E-Mail Messaging
Is More Than
“Type” and “Click”
Your Writing Style
Represents You―
Use Conventional Style
for E-Mail Messaging
What Lies Ahead?
What is incorrect style?
Why is this style incorrect?
How closely does your style
match incorrect style?
What is correct style?
How can you improve your
writing style for e-mails?
What Represents Poor Style?
6/1/2009 12:40 PM
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
monday but i had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that i got sick. I saw you going into your office
but i just could not stay because i felt horrible i have not
been able to attend i do not want to fail the course i want to
know if i can give you the work monday for the excell class
and powerpoint or if i can get an incomplete. I will
appreciate an answer back. thank you
Learning to Use
Correct Style
for E-Mail Messaging
Use Capital Letters
To begin the first word of
a sentence.
For the word “I.”
@
For all words that name
specific people, places, or
things.
One Step Forward―Capitalization!
6/1/2009 12:40 PM
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
Monday but I had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that I got sick. I saw you going into your office
but I just could not stay because I felt horrible I have not
been able to attend I do not want to fail the course I want to
know if I can give you the work Monday for the Excell
class and Powerpoint or if I can get an incomplete. I will
appreciate an answer back. Thank you
Use Complete Sentences
A sentence contains an action
word―a verb.
Another word―a noun or
pronoun―tells who or what is
doing the action.
@
The word group makes sense.
The word group ends with a
period, question mark, or
exclamation point.
Recognizing Complete Sentences
6/1/2009 12:40
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
Monday but I had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that I got sick. I saw you going into your office but
I just could not stay because I felt horrible. I have not been
able to attend. I do not want to fail the course. I want to know
if I can give you the work Monday for the Excell class and
Powerpoint or if I can get an incomplete. I will appreciate an
answer back. Thank you.
The Simple Sentence
Expresses a single idea.
Tells who does or did what.
Ends with a closing punctuation
mark.
• I took the final exam yesterday.
• Did you return the books to the library?
• Mark made the basketball team!
Assignment
Write an e-mail message to your instructor
about your career goals and the education or
training you will need to reach them. Use
only simple sentences to express your ideas.
Provide at least eight simple sentences.
Remember: Capitalize the first word; the
word I; and the names of specific people,
places, and things.
The Compound Sentence
Combines two closely related simple
sentences.
Joins the sentences with and, but, or, or
nor; requires a comma before the joining
word.
• Our class took the final exam yesterday, and the
instructor has already graded the tests.
• I have completed the English requirements, but
I must still take two math courses.
• Jill may call me at home, or she may call me on
my cell phone.
Creating a Compound Sentence
6/1/2009 12:40
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
Monday but I had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that I got sick. I saw you going into your office but
I just could not stay because I felt horrible. I have not been
able to attend, but I do not want to fail the course. I want to
know if I can give you the work Monday for the Excell class
and Powerpoint or if I can get an incomplete. I will appreciate
an answer back. Thank you.
Assignment
From the eight simple sentences you
created in the last assignment, join
two of the related simple sentences
into a compound sentence. Use and,
but, or or to join the simple sentences
into a compound sentence.
Remember: Place a comma before and,
but, or or.
The Complex Sentence
Changes or adds to the meaning of a
simple sentence by adding another idea.
Contains another idea that begins with a
word such as if, when, as, although, or
since.
Requires a comma after the additional idea
if the additional idea begins the sentence.
The Complex Sentence Illustrated
If I am not home,
Jill may call me on my cell phone.
Additional Idea
Simple Sentence
or
Jill may call me on my cell phone
if I am not home.
Simple Sentence
Additional Idea
The Complex Sentence Illustrated
When you arrive,
Ms. Lee will give you the books.
Additional Idea
Simple Sentence
or
Ms. Lee will give you the books
when you arrive.
Simple Sentence
Additional Idea
Creating a Complex Sentence
6/1/2009 12:40
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
Monday but I had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that I got sick. I saw you going into your office but
I just could not stay because I felt horrible. Although I have
not been able to attend, I do not want to fail the course. I want
to know if I can give you the work Monday for the Excell
class and Powerpoint or if I can get an incomplete. I will
appreciate an answer back. Thank you.
Assignment
From the eight simple sentences you
created in the first assignment, combine
two of the simple sentences into a complex
sentence. Use if, when, as, although, or
since to change the simple sentences into a
complex sentence. If necessary, rewrite
the sentences.
Remember: Place a comma after the first
word group if it begins with if, when, as,
although, or since.
Organize the Message
What do you want to say?
List important ideas in the
order you wish to say them.
@
Discuss each idea in a
logical sequence.
Place each idea in a new
paragraph.
Organizing Ideas Into Paragraphs
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class
Monday but I had to live during lab time because my cough
was so bad that I got sick. I saw you going into your office but
I just could not stay because I felt horrible.
6/1/2009 12:40
Although I have not been able to attend, I do not want to fail
the course. I want to know if I can give you the work Monday
for the Excell class and Powerpoint or if I can get an
incomplete. I will appreciate an answer back. Thank you.
Format the Message
Begin with a greeting that
includes the name of the
person who will receive the
message.
@
Continue with the content of
the message.
End with a “signature,” even
if it is only your first name.
Formatting the Message
Hello, Ms. Clark,
I was very sick for the pass two weeks. I went to class Monday but I
had to live during lab time because my cough was so bad that I got sick.
I saw you going into your office but I just could not stay because I felt
horrible.
Although I have not been able to attend, I do not want to fail the
course. I want to know if I can give you the work Monday for the
Excell class and Powerpoint or if I can get an incomplete. I will
appreciate an answer back. Thank you.
Mary Smith
Proofread and Edit
Use the Spelling feature of
your e-mail system to correct
any spelling errors.
@
Proofread the message and
correct any punctuation errors.
Edit the message for grammar
and word-usage errors.
Correcting Language-Usage Errors
Hello, Ms. Clark,
I was very sick for the past two weeks. I went to class Monday, but I
had to leave during lab time because my cough was so bad that I got
sick. I saw you going into your office, but I just could not stay because
I felt horrible.
Although I have not been able to attend, I do not want to fail the
course. I want to know if I can give you the work Monday for the
Excel class and PowerPoint or if I can get an incomplete. I would
appreciate an answer back. Thank you.
Mary Smith
Beginnings for Success
• Use capital letters.
• Use complete sentences.
Simple sentences
Compound sentences
Complex sentences
• Organize the message.
• Format the message.
• Proofread and edit the message.
Assignment
Apply what you have learned in this lesson.
Write an e-mail message to your instructor
telling why you are taking this class, what
you expect to learn, and how the concepts
you expect to learn will help you reach your
future goals. Use three paragraphs for the
content of your message.