This lesson will teach you the main parts of any English email. After watching this lesson you will have the confidence you need to send emails in English.

PART 1 | Begin with a greeting

• The first part of a business email is what we call the “business greeting”. This is the part of the email where you address/acknowledge the person who will receive the email you are writing.
• 5 Example Greetings
  1. “Dear _______”
  2. “Good morning/afternoon/evening ______”
  3. “Hi ______”
  4. “Dear Sir/Madam”
  5. “To whom it may concern”

PART 2 | Thank the recipient

• The second part of a business email is where you thank the person you are sending an email to. This part is only included in emails that are being sent in response to a previous email that was received.
• 5 Ways to say “Thank you”
  1. “Thank you for contacting us about…”
  2. “Thank you for sending your previous email.”
  3. “Thank you for your prompt reply to my previous email.”
  4. “I appreciate you getting back to me about…”
  5. “Thanks for your previous email.”

PART 3 | State your purpose

• The third part of a business email is where you state the purpose, or reason, for sending the email. This part is the core of the email, but it should also be clear and easy to understand.
• 3 Ways to state your purpose
  1. The 5W’s Method to give the background details and description of the purpose.
     • [Who is involved / What is being done / When is it being done / Where is it begin done / Why is it being done (Past, Present, Future)]
     • EXAMPLE
       • “My team and I have been working hard to fix your computer issues. We initially anticipated that it would only take us a few days to rectify the issue. However, after doing some more research, we realized that it will take us another week to fully repair the broken parts. All of the repairs are being taken care of in-house and I am overseeing each process. I know that you need your computer quickly, so we are working hard to get everything right. We truly appreciate your patience.”
  2. The 3 Points Method to give the main ideas, details, or parts related to your purpose. Depending on the email, you may need more than 3 points
     • [First important point + (Detail/Reason) / Second important point + (Detail/Reason) / Third important point + (Detail/Reason)]
     • EXAMPLE
       • Assessment & Work needed We have conducted an overall assessment of your computer and determined that you need a new motherboard.
       • Timeline The estimated time to complete this project is 3 – 5 days.
       • Cost The parts will be a total of $500 and the labor will be $150. So, in total, the cost will be $650.
  3. The List Method to visually show clearly the purpose of your email.
     • [Decide all of the info that needs to be relayed // Introduce/Explain the list before // List out each step/part of the process // Sum up the list after]
     • EXAMPLE
       • Below you will find a list of all of the things my team and I found wrong with your computer:
         1. Damaged hard drive (*repairable)
         2. Outdated video card (*needs to be replaced)
         3. Corrupted motherboard (*needs to be replaced)

         In our opinion, these are the three main components of your computer that need immediate attention.

PART 4 | Add closing remarks

• The fourth part of a business email is where you bring your email to a close. This part is basically the wrap-up and last comment. It can also help the recipient know what you would like to happen next.
• 5 Example Closing Remarks
  1. “Thank you again for your time and cooperation.”
  2. “Thank you for your work thus far on this project.”
  3. “Thanks again and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.”
  4. “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
  5. “I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

PART 5 | End with a closing

• The fifth part of a business email is the final “goodbye” of your email. This is the part where you include an appropriate closing word or phrase and then add your name.
• 5 Example Closing Remarks
  1. “Sincerely, (name)”
  2. “Regards, (name)”
  3. “Best regards, (name)”
  4. “Have a great day, (name)”
  5. “Respectfully, (name)”