fully literate. Technology, then, is a powerful tool for learning to write; however, screen writing may have unintended effects on children's literacy learning if differences between screen and paper genres are not explored. As a genre, e-mail messages follow "rules" for style and conventions that differ from the norms for handwritten letters. Children can learn about these differences by comparing and experimenting with writing e-mail messages and letters. Children's awareness of genre differences may help them understand and master the various written forms they will encounter in their lives. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Computer with projection screen or overhead projector
• Chart paper for brainstorming ideas about differences between the samples
• Available computers and e-mail addresses for students to compose their own letters and e-mail messages and send the messages
• Texts for Sorting Activity
• E-Mail and Letter Writing Rubric
• Side-by-side E-mail Message and Letter

Preparation

• This lesson assumes that students have already been introduced to e-mail as a form of communication and have basic knowledge of how to create and send a simple message. If students need a refresher on how to compose an e-mail, they can go to the kid-friendly E-mail page from the PBS Arthur site. A Beginner’s Guide to Effective E-mail and Children and Media both offer resources for teachers that would be useful in a review of e-mailing.
• Prepare the Side-by-side E-mail Message and Letter (or an alternative) for projection.
• Make copies for all students of the Texts for Sorting Activity about forgotten homework (or create your own examples and copy them). Cut the sheets so that the three messages are separated.
• Make sure each student has an appropriate e-mail address to send a message to.
• Choose a topic for the student-composed letters and messages that is relevant and purposeful in the context of your classroom.
• Make copies of the E-Mail and Letter Writing Rubric , one for each student, to use in feedback on the project.
• Test the Venn Diagram student interactive and the E-Mail Abbreviation student interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• Compare an e-mail message and a letter on the same topic and discuss how they are written differently and why.
• Recognize differences in the form and function of the two genres and how these differences impact communication style and conventions.
• Develop their understanding of the choices they must make as writers with respect to the appropriate form, function, and audience for different kinds of communication.
• Work collaboratively to sort samples of e-mail messages and letters based on what they have learned to reinforce and assess their understanding of the differences.
• Independently compose an original e-mail message and a letter on the same topic, to the same person.

Session One

• Project the side-by-side e-mail message and letter but do not identify each as either e-mail or letter. Read both aloud and then re-read with students reading along.
• Ask students if they notice anything that is the same about the two texts (e.g. topic, intended recipient) and begin to list their brainstormed ideas on chart paper under the heading “Same” or in the overlapping, center section of the Venn Diagram, using the Venn Diagram student interactive. Move fairly quickly to looking for differences.
• Ask students if they notice any differences between the two texts. Do they sound any different (e.g. one sounds more like talking to someone)? Are they written differently (e.g. different words)? Do they look different (e.g. length)? Are there any differences in spelling or punctuation? Guide them through brainstorming, as needed, and list their brainstormed ideas on the chart paper or board under the heading “Different” or in the appropriate circle of the Venn Diagram student interactive.
• Once students have exhausted their ideas about differences ask if they know what kind of text each of these might be. If a student does not identify one as e-mail and the other as a letter then do so for them.
• E-mail style is more like informal chatting (e.g. So…” or “huh” instead of “Today we have a snow day so I am..”); the language used is more informal (e.g. “Hey” instead of “Dear”).
• E-mail messages are not as elaborated or lengthy as comparable letters (e.g. “Cool, huh” instead of “It’s so cool to be home on a school day!”).
• E-mail mechanics are not governed by the same traditional conventions as letter writing (e.g. “G2g” instead of “Got to go” and innovative use of punctuation).
• E-mailers write as if they expect rapid receipt and reply (e.g. “Are you there” vs. “If you get this letter in time…”).
• End the discussion by telling students they will use what they’ve just been talking about next time, when they will play a sorting game.

Session Two

• Refer again to the brainstormed lists created in session one and ask students to help each other remember what the differences are between e-mail messages and letters. After a brief discussion of what they remember, tell students they are going to try a challenging and fun sorting game.
• Place students in small groups of 3–5. Explain that you will hand out copies of three messages to each child. Working together, they need to identify which one is a letter from Al to his teacher explaining why homework was forgotten, which one is an e-mail from Al to his teacher explaining why homework was forgotten, and which one is an e-mail from Al to his friend explaining why homework was forgotten.
• Hand out the three texts for sorting , so that each child receives a copy of all three texts, each on separate pieces of paper. Explain that students should work together, discussing and explaining their ideas, to decide which message is which. Once they have decided, at the top of each paper they should write either: “letter to teacher,” “e-mail to teacher,” or “e-mail to friend.”
• After about 10–15 minutes of group work, tell each group that they will have to explain their decisions to the class as a whole and should discuss what they are going to say when their turn comes to explain how they sorted the texts. Can they name specific things that helped them decide what each one is?
• Circulate to help the groups name some specifics, such as differences in style (e.g. conversational vs. more formal voice, abbreviated vs. elaborated information, “signature”) and mechanics (e.g. What’s ^, hw, 2morrow, and use of punctuation and capitalization). Note that e-mail messages can vary in level of formality and convention depending upon the recipient.
• In a whole class discussion, allow each group to share its decisions and underlying reasons for them. As they share ideas, match their reasons to what is already on the brainstormed list and add to the list as needed. Consider the differences between the two e-mail messages. How is the one to Al’s friend different from the one to his teacher? How are they the same? Why?
• Tell students now that they know so much about the differences between e-mail messages and letters they are going to try to write their own next time.

Session Three

• Using a topic that is relevant for your class (e.g. an upcoming event or something needed for school) create a purposeful writing assignment or allow children to choose their own topics. Typical topics might include inviting families to a class presentation or school assembly or performance, telling families about an upcoming field trip and what is needed, writing to a favorite author, or writing to a pen pal about something special that has occurred.
• Explain that students must write two messages on this topic, as is sometimes done in the world outside of school. They must write an e-mail message and a letter. Explain that frequently people send both an e-mail message and a letter to communicate in the form that each recipient will find most useful, convenient or comfortable, and to take advantage of the speed of e-mail but to ensure that the message is received in hard copy on paper.
• Based on the selected topic(s), briefly have students begin to brainstorm possible content for their messages as a whole group, to generate several ideas that will help all students get started writing.
• Ask students to begin their writing. Although they may begin with either message it may be easiest for young students (who tend to write in less elaborated fashion generally) to begin with the less elaborated e-mail and revise it to make it a more elaborated letter. More advanced beginning writers, however, may find it easier to get everything down on paper and then cut out the unnecessary detail, convert to symbols, and simplify to create an e-mail message that distills the most important information from the letter and communicates it in a spare style.
• As students begin to write, circulate to provide assistance with where to begin, what to include in the e-mail message and the letter, and how to work from one text to the other, conferring as needed to assist and encourage students.
• Complete the process by sending the message and letter to the intended recipients.
• Use the E-Mail Abbreviations student interactive to discuss some of the more typical e-mail abbreviations that students are likely to use. Take the opportunity to explore the connection between sound and keyboard shortcuts as well as to help students understand the important difference that audience plays in word choice.
• Follow up with the Write Right Back: Recognizing Readers’ Needs and Expectations for E-mail Replies lesson plan, which explores the role that audience and purpose play in e-mail replies.

Student Assessment / Reflections

If possible, it is great to read the e-mail and letter with the student individually and provide direct feedback. When this option is not available, constructive written comments are helpful. As you read the two pieces, keep notes on the aspects to review and share with the class later. To structure your feedback, use the E-Mail and Letter Writing Rubric .

• Calendar Activities
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This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

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Emails vs Letters – Differences and Similarities

As the name “electronic mail” suggests, the first guidelines for writing e-mails originated from the archaic format of handwritten letters. A lot of the rules for writing proper emails were appropriated from that lost art. Over time, however, the electronic culture started making its own rules and, by today, there are some big differences between the directions for writing emails or letters. To start off our new series of posts about practical tips for formal writing, we’re taking a look into how compiling electronic mail differs from its paper counterpart.

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The Future is Less Formal

As anyone who has taken a look at how letters were written in the dear old Victorian times , can see that over the years our communication has become less and less formal. With the birth of more quick forms of communication – starting with the phone and ending with social media – our dialogues have become less and less tangled in formalities.

This is especially true in today’s info age, and emails might be the best example. With the emerging new wave of internet communication and instant messaging, few people have time for writing the Queen’s English. It’s bloggers that seem to be especially to blame for the erosion of formal English .

Today, when it takes two clicks to send “letters” to hundreds of people, the rules of starting every one of them with “Dear Sir/Madam,” might seem as archaic as a corded phone. And it’s understandable – unless you’re writing a complaint letter to a bank. Writing and answering emails in formal English takes more time and create more of an embarrassment if you don’t get something right.

Although “To whom it may concern:” and “Dear Ms. Davies,” are still recognised as formal salutations, even business English has started relaxing its rules . The more informal “Hi,” and “Good day,” are becoming increasingly popular.

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Highlighting the Subject

Unlike a letter which doesn’t start with a headline, the recipient of your email will be able to (hopefully) guess the main reason, or at least your incentive for writing from the subject line. This is why most email writing guides suggest you keep your email subject line short and to the point .

The subject line should serve to inform the reader about what they could expect from the rest of the email and be rather precise. Start an email with “Quick Question” and “Just a Moment of Your Time”, for example, and it’ll be more than certain that your email won’t be put on the High Priority list. For a more repelling result, try the all caps approach .

