以上是英文邮件的基本结构，包括信头（Letter Head）、主体（Body of the letter)、结尾用语（Complimentary Close)以及落款签名（Signature）四个部分。
开始撰写一份正式电子邮件的标準方式是使用 "Dear 某人的名字"。然而，在非正式的电子邮件中，使用 "Hello 某人的名字"或 "Hi 某人的名字" 也是很常见的。至於称呼语之后的标点符号，这就会取决於你来自哪个国家而有所差别。举例来说，美国人和加拿大人在书写正式商业书信时会使用冒号。例如：Dear John:
（在非正式的电子邮件中，美国人有时会使用逗点。例如：Dear John,）相对地，英国人在称呼语之后不会使用任何标点符号。例如：Dear John
If you are using a formal title, such as Mr., Ms. or Dr., it must be followed by a person's last name or full name, but never simply by just his or her first name. That is, Mrs. Bolton, Ms. Bolton, Dr. Bolton and Ms. Dorothy Bolton are all correct, but Ms. Dorothy is not. Some people use only a person's first name when writing (e.g., John:). Using just a person's first name provides a sense of seriousness. However, never use just the person's last name.
如果你要使用正式的称谓，诸如 Mr.、Mrs.、Dr.，之后必须接某个人的姓氏或全名，但就是不可以接他们的名字。也就是说，Mrs. Bolton、Ms. Bolton、Ms. Dorothy Bolton都是正确的，但Ms. Dorothy 就是错的。有些人写信时只会写出他人的名字。只写他人的名字给人一种严肃的感觉。然而，绝不要只写一个人的姓氏。
一旦你已正确键入了称呼语，你就準备开始撰写该封电子邮件的内容了。一种替书信往来开头的普遍方式就是陈述你写信的原因。下面列出了一些这类的常见用语：
Another common way to begin an e-mail is to mention a specific item or previous event that the person you are writing to is familiar with. For example:另一种替电子邮件开头的方式则是提及某特定事项，或是你的信件收信者所熟悉的先前事件。
If you are responding to an e-mail that was sent to you, you can begin by expressing a sense of appreciation and warmth.
如果你在回覆一封寄给你的电子邮件，你可以先表达一种感激和温暖的感觉。
Regarding closings, the most common are Sincerely, Yours truly, Best regards, and Regards. Other less used endings include Yours faithfully and Warm(est) / Kind regards, while Cheers is frequently used for very informal messages.
关於结尾辞，最常见的就是Sincerely（敬上）、Yours truly（敬上）、Best regards （顺颂安祺）、Regards（祝安好）。其他较少用到的结尾辞包括了 Yours faithfully （敬上）、Warm(est) / Kind regards（祝安好），而在极非正式的信件中最后常会用到 Cheers（再见）。
Before using these endings, however, it's also convenient to wrap up the content of your letter by using one of the following expressions:
然而，在使用这些结尾辞之前，使用下列这些用语来总结信件内容也是很方便的：
2. Key Expressions Commonly Used in the Body of E-
mails 常用於电子邮件主体中的关键用语
Your choice of which phrases to use in the body of your e-mail depends largely on your purpose for writing. This book contains 50 units designed to cover the majority of scenarios most people face in the business world. Below you will also find some more general expressions that are useful in everyday situations.
在你电子邮件主体当中用语的选择大部分取决於写作的目的。以下是一些你会更常见的一般用语，这些用语在日常情况中非常管用。
Giving Good and Bad News 告知好消息和坏消息
Making Requests 提出请求
Offering Help 提供协助
Indicating If You Can Comply or Not 说明是否能遵守指示
3. Dealing with Attachments 处理附件
When attaching files to your e-mail, it's necessary to make reference to it in the content of your correspondence. Here are some simple phrases you can use to do that.
