MICHALINA RYCHCIK
BUSINESS
E-MAILS
Tips and tricks to
e-mailing in
English
Table of contents
Who was this book created for?
Chapter 1: Formal or Casual?
Chapter 2: Abbreviations and Acronyms
Chapter 3: Opening and Closing Phrases
Chapter 4: Asking for Information
Chapter 5: Attachments
Chapter 6: Tenses Review
Chapter 7: Common Mistakes in E-Mailing
Chapter 8: Punctuation
Chapter 9: Additional Writing Practice
Answer Key
Terms of Use
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© Michalina Rychcik
Business E-mails in
English
Chapter 1: Formal or casual?
Although both registers are commonly used in business writing, there is a huge
difference between formal and casual language.
Formal e-mail will use more formal expressions, the sentences will be longer
and more complex, and there will be no short forms.
Casual e-mail will use informal language, the sentences can be shorter and
more straight to the point, and the short forms will be allowed.
Exercise 1: formal or informal? Write F next to formal phrases and I next to
informal phrases.
1. What do you need?
2. I was wondering if you could...?
3. I'm sorry to tell you that...
4. I promise...
5. I want...
6. I look forward to meeting you next week.
7. Would you like me to...?
8. Remember to...
9. Therefore...
10. Please accept my apologies for...
11. Can't wait to meet you next week.
12. I would be grateful if you would...
13. I can assure you that...
14. Please let us know about your requirements.
15. Should I...?
16. So...
17. I'd love you to...
18. About...
19. With regard to...
20. We would like to remind you that...
Exercise 2: Now, match the informal phrases with their formal synonyms.
Exercise 3: Write down the phrases that were new for you.
© Michalina Rychcik
More formal and informal phrases for e-mails:
Formal:
Informal:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Hi,
To whom it may concern,
Hello,
I am writing regarding...,
Dear Jasmine,
With reference to...,
Just a quick question about...
I would appreciate it if...,
I was wondering if...
Please let me know if...,
I wanted to let you know that...
Yours sincerly,
Would you mind if...?
Yours faithfully,
Could you just let me know...?
Kind regards,
Thanks,
Best wishes,
Take care,
Could we...?
Love.
Exercise 4: Read the e-mail below. Then, rewrite it in a more formal way.
Kate,
I'm sorry but the order won't get there on time. The supplier just let me know
that it will be late. Hope it arrieves til Friday. About the second order, I think it
should be there on time. So, please let me know when you get it.
Bye,
Michelle.
Exercise 5: Read the e-mail below. Then, rewrite it in a more informal way.
Dear Mr. Brown,
Regarding your last e-mail, I hope that everything arrived according to the
schedule. Please accept my apologies for the delay, I will make sure that it does
not happen again.
I look forward to meeting you next Monday.
Kind regards,
Kate Brown.
© Michalina Rychcik
Exercise 6: Write a formal e-mail to a client in which you:
apologise that the product they ordered is unavilable,
offer a similiar product,
inform them that the price of the new product is higher that the one
they've ordered,
ask them to contact you and provide contact details.
Exercise 7: Write an informal e-mail to a colleague in which you:
propose a new marketing strategy for the company,
invite them to a meeting to discuss further details of your idea,
ask them to talk to your boss about the idea.
© Michalina Rychcik