Inglés de negocios:

Cómo escribir correos

electrónicos de
negocios con éxito

con Annelies Sandler

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Worksheet 1
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 1
Setting the tone of your email
Setting the tone of your email
Setting the tone of your email
Setting the tone of your email
Decide whether a formal tone is needed based on:
Decide whether a formal tone is needed based on:
Decide whether
Decide whether aaformal
formaltone
toneis needed based
is needed on: on:
based

How well you Your

How well you Your The purpose
know
How wellthe
you relationship
Your to The purpose
know the relationship to of the
The email
purpose
recipient
know the the recipient
relationship to of the email
recipient the recipient of the email
recipient the recipient

And use a formal tone for any of the following situations:

And
Anduse
use a formal
formaltone
tonefor
forany
anyof of
thethe following
following situations:
situations:
And use a formal tone for any of the following situations:

You don’t The recipient The email is

You don’t The recipient The email is
know
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don’t isThe
an recipient
authority about
The emaila is
know the is an authority about a
recipient
know thewell is anfigure
authority serious
aboutissue
a
recipient well figure serious issue
recipient well figure serious issue

An informal tone is appropriate if:

Aninformal
An informal tone
tone isisappropriate
appropriateif: if:
An informal tone is appropriate if:

The recipient The email is

You know the The recipient The email is
You know the is arecipient
The peer or not
The about a
email is
recipient
You knowwell
the is a peer or not about a
recipient well reports to or
is a peer you serious issue
not about a
recipient well reports to you serious issue
reports to you serious issue

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet 1 con éxito Página1
Seite 1
In formal writing:
• Avoid contractions
• Avoid abbreviations unless they are specific to and universally understood within
your industry
• Avoid phrasal verbs and idiomatic language
• Use formal greetings and closings

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet 1 con éxito Página
Seite 2
Worksheet 2: Example emails
Worksheet 2: Example emails

Formal
Formal email email

Formal greeting

Formal social nicety

Email body without contractions, abbreviations, or idioms.

Formal social nicety

Formal closing

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet con éxito
2: Example emails Página
Seite 3
Informal
Informal email email

Informal greeting
Informal, customized social nicety

Body contains contractions; idioms and abbreviations are acceptable

Informal, customized social nicety

Informal closing

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet con éxito
2: Example emails Página
Seite 4
Worksheet 3:
The structure of an email
The subject line: should summarize the main point of the message in as few words
as possible.

The opening: a greeting word and the recipient’s name, followed by a comma. A
short, friendly greeting/social nicety should follow two lines below, starting with a
capital letter.

The body of the email: is the main part of the message, where you explain, request,
clarify, or deliver information.
• It should be as brief as possible, but it should provide all the details necessary
for the recipient to understand what he/she needs to do.
• If explaining everything requires a very long email, consider scheduling a phone
call or meeting instead. Emails are meant to be a quick way of communicating
information.
• Use bullet points to separate issues or action items in a shorter message.
• Use separate paragraphs for each issue in a longer email.
• Put important dates or deadlines at the beginning or end of the message, or
both.
• Follow the guidelines for formal and informal writing throughout the body of
the email.

The closing: a final social nicety to end the email on a pleasant note. This is followed
two lines below by a closing word/phrase and a comma, then your name on the next
line.

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet constructure
3: The éxito of an email Página
Seite 5
Worksheet 4:
Emails for different purposes
Delivering information:
Focus on simple and direct affirmative language and avoid adding unnecessary detail.

Useful phrases for delivering information:

formal emails
• I/We wish to inform you
• Please be advised
• I/We wanted to make you aware

informal emails
• I/We just wanted to let you know
• Just so you’re aware
• Just a head’s up

Requesting information:
Be as specific as possible about what information you need. If appropriate, explain why
you need the information and include a request for action.

Useful words and phrases for requesting information:

formal emails
• Please provide (me/us with)…
• Kindly inform (me/us)…

informal emails
• Please send me/us…
• Please give me/us…
• Let me/us know…

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
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Worksheet con éxito
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Requesting clarification:
When you receive an email that is unclear because of poor writing, incomplete or incorrect
information, or a language barrier, it is important to request clarification without offending
the recipient.

Useful phrases for requesting clarification:

when context is missing:

• I’m sorry, but I do not know/am not sure…
• Could you please tell me/clarify…?

when the information is incorrect:

• I just wanted to confirm…
• Could you please confirm…?

when the email is poorly written or there is a language barrier:

• If I’ve understood correctly…
• Am I correct in assuming…?
• Please correct me if I’m wrong…
• My understanding is that…

Requesting action:
Be as direct and specific as possible when requesting action. Use imperative language so
that the reader knows he/she needs to do something and what he/she needs to do.
• Use “Please” or “Kindly” (more formal) before the imperative to make the request
polite.
• You can use “Do me a favor” in an informal email.
• Include a due date for taking action in the email.

Apologizing:
A good apology email should include information about the problem or mistake if the
recipient is not already aware, should offer an explanation of, rather than excuses for the
problem, and should explain what will be done to fix the problem and prevent it in the
future.

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet con for
4:Emails éxito
different purposes Página
Seite 7
Useful phrases to use in apologies:

when the recipient does not know about the problem yet:
• I/We regret to inform you… (formal)
• I’m/We’re sorry to tell you…(informal)

When the recipient knows about the problem:

• Please accept my/our apologies for… (formal)
• I/We apologize for… (formal or informal)
• I’m/We’re sorry for… (informal)

If you think it is appropriate, repeat the apology at the end with “once again, we regret/
apologize for…” (formal) or “sorry again for…” (informal).

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet con for
4:Emails éxito
different purposes Página
Seite 8
Worksheet 5
Writing clearly and concisely
To write an email that is clear and easy to understand, think about the purpose of the
message in basic terms and build from there. Keep the language simple and direct and
only use words and expressions you are 100% certain you know the meanings of.

Being concise is an important part of clear writing. To make your writing more concise:
• Keep your opening short.
• Eliminate unnecessary modifiers.
• Replace phrases with words where possible.
• Avoid overusing the passive voice.

Modifiers that can often be eliminated:

-very

-really

-quite

-a bit

-a little

-somewhat

-rather

-kind of

-basically

Phrases that can be replaced with words:

-due to the fact that (because)

-until such time as (until)

-with reference to (about)

-with regard to (about)

-in the event that (if)

-with the exception of (except)

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet 5 con éxito Página
Seite 9
Worksheet 6
Common business abbreviations
ASAP: as soon as possible

COB: close of business

FY: fiscal year

FYI: for your information

RSVP: please respond (to an invitation)

TBD: to be determined

VIP: very important person

YTD: year to date

*FY, RSVP, and YTD are acceptable for use in formal emails.

Other abbreviations:

IMO: in my opinion

NBD: no big deal

TBH: to be honest

While you may see these abbreviations in email, they are more appropriate for text mes-
sages.

Inglés de English:
Business negocios: Cómosuccessful
Writing escribir correos electrónicos
business emails
de negocios
Worksheet 6 con éxito Página
Seite 10