The role of the subject line when writing letters is usually filled by the first line. “I’m writing in regard to…” is still a rather popular choice to introduce the main reason for you writing. This can be used in emails as well, although a well constructed subject line can eliminate the need for such an explanation.

Know Your Audience

The style in which you write your emails is very much tied with who you’re writing to. Although emails are considered less formal than letters, the fact is that most of the 205 billion emails that are sent every day are for business. Nobody will judge your stylistic choices when sending cat pictures to your aunt but more formal emails are still subjected to a certain standard.

This standard also depends on the business sector where you’re writing. With the emergence of new, hip internet companies (think Apple and Facebook), work culture has started becoming more casual , and there is more of a focus on merging work with the life outside. This approach also carried over to the level of formality that is expected from business emails. With the trend of “hacking” everything from language learning to life itself, there is less time to focus on writing pristine business letters.

In more traditional sectors, like banking and education, for example, changes have been a lot less drastic. In these fields, emails and letter still start with “Dear Dr.,” and end in “Sincerely Yours,” – anything less is deemed unfitting. In these cases, the more traditional approaches are definitely the best to start with, especially if you’re writing to someone in a higher position. If you then end up in a longer correspondence with the same person, it is possible for the subsequent emails to become less formal in tone – but be careful to let your recipient dictate the level of formality.

Conclusion – Although Less Formal, Some Business Writing Rules Apply

In general, emails are considered to require less a formal style of writing than letters. This can be attributed to the sheer number of emails most of us write daily – a casual tone feels more natural and is quicker to write in than highly formalised letters. However, official correspondence should still follow the rules of traditional business writing.

So, when considering how to write your next email, first take into account who you’re addressing it to, and then pick the corresponding style. But if you’re going for the personal, heartfelt touch – there is no substitute for the handwritten letter .

For more tips on writing both letters and emails, check out this page .

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22 Key Pros & Cons Of Letters vs. Email

Advantages & disadvantages of writing letters vs. e-mails.

You wonder whether you should send a traditional letter or rather want to write an email to convey your message?

Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of writing a letter vs. email in the following chapters.

Advantages of Writing a Letter vs. Email

Letters are more personal, you can show your loved ones that you care for them, letters can be more individual, letters are more conservative than emails, you can attach physical things to a letter, you can use your own handwriting, recipients don’t need electricity to receive letters, everyone knows how to write letters, you don’t need any digital knowledge, you can avoid computer viruses, letters have been used for many years.

One advantage of writing a letter instead of an email is that you can convey a message in a more personal manner since people can open their letterbox, take your letter into their hands in a physical manner.

All this makes a letter feel more precious and of higher value compared to emails.

Writing a letter usually takes more effort and time than writing an email and by writing a letter, your loved ones will know that you appreciate them and that they are important enough for you to take those extra steps.

Another upside to writing letters is that they are just more individual compared to emails.

While emails are pretty standardized, you can write letters in various shapes and forms and letters can therefore just be more interesting than classical emails.

Writing letters can also make sense in case you want to communicate with older and more conservative people who are often not used to emails yet and feel more comfortable sending you letters instead.

Letters can also be a great form of communication since you can attach physical things as long as they are not too heavy.

For instance, you can attach a dollar bill to someone’s birthday card while this would not be possible via email.

Letters also give you the opportunity to use your own handwriting so that people know that it was you who has taken the time to write the message while emails could be written by almost everyone in theory.

Writing letters can also make sense in remote regions of our planet where the supply of electricity is not reliable yet and people rather communicate by traditional mail to convey their messages.

Writing letters also has a pretty long tradition and most people out there are just used to it.

Hence, by writing a letter, almost everyone knows how to answer it while not everyone is used to writing an e-mail yet.

Letters can also be a great form of communication for people who don’t have any digital knowledge and who therefore can’t just use email as an alternative.

Since you don’t have to use the internet for writing letters, you can also avoid dealing with computer viruses and may save lots of time and nerves in the long run.

Letters have also been used for hundreds of years and have a high social acceptance among the general public and you can preserve this noble tradition by writing a letter from time to time.

As you can see, there are many reasons to write letters instead of emails.

However, there are also many drawbacks related to it that I want to discuss for you in the following chapter.

Disadvantages of Letters vs. Email

You often can’t be sure whether someone got a letter or not, you can send emails in real-time while it takes longer until letters arrive, letters are more costly than emails, letters take longer to write, emails enable you to communicate more efficiently, emails are the standard form of communication, your friends may think you are weird when sending the letters, some people may not be able to read your handwriting, letters hurt the environment, lots of useless effort in letters, you may have better use for your time.

One problem with writing a letter is that you can’t be sure that the letter will be received by the person it was meant for.

Some letters just get lost and if you send something important that needs to be there on time, you better make sure that you get a receipt in this regard to avoid trouble later on or just write an email with confirmation of receipt to be on the safe side.

Another reason to send emails instead of letters is that you can send and receive emails in real time while letters will take much longer to send and to receive.

Since you have to use a stamp for every letter, it can also be quite costly to use letters if you want to send them on a regular basis.

This is especially true for letters that you want to send to an international address since this often costs quite a lot of money while it is free to send emails all over the world.

You should also note that letters often take much more time to write and you will also make more mistakes that are harder to correct than with an email where you can also just use spelling checks to get your work done in the best possible manner.

Since you can write emails much quicker and can also send and receive them in real-time, you can communicate much more efficiently by mail compared to sending a letter and this can save you lots of time and nerves in the long run.

Another reason to write an email instead of letters is that emails are the standard form of communication in our nowadays world and we will never get back to paper-written messages every again.

Instead, paper-written messages may even completely vanish sooner or later.

Another downside to sending letters is that your friends may just think you are weird since it is pretty uncommon to receive letters from your loved ones in our digitalized age.

You may also have pretty messy handwriting and the recipients of your letters may therefore not be able to read them and you may have done all the hard work for nothing.

Since letters are written on paper and paper is made out of wood, writing letters contributes to deforestation and all the unpleasant things that come along with it.

Since you can do so many things via email, letters may just be obsolete in our digitalized world and may lose their purpose pretty soon.

Letters usually also take much more time to write and I am sure you will have better things to do with your time in most cases and may rather write a short email instead of a letter.

Top 10 Letter vs. Email Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Write Letters or Emails?

Letters can be a great way to convey a message and are also more traditional.

However, emails are much faster and you can also make a positive impact on our environment since you can save lots of paper in the long run.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of letters vs. email carefully to make the best possible decision in this regard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_(message)

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My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people of all ages about our environmental problems and how everyone can make a contribution to mitigate these issues.

As I went to university and got my Master’s degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics.

After finishing university, I traveled around the world. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet.

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Emails vs letters. What works, when and why

It's in the mail, or is it?

Letters and emails are communication channels with very different qualities. We compare them on several different criteria and offer some recommendations for when and how to use them.

At BehaviourWorks, we’re often asked: “Should we send emails or letters?”

There isn’t a right answer to this question – it always depends on the factors at play.

In this article, we explore some of these factors to help you to make better decisions. After that, we discuss persuasive strategies for written communication.

Comparing emails and letters

Letters and emails are different communication channels with different qualities.

To make these qualities clearer, let’s compare letters and emails in three ways:

• i) what they can do (that the other can’t),
• ii) how we engage with them, and
• iii) what they achieve.

What each can do (that the other can’t)

Compared to emails, letters can, for example:

• Reach target audiences that don’t have email.
• Have a tangible physical ‘presence’ that will hold attention for longer.
• People often keep letters for months, but process and discard emails very quickly.
• Gain appreciation or prompt a desire to reciprocate.
• Provide physical gifts and supplements alongside the information.

How we engage with them

Here are five relevant differences in how people engage with emails and letters.

First, when people open letters, they are usually focusing all attention on the letter. In contrast, when people open emails, they are more likely to be distracted. For instance, they may be aware of other emails on their screen.

Second, people have consistent expectations of the length of letters. Letters are usually one size. The letter-opener is therefore prepared to read a full letter when they get one. An unopened letter won't appear to be longer if we add a persuasive strategy. Usually it will be opened and read just as much.

In contrast, people vary more in their expectations of the length of emails. Short emails are common and emails don't come in a standard window, so their length is even more noticeable. If emails are longer, then the reader needs to scroll down the screen to get through them. The reader is therefore more likely to ignore or abandon longer emails.

Third, people open emails based on the source and subject line. People will be much more likely to read your email if it comes from a good and credible source, than if it doesn't. In contrast, letters give you much less information about who they are from or what they are about before they are opened.

Fourth, people probably value receiving a handwritten letter or card more than getting the same information digitally because it feels more tangible, unique and thoughtful. Letters have an emotional power that comes from being more ‘tangible and material’ than digital communication. It’s hard for us to overcome our need to touch and feel something.

There is a somewhat related famous example, popularised by Robert Cialdini, of Joe Girard, the world's best salesman, who apparently sent a card to all of his customers each year .

Fifth, many people appear to find writing a letter to be more emotionally stimulating than typing or texting. This may be because it's a much more physical, personal and tangible act of creation than typing something out, and you don’t have to face the same distractions that come with using a device.

How we measure their effectiveness

There are many different metrics for assessing how communication is performing. With letters, you can measure outcome factors, such as:

• Reception rate – did people get the letter?
• Open rate – did they open the letter?
• Recall rate – did they remember the letter.
• Response rate – did they respond to the letter?
• Compliance rate – did people do what the letter asked.

