Exercise 42. Familiarize yourself with e-mail clichés given below.
Many people enjoy sending and receiving e-mails, especially if they share a common interest.
E-mails are usually written in a less formal style than letters. It is common to start an e-mail with the name of the person you are writing to, without starting with the word “Dear”. The following are examples of some appropriate ways to start and end an e-mail:
(1) Writing to your partner / husband / wife
Start: Dear + use the person’s first name
Ending: “Take care”, or “Love”, or “Thinking of you”
Signature: Your first name, or nickname
(2) Writing to a friend
Start: Use the person’s first name or nickname
Ending: “Best wishes”, or “Yours”, or “Take care”
Signature: Your first name
(3) Writing to someone in your own company
Start: Use the person’s first name (in a few companies you might need to be more formal, but this is rare in the UK)
Ending: “Regards”, or “Best wishes”
Signature: Your first name and last name, and below this your job title and department, and phone number (or extension)
(4) Writing to someone in another organization or someone in a formal position of responsibility
Start: Dear + use the person’s title (eg: Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr) and surname (eg: Dr Smith), or just “Sir/Madam” if you don’t know the name
Ending: “Regards”
Signature: Your first name and last name (you might add your title after this in brackets if you want to make it clear if you are a man or woman). Below this your job title (if appropriate) and contact details (you may want to include your telephone number or address).
