How to Write an Email? Formal email and Informal email

These days email is in trend, people use this mode of communication the most and so you need to know how to write an email.

What is email? Information about email

Email stands for electronic mail. It is a mail which is sent through an electronic medium that can be your computer, laptop, PC or it could be a mobile phone. Email is a better way of communication in comparison to SMS. In an email, you can also send an attachment and it can be a lengthy email in which you have to describe something.

What is email used for? Advantages of Email

The important thing about email is that it is the most preferred means of communication. Email is very popular and is much in use and so we need to know how to write an email.

Email is cheaper and faster that is why email is very popular. It does not cost anything you just need an Internet connection and an electronic device through which you can send an email. We can also say that email is the quickest way to communicate in writing. Instantly, as you send the email, the receiver gets it and so it is very quick. That is why it is fast and it has become very popular.

Types of emails, Formal email and Informal email

There are two types of emails the first one is a formal email and the second one is an informal email.

A formal email is an email sent to companies, government departments, officers, school, teacher or your principal. Informal email is sent to your family, your relatives or your friends. Basically both these emails are different due to the format that they have, the type of language that you used in them.

In a formal email, you have to follow the typical format for an email. You have to use formal language. You cannot use any short forms, nicknames, abbreviations or slang language. In an informal email to your family, relatives or friends or within your organization, you can write informal language because all the people in the organization are known to each other. In an informal email you can use slang language, short forms and is not very important for you to follow the format of the letter.

This is the main difference between these types of emails.

The format of an email

Formal email format

The format of an email is very important when you are writing a formal email.

1.To/Recipients: Refers to the email address of the recipient of the email

2. Subject: Refers to the main subject or reason for writing the email

Tips for writing a subject

  • Subject should be brief
  • It should give a clue to the content of the message. It should give an idea about what you will be writing in the mail.
  • The subject may not be a complete sentence. You can just right what you are going to elaborate in the mail.

3. Salutation: Salutation in a formal mail can be “Sir”, “Madam” or it can be “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madam”.

4. Body  of the email

Introduction: In the first paragraph we give the introduction. It has to be very brief, you don’t have to write a lengthy email. You will introduce yourself and give a brief line about the topic for which you are writing the email.

Matter in detail: In the next paragraph you will detail the matter.

Conclude: Finally, you will give a conclusion to your email.

5. Courteous leave-taking and closing

Next important thing in an email is courteous leave-taking and closing. It could be “Regards”, “Thank You”, “ Yours sincerely”, anything. After that name, designation and contact details of the sender.

Designation: Position you are holding in the company on behalf of which you are writing the email.

Contact Details: Mobile number, address or email ID.

Informal email format

In an informal email, you can leave out the “courteous leave-taking and closing” because you already know the person to whom you are writing the mail. It could be for your family, friends, and relatives. So you don’t need to follow this format precisely.

Let’s take a look at examples of formal and informal email, so you can have a comparison.

Example of email writing, formal email Sample
Example of email writing, formal email Sample
Example of email writing, informal email Sample
Example of email writing, informal email Sample