About formal and informal
Read the following table about formal and informal e-mails:
FORMAL E-MAILS | INFORMAL E-MAILS |
They start with "Dear Mr./Ms." if we know the name of the person that receives the letter. |
..... |
They start with "Dear Sir/Madam" if we don´t know the name of the person. | They can start with "Dear..." or "Hello"... or "Hi"... |
They finish with a greeting, like "Yours sincerely", if you know the name of the person that receives the letter. | You can end them by saying "All the best", "Best wishes", "Best", "Take care", or a similar greeting. |
They finish with "Yours faithfully" if you don't know the name of the person. | ...... |
You should not use contractions. | You can use contractions. |
You should not use direct questions, but indirect questions. | You can write direct questions. |
You should not use dramatic punctuation like exclamation marks. | You can use exclamation marks. |
You cannot omit pronouns. | You can omit pronouns: "Hope to see you soon". |
You end your e-mail by saying "I look forward to your reply". | You may end your e-mail in many different ways, such as "I am looking forward to your answer", "Hope you answer soon", etc. |