当你把档案附夹到电子邮件上时，你有必要在书信内容裡提到那个附件。这裡有些用语你可以使用。
4. The Tone of the E-mail: Formal or Informal?
电子邮件的口吻：正式还是非正式？
In the business world, a lot of correspondence－especially to clients－is formal. Formality is largely achieved in several ways, such as using titles (Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.), using polite language and avoiding the use of too many contractions. How do you achieve politeness in a letter or an e-mail? Compare the following sentences:
在职场上，许多书信往来都是正式的──与客户的通信尤是如此。正式礼节大多透过一些方式就可达到，诸如使用头衔称呼（Mr., Mrs., Dr., 等等）、使用礼貌用语及避免使用太多的缩写形。你要如何在信件上或是电子邮件上表现得有礼貌？比较以下的句子：
Although formality is common in business, there are numerous situations when you want to be informal in e-mails (in some cases, being overly formal can be seen as being unfriendly). When seeking casualness, it's useful to be more direct; however, don't forget to still be polite – you just don't need to be over-polite. One method is to use more contractions. As well, abbreviations, which are discussed in the next section, are another way of gaining informality.
虽然在商场上正式的情况较常见，还是有许多情况下你会想在电子邮件中表达非正式的感觉。（某些情况中，过度正式会被视為不友善。）想要随性时，直接一点会有帮助，然而，别忘了还是要有礼貌──就是不需要太礼貌。一个方法就是多用缩写形。同样，下一段要讨论的缩写字也能提供非正式的感觉。
5. Acronyms & Abbreviations 缩写字
AGM – annual general meeting 股东週年大会
Our AGM is scheduled to take place in March.
我们的股东週年大会预计於 3 月举行。
ASAP – as soon aspossible 尽快
I need that report finished ASAP, please.
拜託，我需要这份报告尽早完成。
BTW – by the way 顺道一提
BTW, did you get my invitation to the party?
附带一提，你收到了我那场派对的邀请函吗？
B2B – business to business 企业对企业
The company only does B2B.
这家公司只做企业对企业的生意。
B2C – business to customer 企业对顾客
Our B2C business is increasing.
我们企业对消费者的业务在增加中。
CC – carbon copy 副本
Could you please cc Joanne on this?
请你把这个副本一份给乔安好吗？
CRM – customer relationship management 客户关係管理
Ask Jim – he really knows a lot about CRM.
问看看吉姆，他真的对客户关係管理懂很多。
DIY – do it yourself 自己动手做
I went to a DIY store over the weekend.
上週未我去了一趟自己动手的商店。
FAQ – frequently asked questions 常见问题
Check out our FAQ page for more information.
查询我们的『常见问题』那一页以获得更多资讯。
FYI – for your information 供你参考
FYI, Mary is now in charge of that project.
供你参考，玛丽现在正负责这个专案。
KPI – key performance indicators 关键业绩指标
Make sure to check the KPI.
请务必查看关键业绩指标。
LOL – laughing out loud (*slang used when making a joke; used for very,very informal e-mails) 放声大笑（生活常用俚语，用在极不正式的电子邮件中）
I can't believe you said that. LOL!
我不敢相信你说了那话。笑死我了！
GM – general manager 总经理
The GM has called an important meeting for Thursday at 2 p.m.
总经理召集了一场重要的会议，时间是在星期四下午两点。
NA (N/A) – not applicable or not available 不适用或不提供
Sorry, these items are NA right now, Joe.
抱歉，阿乔，这些商品我们暂不提供。
PR – public relations 公共关係
Henry works for a big PR firm in Chicago.
亨利任职於芝加哥某大型公关公司。
Q&A – question and answer 问与答
There will be a Q&A session after the speech.
那段演讲后，会有段常见问答说明会。
Re – in reference to 关於
Re the conference in May, there is still a lot to be done.
关於 5 月的那场研讨会，还有很多工作要做。
R&D – research and development 研究与开发
That company spends a lot on R & D.
那家公司在研发上花了很多钱。
ROI – return on investment 投资回报率
The investors are looking for ways to increase their ROI.
那些投资客正在寻找能够增加投资回报率的方式。
RSVP – réspondez s'il vous plaît (French for "please respond") 敬请赐复（法语的答复）
Please RSVP by October 13.
请在 10 月13 日前答复。
TBA – to be announced 即将公佈
The date of the meeting is still TBA.
本次会议的日期即将公佈。
VIP – very important person 贵宾
We've got a few VIPs coming to the office tomorrow.
明天我们会有一些贵宾来公司。
6. Comparison of an E-mail to a Formal Written Letter
电子邮件和正式书写信件的比较
留学套磁
奇怪的语气
英文当中文讲
很多咱中国童鞋写的邮件都是拿中文里的语气直接翻译过来的，写在英文里就很奇怪。举个例子：
I applied for the Summer Analyst position at your company's New York office and still haven’t gotten any notice from you. Your company has been my dream employer for years,so it would be a pity if I didn’t have a chance to interview with your company.