With email, you can often measure more outcomes, such as:

• Read rate – did they read the email?
• Read time – how long did they read the email?
• Click rates – how many people clicked a link?

In general, it is easier to measure metrics for email than for with letters. This is an important consideration for pilot-testing, monitoring and evaluation. For example, with email you can often track the percentage of intended receivers who:

• i) received the email
• iii) engaged with
• iv) shared it, and
• v) acted because of it.

This is not usually possible with letters.

So, how do letters and emails compare when tested on similar outcomes?

Compared to emails, a higher percentage of letters are opened and responded to. But that doesn't answer our main question. We still don't know if letters change behaviour at a higher rate than emails.

What about cost-effectiveness?

Letters cost significantly more to send than emails, but do they return on that investment? There doesn’t seem to be a good research on this. However, some sources suggest that email is more cost-effective.

All the identified comparisons between letters and emails were quick summaries. All failed to control for confounding factors. We cannot therefore be sure that differences in outcomes were due to the channels used. Instead, they may be due to differences in the behaviours and populations targeted.

So, what are the implications?

These are some of the implications when choosing between letters and emails:

• It may be best to reserve letters for specific situations because letters are less cost-effective than emails. For instance, critical or time-sensitive communications, or cases where email cannot be used. Letters may also be best for demonstrating, might include an annual handwritten letter to a particularly valued contact.
• It may be best to use email for complex and lengthy information because email makes it easier to direct readers to further information.

You can harness the benefits of both emails and letter by using both together:

• If you want to save costs, you can send a first wave of emails to prompt a response from all supportive parties. Then you can follow up with a letter to convert those who missed the email.
• If you have an urgent and well funded campaign, you can send letters and emails at the same time. This will ensure that as many people as possible are notified at least once.
• If you want to engage in potentially high-value, selected communication and more of the mass communication will switch to digital

Adding a persuasive technique to an email is somewhat riskier than adding it to a letter. The new content may be persuasive in insolation. However, the email’s increased length may cause potential readers to ignore the email or stop reading it. Be especially cautious if your email is already long or your readers are busy.

When writing emails, it becomes more important to think about what the receiver will see for the source of the email, and the subject line.

What are some persuasive strategies that can be used on email and letters?

At BWA, we developed a framework called INSPIRE. This framework make it easier to include persuasive strategies within written communication.

The INSPIRE framework outlines several techniques that improve the impact of written communication. Other frameworks, such as EAST , are also widely used.

So, should you send emails or letters? It still depends, but perhaps you now have a better sense of what it depends on – and why. What do you think of the letter and emails? What is your favourite behaviour change framework?

To learn about behavioural science, please check our other award-winning content , and free book. Please see this course if you are interested in learning more about INSPIRE.

To ask me to explore other behavioural science questions, please email: [email protected]

References and further reading

• https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/direct-mail-statistics/#gref
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0144929X.2019.1685594
• https://www.billprint.com.au/mail-house/email-vs-direct-mail
• https://www.snap.com.au/blog/research–direct-mail-vs-email—which-performs-best-5
• Examining the online reading behaviour and performance of fifth-graders: evidence from eye-movement data
• The putative email style and its explanations: Evidence from two effect studies of Dutch direct mail letters and direct marketing emails
• Return to sender: writers mourn loss of physical letters as Australia Post contemplates decline

By Research Fellow, Peter Slattery [updated 14/3/23]

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Effective Email Communication

What this handout is about.

This handout is intended to help students, faculty, and University professionals learn to use email more effectively. It can help you determine whether email is the best mode of communication in a particular situation and write messages that successfully convey your meaning to your intended audience.

Although email is a valuable tool, it creates some challenges for writers. Miscommunication can easily occur when people have different expectations about the messages that they send and receive. Email is used for many different purposes, including contacting friends, communicating with professors and supervisors, requesting information, and applying for jobs, internships, and scholarships. Depending on your purposes, the messages you send will differ in their formality, intended audience, and desired outcomes.

So—how do you know when sending an email is the most effective way of accomplishing your communication goals? When is a brief message OK, and when it is more appropriate to send a longer, more professional-sounding email? How should you decide what style of writing is appropriate for each task? Keep reading for answers to these questions!

When is email the appropriate form of communication to use?

Email is a good way to get your message across when:

• You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone, does not come to campus regularly, or is not located in the same part of the country or world (for instance, someone who lives in a different time zone).
• The information you want to share is not time-sensitive. The act of sending an email is instantaneous, but that does not mean the writer can expect an instantaneous response. For many people, keeping up with their email correspondence is a part of their job, and they only do it during regular business hours. Unless your reader has promised otherwise, assume that it may take a few days for them to respond to your message.
• You need to send someone an electronic file, such as a document for a course, a spreadsheet full of data, or a rough draft of your paper.
• You need to distribute information to a large number of people quickly (for example, a memo that needs to be sent to the entire office staff).
• You need a written record of the communication. Saving important emails can be helpful if you need to refer back to what someone said in an earlier message, provide some kind of proof (for example, proof that you have paid for a service or product), or review the content of an important meeting or memo.

When is email NOT an appropriate form of communication to use?

Email is not an effective means of communication when:

• Your message is long and complicated or requires additional discussion that would best be accomplished face-to-face. For example, if you want feedback from your supervisor on your work or if you are asking your professor a question that requires more than a yes/no answer or simple explanation, you should schedule a meeting instead.
• The information is highly confidential. Email is NEVER private! Keep in mind that your message could be forwarded on to other people without your knowledge. A backup copy of your email is always stored on a server where it can be easily retrieved by interested parties, even when you have deleted the message and think it is gone forever.
• Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily misconstrued. If you would hesitate to say something to someone’s face, do not write it in an email.

Who is your audience?

People have different opinions what email should look like, so it is always helpful to be aware of the expectations of your audience . For example, some people regard email as a rapid and informal form of communication—a way to say “hello” or to ask a quick question. However, others view email as simply a more convenient way to transmit a formal letter. Such people may consider an informal email rude or unprofessional.

A message like this one might be OK to send your friend, but not to your professor:

Do you know what the assignment is about? Can U help me?

Although it may be obvious to you that you wouldn’t send such an email to your professor, let’s carefully examine what assumptions this message makes about the reader and their expectations. The tone of this message is very casual; it assumes that the reader knows who the sender is and has a close personal relationship with the sender. Because it contains an ambiguous reference to “the assignment,” this message also assumes that the reader is familiar with the subject matter at hand (for instance, it assumes the reader will know which course and which particular assignment the sender is referring to). The writer also makes an implicit assumption about the reader’s comfort with the language that is often used when sending an instant message or text message. The “U” might be taken by some readers as a sign that the writer is too lazy to type out the word “you.”

Making assumptions about your audience’s expectations increases the risk that your message or its tone will be misinterpreted. To ensure that your message has its intended effect, use the following questions to help you think about your audience and their needs:

• Who is your audience? How often does your audience use email to communicate?
• What is your audience’s relationship to you—for example, is the reader your teacher? Your boss? A friend? A stranger? How well do you know them? How would you talk to them in a social situation?
• What do you want your audience to think or assume about you? What kind of impression do you want to make?

Important components of an effective email:

Subject lines.

Email subject lines are like newspaper headlines. They should convey the main point of your message or the idea that you want the reader to take away. Therefore, be as specific as possible. One-word subjects such as “Hi,” “Question,” or “FYI” are not informative and don’t give the reader an idea of how important your message is. If your message is time sensitive, you might want to include a date in your subject line, like “Meeting on Thurs, Dec 2”. Think about the subject lines on the email messages you receive. Which ones do you think are most effective? Why?

Greetings and Sign-offs

Use some kind of greeting and some kind of sign-off. Don’t just start with your text, and don’t just stop at the end without a polite signature. If you don’t know the person well, you may be confused about how to address them (“What do I call my TA/professor?”) or how to sign off (Best? Sincerely?). Nonetheless, it is always better to make some kind of effort. When in doubt, address someone more formally to avoid offending them. Some common ways to address your reader are:

• Dear Professor Smith,
• Hello, Ms. McMahon,
• Hi, Mary Jane,

If you don’t know the name of the person you are addressing, or if the email addresses a diverse group, try something generic, yet polite:

• To whom it may concern,
• Dear members of the selection committee,
• Hello, everyone,

Your closing is extremely important because it lets the reader know who is contacting them. Always sign off with your name at the end of your message. If you don’t know the reader well, you might also consider including your title and the organization you belong to; for example:

Mary Watkins Senior Research Associate Bain and Company

Joseph Smith UNC-CH, Class of 2009

For your closing, something brief but friendly, or perhaps just your name, will do for most correspondence:

• Best wishes,
• See you tomorrow,

For a very formal message, such as a job application, use the kind of closing that you might see in a business letter:

• Respectfully yours,

Cc: and Bcc: (‘carbon copy’ and ‘blind carbon copy’)

Copying individuals on an email is a good way to send your message to the main recipient while also sending someone else a copy at the same time. This can be useful if you want to convey the same exact message to more than one person. In professional settings, copying someone else on an email can help get things done, especially if the person receiving the copy is in a supervisory role. For example, copying your boss on an email to a non-responsive co-worker might prompt the co-worker to respond. Be aware, however, that when you send a message to more than one address using the Cc: field, both the original recipient and all the recipients of the carbon copies can see all the addresses in the To: and Cc: fields. Each person who receives the message will be able to see the addresses of everyone else who received it.

