ENGLISH FOR WRITING

EMAILS AND MEMOS

(1)
 MEMOS

• A MEMORANDUM/ MEMO IS A WRITTEN FORM OF

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO WORK TOGETHER.
• IT CAN BE: INTER-DEPARTMENTAL, INTER-OFFICE/ COMPANY.
• IT CAN BE SENT EITHER ON PAPER OR INTRANET.
• IN MULTINATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, IT IS SENT BY EMAIL.
PURPOSES:
• TO MAKE INQUIRIES AND REQUESTS
• TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, REMINDERS, CONFIRMATIONS
• TO SEND ENCLOSURES/ ATTACHMENTS
THE CONTENT MAY VARY: ELECTRONIC AND HARD COPY.
MEMO STYLE:
• SENDER’S NAME
• DATE
• ADDRESSEE’S NAME
• MEMO’S SUBJECT
• SALUTATION
• BODY
• CLOSING (OPTIONAL)
• SIGNATURE
• COPY NOTATION
 MEMO EXPRESSIONS

REFFERING TO THE PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION:

• AS I MENTIONED ON THE PHONE, WE ....
• I RECIEVED YOUR MEMO ABOUT ....
• IN RESPONSE TO YOUR MEMO DATED ...
• I RECEIVED THE COPY OF THE PROJECT THAT YOU SENT ME ....
ASKING SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING:
• CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER YOU
RECEIVE ...
• TAKE A LOOK AT THE ... AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.
• LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN ...
• PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE RECEIVED...
• PLEASE INFORM YOUR SALES REPRESENTATIVES THAT ...
• PLEASE CHECK YOUR ...
REQUESTING SOMETHING:

• I’D BE GRATEFUL/ I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD ...

• I’D LIKE TO REQUEST FORTY COPIES OF ...
• WE’D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE
ATTENDING OUR ...
• COULD YOU FAX ME THE INFORMATION ABOUT ....?
• WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO GET A COPY OF THE ...?
• COULD YOU TELL ME IF....?
SENDING ENCLOSURE:

• ATTACHED IS A COPY OF YOUR ORIGINAL MEMO WITH ...

• PLEASE FIND ATTACHED A LIST OF ...
• SEE ATTACHED FILE.
 EMAILS

• Emails are generally used both within an

organization (“in-house”) and outside an
organization, when the subject is relatively
informal and routine.
1. INBOX 7. REPLY TO ALL

2. OUBOX 8. FORWARD

3. SENT ITEMS 9. SEND/ RCEIVBE

4. DRAFTS 10. CONTACTS

5. DELETED ITEMS 11. HIGH PRIORITY

6. REPLY 12. ATTACHMENT

13. SUBJECT
REGISTER
POLITE LANGUAGE
• REFERENCE:
REBECCA CHAPMAN. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2008.