An inquiry by email

• English
• Secundair onderwijs

Structure

1.    Salutation
2.    Opening line

3.    Body of an email

4.    Closing sentence

5.    Complimentary close (closing line)
6.    Signature

Salutation

Always start an email with a greeting.  Greetings depend on the level of formality:

• Dear Mr Brown
• Dear Ms White
• Dear Sir
• Dear Madam
• Dear Sir or Madam
• Gentlemen

Complimentary close

For all customers / clients

   * Sincerely   

   * Yours sincerely    

In more formal letters

   * Sincerely yours    

   * Yours faithfully    

For those you already know and/or with whom you have a working relationship

   * Regards   

Language

* Use capital letters! (I, Monday, January, ...)

* No contractions! (I'm= I am, I don't= I do not, I gonna = I am going to, ...)

* Use punctuation.

* Use correct spelling

* Use alineas.        

wrong

correct

These children's toys are popular.

Tom's looking for a new car.

James's car is new.

I've lived there for 3 years and don't want to move

I've always wanted to go to Glasgow.

She is writing a formal email.

He is Kate's husband.

He's Mary's husband.

Correct this sentence taken from a formal email: i'm writing this email because i haven't received my parcel yet

Choose the correct option for official letters

1. You are right
2. You're right
3. Your right
4. Y r 8

Dear Sir or Madam

What's this:

1. Opening line
2. Signature
3. Salutation
4. Closing sentence

Gentlemen

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Signature
3. Salutation
4. Closing sentence

Do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Salutation
4. Complementary close

We are writing to confirm...

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Complementary close

Feel free to contact me in case of ...

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Complementary close

Your order will be processed as quickly as possible.

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Signature

I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Signature

Thank you for your letter of ... .

What's this:

1. Body of an email
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Signature

Robert Brown,
Sales Representative

What's this:

1. Salutation
2. Closing sentence
3. Opening line
4. Signature

Writing an unknown person

Writing a male person

Writing a married woman

Writing an unmarried woman

Writing a woman whose marital status you don't know

Dear Mr Jones

Dear Ms Jones

Dear Miss Jones

Dear Sir / Madam

Dear Mrs Jones

Drag the salutations to the correct options

When do you use "Yours faithfully" and "Yours sincerely"?

Yours faithfully

Yours sincerely

If the salutation is Dear Madam / Sir

If the salutation is Dear Mr Johnson

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Kind regards

Dear Ms McKinly

This letter is to inform you about....

To find a solution to this problem, we offer....

If you have any more questions.....

During the meeting we will discuss....

How would you write....?

- There will be a few Dutch sentences in the following exercise. 

- Try to translate them into formal English

Beste meneer / mevrouw,

Ik schrijf u om u te informeren over....

Wij zouden u zeer dankbaar zijn als ...

Kunt u mij de details geven met betrekking tot...

Is het mogelijk om een bestelformulier te ontvangen?

Ik hoop binnen twee weken van u te horen.

(Een formele groet aan het eind van de brief.)