Coursera課程筆記----Write Professional Emails in English----Week 1

Get to Know Basic Email Writing Structures（Week 1）

Introduction to Course

• Email and Editing Basics
• Subject Lines and Email Text
• Introductions and Announcements
• Requests and Apologies
• Culture Considerations

Email an Introduction of Yourself to Your Course Peers

Tips: I can't write a good email right now!

Hi!

My name is Xinzhe Wang and I come from China. My native language is Chinese so it's little hard for me to write a good e-mail with the right format. The reason that I attend to this specialization in Coursera is I will pursue my M.S. degree in UC Davis in the 2020 fall, so I want to practise my English skills before that time. I will try my best to learn this course! Thank you for you reading this letter! Hope you healthy and safe!

Xin

DOs and DON'Ts in Professional Email

DO:Have a PROFESSIONAL EMAIL

Subject Line

• DO:Have a subject line

  • clear and specific
  • example
    • Subject: Requesting a Meeting
    • Subject:Canceling My Order

• DON'T: Don't forget writing basics, like spelling correctly, and getting grammar,punctuation, and captalization right.

Greeting

• Dear Professor Lee (Use the job title)
• Dear Sir / Dear Madam
• use for addressing a company
  • To Whom It May Concern
• use for addressing a group
  • Dear Members of the Committee
  • Dear Marketing Group
  • Dear Sales Team

Email Text

= Main MESSAGE + All necessary DETAILS

• DON'T: Don't write long emails, only include ESSENTIAL DETAILS, remain BRIEF.
• one or two paragraph, no paragraph should be more than three or four sentences long.
• 1-2 Requests.
• DON'T: Don't COMPLAIN or BLAME.
• Self Blaming
  • Perhaps... was incomplete
  • Perhaps I left somethings out...
• DO: Always add WORDS of THANKS

Closing

• Keep it SHORT and SIMPLE
  • Regards,
  • Best Regards,
• Add SIGNATURE
  • Xinzhe(First name) Wang(Last Name)
  • Telephone / Fax number
• DON'T: Don't send until you READ and CHECK.
• DO: Think about CULTURE, Consider your READER

Organization, Style & Editing Basics

BE BRIEF

• Use your OWN WORDS
• Use your OWN MESSAGE
• Say ONLY what is NEEDED
• We often add adjectives and adverbs and filler words which are not necessary.
• DO: Focus on PRECISION
• DON'T: Don't use PASSIVE voice， use active, which is more clear.
• Words to AVOID
  • must
  • should
  • demand
  • require
  • necessity

Common Errors in Punctuation

• 6 Common Errors

  • apostrophe '

    • Suzi's laptop
    • Gerry's address

  • exclamation point !

    • DON'T use more than 1 time.

  • comma ,

    • with FANBOYS(for,and,nor,but,or,yet,so)
    • LIST of things
    • GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES
    • DATES
    • TITLES

  • semicolon ;

    • SERIES

  • quotation marks " "

    • DON'T use for emphasis
    • Use for direct SPEECH only

  • emoticons 😃

    • DON'T use emoticons in emails

  Common Errors in Capitalization

  1. Use a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence. Also, use it after you end with a period.

  2. PROPER NOUNS //e.g. Tokyo, Japan

     PROPER NOUNS(Adjectives). //e.g. French wine

  3. PEOPLE & TITLES

     • The Pope | Pope Francis
     • The Queen | Queen Elizabeth
     • President Obama | The President
     • Title VS Occupation(Job) // Yes VS No

  4. DON'T capitalize prepositions //e.g. Lord of the Ring

Assignment: Rewrite Kevin's Email

Subject:

Canceling My Order

Message:

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Kevin Johnson. I feel apologized that I have to cancel my order of the office chair that I made last week because of some personal reasons. And I want to know whether can I get a full refund to my account. Thank you for your patience and hope you healthy and safe.

Regards,

Kevin