In recent years email has become very common and more frequently used form of communication than letter. There are some similarities and differences in email and letter. In both form of communication, there are the sender and receiver of information. Email is much faster in conveying message than letters. The purpose of electronic mail is quick communication. The message of email should be clear and brief. The content of the message should be as short as possible. It should be divided into short, clear paragraphs.
Tips for writing email
1. Use a short and accurate subject header
Use a short and accurate subject in
your email. Include a keyword that will make the Email content easier to
remember. For example,
- Meeting regarding school parents day (formal)
- Coming to Pokhara (informal)
2. Begin with a proper salutation/greeting
Begin your email with a greeting, such
as “Dear Ramesh”. If your
relationship with the reader is formal, use the person's title (Mr. Mrs. Ms. or
Dr.) with their family name (e.g. “Dear
Mr. Koirala”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Ramesh”. If you don’t know the name
of the person you are writing to, use: “Dear Sir/Madam”.
3. Thank the recipient
If you are replying to someone's
inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone has a
question about your company, you can say, “Thank
you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to one of your
emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for
your prompt reply” or “Thanks for
getting back to me”.
4. State your purpose
If you are starting the email
communication, it may be impossible to include a line of thanks. Instead, begin
by stating your purpose. For example, “I
am writing to enquire about …” or “I
am writing in reference to …”.
Make your purpose clear in the email,
and then move into the main text of your email. Keep your sentences short and
clear. Also pay careful attention to grammar, spelling and punctuation.
5. Add your closing remarks
Before you end your email, thank your
reader and add some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and
then follow up with, “If you have any
questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.
6. Use the correct form of leave-taking.
The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. This will depend on your level of intimacy with the recipient. In a formal email you can use any one of the following:
- Yours sincerely,
- Sincerely,
- Yours faithfully,
- Yours cordially,
- Respectfully,
- Best,
- Your student,
- Best regards,
In an informal email you can use any one of
the following:
- Best wishes,
- Cheers,
Finally, before you hit the send
button, review and spell check your email one more time to make sure it’s truly
perfect !