Email formality review

Without looking below, listen to your teacher and hold up the Formal or Informal card
depending on what you hear.
Label the sections below with F for Formal or I for Informal.
I look forward to hearing from you soon
I regret to inform you that
I would be very pleased to meet on Thursday, if that is convenient with you.
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me
Please accept my sincerest apologies (for)
If you need to know anything else, ust drop me a line.
It was great to hear from you.
!ome more information about would be a great help.
!orry it took me so long to get back to you
Take care
"e would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause# have caused)
"ith reference to your email last week,
"ould you by any chance be available to meet on Thursday$
%ou can rest assured that this will not happen again.
%ours faithfully
%ours sincerely# !incerely# !incerely yours
&heck this out'
Please do it asap.
(elp'
I can)t make it then.
I e*pect action now
I need it right away.
I want you to
It wasn)t our fault
I)m too busy.
I)m waiting impatiently for your reply# "rite soon'
+ots of love# +ove from# "ith all my love# (ugs and kisses# ,,,
-iss you'
Please let me know by tomorrow.
!end my love to .ohn
"hassup$
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011
/ny feedback you can give me on this would be gratefully received.
0ear -rs# -s# -rs# -iss# 0r .ameson# 0ear !ir or -adam# 0ear !irs
I am very grateful for
I am writing to you in connection with
I hope you and your family are well.
/re you free on "ed$
12
(i /le*# (i
1ye for now# !ee you (soon# then)# &3
&heers
(ow are things$# (ow)s it going$
(ave a look at the attachment for details.
(ere)s the info you asked for4
(ope that helps.
(ow about meeting on Thursday$
%ou)re a lifesaver'# %ou)re a star'
Please find the schedule attached.# Please find attached my report.
Please give my regards to -r !mith
Thank you for your letter of 56 -arch.
Thank you in advance.
To whom it may concern
If you need any further information, please do not have the slightest hesitation in
contacting me at any time at all
I am very grateful to you for responding to my email so 7uickly.
"e deeply regret any inconvenience we might have caused any of you in any way.
It was an honour to meet you yesterday
Thank you in advance for all and any help you are able to offer me on this matter. %ou
have my eternal gratitude for helping me.
&ould you possibly have a little look at the attached document, if it)s not too much trouble$
After checking your answers, test each other in pairs.
What are the general differences between formal and informal emails?
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011
Decide if each of the things below is a characteristic of formal or informal emails
8rammar (e.g. word order) unlike normal speech
!imilar to speech
/void contractions (I)m, we)ve, etc)
3sing short forms (btw etc)
+onger words and longer sentences
9o subect or no subect and no au*iliary verb
Phrasal verbs like :get ; back ; to ; me<
=ther idioms made from short words like :keep ; in ; touch<
=ther idiomatic language or slang
>ery polite language such as :"ould you mind$<
!imilar to emails to friends and family
?*clamation marks and multiple punctuation (e.g. '''')
?moticons such as smileys
8reeting with first name (@ given name)
!ign off with first name and family name
!ome of the sections abo"e are actually too formal or too informal for most business
emails. #ry to find those sections and then rewrite or replace the sentences to make them
more suitable.
What are the functions of the following emails? What are their le"els of formality?
Write the emails that come before and after those two with the right le"els of formality for
homework.
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011
Dear !ir or $adam
I saw your ad"ertisement in the %uardian last week and I am writing to ask for
more information about your ser"ices.
First of all, I would like to know more about the costs and conditions in"ol"ed in
ha"ing a contract with your company. &ould you possibly tell me the usual cost
and payment conditions?
$y second 'uestion was about after sales ser"ice. $ore specifically, I(d be
interested to hear how long it takes for a ser"ice engineer to come out.
Finally, could I ask about the minimum and ma)imum lengths of contract?
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
*ours
Ale) &ase, +ead of ,urchasing, -ritish &orporation
+i Ale)
+ow(s it going? +ope your weekend wasn(t ruined by the weather.
+ere(s the info you asked for
It usually costs .// pounds, more or less, and you ha"e to pay within a
month
#wo days ma), but usually within 0.hrs
#he minimum is si) months. 1e"er thought about a ma)imum2 #wo years??
+ope that helps. Drop me a line if there(s anything else you want to know.
&heers
3ohn
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011
Cards for students to raise when listening
Formal Informal
Formal Informal
Formal Informal
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011
Suggested answers
Too formal
If you need any further information, please do not have the slightest hesitation in
contacting me at any time at all A If you need any further information, please do not
hesitate to contact me
I am very grateful to you for responding to my email so 7uickly. A Thank you for your 7uick
reply.
"e deeply regret any inconvenience we might have caused any of you in any way. A "e
would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
It was an honour to meet you yesterday A It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday# Thank
you for making the time to meet me yesterday
Thank you in advance for all and any help you are able to offer me on this matter. A Thank
you in advance# /ny help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
%ou have my eternal gratitude for helping me. A Thank you very much for all your help.
&ould you possibly have a little look at the attached document, if it)s not too much trouble$
A /ny feedback you can give me on the attached document would be gratefully received.
Too informal
&heck this out' A Please see the information below.
0o it asap. A If you could finish it by the end of today, that would allow me to forward it to
my boss before the weekend.
(elp' A &ould you give me a hand (with)$
I can)t make it then. A I can)t make it at B, but I)m free from 55.
I e*pect action now A %our rapid response would be greatly appreciated.
I need it right away. A &ould you let me have it in the ne*t couple of days$
I want you to C "ould you mind$# &ould you$
It wasn)t our fault A This was due to circumstances beyond our control.
I)m too busy. C I)m afraid I have another appointment at that time.
I)m waiting impatiently for your reply A I)m looking forward to your 7uick reply.
+ots of love# +ove from# "ith all my love# (ugs and kisses# ,,, A 1est regards# %ours# /ll
the best# !incerely# !incerely yours
-iss you' A +ong time no see# I)m sorry it took me so long to write back.# It seems so long
since we last met.
Please let me know by tomorrow. A &an you let me know by tomorrow, because I need to
check the details with my boss$
!end my love to .ohn A !ay hi to .ohn from me# Please send my regards to .ohn# Please
send my best wishes to .ohn
"hassup$ A (ow are you$# (ow)s it going$# (ow are things$# I hope you are (all) well
"rite soon' A I look forward to hearing from you soon.# (I)m) looking forward to hearing
from you.
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com 2011