Blind copying emails to a group of people can be useful when you don’t want everyone on the list to have each other’s addresses. The only recipient address that will be visible to all recipients is the one in the To: field. If you don’t want any of the recipients to see the email addresses in the list, you can put your own address in the To: field and use Bcc: exclusively to address your message to others. However, do not assume that blind copying will always keep recipients from knowing who else was copied—someone who is blind copied may hit “reply all” and send a reply to everyone, revealing that they were included in the original message.

Some additional tips for writing more effective emails

Think about your message before you write it. Don’t send email in haste. First, decide on the purpose of your message and what outcome you expect from your communication. Then think about your message’s audience and what they may need in order for your message to have the intended result. You will also improve the clarity of your message if you organize your thoughts before you start writing. Jot down some notes about what information you need to convey, what questions you have, etc., then organize your thoughts in a logical sequence. You can try brainstorming techniques like mapping, listing, or outlining to help you organize your thoughts.

Reflect on the tone of your message. When you are communicating via email, your words are not supported by gestures, voice inflections, or other cues, so it may be easier for someone to misread your tone. For example, sarcasm and jokes are often misinterpreted and may offend your audience. Similarly, be careful about how you address your reader. For instance, beginning an email to your professor or TA with “Hey!” might be perceived as being rude or presumptuous (as in “Hey you!”). If you’re unsure about how your message might be received, you might try reading it out loud to a friend to test its tone.

Strive for clarity and brevity in your writing. Have you ever sent an email that caused confusion and took at least one more communication to straighten out? Miscommunication can occur if a message is unclear, disorganized, or just too long and complex for readers to easily follow. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that your message is understood:

• Briefly state your purpose for writing in the very beginning of your message.
• Be sure to provide the reader with some context. If you’re asking a question, cut and paste any relevant text (for example, computer error messages, assignment prompts you don’t understand, part of a previous message, etc.) into the email so that the reader has some frame of reference for your question. When replying to someone else’s email, it can often be helpful to either include or restate the sender’s message.
• Use paragraphs to separate thoughts (or consider writing separate emails if you have many unrelated points or questions).
• Finally, state the desired outcome at the end of your message. If you’re requesting a response, let the reader know what type of response you require (for example, an email reply, possible times for a meeting, a recommendation letter, etc.) If you’re requesting something that has a due date, be sure to highlight that due date in a prominent position in your message. Ending your email with the next step can be really useful, especially in work settings (for example, you might write “I will follow this up with a phone call to you in the next day or so” or “Let’s plan to further discuss this at the meeting on Wednesday”).

Format your message so that it is easy to read. Use white space to visually separate paragraphs into distinct blocks of text. Bullet important details so that they are easy to pick out. Use bold face type or capital letters to highlight critical information, such as due dates. (But do not type your entire message in capital letters or boldface—your reader may perceive this as “shouting” and won’t be able to tell which parts of the message are especially important.)

Proofread . Re-read messages before you send them. Check your grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. If your email program supports it, use spelling and grammar checking tools. Try reading your message out loud to help you catch any mistakes or awkward phrasing that you might otherwise miss.

Questions to ask yourself before sending an email message

• Is this message suitable for email, or could I better communicate the information with a letter, phone call, or face-to-face meeting?
• What is my purpose for sending this email? Will the message seem important to the receiver, or will it be seen as an annoyance and a waste of time?
• How much email does the reader usually receive, and what will make them read this message (or delete it)?
• Do the formality and style of my writing fit the expectations of my audience?
• How will my message look when it reaches the receiver? Is it easy to read? Have I used correct grammar and punctuation? Have I divided my thoughts into discrete paragraphs? Are important items, such as due dates, highlighted in the text?
• Have I provided enough context for my audience to easily understand or follow the thread of the message?
• Did I identify myself and make it easy for the reader to respond in an appropriate manner?
• Will the receiver be able to open and read any attachments?

Sample emails

Use what you’ve just learned to explain why Student 2’s email to Professor Jones is more effective than the email written by Student 1. How does the tone of the messages differ? What makes Student 2’s email look and sound more appropriate? What are the elements that contribute its clarity? If you were Professor Jones and you received both messages, how would you respond to each one?

Email from Student 1:

hey, i need help on my paper can i come by your office tomorrow

Email from Student 2:

Hi Dr. Jones,

I am in your ENGL 101 class on Thursdays, and I have a question about the paper that is due next Tuesday. I’m not sure that I understand what is meant by the following sentence in the prompt:

“Write a 10 page paper arguing for or against requiring ENGL 101 for all UNC freshmen and provide adequate support for your point of view.”

I am not sure what would count as “adequate” support. Would using 3 sources be OK?

Can I come by your office tomorrow at 2:00 pm to talk to you about my question? Please let me know if that fits your schedule. If not, I could also come by on Friday after 1:00.

Here are two versions of an email from a supervisor, Jane Doe, to a group of her employees. Which version do you think is most effective? Why?

Version 1 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: tomorrow As you know, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be meeting to discuss the status of all of our current projects. Donuts will be provided. Be sure to arrive on time and bring along the materials you have been working on this week—bring enough copies for everyone. Some of these material might include your calendars, reports, and any important emails you have sent. Also, I wanted to remind you that your parking permit requests are due later this week; you should turn those in to Ms. Jones, and if she is not at her desk when you stop by, you can email them to her.

Version 2 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: materials for Wed. staff meeting

Hi, everyone—

For tomorrow’s 3 p.m. staff meeting in the conference room, please bring 15 copies of the following materials:

• Your project calendar
• A one-page report describing your progress so far
• A list of goals for the next month
• Copies of any progress report messages you have sent to clients this past month

See you tomorrow—

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lamb, Sandra E. 2006. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write , 2nd ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Terminello, Verna, and Marcia G Reed. 2002. E-Mail: Communicate Effectively . New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Handwriting a Letter vs. Sending an E-Mail Message

Introduction, individual level.

Ever since the beginning of electronic mail usage, electronic mailing has to turn out to be a quick, suitable, and easy means for people to keep in touch with one another.

The handwriting letter is now given the name snail mail. For the fact that electronic mail is conveyed almost as instantly as it is posted, it is frequently chosen over handwriting letters. Yet, most people still take pleasure in the old-fashioned handwritten note from a family friend or loved one conveyed via the post office.

The individual level, the idea concerned, and the conclusiveness of the product are a small number of distinctions among handwritten letters and electronic mails.

A handwritten note consumes a lot of time to write and it also takes a small attempt to make handwriting letters or note legibly.

With handwritten notes, one can be able to put in little embellishments of individual style, like curly writing or smiles and flowers spotting letters.

In electronic mail, this all but impractical amount of thought is drawn in a handwritten note, if the person writing alters his mind, he has to mark out, scrape out, wipe out, or attempt to put right his mistakes (Lawrence, 2008).

Electronic mail writers can with no trouble remove their mistakes.

Hand writers sometimes have to begin all over if they have done mistakes; hence they involve more of their time to reflect on what they are writing.

Electronic mail is very simple and has turn out to be so automatic to most people, that it frequently entails very little thinking or reaction at all conclusiveness of the words.

Handwritten notes are frequently more sincere and well thought out; they are usually kept for generations.

Electronic mails, with the broad quality that they have, are frequently deleted after they are being read.

The composer of a handwritten note may not even post the note; Electronic mailers, however, are all too enticed with clicking the send button.

According to Lawrence (2008) handwritten notes, just like how the eyes are used for seeing, are windows to the person writing them. By writing a note we can observe a friend’s approach, a family member’s way of seeing others, or looking at the world. The knowledge of receiving a note is better off than getting a simple email for the reason that there are more than just words themselves on the note. Certainly, a handwritten note collects more connotations since it grips more of our senses.

The way of writing differs from individual to individual, giving another exceptional touch to the handwriting letter. Certain, most people have very bad handwriting; however it is the personal expression that matters. Satisfaction can be offered in the way it is translated to. Once the font is loaded, anyone can be able to write it in Arial or Courier new, but only the writer can be able to handle it the way he or she feels. Handwriting notes are more appreciated. The content of the letter may be similar to the one conveyed via the electronic mail systems, however, it will have more impact since it is not the same as usual. Individual style can be added to the sheet-like small diagrams and designs, something which needs to be given more consideration than the electronic mail that was conveyed. Handwritten notes are more unforgettable for the reason of the nuances which are always added to them.

Certain, electronic mails are more competent and quicker. Sure, electronic mail will pass messages across in any specified location.

It is much simpler to make schedules and orders using electronic mail than using handwritten notes for the reason that they tend to be the most stripped-down method of contact.

• Lawrence, T.S (2008). Advances in the World: The Communication Mediums.
• Cascade (Ed.), Traditional writing or Electronic mailing (pp. 23-89). Green beach, NY: New York.

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Informal vs. Formal English: Writing A Letter or Email

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: July 17, 2019

Sharing is caring!

Writing a letter or email in English can be a challenge for non-native speakers.

Personal letters may be short or long but they are usually chatty and informal whether you are writing to family or friends.

