Writing emails that make sense

In the last ten years emails have taken the place of letters in many situations. The reasons for this are obvious: not only are emails fast and convenient, but they are also free! However, too many emails contain spelling errors or are confusing to read, and so students need to think more carefully before pressing the 'send' button.

It is important to note the following points:

 Starting and finishing

The following forms are acceptable ways to begin an email if you know the recipient:

          Hi Sophie, Dear Sophie, Hello Sophie

If you have not met the recipient it may be safer to use:

          Dear Sophie Gratton, Dear Ms Gratton, Dear Dr Gratton

If you need to send an email to a large group (e.g. colleagues) you may use:

          Hi everyone, Hello all

In all cases to close the message you can use:

          Regards, Best wishes, Best regards

You may also add a standard formula before this:

          e.g. Look forward to meeting next week, Let me know if you need further information

The main text

Here you can use common contractions (I’ve, don’t) and idiomatic language, but the normal rules for punctuation should be followed to avoid confusion. Spelling mistakes are just as likely to cause misunderstanding in emails as elsewhere. Always check for spelling and grammar problems before sending. Note that emails tend to be short, although longer documents may be added as attachments.