Improve your English writing for business with this guide to email structure, phrases and grammar for writing informal emails to colleagues or coworkers or people you know quite well. Presented by mybusinessenglish.com

1. How to Write an
Informal Business Email
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2. We write informal emails to people we
have a close/good working relationship
with.
• In-company - close colleagues/coworkers
• Other company - established working relationship

3. We write informal emails on routine or
everyday workplace matters.
✗
Hi Max
How’re things?
BTW I’m quitting!
See you (or maybe not).
Sally
✗

4. Model 1: a Request
Subject: marketing meeting concise
subject line

5. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian informal
greeting
open
punctuation
(no comma)

6. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian
How was your holiday? small talk

7. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian
How was your holiday?
Just writing to ask if you’re attending the marketing
meeting in the city.
ellipsis:
subject (I) and
auxiliary verb
(am) are omitted
(left out)
purpose statement
beginning with just
(also possible is:
Just a short email to +V)
contractions
you’re
(you are)

8. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian
How was your holiday?
Just writing to ask if you’re attending the marketing
meeting in the city. If you are, could you give me a lift
please?
polite request

9. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian
How was your holiday?
Just writing to ask if you’re attending the marketing
meeting in the city. If you are, could you give me a lift
please?
Hope to see you later. positive close
ellipsis
no subject (I)

10. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Brian
How was your holiday?
Just writing to ask if you’re attending the marketing
meeting in the city. If you are, could you give me a lift
please?
Hope to see you later.
Regards
Lynne informal/neutral
sign off
open
punctuation
no comma
(as in teh
greeting
open
punctuation
(no comma)
for greeting and
sign-off

11. Model 2: the Response
Re: marketing meeting
Hi Lynne
Hawaii was absolutely brilliant!
informal
greeting
open
punctuation
(no comma)
small talk

12. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Lynne
No problem - I’ll pick you up at 2.30?
promise
action
will +V
‘spoken’ style
language
flexible
punctuation
use of - dash -
contractions
I’ll
(I will)

13. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Lynne
No problem - I’ll pick you up at 2.30?
BTW I’ve attached the report you wanted.
use of acronyms
(one capital letter
represents one word)
BTW = By the way,...
referring to attachments
I’ve attached...
(Please find attached... also
commonly used.)

14. Subject: marketing meeting
Hi Lynne
No problem - I’ll pick you up at 2.30?
BTW I’ve attached the report you wanted.
See you later.
Brian
informal sign-off
ellipsis:
(I’ll) omitted

15. Structure

16. Structure

17. Structure

18. Structure

19. Structure

20. Email Structure
•Greeting

21. Summary: 10 Features of Informal
Business Emails
• Informal greetings and sign-offs
• Open punctuation for greetings and sign-offs, and the dash used to link ideas.
• Small talk
• Purpose statement with - Just writing to +V... Just a short email to...
• Ellipsis (I) Hope to hear from you later.
• Acronyms e.g. BTW = By the way, ...
• Language ‘spoken’
• Contractions e.g. ...if you’re coming... I’ll pick you up...
• Action promised with I’ll +V...
• Reference to attachments with I’ve attached... or Please find attached...

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