Heading here Writing at work emails Estimated timing

Heading here Writing at work – emails Estimated timing: 20 -30 minutes • Emails are one of the most common ways people communicate at work • Emails to friends or family can be informal. At work, emails should always be formal, even with colleagues you may get along with well literacytrust. org. uk 1

Heading here Emails – the basics Address: the person you are sending the email to The subject: what is the email about, this can be just a few words. For example, ‘Team meeting 25 th March’ literacytrust. org. uk CC: someone who you want to see the information in the email you are sending. The main part of the email where you write your message. 2

Heading here Emails – the basics • You must always have a subject, as well as an email address in the “To” box. literacytrust. org. uk 3

Heading here Formal email example The purpose of the email and the main subject. Dear Mandeep Gill, I am writing to complain about the condition of the RECEPTION. Over the last two weeks, I have noticed a great deal of litter. It is my opinion that this litter is a health hazard. For example, yesterday a service user fell over and cut his hand on a broken bottle. The service user in question needed four stitches. I believe that there a number of things that you could do to rectify this problem. Firstly, it may be possible for you to purchase additional litterbins. This would help prevent service users discarding their litter recklessly. Why you are writing this email. In addition, I think that our hospital needs more adequate security to prevent vandals littering. In conclusion, I hope you will take my concerns seriously and I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, John Smith End your email. Patient Experience Administration Apprentice Offer solution. What you need to tell the manager to rectify the problem. 4

Heading here Emails – writing to colleagues • Read the email on the next slide and spot the mistakes. • What should not be included in a work email? literacytrust. org. uk 5

Heading here Write a list of the mistakes: literacytrust. org. uk 6

Heading here Answer these questions: Who is this email addressed to? How do we know? How should the email start? What is the email about? What makes this too informal for a work email? literacytrust. org. uk 7

Heading here Rewrite the email to make it more appropriate for work. Think about: • It is addressed to your manager • You are asking if your manager wants you to do extra work shifts over the bank holiday weekend. • You are unable to work an extra shift. How could you tell them in a formal way? • Remember to include a subject literacytrust. org. uk 8

Heading here Write your subject in this box (delete this text) Write your formal email in this box (delete this text) literacytrust. org. uk 9

Heading here Extra shifts over the bank holiday weekend Hello Mahmoud, I just wanted to inform you that I am not able to work any extra shifts over the bank holiday weekend (Monday 31 st August) as I have a family commitment. I am able to do my usual shifts for the rest of the week. Let me know if you want to discuss this further. Kind regards, Debbie literacytrust. org. uk 10

Heading here Example answer • Compare your email to the example answer on the last slide. • What are the similarities between your answer and the example answer? • Is there anything you forgot? • Have you remembered punctuation like full stops and capital letters? • Do you think you can improve the example answer? literacytrust. org. uk 11