The Grammar of Business Emails

Presented by www.mybusinessenglish.com

Tools for Successful Business Communication in English

Presented by www.mybusinessenglish.com

Outline

• Opening Small Talk (informal emails)

• Referring to Previous Contact

• Purpose Statements

• Making Requests

• Referring to Attachments

• Promising Action

• Closing Small Talk (informal emails)

• Positive Closing Statements

Opening Small Talkinformal style

• How was the meeting?

• How are you?

• How are you doing/going?

• How’s it going?

past simple to ask about the past

present simple to ask about the reader’s

well-being

present continuous used in informal style

to ask about the reader’s well-being

Referring to Previous Contactformal style

• Further to our conversation of 10 May,...

• With reference to your letter of 24 January,...

• Thank you for your letter of 24 January.

• It was a pleasure to have met you at the conference last week.

prepositional phrases + comma

usually followed by the purpose (see

next slide)

past simple for referring to past (finished) events

Thank you is a positive and clear way of referring to

previous contact.

It is short for I thank you for...

Purpose Statements

• I am writing to + V

• I would like to + V

• Just a short email to + V

• I was wondering if you + past

Purpose statements show why you are writing.to + infinitive (to + verb) is often used to state purpose

present continuous describing action in progress

would like to puts focus on your wishes/wants

Just a short email shortened from present simple statement of fact -

This is a short email...In informal emails, just makes the

purpose of the email sound smaller and less work for the reader.

...for a request or enquiry email.

The past tense was makes the purpose/request more distant, tentative and polite.

Requests

• Could you please + V?

• I would be grateful if you could/would + V?

• I was wondering if you could/would + V

• Please + V (imperative)

Requests often use the modal verbs could and

would because they sound more polite than

can and will.

The past form was wondering also makes

the request more polite.

(Using the past tense in a request creates time distance

which makes the request more tentative and diplomatic, which

makes it more polite.)

Warning!The imperative (main verb with no subject) sounds more like an order or instruction. Please makes it more polite, but do not use it by itself (in an email with only one request): use it in a series of requests, and use it with the smallest

request.

Referring to Attachments

• I have attached...

• Please find attached...

• Attached you will find...

Present perfect simplehave/has + V3

past action with present effect

Imperative (main verb)Here, combined with please

the often order-like imperative is polite as you

are informing, not requesting.

Future tense for a statement of future fact with attached

(adj) at the start of the sentence for emphasis.

Promising Action

• I will + V

• Will do.

will + verb

Will + verb is used to say what you will do after this email

Will do.

Will do is used to reply quickly to request emails in informal style.

Hi Craig

Could you send me the December balance sheet please?

Regards

Harriet

Hi Harriet

Will do.

Regards

Craig

Closing Small Talk Positive future statements - informal style

• Good luck with the presentation.

• Enjoy your day off. EllipsisHere we are generally leaving

out (omitting) the subject I and verbs such as hope and wish.

I wish you good luck...I hope you have good luck...

I hope you enjoy...

Positive Closing Statements

• I look forward to hearing from you.

• I am looking forward to seeing you.

Present continuous sounds warmer and more friendly.

Use the contraction I’m looking... in informal and some neutral styles.

Present simple sounds more formal Warning!

Common Error

I look forward to hear from you.

Use the V+ing or a noun after

I look forward to...

www.mybusinessenglish.comwww.mybusinessenglish.com