Email Structure and Tone

Warm-up: The email you'll actually send

2 warm-up questions

• How many work emails do you write in a typical week — and which ones do you put off writing?
• First try: dictate a short email to me right now, asking a colleague to send you a file you need. Thirty seconds — subject line first.

Reading: What your reader is judging

Read a 118-word text about What your reader is judging

What your reader is judging Your email lands in a full inbox, between meetings. The reader gives it a few seconds, then makes a private decision: answer now, answer later — or quietly ignore it. In those seconds they are judging three things. Clarity: can I see what you want without reading twice? Effort: how much work is it to reply? Tone: does this person sound professional and polite? The most common failure is the email that makes the reader work: no real subject line, the request hidden in paragraph three, no clear next step. Those emails don't get refused — they get postponed, again and again. Today you'll build emails that are easy to say yes to.

Reading: The Anatomy of a Professional Email

Read a 139-word text about The Anatomy of a Professional Email

The Anatomy of a Professional Email A well-structured email saves time for both you and your reader. Clear emails get faster responses and fewer misunderstandings. Email Structure: 1. Subject Line Be specific: "Meeting Rescheduled to Friday 3pm" not "Meeting" Include action if needed: "ACTION REQUIRED: Approve Budget" 2. Greeting Formal: "Dear Mr. Smith," / "Dear Ms. Johnson," Semi-formal: "Hello Sarah," / "Hi Team," Know your audience and company culture 3. Opening Line Reference previous contact: "Thank you for your email..." State purpose immediately: "I'm writing to..." 4. Body One topic per email when possible Use short paragraphs and bullet points Put the most important information first 5. Closing Include a clear call to action Use appropriate sign-off: "Best regards," / "Kind regards," Tone Tips: Professional doesn't mean cold Avoid ALL CAPS (looks like shouting) Read it aloud before sending

Vocabulary: Email Vocabulary

7 items

Reading: Three model emails

Read a 245-word text about Three model emails

Three model emails Three complete emails, from subject line to sign-off. Notice the same skeleton in each one: a specific subject line, the purpose in the first sentence, a short body, and one clear call to action at the end. The meeting request (external — a client) Subject: Meeting request — project kickoff, week of 12 May Dear Ms Chen, I'm writing to schedule a meeting to discuss the upcoming project kickoff. Would you be able to meet on Tuesday at 10am or Wednesday at 2pm? The meeting should take about an hour, and we'll cover the timeline and the first deliverables. Please let me know which time works best for you. I look forward to hearing from you. Best regards, Ana Costa The quick request (internal — a colleague) Subject: Q3 sales figures needed by Thursday Hi Tom, I'm writing to ask for the Q3 regional sales figures for my quarterly report. Could you please send them by Thursday? An export from the dashboard is fine — nothing fancy. Thanks a lot, and let me know if anything is unclear. Best, Ana The update (upward — your manager) Subject: Update: website project on track for 30 May Hello Mr Novak, A quick update on the website project: the design phase is complete, and development starts on Monday. We are on track for the 30 May launch. No action is needed from your side — I'll send the next update on Friday. Kind regards, Ana

Practice: Complete the Email Phrases

Gap-fill exercise, 6 items

• Please find the document ____ to this email.
• I am writing ____ our meeting last Tuesday.
• Could you please ____ receipt of this email?
• I'm ____ up on the report I sent last week.
• Please reply at your ____ convenience.
• I have ____ your manager on this email for visibility.

Practice: Fix the Email Mistakes

Error-correction exercise, 5 items

• Hi, I need the report ASAP!!!
• Please find attached herewith the document as per your request.
• Hey dude, can u send me the stuff?
• Subject: Hi
• I NEED YOU TO RESPOND TODAY.

Dialogue: Composing a Professional Email

Role-play: Practice writing different parts of a professional email. (4 lines)

• What would be a good subject line for this email? Be specific about the purpose - include 'meeting' and the topic.
• How would you open the email? Use an appropriate greeting and state your purpose clearly.
• What would you include in the body? Suggest specific times and mention what you'll discuss.
• How would you close the email? Include a clear call to action and professional sign-off.

Discussion: Your mission: send the real email

3 discussion questions

• Mission: think of an email you actually need to send this week — a request, an update, or a meeting invitation. Dictate the complete email to me now: subject line, greeting, purpose in the first sentence, short body, one clear call to action, sign-off. (Success = I could press send without editing anything. Tutor: type or note it as the student dictates, then read it back.)
• Second take: your reader is a busy director who reads email on their phone. Cut your email to half the length without losing the request. What survived the cut?
• Compare this with your thirty-second email from the start of the lesson. Which part improved the most — the subject line, the structure, or the tone?