If you know you're going to be out of the office for a while, it's helpful to set up an email auto-responder letting people know that you won't be able to answer them immediately.
Over the last few years, there's been a big change in how people communicate within and outside their companies. In the past, letters and memos were used more frequently, and there were standard ways of starting and ending them. But nowadays, people use emails in all but the most formal situations, and there are a number of ways to start the email. In many cases, you can copy the sender and use the same greeting, but if you are the one to write first, here are some possible greetings.
February 12th 2008 |
Writing skills
You need to be careful to sound polite and diplomatic when you write to people with high status, such as your boss or a client. Make sure you use the correct verb forms to avoid sounding too direct. Here are some tips for writing politely.
February 5th 2008 |
Writing skills
It's important to achieve the right tone when you write. If you sound angry, impatient, or even over-formal, you risk alienating your reader. Although most native speakers of English will understand mistakes of grammar or vocabulary, they are less likely to feel positive towards someone who has, even unintentionally, given the wrong impression.
January 15th 2008 |
Writing skills
UK businesses generally send out a Christmas and New Year card to their customers and suppliers. Cards are very often a gesture of goodwill, although they also serve to thank people for previous business and as a means of keeping the company's name "active" in customers' minds. But what should you write in the card to make sure you're not causing offence - especially if the recipient doesn't celebrate Christmas or if he / she has a different religion?
December 10th 2007 |
Writing skills
Make sure your writing is clear in directions and instructions, so that there is no chance your reader will misunderstand you.
November 22nd 2007 |
Writing skills
According to an annual survey, the following skills are essential for British employers:
What should you write when you accept or decline a written invitation? The phrases you use depend on the formality of the invitation.
November 13th 2007 |
Writing skills
One of the most difficult things about writing English is knowing how to adapt your writing for formal or informal situations. Some situations (such as applying for a job, communicating with an important client, requesting action from a boss, etc) are likely to be formal, whereas others (such as emailing a friend or colleague) are more likely to be informal. The real problem in writing English is knowing what words or phrases to use. Certain words and phrases can sound either formal or informal, and if you choose the wrong word, your reader may think you are being either too friendly or too formal.
If you were sending out a mass promotional mailing in your own language, would you check what you wrote? Would you maybe get someone else to read it as well - just to make sure there were no errors?
October 24th 2007 |
Writing skills
