Business DEnglish Business English emails are usually more formal than emails we write to friends mainly because we want to show respect to the recipient. Here are some other reasons: 1. We want the other person to understand our writing. 2. Formal emails are easier to archive with project files. 3. The email may be sent or will be used for legal reasons. When we write a business email, we usually avoid idioms and colloquial expressions, even if the other person is a native English speaker. A native English speaker from Australia would not use Australian slang or phrases when she writes a business email to a colleague, whether the colleague is in Australia or in Canada. When we send a business email, we need to write a good subject line, introduce ourselves and the topic, explain what we need or what we're offering, and thank the person for his or her time. Subject Line A good subject line is considered essential in business emails. Too often, we receive emails from dozens or hundreds of people per day, so the subject lets us sort out our emails by importance. Remember, if you ignore emails because they don't look important, then perhaps everyone is ignoring your emails, as well. Avoid informal English slang or text message style text like LOL, BRB, etc. Instead, type out all words in full, keep the subject line brief and be specific about what you need or propose to the recipient. Exercise 1. Which of the following subjects looks more businesslike? Which would get a quicker response? 1. Re: Hiya 2. Re: funny video 3. Re: Meeting next week 4. Re: Urgent part required for machine If you think (3) and (4) are more businesslike, you’re correct. Numbers (1) and (2) are informal, and we would only use them with friends or family. 2. Write your own subject line for a business email and ask yourself: if you received an email with this subject, would you read it? Salutation Starting an email shouldn’t be difficult, and, in fact, you can use the same words almost every time. When your fluency in English improves, you can try some different greetings. Remember, you want your email to look businesslike, so keep your greeting formal. Try using one of the following; 1. Dear Sirs, Dear Madam, 2. Use the first name, if appropriate: Dear Tim, Dear Susan, 3. Use honorific and surname: Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Ms. Jones, 4. Title and surname: Dear Dr. Casera, Dear Professor Lomond, 5. To whom it may concern: (use only when you cannot