Formal letters are written to people we don’t know on a personal level for different reasons: to find out information, to apply for a job or a course, to make a complaint …

Steps for Writing a Letter or Email

Step 1:  Decide how formal your letter needs to be

Step 2:  Organize your writing

1. Opening formula

2. Introductory paragraph: initial greeting and/ or introduction of the reason to write.

3. Body: main information divided into one or more paragraphs depending on the length of the letter/ email.

4. Final remarks: say what you expect from the letter’s recipient, whether you want them to write back, to see you soon …

5. Closing formula.

6. Name/ Signature

Step 3:  Use useful expressions

Writing a Letter or Email | Informal vs. Formal English

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Wednesday 31st of May 2023

Interesante contenido, pero copiar información literal de otra fuente dándole otro color y diseño no te da el derecho de poner tu logo y hacerlo tuyo. Al menos podrías citar la fuente original.

Abdulhameed Hussein

Thursday 29th of July 2021

I'm a kid that as autism

Tuesday 24th of January 2023

Friday 21st of August 2020

Your page is very helpful for everyone who have greater interest in improving his English communication skills both in written and spoken, I like the page...

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Tuesday 27th of March 2018

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Home / Formal email writing examples & tips

25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.

Professional email writing is a skill that comes in handy throughout your day-to-day – whether it’s communicating in the professional context, or managing your personal life. Using the right formal email writing format and best practices can get you understood, heard, and better respected.

The good news is that once you have the right examples for the right contexts, you can easily adjust the text to get your message across. Luckily, we’ve rounded up our favorite tips for creating and structuring effective formal emails, with helpful examples and templates.

Let’s dive in!

What’s in this article

Formal vs. informal email writing

• Basic formal email structure

Thank you email

Formal letter of appreciation, letter of complaint, cover letter, reminder email, letter of apology for a client, apology letter from boss.

• Apology mail for the manager
• Introduction email to client (outreach)
• Sample email for proposal submission

Proposal submission email

• Quotation email

Email asking for feedback

Email of inquiry requesting information, email asking for a status update, sick leave mail format, letter asking for a discount from the supplier, ask for a raise, email your boss about a problem (asking for help), email to schedule a meeting.

• Email to the client sharing the status of project
• Email to the boss about work progress

Acceptance email

“this is to inform you that” letter, job rejection email, aesthetics of a formal email.

• How to improve your email writing skills

Formal email writing is utilized in a B2B or B2C scenario, where you’re exchanging professional emails with colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is the style you’d likely use when corresponding with a friend or family member, or even a quick email to a colleague.

When you’re emailing a friend, there’s less on the line if you get your words or meaning wrong. But when writing a business email there is much more at stake. A crucial mistake could hurt your reputation or wreck an incredible business opportunity.

That’s why we’ve decided to cover the best practices of formal email writing, so that you can get it right every time.

We’ll review the ins and outs of email structure, different email formats you can use, as well as short email templates that you can use in various scenarios. Keep reading to learn how to write the perfect email.

Basic formal & professional email structure

Before we get into different email templates, it’s important to know how to build an email yourself. For the most part, every email, regardless of its contents, will follow the same structure with the same basic elements. You should get to know these elements in order to ensure proper and effective email writing as a whole.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

• Your email address
• Subject line
• Email opening
• Email ending
• Email sign-off
• Email signature, or “footer”

Now let’s break these down, one by one:

1. Start with a professional email address

Your email address is often out of your control. If you work for a company, or operate under the umbrella of a brand, your email address will likely include the company or brand name domain.

For example, the emails in WiseStamp are all in the following format: [employee_name]@wisestamp.com. This ensures that we all have a professional business email address. Since only the owner of wisestamp.com can issue email addresses under that domain name, this ensures our emails appear legitimate.

Imagine if each employee had a random Gmail address like [name][email protected]. Anyone can create that email, which would make it suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependent on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address—otherwise suffer very low open rates.

If you are a freelancer professional, working separately from an established brand, consider buying a domain name for your personal brand. You can look up available domains on Google domain registrar .

2. Email subject lines

Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see, so your goal here is to convince them that your email is a safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order). If you don’t succeed in doing that, your email may never be opened, and any effort you put into the rest of the email elements will go to waste.

Your subject line will depend on the purpose or content of your email, but overall, you want it to be something engaging enough for a recipient to click on.

Email writing subject line guidelines:

• Be clear and specific : Avoid using generic or clickbait subject lines that say little or make unrealistic promises, like “Find out how to double your business in a week!”
• Be original : Avoid the overused subject line templates you find on the internet. Instead, make original subject lines that are relevant, personal, and concise.
• Add relevance : Address something that the recipient will recognize, like an acquaintance’s name or an article, show or book they appeared on.

Studies have shown that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. You also want to tailor your email subject line to your email goal, whether it’s a sales email, a personal email, a newsletter, or something else. Think of 3-4 refined options then narrow them down to which will likely be most appropriate.

3. Email opening

The next most important way to hook a recipient into your email is by writing a strong email opening line . Like your subject line, the email opening is mostly used as another filtering stage for most people. If it fails to meet the promise made in the subject line, your readers will bail.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to state your main point in 1 to 2 paragraphs, tops. When you clearly convey your request or question, and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay beyond this point, then in most cases, they’ll reply to your email. Good for you!

Email writing opening guidelines:

• Address your recipient by their preferred name : Look up an article they’ve written or their LinkedIn page for reference. Some people will use their full name or their nickname accordingly. For example David might go by Dave, or Anastasia goes by Ana.
• Establish a connection : In your email, reference a personal experience that involves the recipient, like an article or a news piece you’ve read about them, or a conversation you had with an acquaintance.
• Match the opening with the subject line : Your opening message has to mirror the promise made in the subject line because this is how the reader determines whether your email is relevant or not. If you don’t connect the subject line to the opening, readers may get confused or even assume that you’re using clickbait.
• Get to the point fast : Tell your reader why you reached out and what’s in it for them.

4. Email body

The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether you’re composing an email to establish a new business connection or just following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to the point. No one wants to sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended messages in their inbox.

Email body writing guidelines:

• Be concise and detail only what’s needed to get your point across.
• Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotions , like “glad,” “excited,” “intrigued,” and “confident.”
• Use the word “because ” when asking for something. It’s been scientifically shown that people are more easily convinced to do something if told why, and even more so if the reason is important to them.
• Show, don’t tell . If you can’t explain something in a few words, see if you can add a screenshot, a video, or a link that explains it better.
• Use headings to split long content into sub-topics . If you can’t avoid writing a long email, make sure to break it up into subsections with headings. This will help your time-scarce readers to scan and find their points of interest.
• Add your concrete request or question in bold text . To best ensure your readers do not miss the most important piece of content (i.e. your request or question), add it to a separate line, in bold. You can also use a different color, if that works for your brand. Just be sure to avoid light shades for a high contrast between the text and the white background. Oh, and once you pick a color—stick to it throughout your email!

5. Email ending

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to add a respectful and brief conclusion. You can either invite your recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question. It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.

6. Email sign-off

When closing your email, choose a suitable email sign-off . There are different sign-offs you can use for each occasion, such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “with love.” Use your best judgement on which to use that best suits your email content and recipient. For example, you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager!

A cool tip you can apply is to add a handwritten signature sign off. A handwritten signature give your recipient the feeling that you gave the email special attention and a personal touch. You can create one here .

7. Email signature / footer

Your email signature (or footer) is your wave goodbye, and the way you do it seals the impression you’ve made up to this point. Make this moment memorable, organized, and aesthetic, and you can get some extra credit and a positive attitude from your reader. A messy, disorganized signature is at best an opportunity lost, and at worst, a discredit to your image.

Consider creating a professional email signature to nail a positive lasting impression. Use the simple text email signature we all used back when email started at your discretion. Whichever you choose, be sure to include all your professional and contact information. You should also add links to your website, social media sites you are most active in, or a landing page.

Professional formal email examples: specific formats for specific goals & uses

To better understand how all the elements of an email work together in different types of emails, let’s look at some templates. These letters are suitable for a number of email scenarios, so tweak the content to make it more relevant to your needs.

See our examples of the most common email writing formats:

Apology letters samples:, sample business emails (b2b and b2c):, information inquiry letter samples:, request email samples – professional email asking for something:, work update email samples:, confirmation vs rejection email samples:.

A thank you email is usually one that you’ll send after previous communication with someone. You might want to thank them for their help on a project, for fulfilling your personal request that you previously sent, for a job interview, or even for something as simple as taking a phone call or a meeting.

When composing a thank you email, you don’t want it to be too long, so get straight to the point. Also, this type of email isn’t always necessary, and might even clutter up the inbox of someone who is very busy, so consider whether or not it will be useful for you before you click “Send” on a thank you message.

Thank you email for work done or service rendered

Thank you so much for [action they did] It was such a pleasure to work with you, and I’m look forward to the next opportunity to work together again.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information.

Best regards, [name and job title]

Thank you email for a job interview

Dear [name of hiring manager],

I enjoyed speaking with you the other day during our interview for the [position title] at [company name]. The job appears to be an ideal match for my skills, ambitions, and interests.

The innovative approach to the corporate culture within the [job field] world confirmed my wish to work at your firm.

I will bring my engineering skills, assertiveness, and ability to engage others to work in a cooperative way within the [name of department] department.

Thank you, again, for your time, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best Regards,

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name],

I would like to formally recognize all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into completing [project/task]. Due to your consistent efforts, the project is what it is today and that led to the positive results we were hoping for. 

On behalf of [company name, board members, etc.], we would like to formally thank you for your hard work and we would like to let you know that we highly value your contribution and your continued dedication to your job.

We are very grateful to have you as a member of our team and we wish to continue to see you thrive within our organization.

