E-mail11

11 E-mail

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L: I’m a big fan off ... It’s really cool. The really neat thing is ...

H: I’m not crazy about ... I’m not keen on ... It drives me nuts. That really bugs me. What I can’t stand is ... What really annoys me is ...

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Likes: instant and efficient, fast, direct, jokes and fun e-mails, don’t have to deal directly with people, provides a permanent record, people respond to e-mails more than phone calls

Dislikes: if sent to many people, no one replies, being ccd on emails that are irrelevant to you, spam e-mails, junk mail, chain e-mails and jokes, emoticons, people expect an immediate reply, long e-mails and big attachments, impersonal nature of e-mails and tendency to be direct and abrupt, bosses can read them

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Writing e-mail

a It is more likely that someone will read your e-mail.

b You don’t need complex grammar or punctuation.

c There’s less chance the reader will miss anything.

d It can’t tell the difference between your and you’re, or theirs and there’s!

e It saves people scrolling down to see if there’s more text.

f It creates a more professional image if there are no silly errors.

g These will guide the reader and make the message easier to grasp.

h On one level, all business is personal.

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The three types of grammar words are pronouns, verbs and articles.

Hi Rosa – I’ve been in meetings all day, so I just got your message plus the attachment. It sounds great – I particularly like your suggestion about the discount rates. One or two points are a bit unclear, perhaps, but basically it’s good stuff. You could add something about the packaging.

You’ve done a nice job, anyway.

I’ll see you on Friday. Leo

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A Hi Louisa

Got your message on September 12th. Sorry, but I can’t make the meeting on the 21st. Could you do me a favour and send me a copy of the minutes?

Cheers

Tom Hunt

B Good news: from Jan 2 we are offering substantial discounts on all orders over €1000. Shall I send you further details and a copy of our new catalogue?

C Bad news: the board turned down your proposal. Sorry about not getting back to you sooner on this, but I’ve been in Montreal all week.

D Are we still OK for May 3rd? My flight gets in about 11am. About my presentation on the 4th, could you make the necessary arrangements? I’m sending you a list of the equipment I’ll need as an attachment.

See you next week.

Charlotte De Vere

E Following our telephone conversation this morning, please send me a full description of the problem and I’ll pass it on to our technical department.

Thanks. If you have any questions, let me know.

Speak to you soon.

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Subject: Quarterly figures

Otto

How are you doing? Got the joke you sent me. Very funny. Spoke to Cheryl in accounts today. She sends her regards.

On the subject of accounts, I don’t seem to have your quarterlies. Did you send them in?

I’ve e-mailed you those statistics you wanted, by the way. Hope they come in useful for your presentation. Let me know how the presentation goes. And don’t forget those figures.