Writing an Email
Purpose
Emails are a typical communication used for both personal and business purposes.
How
Every email needs the following parts:
Subject line:
- Should have 3-5 keywords or a short phrase that will help the recipient understand what’s in the email
- ex. Vacation plans for June OR Decision needed re: client project
Greeting:
- More informal for friends and family: Hi, Hey, etc.
- More formal for work colleagues or acquaintances: Dear (first name or last name), To (first name or last name), etc.
Message (body text) of the email:
- For more informal purposes (like emails about personal life, family news, etc.), emails can be any length
- For more formal purposes (like work), keep emails short and just on one topic
- It may only be a few paragraphs or a few lines long
- Put the most important idea first in the email
Closing:
- More informal for friends and family: cheers, take care, best wishes, talk soon, have a great day, thanks so much, etc.
- More formal for work colleagues or acquaintances: sincerely, regards, thank-you, respectfully, etc.
Signature:
- For informal emails, just need the first name because the person being emailed knows the sender
- For more formal emails, where someone might not know a writer well, use the first and last name
- Also include a business phone number if needed and possibly social media handles if used for work
See it in Action!
Watch:
Writing informal emails to friends and family
When you compose a casual and friendly email to friends and family, follow these three easy steps.
Watch here
Learn More:
Using etiquette in emails
This video is your guide to the fundamentals of email etiquette.
Watch here
Add Complexity:
How to Write a Business Email
Business emails are often a necessary part of life for many adults. Learn to write effective business emails.
8 email etiquette tips: How to write better emails at work
Learning the unspoken rules for writing professional emails can improve how you appear in the eyes of colleagues.