What to do instead: Keep it concise and focus on the matter at hand. But it’s really hard to read and I’m not going to read the whole thing,” says Kat Boogaard, a Wisconsin-based freelance writer. And I understand why they do that-so you have enough detail. “I get a ton of that are just these huge blocks of text. And if you add hard-to-follow sentences or mixed messages, to your draft, you’re even less likely to get a satisfactory response. Would you read an email that was 1,000 words long? Probably not-most people skim emails that are on the long side. That way, you’ll be better understood and your brilliance can shine through.
What to do instead: State your idea or opinion, then explain the “why” behind your reasoning. And if you’re worried about coming off as impolite, don’t be: Contrary to popular belief, hedging language makes you sound less confident, which can ultimately undermine your writing. Grammarly users know that when it comes to hedging, it’s better to omit it than leave it in, especially in emails. That’s because it can help you save time and avoid miscommunication, confusion, and even legal trouble.
What to do instead: While the Oxford comma may not be suitable in certain contexts, it’s usually a good idea to use them in emails. If omitting a comma could lead to confusion or misinterpretation, then use the comma. So as a reminder, the Stylebook doesn’t prohibit all Oxford commas. We also believe in the value of compromise. Just like a healthy marriage, AP style calls for clear communication. But leaving them out can lead to confusion, depending on the sentence. Either way, a lot of people have strong opinions about it.
The Oxford comma can be somewhat polarizing when thinking about how to write a proper email, depending on which style guide is utilized for professional communications in your industry -it’s usually either shunned or hailed as a tool for clarification. Just as every email is an opportunity for professional growth, there’s also the potential to fall into common email writing bad habits. You can add any word to your Personal Dictionary.Ĭommon email writing mistakes (and what to do instead) On the other hand, common closings like “love,” “ sent from iphone,” or “thx,” may be best left unused in professional emails. You’ll want to choose a closing that feels genuine to your personality and tailor it to the relationship to ensure an appropriate level of professionalism. And there are plenty of options to choose from.įor example, here are 12 common, and professional, closings that Grammarly users chose on a given day: Just as you want to start things off on the right foot with your greeting, you also want to part well. You want to keep it between three, four, or five lines of text,” says Schafer. If you can, boil it down to a few choice sentences.Īnd for emails that require more length and detail, keep it as focused as you can. That way, people will be more inclined to read it, rather than skimming it and risking missing critical information. The body of an email is the meat of your message, and it must have a clear and specific purpose, such as getting feedback on a presentation or arranging a meeting with a new client. Though it may initially feel like a faux pas, it signals a better professional rapport.
The exception: When you’re on an email chain with close colleagues, it often becomes more natural to drop the opener (as well as the closing). In most email writing situations, you’ll want to include a quick greeting to acknowledge the reader before diving into your main message or request. “Spend double the amount of time crafting the right subject line as you do on the because if they don’t open the email, it doesn’t matter,” says Cole Schafer, founder and copy chief of Honey Copy. On the other hand, a poorly crafted or generic subject line (like “Hi” or “You don’t wAnt to miss thos”) can deter the reader and result in your email landing in the spam folder. But if you’re cold-emailing someone, or just establishing a professional relationship, your subject line can entice people to open the message as well as set expectations about what’s enclosed. The subject line could be the most important part of the email, though it’s often overlooked in favor of the email body. But as with every written form of professional communication, there’s a right way to do it and standards that should be followed. Every email you write has the same basic structure: Subject line, greeting, email body, and closing.