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How to Write an Email
Last Updated: September 25, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 639,533 times.
Do you want to know how to write an email? It can be intimidating if you don't know where to start. When sending emails , there is a general format you should keep in mind. Be sure to know your recipient and the differences between informal and formal email messages. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to write friendly, formal, and professional emails for every occasion.
Things You Should Know
- You must choose between a formal or informal tone when writing an email.
- Using the wrong tone in an email can cause issues with the recipient.
- When writing emails, you'll need an email account from a trusted service.
Email Essentials
- If you are uncertain about how to create a new message, check the help pages for your email service to learn more about it in greater detail.
- A space is often enough to separate multiple email addresses, but some services do request that you separate multiple addresses with a comma or some other form of punctuation. If this is the case, these instructions should be specified by your specific email provider.
- Type the email address of the main receiver or receivers in the “To:” field. The main receiver usually refers to anyone whom the email is directly meant for or addressed to in the body of the email.
- Type other email addresses in the “CC:” field. This is the “copy” field. A receiver should be listed in the “CC:” field if the email does not directly mention them but does refer to something that individual should be aware of.
- Use the “BCC:” field to hide email addresses. If you do not want the receivers of an email to see a list of email addresses the message went to, you should type those email addresses in the “blind copy” field.
- For example, a casual email to a friend could simply say “What's Up?” If you are emailing with a question about an assignment, though, the subject line might read something like “Math homework.”
- Similarly, a question to a supervisor or professor could be labeled with a subject line like “Question” or “Question about...” followed by a brief label describing the topic in question.
- Note that a message without a subject will appear in a recipient's inbox with the label of “(no subject).”
- The nature of email is fast, so you should generally keep the length of your message fairly short.
Writing a Friendly Email
- The only time you would not send a friendly email to a family or friend would be if you are sending a group email of an official nature, like a plea for donations or sale advertisement. Since these emails will likely be sent to people who you are not on casual terms with, as well, you must gear the email toward them.
- If you are just writing an email to catch up with a friend, you could include a humorous subject line or one as simple as "Long time no see!"
- If you are writing with a purpose, mention what that purpose is. For example, if you decide to write an email about a group outing, label the email with a subject that specifically mentions that outing.
- "Morning Bob!"
- Read your email and ask yourself if the content of the email sounds like the way you speak in person. If so, then you've achieved a good tone for a friendly email.
- Use contractions. Contractions are not a part of formal writing, but they are a common part of everyday conversation, making them appropriate for a friendly email.
- Feel free to use slang. If desired, you can include Internet slang: "thx" instead of "thanks," "4" instead of "for," "l8r" instead of "later," etc.
- Also use emoticons when appropriate. :)
- "Later! Jen"
- "This email will self-destruct in 3...2...1..."
Writing a Formal Email
- The tone of your message can be a little more conversational but you should stay away from Internet slang.
- You should still include your signature, but you may not need to provide all of your contact information below your name.
- "Essay question" (when writing an email to a professor asking for details about an essay assignment)
- "Application for Management Job Ad" (when sending an email in response to a job ad)
- "Problem with Part #00000" (when typing an email to request customer service or to report a technical problem)
- "Dear Mr. Smith:"
- "Dear Ms. Jones:"
- "Dear Dr. Evans:"
- Avoid the use of contractions.
- Do not use Internet slang or emoticons.
- Yours faithfully
- Best regards
- Best wishes
- Your title, if you have one, should include your position and the name of the company or institution you are a part of.
- Include your telephone number, fax number, and email address, at minimum. You may also wish to include your mailing address and website URL.
Specific Types of Friendly Emails
- While it's a pretty risky move, you can also use email to tell a guy you like him.
- Similarly, write a flirty email to someone on an dating website. For an email like this, though, you need to be both flirty and informative so that the recipient gets a good idea of who you are.
Specific Types of Formal Emails
- Similarly, you can also write an email applying for an internship . Describe what sort of internship you are looking for and how it will help you meet your career goals. Also provide reasons why you should be selected for the internship.
- Send a follow-up email if you have not yet received a reply about the position you applied for.
- If your professor knows you well enough, you can also email your professor when asking for a letter of recommendation .
Sample Professional Emails
Community Q&A
- Never provide usernames, passwords, or personal information like credit card numbers and social security numbers via email. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/gmail/sending-email/1/
- ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-start-an-email/
- ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-end-an-email/
- ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/format-for-formal-email
- ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/sending-applications
- ↑ https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/students/professor.php
- ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/email-hr
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