Best regards,

[Name and job title]

Dear [name],

On January 30th, 2020, I made a reservation at your restaurant located at 1234 Mulberry Lane for a birthday dinner for four people. This letter is intended to bring certain issues to your attention.

Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our dinner due to the fact that the food was very slow to arrive and we received the wrong dishes. It’s understandable that it was a busy time at your restaurant, but the quality of the service was not as expected.

To resolve this problem, I would appreciate it if you could provide compensation in the form of a gift voucher or discount on a future meal. 

I’m looking forward to your reply.

With regards,

[Your name]

It used to be common to send your cover letter and CV as an attachment to your email. However, it’s becoming a lot more accepted to use the email itself as your cover letter and simply attach your CV.

When sending a cover letter email, make sure you’re using formal language, addressing the right person such as HR or the hiring manager, you use a relevant subject and opening line, and the body of your email demonstrates why you’d be a perfect fit for the job and company. Hiring managers likely receive dozens of email cover letters, be sure to make sure yours stands out and doesn’t drag on too long.

Cover letter example

Dear hiring manager [name],

I’m very interested while reading the job posting for the position of [job title]. I believe that the experience I have strongly match the responsibilities of this position. I am enthusiastic about submitting my application for the position.

My most recent position was at [company name], where I was a [job title name ]. Additionally, I recently participated in a [mention an accomplishment in your last job that is relevant]

I have attached my resume to this email. Thanks to it, I believe you will learn more about my experience, education, and achievements.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

The format of this type of email message will be different depending on whether it’s your first time reaching out to someone, or the second or third time. The main difference is that the first contact email has to include details that provide context.

When writing a reminder email or follow-up email you don’t need to provide a broad context. Instead, briefly remind your recipients of what you’ve both already agreed on, as it might have simply may been forgotten or placed low in their backlog.

This little push can go a long way in shortening your timetables and making sure you’re items are prioritized. Most people appreciate the reminder and respect you for being steadfast.

Reminder email sample

I’m sure your schedule is very busy, so this email is simply to remind you of your upcoming interview with [name] who is a candidate for [name of position].

The interview will be at [time] on [date] in [location].

Please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with to prepare to interview this candidate.

Apology letters samples

From time to time we all make mistakes, and we all get something wrong. Sometimes our mistakes hurt others, cause them discomfort, or make them frustrated. In these situations, it’s usually the right call to simply apologize.

Apologizing is something that must be sincere or you risk offending the person further. It’s always the best approach to express genuine regret.

But regardless of whatever you truly feel, be very careful to only use words that express empathy for whomever it is you’re apologizing to. Do not lay any responsibility on them, and do not give excuses.

Dear [client’s name],

Please accept my deepest apologies on behalf of [company or business name] for the poor experience you had at our restaurant.

I want to thank you for bringing these issues to my attention and please know that we are making every effort to correct our mistakes so events like these don’t happen in the future.

As a token of our apology, please accept a gift card in the amount of $50.00 that can be used at our restaurant in the future.

I hope to greet you again soon at [company or business name].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and job title]

Dear Mr./Mrs. [boss’s family name],

I’m writing to you to express my regret for my behavior on [date] in regard to [event]. I would like to apologize for my words and actions and reassure you that such an event will not happen again.

On the date in question, I got into a verbal altercation with the head waiter about the scheduling, and this led to my inexcusable behavior. I have already apologized to [name of colleague], and I wanted to assure you that I will work to improve my reactions and behavior in the future.

I’d be happy to meet with you to speak about the incident further if you have any outstanding concerns.

I am sorry again.

Apology mail for manager

Dear [manager’s name],

I owe you an apology for providing you with the wrong information on [date] regarding [event]. It was not my intention to provide inaccurate or misleading information, and I apologize for any inconvenience that this careless mistake may have caused you.

I will be sure to be more thoughtful in the future and learn from this incident.

Please do not hesitate to share any thoughts or concerns with me. I’d be glad to discuss this further and make it right. 

Business email writing samples

Introduction email to a client (sample email to approach a new client).

Dear [Sir/Madame/Name],

I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and my company. My name is [name] and I am a [job title] at [company name]. Our company provides customers with cutting-edge technology for all their email signature needs.

At [company name], there are a number of services we can offer, such as [short list of services]. Our employees are also highly dedicated and are willing to help you with your every need. 

I’d love the opportunity to speak or meet with you to discuss your needs further and to tell you more about how [company name] can help you succeed. You can contact me at [phone number] with any questions you may have.

Dear [Name],

Please find enclosed to this email the proposal you requested regarding your website audit.

We hope that you will find this proposal helpful and insightful and that it meets your expectations. Of course, if you would like to make any adjustments or go in a different direction, feel free to let us know and we’d be happy to discuss with you.

Thank you for entrusting [your company name] with your website audit, and we hope to hear back from you soon.

Sending quotation email

Dear [customer name],

We’d like to thank you for sending in your inquiry on [date] regarding a quotation for auditing your website.

Based on an initial estimation, we are happy to offer you a quotation based on your requests. Please find the official pricing quote attached to this email. Note that this quotation includes [list of services], but should you want additional services, we’d be happy to discuss it further with you and provide another quotation.

Please do not hesitate to get back to us with any questions about the quotation or our services.

Hi [customer name],

We really appreciate you using our services on [date] and we’d like to get your feedback on your experience.

Please follow the link [insert link] to complete a short survey regarding your experience. This survey shouldn’t take any longer than 2 minutes and it will help us improve our products and services in the future.

We want to thank you in advance for your time and hope that you enjoyed your experience with [company name].

[Name and/or company name]

Inquiry letter samples

This email is to inquire about the website audit services you posted on your website. 

As I understand, you offer services to audit businesses’ websites and provide personalized insight into what improvements can be made. I’d like to request further information with regard to your pricing as well as the scope of the work that will be performed, including specific services that can be expected.

I look forward to receiving your response.

I wanted to check in and check on the status of the website audit project that is due on [date]. 

Please let me know where you’re at with the project and don’t hesitate to let me know if you require any assistance from my end.

Request email samples: professional email asking for something

A personal request email is usually straight to the point and involves a sender asking a recipient for something. It could be anything from connecting on a professional network, asking to set up a meeting, or even requesting a professional introduction. Following a personal request email, a recipient may decide to either accept or reject what the sender is asking for. In this type of email, it’s important to be very clear with what you’re asking for.

Hi [Name of manager/supervisor],

I am writing to request sick leave from [date range]. I will be undergoing surgery and at the recommendation of my doctor, I need to be off of work for 2 weeks in order to recover. I hope to be back at work on [date]. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dear [name of the supplier],

Thank you for sending over your product catalog. We are very much interested in purchasing [name of the product(s)] from you and would like to get a quote for these items.

Additionally, we are hoping that this will lead to a prolonged partnership between the two of us. Therefore, we are kindly requesting that you provide us with your best possible price since we would like to use your goods on a permanent basis.

Thank you for your understanding.

Dear [Name of Manager/supervisor],

I have greatly enjoyed working for [company name] over the last 3 years. During these years, I feel that I have become a valuable member of your team and I have contributed to projects in a significant way. 

Since working here, I have accomplished: [list accomplishments].

As an employee, I think I have outperformed the goals set for me. As a result, I would like to have the opportunity to discuss increasing my salary so that it matches my current performance. Please let me know when is a good time for you to meet so that we can discuss this further.

Once again, I am grateful to be part of an organization that provides me with unique challenges and opportunities to continuously learn and grow.

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name of boss],

I would like to bring to your attention the incident that occurred at [location] on [date] at [time].

I was deeply upset by the actions of [coworker/event]. I tried to speak with them, but this did not lead to any sort of resolution and now I feel as if our professional relationship at work is strained as a result.

I am turning to you for assistance with the matter and I hope that you are able to come up with a solution that neither of us has thought of yet. 

Thank you for taking the matter seriously and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for getting in touch with us about our product. I’d be glad to set up a meeting in order to give you more information, answer your questions, and show you how it can work for your business. Does [date] at [time] work for you?

I look forward to meeting with you soon!

Work update email

Email to the client sharing the status of the project.

Dear [name of client],

We’d like to keep you updated regarding the progress we’ve made on our project. Please have a look at the tasks we’ve accomplished below and do not hesitate to get back to me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Key highlights and updates:

• [list them]

Tasks accomplished this week:

Tasks to do next week :

Email the boss about work progress

Hi [name of boss],

I am happy to let you know that the project [name of project] that was assigned to me on [date] is now nearing completion. Due to the hard work of our team, the project is expected to be completed on time. Based on the pace of our work, I expect to have the entire project completed by [date].

The remaining elements of this project to be completed are as follows:

• [List them 1]
• [List them 2]
• [List them n]

Thank you for your continued support and guidance and please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Confirmation vs rejection email samples

You might get an email confirmation after you purchase something online, or you can also reply to a formal email confirming receipt of an email attachment, a meeting time, or a company update. A rejection email is similar in that it might reject the item that was proposed in an email, in which case you’d let the sender know.

It is my great pleasure to inform you that I will be accepting your offer for employment as [job title] with [company name]. The goals for this role that you described are in line with my personal career aspirations, and I hope to be able to learn and grow in this role.

As discussed in our previous meeting, my salary will be [salary] and I will be starting on [date].

I appreciate all the time you took to make the interviews as seamless as they were, and I look forward to working with you soon.

