Sti ck to Email Structure

Subject Line

Usually, the subject of an email is located immediately below the recipient's email address. When
writing an email, you should not ignore this part because the subject is the first part of the
information that the recipient will see.

It is crucial to include a subject line in business correspondence because it tells the recipient the
main reason for your letter and may also affect whether it will be read or not. Most people, after
opening their mailbox, quickly scan the subject lines to prioritize emails - or delete the ones they find
unnecessary.

A well-composed subject line should be short but specific enough to reflect the main idea of the
following conversation. Most preferably, it should contain a keyword that will help the recipient to
remember the subject and then easily find it among other business emails when needed.

Here are a few examples of how a subject line should look in a formal letter:

 Meeting 9 am on Tuesday, the 25th of July - When you want to notify your colleagues about an
upcoming meeting and share more details regarding its agenda.
 CV for [Job Title] - It is essential to ensure it is easy for potential employers to find your email when
applying for a new job. You should also include your full name and ID if applicable.
 Follow Up: Job Interview / Event / Presentation - When you want to share your thoughts or further
information regarding a recent meeting, event, presentation, etc.

In an informal email, for example, in a casual letter to a close friend, you should also specify the
text's main idea but you can do so less formal

Salutati on

Salutation is the first line of a formal email that addresses the person you're writing to and serves
as a greeting. The salutation you will use will vary depending on how well you know the person
you're addressing. In business correspondence, it is preferable to use:

 Dear Mr. Smith, - This can be used when you address a particular man.
 Dear Ms. Smith, - As a rule of thumb, do not use Miss or Mrs to address women, since it is not
always known whether she is married or not.
 Dear Sir or Madam, - Used if you know neither the name nor the job title of the person you are
addressing. These kinds of salutation might not be the best choice, considering how easily you can
check a person's full name and correct job title online. However, if you cannot find more information
about the recipient and haven't met them, these salutations are perfectly acceptable and allow you
to avoid inconvenience caused by misgendering someone.
 To whom it may concern: - A perfectly acceptable phrase if you don't know who can answer your
letter at all - for example, when writing an email to a company's corporate email instead of
addressing it to an actual human being.
 Dear [Job Title], - This can be used as an alternative to "To Whom It May Concern" if you know the
title of the person you hope to contact.
 Dear partners, / Dear managers, / Dear colleagues, etc. - Used when referring to a group of people.
 Hi Nick, / Hello Nick, - Can be a valid greeting in a business email if you are well acquainted with the
recipient and are on friendly terms. It is also useful for addressing colleagues you email frequently.

Specifying a formal email might require more effort, but it can increase your chances to stand out
from the crowd, which is especially important when sending out your resume.

When it comes to punctuating the salutation in business letters or professional emails, there may be
a comma or colon after the request, with the colon mainly being used in strictly formal emails. This
way, both of the following examples are acceptable:

 Dear Sir / Madam,

 Dear Sir / Madam:

In informal email messages, the greeting can be of your personal preference.

Opening Line

The opening of a business letter requires you to introduce yourself if you're writing to someone for
the first time. It is best to start with your full name, job position and briefly describe your query or
refer to a shared experience you want to discuss further in the email.

Here are a few examples you can use in business emails:

 I am writing in regards to...

 I am interested in... / I would like to know...
 I am writing to enquire about...
 I am writing in reference to...
 I regret to inform you...

However, if you're replying to a received email, you can skip the salutation and instead express your
thanks for the message. There are several ways to do so, for example:

 Thank you  for your email regarding...

 Thank you for your prompt reply. / Thanks for getting back to me.
 Thank you for contacting our company / department / etc.

For informal correspondence, you can use something more casual, for example:

 Just a quick note to let you know...

 This is just a quick reminder...

Body
 In a formal email, the first paragraph should be as concise and informative as possible. It's the
email's body (the following paragraphs) where you should explain the information you have already
provided. As a rule, a business letter should be brief and to the point without unnecessary details.

Keep in mind that you should highlight each semantic part of the email with a new paragraph.

On the other hand, you can write the main part of the informal email however you please. The only
thing you need to consider is how close you are to the recipient. If you do not have a close
relationship, it’s best not to go into details.

Att achment

Attachments are an important element of an email, especially a formal one. If you attach a
document or anything else, it is necessary to inform about it in the email itself; otherwise, the
recipient may not notice it altogether.

Here are a few examples you can use in business correspondence:

 Please find attached...

 I am sending you...
 We enclose...

Closing

An email should also contain a closing line to set your expectations regarding the recipient's reply
or further actions.

In a formal email, you can use the different types of the formal expressions:

 If you have any questions, please let me know. / Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
 I appreciate your cooperation.
 Thank you in advance.
 I look forward to hearing from you. / I look forward to your reply.

You can also perceive the closing as an opportunity to reiterate any requests you’ve made in your
email's body. This way, you can adjust it and specify the details you've already mentioned. For
example, "I look forward to hearing your thoughts / further information on the project at
Wednesday's meeting."

Signature

In a signature section of a professional email, you need to identify yourself by full name (first name
+ last name), title, and additional means of communication the other person can use to contact you.
 One of the most common but safe ways to write an email signature is to use the word "Sincerely."
However, you can also sign off using one of the following alternatives in business letters:

 Kind regards, / Best regards,

 Thanks in advance,
 With many thanks,

For casual letters:

 Best wishes,
 See you soon,
 Write back soon,
 Hope to hear from you soon,

 Further Recommendati ons

1. Don't forget about formatting the text. Make sure you use the same font and font size throughout
the whole email, add bullet points or numbered lists if needed, and try to stick to short sentences -
this will improve the appearance and readability of the text.
2. Reread the whole letter at least once and edit it. Remove unnecessary words or repetitions, make
sure there are no typos, misspellings, as well as mistakes in the recipient's name.
3. The text must be linguistically correct. Make sure all the sentences are grammatically correct, and
there are no punctuation errors - punctuation rules can differ greatly from those in your own
language. For the English language, always start sentences with a capital letter, remember about
commas, avoid exclamation marks, and use active voice.
4. Pay attention to the email address you are sending from, especially when sending a formal email.
Most preferably, it should be a variation of your full name.
5. Double-check the email address of the person you're sending the letter to - it's not uncommon to
accidentally send someone emails meant for another person, but this can lead to many personal and
professional issues.