Lesson
C1ENEmail & Written Communication in English (copy)
Master professional email and written communication in English! Learn how to write clear, polite and effective business emails for any situation — from requests to complaints to difficult conversations. Perfect for B2-C1 professionals who write emails every day.
Written Communication
Talk Time
- How has the way you write professional emails changed since you started your career?
- Describe a time when an email was misunderstood. What went wrong and how was it resolved?
- Do you think emails should always be formal, or does it depend on the relationship?
- How do you decide whether something should be communicated by email, message or a call?
- What makes an email effective in your opinion — length, tone, structure, something else?
- Have you ever received an email that you thought was inappropriate in tone? What made it feel that way?
Email Vocabulary
Speed Match
- Subject line→The short summary text that appears before opening an email
- CC→Sending a copy of an email to someone in addition to the main recipient
- BCC→Sending a hidden copy of an email that other recipients cannot see
- Attachment→A file sent along with an email message
- Forward→To send a received email on to another person
- Reply all→To respond to an email so that all original recipients receive the response
- Out of office→An automatic reply sent when someone is away and unavailable
- Follow-up→A subsequent email sent to check on progress or get a response
- Tone→The overall feeling or attitude conveyed by written language
- Salutation→The greeting at the beginning of an email, such as "Dear" or "Hi"
- Sign-off→The closing phrase before a name, such as "Best regards"
- Thread→A series of connected emails on the same topic
- Cc'd→Included as a recipient on a copy of an email
- Bullet points→A list format using symbols to separate items clearly
- Proofread→To check written text carefully for errors before sending
Email Grammar
Word Choice
- I waswillwouldam be grateful if you could send the report by Friday.
- WouldAreWillDo you mind clarifying the deadline for this project?
- I am writing in relationwith referencewith regardsabout to your email of 14th March regarding the contract.
- We willarewoulddo like to remind you that the deadline is approaching.
- I wouldwillwasam appreciate it if you could confirm receipt of this email.
- Please do not hesitateforgetwaitfail to contact me if you have any questions.
- I am writingspeakingtellingsaying to inform you that the meeting has been rescheduled.
- AccordingFurtherReferringRegarding to our conversation yesterday, I am attaching the revised proposal.
English for Emails: Formal and informal language
Content Block
Email Mistakes
Correct the Mistake
I am writing to inform you that the meeting has been postpone until next week.
I am writing to inform you that the meeting has been postponed until next week.
Please find attach the report you requested yesterday.
Please find attached the report you requested yesterday.
I look forward to hear from you soon regarding this matter.
I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding this matter.
We would like to apologise for any inconvenient this may have caused.
We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Thank you for your email and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
T
I am writing with regards to the proposal we discussed last week.
I am writing with regard to the proposal we discussed last week.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further informations.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.
I would be grateful if you could confirm the details at your earliest convenient.
I would be grateful if you could confirm the details at your earliest convenience.
The Email Chain
Story Builder
Story prompt
Write the story of an email chain that goes hilariously wrong! It starts as a simple work request, but with each new email things become more complicated, more people get involved, and the situation spirals out of control. Each person adds one sentence to continue the story — write it as if it were the next email in the chain.
Email Etiquette
True or False
- It is generally considered unprofessional to use exclamation marks in formal business emails.False
- Using "Reply All" should be avoided unless everyone on the thread genuinely needs the information.True
- In most professional contexts, it is acceptable to write emails entirely in capital letters for emphasis.False
- A subject line should be specific enough that the recipient understands the email's purpose before opening it.True
- It is good practice to proofread an email before sending it, even for short internal messages.True
- Starting an email with "Hi" is always considered too informal for business communication.False
- BCC is commonly used to keep someone informed without revealing their involvement to other recipients.True
- Responding to emails outside of working hours is expected in all professional cultures.False
- A clear call to action at the end of an email increases the likelihood of getting a response.True
- It is appropriate to forward a confidential email without checking if the original sender is comfortable with this.False
Written Communication
Debate Roulette
Useful phrases
- I would argue that...
- From a communication perspective...
- The evidence suggests...
- On the other hand...
- That depends entirely on...
- In my experience...
- I challenge the assumption that...
- The key issue here is...
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