Writing emails
HELLO, STUDENTS! The time for your exams is fast approaching. Let me hope you have been doing all you can to prepare for them.
In this week’s lesson, we will be focusing on writing emails. In last year’s exam and the recently administered exam in January, candidates were required to write an email. It is very probable that you might also be instructed to write an email based on a given scenario.
Most of you should have sent at least five emails in your life. Emails are fast replacing letters that are written or printed for distribution. Much of the communication that happens between businesses and schools is now being done via emails. It is highly likely that CXC is seeking to prepare students who sit the English A examination for this inevitable mode of communication. Let us explore the elements of an email.
WHAT IS AN EMAIL?
This is a system of sending written messages electronically from one computer to another. The term email is an abbreviation of ‘electronic mail’.
STEPS TO WRITING AN EMAIL
Follow these five simple steps to ensure that your email is presentable.
1. Enter the email address of the recipient.
2. Include a subject or title for the email. Limit it to no more than six words.
3. Begin with a greeting.
4. Thank the recipient.
5. State your purpose.
6. Add your closing remarks.
7. End with a closing. Enter the email address of the recipient. For example: douglas123@gmail.com Include a subject
For example: Change of Venue
BEGIN WITH A GREETING
You should always open your email with a greeting such as “Dear Martha”. If your relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name such as “Dear Mrs. Miller”). If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.
THANK THE RECIPIENT
If you are replying to another email, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone has replied to one of your emails, be sure to say “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me”. By thanking the recipient, you are being polite and thoughtful.
STATE YOUR PURPOSE
If you are starting the email communication, writing a line of thanks is unnecessary. Instead, begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about ...”, or “I am writing in reference to ... ”, or “This letter serves to ...”, or “It has come to my attention ... . ”.
Make your purpose clear as early as possible, and then move into the main text of your email. Keep your sentences short and to the point so that the recipient will be able to read the letter quickly. Additionally, pay careful attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation so that you create a credible and impressive image.
ADD YOUR CLOSING REMARKS
Before you close your email, it is recommended that you thank your recipient one more time and add some polite closing remarks. You might start with “Thank you for your patience and cooperation”, or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow up with “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to hearing from you”.
END WITH A CLOSING
The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. If you are friends with the recipient, you can close with “Best wishes” or “Your friend”. Remember to review and spell check your email one more time to make sure that it is truly perfect before you declare it to be complete and worthy of sending.
Please note that you may be required to write an email in Section B of the exam. There is no prescribed word limit, but ensure that the communication you write does not go below 100 words.
SAMPLE EXAM QUESTION
Your Spanish teacher, Ms Leslie Williams, will be absent from class the week of September 23-27, 2019. She will be attending a conference in Spain for teachers of modern languages. During that time, another Spanish teacher, Mr Aaron Abdul, will be teaching your class. Your class has been assigned readings for that week from the textbook Vamos
Amigos. A classmate of yours was absent from school, and you wish to inform him or her of this plan.
Write your classmate an email providing this information.
This question is worth 30 marks and it is compulsory.
Your email must be in continuous prose. By continuous prose, it means that your email must be written in paragraph form.
POINTS TO CONSIDER
The following points should be included in your email:
• Reasons for the email (i) personal discussion (ii) overview of the situation
• Purpose of travel – teacher attending conference for modern language teachers
• Country to be visited – Spain
• Duration of trip – one week (week of September 23-27, 2019)
• Arrangement made for replacement – Teacher, Mr Abdul, will be teaching the class
• Work assigned – reading from the text Vamos Amigos (students may give pages and topics of their choice)
• Words of encouragement for your classmate to get better soon.
As you prepare for the exam, practise writing and sending emails to your friends or family.
See you on the other side of this week! Melissa McKenzie teaches at Old Harbour High School. Send comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm. com.