This is to inform you that your business proposal [title of the proposal] has unfortunately been rejected by our committee. While we did like your idea, unfortunately, the costs involved reach well beyond our budget for this quarter. 

We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and encourage you to submit additional proposals if you have others that are aligned with our goals.

Best of luck,

This is to inform you that I will not be proceeding in the interview process for [job title] with [company name]. I would like to formally withdraw my candidacy.

At this time, I have accepted a position with another company, so I am no longer in search of employment. However, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for being attentive to my questions about the role. 

It was a pleasure meeting with you and I wish you luck in finding the right candidate for the job.

Before you even get started on the content of your email, you want to make sure the aesthetic is appealing and not too out of the ordinary. Of course, you want to capture the attention of your recipient, but you also want to appear professional, so keep the Comic Sans font out of the equation. What sort of aesthetics should you pay attention to in a formal email? Let’s take a look.

Choice of Font

Don’t start reinventing the wheel here. It’s better to go with a safe bet instead of a creative option when selecting a font. Choose a font that’s easy to read and skim, since if you’re sending a longer email it’s possible your recipient will just skim its contents. Therefore, you want to font to be clear and the letters to be far enough apart. We suggest going with fonts like Georgia, Verdana, Arial, or Times New Roman.

You don’t want your recipient to have to squint to read your email, but your text also shouldn’t appear as if it’s yelling either. Depending on the font you go with you might need to tweak the sizing a little, but in general, font size 12 is what you should be using. You can use size 10 or 11 as well, just make sure it doesn’t look too small before sending your email.

How do I improve my email writing skills?

There are a number of ways you can make your emails shine, and you don’t need to be a professional writer to do it. In fact, there are a few small areas you can focus on to make your emails clearer and more well-received. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when composing an email:

1. Optimize your email subject lines

Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees when they receive your email. Therefore, it’s important that it’s optimized as much as possible. Keep these tips in mind when coming up with your subject line:

• Keep it short to no more than 40 characters
• Make it personal, use the recipient’s name if you have it
• Use a call to action, like “let’s set up a meeting today”
• Create a sense of urgency, such as “offer to expire soon”

2. Practice summarizing your main point for your email openings

Once you get your recipient to open your email, you don’t want to bore them right away. You have to keep things interesting, relevant, and straight to the point. That’s why it’s crucial to put your main point somewhere in the first sentence, or at least the first paragraph. 

While your opening line can be something general like “thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” the very next line should be something more powerful. Whether you ask for the results of a meeting, make a proposal, or initiate a follow-up meeting, this first sentence sets the tone of the rest of the email so the reader knows exactly what the subject is and what to expect from the rest of your message.

3. Research the correct email etiquette to use for your most common scenarios

When sending emails, especially formal or professional emails for work, it’s important to maintain email etiquette . Since many of us answer our emails on our phones while on the go, it’s tempting to reply to emails as we would a text message, but that’s not good practice.

4. Proofread for typos and grammar mistakes

Finally, always review your email before you click “Send.” Make sure your email is free of typos, punctuation errors (and that you’re not, for example, using too many exclamation points), and that your syntax is correct.

Also: don’t always rely on spell-checkers. While they’ve come a long way thanks to AI, they don’t always pickup errors where words are spelt correctly, yet used in the wrong context.

The best way to do this is to read your email out loud before sending, especially if it’s an important message to a superior or a client, as emails with grammar mistakes can potentially have a negative impact.

There are countless reasons for needing a formal email writing template. If we didn’t cover every single scenario here, we hope that you know at least have a better idea of what constitutes a good formal email. Using our tips and examples, you’ll be able to compose better emails that get you the results you want. 

More on this topic

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• Mastering memo writing: essential tips and templates
• How to write a resignation letter: A comprehensive guide
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Learning English with Oxford

The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., how to write the perfect email in english.

• by Oxford University Press ELT
• Posted on March 18, 2021 March 22, 2021

It’s also common in many English tests to have to write an email. That includes computer-based exams such as the Oxford Test of English , where you have to write an 80-130 word email in 20 minutes, for the Part 1 Writing task.

In this guide, we’ll teach you how to write informal and formal emails to use in your day-to-day life or in your Oxford Test of English exam.

Use the right register

First things first, you need to think about who you’re writing to. Maybe it’s a friend, someone you don’t know that well, or a complete stranger. Establishing your audience will help you decide if you need to use a formal, neutral or informal register.

As a general rule, only write an informal email when you know the reader well, such as a friend or classmate. Formal emails are much more appropriate in a business setting. You might send a formal email to a public official, customer services or a company you’re working with. If you’re unsure, it’s always better to write a formal or neutral email.

Think about why you’re writing

Thinking about the purpose of your email can also help decide on the correct level of formality. If you’re planning a day out with friends, keep it friendly and lighthearted. If you’re requesting information from a company you want to sound professional and polite. Keep in mind your reasons for writing and make sure that’s reflected in the tone.

Keep it organised

English works well with short, simple sentences. It’s also a good idea to break your email into paragraphs. And if it’s really complex, don’t be afraid to use bullet points. Although there is some variation between an informal and formal email, one thing is clear – a good one always follows the same six-step structure:

1.    Subject line

People are busy, and your email is one of many in their inbox. That means you want to keep the subject line meaningful and concise so they don’t hit the delete button before they’ve even opened it. Think about one clear sentence that conveys the main idea of your email.

Some good examples include:

2.    Greeting

Greetings are important in any email. Some people believe the word ‘Dear’ should only be used in a handwritten letter. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use in an email as well. Especially if your email is very formal, like for a job application or an email of complaint.

We normally use a comma after the opening phrase, and then begin a new line after the person we’re writing to. Take a look at these different ways to begin your email:

3.    Opening

Often after the greeting we write an opening line. This is normally a polite gesture to establish a good relationship with the reader. It could be to wish someone well, introduce who you are, or state why you’re writing. Here are some examples:

4.    Main body

When writing an email, it is important to get the level of detail correct. If it’s a quick internal email to a colleague it can be quite brief. However, if you’re writing for an exam, like the Oxford Test of English , you want to show what you can do. We recommend following the acronym RED ( R easons, E xamples, D etails) to help bulk out your answers.

The main body of your email should also have a clear and specific purpose. This could be anything from suggesting a birthday present for a friend or giving feedback on an event you attended. Here’s some useful language you could use:

For more informal and formal language to use in the exam, take a look at our Oxford Test of English Writing Tips .

5.    Closing

Before signing off at the end of your email, it’s a good idea to finish with a closing statement. In a formal email this might be requesting some form of action. In an informal email it might be just to send some good wishes. Either way it’s best to end on a high note!

6.    Signing-off

Saying goodbye is the last thing you do at the end of an email, so you want to get it right. It should reflect your professionalism, and mimic how close you are to the recipient. Again, you must use a comma after the closing phrase and capitalise the first letter. These are some of the most common ways to end an email.

Once you’ve written your email, it’s time to check it and make sure it really is perfect. Give it a quick review, and look for any typos, spelling or grammatical errors. This is especially important if English is not your first language.

Last but not least: Practise

Any kind of writing skill comes with trying and trying again. At Learning English with Oxford we have lots of resources to help you prepare for the Oxford Test of English.

• Find lots of useful tips for passing the exam
• See the test specification s for more information on the email question.
• You can also download a sample test
• And try our online demo to put what you’ve learned into practice!

The Oxford Test of English is an online test, certified by the University of Oxford, and recognised all over the world. Find out more about it on our website .

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Author: Oxford University Press ELT

Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT

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What is the difference between letter, communication and journal paper?

Scientific literature has items called letters, communications and journal papers. They all seem quite similar in terms of format and content. What are the differences between them?

• publications

• 1 This may depend heavily on the specific journal (eg in some 'letters' are a short paper, in others, just an editorial leyter...) –  Andrew is gone Commented Nov 15, 2015 at 9:49

2 Answers 2

In physics, each category has a different length limit. Often "paper" has no limit. Typically the shorter the length limit, the more prestigious it is and the tougher the acceptance criteria. The subject matter covered by the journal is the same for all categories. Some journals also have a "review" category which includes papers which are not original research. Often a review is by invitation only.

• 1 short publications such as "letters" are also peer reviewed? –  Sparkler Commented Nov 14, 2015 at 20:56
• 1 Yes, they are: see for example link.springer.com/journal/11005 . –  gented Commented Nov 14, 2015 at 21:52

This will depend wildly on the field and journal in question. In my experience, the main differentiators are the allowable length and the amount of peer review. For example, in my field (Epidemiology):

• Journal Article (of which there are several categories): Word limit in the several thousands of words, full on peer review.
• Communication (often also called 'Brief Report'): A smaller <2000 word word limit with further restrictions on the number of tables and figures. Goes out for full peer review. This is intended to report a single, small finding that may not warrant a full publication.
• Letters: This is a very ambiguous category, primarily defined by being short, often <1000 words. They may be used to report a single piece of information, often from part of a larger study, or may be used to respond to another paper. These may or may not go out for peer review - for example, I recently had a paper accepted where the decision was made entirely by the editor.

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The Difference between an Essay and a Letter

While your grandmother would probably be happy and proud to read your latest essay, she'd more than likely prefer that you just write her a nice letter. The reason is that the audience and point of a letter are usually more personal. If you really want to impress her with how smart you are, you can also send her a letter using the formal structure.

Structure in letter-writing can be quite specific. For a traditional formal letter, an address is printed at the top of the page, a greeting or salutation to the intended recipient or group of recipients begins the writing portion, the body can be made up of single or multiple paragraphs, and a signature by the writer is expected at the end.

