Don’t be rude! Be sure to follow these fundamental rules on what to write and what not to write in your emails.

Email etiquette

In Task 1, you will see the rules that are left blank in the article below.

Email dos and don'ts

A lot of people still have problems writing emails. I should know – I receive badly written emails every day! So I hope these suggestions will help.

Rule 1:

Always check you've got the right name in the 'To' box. And make sure your email only goes to the people who need to read it. Remember that if you reply to all, then everyone will get your email. Does the whole sales team really need to read your email to one person about something unimportant?

Rule 2:

This sounds obvious, but don't forget to attach them! A word of advice – attach the file you want to send before you start writing. That way, you can't forget to attach it!

Rule 3:

No. If you write 'CAN YOU LET ME KNOW THIS WEEK?' you are basically shouting at your reader. They will think you are very rude. So just don't do it.

Rule 4:

Short emails sometimes sound rude. People won't read very long emails. Keep emails short, but remember to be polite and friendly, too.

Rule 5:

This is important, especially if it's a work email. If you make mistakes in your email, people will think you also make mistakes in your work. So always check everything carefully. Ask a colleague to read and check it before you hit 'Send'.

Task 1

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Task 2

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

How can you get an answer to the letter you wrote?

Hello Akmal Karimov

People often use a phrase such as 'I look forward to hearing from you soon' or 'I look forward to your reply' at the end of the letter to indicate that they expect a response.

Is that what you mean?

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Can you tell me a simply rule, so my emails don't look like long letters?

Hi Elizabeth Parisi

I'd recommend you first think about what you want to happen as a result of sending the email. For example, do you want the receiver to send you something? If so, then state, as concisely as possible, what you want. To be concise, give important details (e.g. if it's a new phone, say which model and what colour) but avoid including any other details that are not essential (e.g. how they send you the phone).

You might want to do an internet search for 'how to write concise emails' -- I'm sure you can find lots of other useful ideas. It's also a good idea to read lots of examples.

Good luck!