formal email

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 3

How are you?

1.

            2.

3.

lesson aims: at the end of class

1. you know the 4 things to pay attention to when writing a formal email

2.  you are able to correctly compose a (formal) email.

2. you are able to correctly open and sign off a formal email.

3. you are able to express yourself more politely in writing by using "would like" and "could" .

How to write a formal email

Formal

informal

In een formele e-mail is het prima om afkortingen te gebruiken (bijv. I'm , I'll, can't..)

1. juist
2. onjuist

4 dingen om op te letten bij een formele mail

1. géén verkorte vormen: schrijf alles uit.

What is a correct way to start a formal email (you do not know who will receive the email)?

1. Dear Mister/M'am,
2. Dear Sir/Madam,
3. Dear sir, madam,
4. Dear Mr /Mrs

how do you sign off?

Formal

Dear Sir/Madam, 

Dear Ms Cooper,

Dear Mr Smith

Informal

Hi Josie,

Hello Adele,

Hi there Delilah,

Dear John,

Formal

when you do not no the recipient (ontvanger):

Yours faithfully

when you do know them:

Yours sincerely,

Never: greetings!

....

Informal

Love,

Bye,

See you soon, 

Kind regards... 

Never: greetings!

4 aandachtspunten

1. schrijf alles voluit: géén verkorte vormen.

2. let op een correcte aanhef en afsluiting

de 3 delen waaruit teksten zijn opgebouwd?

Text

a formal email contains:

Dear ....

Introduction ( reason for writing)

body (content/inhoud)

conclusion 

signing off

4 aandachtspunten 

1. geen verkorte vormen: schrijf alles uit

2. let op een correcte aanhef en afsluiting

3. Verdeel je tekst duidelijk in een inleiding, middenstuk en slot.

Dear Mr Smith

I have read the add in the paper. I want to be a part of your sales team. Can you send me more details?

Thanks,

Harry de Vries

Be polite

Dear Mr Smith,

I am writing with regard to your add. I would very much like to join your sales team. Could you please provide me with more information?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

H. de Vries

so:

Can you send me a picture? 

I want to go to France.

Do you want some coffee?

4 aandachtspunten 

1. geen verkorte vormen: schrijf alles voluit

2. zorg voor een correcte aanhef en afsluiting

3. verdeel de tekst in een duidelijke inleiding, middenstuk en slot

4. wees beleefd!

Check out the handout

now go to Teams, lesmateriaal

download the file "formal email assignment"

if you like, do the exercises in pairs. Make use of the handouts.

you have 10 mins. to finish them.

When your done, go to test-english.com for another use of English exercise.

question one

a. Dear Daniel, Hi Daniel, Hello Daniel

Hope to see you soon/bye/kind regards/all the best 

b. Dear Sir/Madam  Yours faithfully,

c. Hi Mom and Dad, Lots of love/love/See you soon!

d. Dear Ms Jones, Yours sincerely

e. Dear Mr Murphy,  Yours sincerely

question 2

Could you send me an invitation?

Would you like to come with us?

I would like a bottle of water.

Would you like to meet my family?

Could we go now, please?

I would like an answer as soon as possible. 

question 3

Introduction:  d   h

Body: c  g  i   k   e

Conclusion: f  j  b a

Now write the email on Teams

You may use the handout

(15 mins.)

If you start an email with Dear Sir/Madam, how do you end?

1. Greetings
2. Yours faithfully
3. Yours sincerely
4. Best wishes

The sentence: I'm sorry, but I won't be able to attend the meeting. is best used

1. In the introduction of a formal mail
2. in the body of a formal mail
3. in the conclusion of a formal mail
4. not at all

polite form of
I want to come visit you tomorrow

de 4 aandachtspunten van de formele email

next week

Writing: dictionaries, feedback and individual tips

Presentation: brainstorm session