Business and Email Writing
Clear, polite messages get results.
About this topic
Clear, professional messages get results. For emails: use a specific subject line, an appropriate greeting (Dear Ms Lee,), state your purpose in the first lines, keep paragraphs short, be polite and concise, and finish with a closing and your name. Include any required action and deadline. Check tone, spelling and attachments before sending.
Formal letters follow a set layout: sender's address, date, recipient's address, salutation, body, complimentary close (Yours sincerely if you know the name, Yours faithfully if you do not) and signature. Business writing values the reader's time, so use plain words, short sentences and, where useful, headings or numbered steps. Avoid slang, emoticons and unnecessary capitals. Reply promptly and keep a professional tone even when upset.
Worked example: a student asking for work experience might write the subject "Work experience request: Year 10 student", introduce themselves in one line, say what they are seeking and for which dates, offer a CV and thank the reader. The whole message is under 150 words.
Common mistakes include vague subject lines, long rambling messages, replying to all when unnecessary, and a casual tone toward people you do not know. Remember that emails can be forwarded and kept permanently, so never write what you would not want others to read. Proofread twice, and add the attachment before writing the last line.
Key ideas
- Subject line and greeting
- Short paragraphs
- Call to action
Quick check
Use cases: where Business and Email Writing helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Business and Email Writing before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Business and Email Writing without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Business and Email Writing changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Business and Email Writing in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Strong reading and writing are needed in every subject, job and exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is Business and Email Writing?
Clear, polite messages get results.
What will I learn in Business and Email Writing?
Subject line and greeting. Short paragraphs. Call to action.
Is Business and Email Writing part of English?
Yes. It is one of 60 English topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Business and Email Writing lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Business and Email Writing?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.