The structure of a traditional essay is also specific, but quite different from a letter. Essays begin with a headline, include a thesis statement, have multiple paragraphs with topic sentences that relate back to and further explain the thesis of the essay, and a concluding paragraph that sums up the body's points come at the end.

Who are You Talking To?

Essays and formal letters usually have different audiences. Letters are written with a recipient or group of recipients in mind and are not required to make sense to anyone but those recipients. For instance, if you write a letter to your grandmother asking for details on the family reunion, you probably won't have to explain the history of your family reunions. She's been to all of them, so she already knows Aunt Marge will be bringing the potato salad and that no one will want to eat it.

An essay should make a point clear to anyone who reads it. An idea must be presented in the form of a thesis statement and then must be fully explained to an intended audience that a writer assumes has no background information on the subject. That audience can be anyone, there is rarely anything too personal in the communication between a writer and an essay reader.

What's Your Point?

Like an essay, some letters are written with the intention to inform its readers. However, many letters are written with no other purpose than communication. This is why the tone of a letter is generally far less formal than an essay and rarely requires that the writer provide backup arguments or sources.

Sending a surprise letter to a family member or friend makes you a good communicator. Sending an essay to anyone who didn't ask for one just makes you look like a show-off.

Writing Emails in English: Formal and Informal

Here’s a guide with everything you need to know about composing flawless emails for both work-related and personal purposes.

Intermediate

Stick to Email Structure

Follow further recommendations.

We can all agree that emails are one of the most convenient and widely used forms of communication today. They are fast and efficient, but only when done right.

If you need to write formal emails often, it's easy to get overwhelmed, especially for non-native speakers, trying to stay polite, choose an appropriate greeting, and not convey your initial message the wrong way. It’s hard to accomplish this all at the same time.

Of course, you can use email templates available online when you need to write one. However, getting a clear understanding of an appropriate email structure - the one thing that differentiates a business email from a casual one - will allow you to be sure that every future email you'll write will be appropriate and help you impress even native English speakers .

So without further ado, let's learn how to write emails in English. Let's go over every section you should include in your email, along with the markers that will help you make it sound formal - or casual if that's what you’re going for. Read on - and become a pro in email writing.

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Subject Line

Usually, the subject of an email is located immediately below the recipient's email address. When writing an email, you should not ignore this part because the subject is the first part of the information that the recipient will see.

It is crucial to include a subject line in business correspondence because it tells the recipient the main reason for your letter and may also affect whether it will be read or not. Most people, after opening their mailbox, quickly scan the subject lines to prioritize emails - or delete the ones they find unnecessary.

A well-composed subject line should be short but specific enough to reflect the main idea of the following conversation. Most preferably, it should contain a keyword that will help the recipient to remember the subject and then easily find it among other business emails when needed.

Here are a few examples of how a subject line should look in a formal letter, particularly regarding the dates :

• Meeting 9 am on Tuesday, the 25th of July - When you want to notify your colleagues about an upcoming meeting and share more details regarding its agenda.
• CV for [Job Title] - It is essential to ensure it is easy for potential employers to find your email when applying for a new job. You should also include your full name and ID if applicable.
• Follow Up: Job Interview / Event / Presentation - When you want to share your thoughts or further information regarding a recent meeting, event, presentation, etc.

In an informal email, for example, in a casual letter to a close friend, you should also specify the text's main idea but you can do so less formally.

Salutation is the first line of a formal email that addresses the person you're writing to and serves as a greeting. The salutation you will use will vary depending on how well you know the person you're addressing. In business correspondence, it is preferable to use:

• Dear Mr. Smith, - This can be used when you address a particular man.
• Dear Ms. Smith, - As a rule of thumb, do not use Miss or Mrs to address women, since it is not always known whether she is married or not.
• Dear Sir or Madam, - Used if you know neither the name nor the job title of the person you are addressing. These kinds of salutation might not be the best choice, considering how easily you can check a person's full name and correct job title online. However, if you cannot find more information about the recipient and haven't met them, these salutations are perfectly acceptable and allow you to avoid inconvenience caused by misgendering someone.
• To whom it may concern: - A perfectly acceptable phrase if you don't know who can answer your letter at all - for example, when writing an email to a company's corporate email instead of addressing it to an actual human being.
• Dear [Job Title], - This can be used as an alternative to "To Whom It May Concern" if you know the title of the person you hope to contact.
• Dear partners, / Dear managers, / Dear colleagues, etc. - Used when referring to a group of people.
• Hi Nick, / Hello Nick, - Can be a valid greeting in a business email if you are well acquainted with the recipient and are on friendly terms. It is also useful for addressing colleagues you email frequently.

Specifying a formal email might require more effort, but it can increase your chances to stand out from the crowd , which is especially important when sending out your resume .

When it comes to punctuating the salutation in business letters or professional emails, there may be a comma or colon after the request, with the colon mainly being used in strictly formal emails. This way, both of the following examples are acceptable:

• Dear Sir / Madam,
• Dear Sir / Madam:

In informal email messages, the greeting can be of your personal preference.

Opening Line

The opening of a business letter requires you to introduce yourself if you're writing to someone for the first time. It is best to start with your full name, job position and briefly describe your query or refer to a shared experience you want to discuss further in the email.

Here are a few examples you can use in business emails:

• I am writing in regards to...
• I am interested in... / I would like to know...
• I am writing to enquire about...
• I am writing in reference to...
• I regret to inform you...

However, if you're replying to a received email, you can skip the salutation and instead express your thanks for the message. There are several ways to do so, for example:

• Thank you for your email regarding...
• Thank you for your prompt reply. / Thanks for getting back to me.
• Thank you for contacting our company / department / etc.

For informal correspondence, you can use something more casual, for example:

• Just a quick note to let you know...
• This is just a quick reminder...

In a formal email, the first paragraph should be as concise and informative as possible. It's the email's body (the following paragraphs) where you should explain the information you have already provided. As a rule, a business letter should be brief and to the point without unnecessary details.

Keep in mind that you should highlight each semantic part of the email with a new paragraph.

On the other hand, you can write the main part of the informal email however you please. The only thing you need to consider is how close you are to the recipient. If you do not have a close relationship, it’s best not to go into details.

Attachments are an important element of an email, especially a formal one. If you attach a document or anything else, it is necessary to inform about it in the email itself ; otherwise, the recipient may not notice it altogether.

Here are a few examples you can use in business correspondence:

• Please find attached...
• I am sending you...
• We enclose...

An email should also contain a closing line to set your expectations regarding the recipient's reply or further actions.

In a formal email, you can use the different types of the formal expressions:

• If you have any questions, please let me know. / Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
• I appreciate your cooperation.
• Thank you in advance.
• I look forward to hearing from you. / I look forward to your reply.

You can also perceive the closing as an opportunity to reiterate any requests you’ve made in your email's body. This way, you can adjust it and specify the details you've already mentioned. For example, "I look forward to hearing your thoughts / further information on the project at Wednesday's meeting."

In a signature section of a professional email, you need to identify yourself by full name (first name + last name), title, and additional means of communication the other person can use to contact you.

One of the most common but safe ways to write an email signature is to use the word "Sincerely." However, you can also sign off using one of the following alternatives in business letters:

• Kind regards, / Best regards,
• Thanks in advance,
• With many thanks,

For casual letters:

• Best wishes,
• See you soon,
• Write back soon,
• Hope to hear from you soon,
• Don't forget about formatting the text. Make sure you use the same font and font size throughout the whole email, add bullet points or numbered lists if needed, and try to stick to short sentences - this will improve the appearance and readability of the text.
• Reread the whole letter at least once and edit it. Remove unnecessary words or repetitions, make sure there are no typos, misspellings (check whether you should use British English or American English spelling and stick to it throughout the whole text), as well as mistakes in the recipient's name.
• The text must be linguistically correct. Make sure all the sentences are grammatically correct, and there are no punctuation errors - punctuation rules can differ greatly from those in your own language. For the English language, always start sentences with a capital letter, remember about commas, avoid exclamation marks, and use active voice.
• Pay attention to the email address you are sending from , especially when sending a formal email. Most preferably, it should be a variation of your full name.
• Double-check the email address of the person you're sending the letter to - it's not uncommon to accidentally send someone emails meant for another person, but this can lead to many personal and professional issues.

We've specified the basic rules for writing both formal and informal emails in English in this blog post. Hopefully, this information will be helpful to you in informal communication and business correspondence.

If you strive to improve your grammar and writing skills, you can find various educational materials on our Langster app . This way, you will learn how to structure sentences and get familiar with proper phrasing faster. And, most importantly, learning English will always be fun.

Not sure about that? Give our app a try right here, right now.

Ellis is a seasoned polyglot and one of the creative minds behind Langster Blog, where she shares effective language learning strategies and insights from her own journey mastering the four languages. Ellis strives to empower learners globally to embrace new languages with confidence and curiosity. Off the blog, she immerses herself in exploring diverse cultures through cinema and contemporary fiction, further fueling her passion for language and connection.

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By Ben Protess ,  William K. Rashbaum ,  Kate Christobek and Wesley Parnell

The judge in Donald J. Trump’s Manhattan criminal case delayed his sentencing until Sept. 18 to weigh whether a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling might imperil the former president’s conviction, the judge said Tuesday in a letter to prosecutors and defense lawyers.

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