小编读到这儿就乐了，立刻能脑补一个画面：一个中国童鞋一脸虔诚的说“我真的特别喜欢你们公司，如果没能跟你们公司面试真的是太遗憾了!”这话中文听着多有诚意啊，但直接翻译成英文就觉得超级无敌囧。如果你想表达相似的意思，不妨试试这么说：
I wanted to follow-up with you because I have not yet heard back regarding my application status. Your company is my first choice, so I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to interview with your team.
这样说比较符合美国的书面邮件说法，而且显得很淡定。下次记得用用看。
命令的语气
很多同学在邮件里附上自己简历之后会扔一句“Please review my resume”，感觉跟大老板扔了一沓儿材料在小编脸上似的。下次咱换个客气一点的语气好吗?比如这样：
I would greatly appreciate any advice you have on refining my resume for opportunities in this field.
还经常看到有童鞋这样写：
“I can’t thank you enough for your mentorship and guidance. Let’s stay in touch!”脑补的画面就是被领导拍着肩说’年轻人以后跟哥混啊!’换成这样说是不是好很多：
Thanks again for your mentorship and guidance. I’ll be sure to keep you apprised of any developments on my end, and I look forward to staying in touch.
那些要命的语法错误
这里说的都不是什么虚拟语气啊那些高深的，而是最最最普通的语法错误，拎个小学生过来都能挑出来一箩筐那种。先别狡辩，咱们一起来看个例子，截自一封小编收到的真实的学生来信：
Hi Hong:
I found your contact information from alumni directory.
Please allow me introducing myself firstly. My name is XXX, MSF student from University of YYY. I will graduate from my Master degree from University of YYY with major in Finance. I`m seeking forentry-level position in finance industry. May I know whether your company has opening positions or has plan to recruit in your group?
Thanks for your time. I`m looking forward to hear from you soon.
咋一看觉得还行啊，没那么糟啊，明白他什么意思，也挺言简意赅的。
小编可以很负责任的告诉你，大多数美国的HR或者职场人收到这封邮件的人都会直接忽略的。原因就是那些无谓的语法错误。
第一句话就直接吐血了。首先，先不说这句话有没有必要说，正确的语法应该是：Please allow me to introduce myself first.
有同学不好意思的挠挠头，托福，GRE，GMAT都是好几年前考的了，语法早还给老师了，allow somebody是to do还是doing确实不太记得了。
理解。给你介绍一位随叫随到的语法老师：Google。
如果你去google一下，你就会发现“please allow me introducing myself”是完全搜不到任何结果的!反而能搜到不少“please allow me to introduce myself”这个正确的说法。所以说查错真的有这么难吗?没有，只是你懒!
关于这第一句话，再啰嗦一句。这句话完全可以删去，不用跟说评书似的先来句‘上回说到!’，直接从My name is XXX开始一点问题都没有。
咱们继续往下看。下一句话，额，MSF student前面少了个a。而且小编再说一句，专业这种缩写建议大家尽量避免，人家哪知道MSF是啥意思啊。你可以写成‘a graduate student in the Master in Finance program at University of YYY."
下一句和下下句的错误都是可以在google一查就查出来的。“with major in Finance”应该改成“majoring in Finance”。再下一句中“I`m seeking for entry-level position in finance industry”应该改成“I am seeking(没有for)an entry-level position in the finance industry." 而且，这句话有些突兀了，尤其在和不认识的联系人第一次邮件，尽量避免提job, internship, position这些比较扎眼敏感的词。你可以用更婉转的方式来表达，比如“ I am looking for entry-level opportunities to start my career in the finance industry"。这就好像你单身，你可以说你是悲催的单身狗，也可以跟人家说你正在期待下一次的缘分。一个意思，不同境界。
最后一句话是最经典的错误了!10个童鞋有9个半都犯过!Look forward to DOING sth. Look forward to DOING sth. Look forward to DOING sth.重要的事情说三遍。还有同学经常写成 I am look forward to do sth.，无力吐槽。这句话可不能再错了啊!!
好多童鞋觉得这些都是小事，不就是少了个a，to do换成doing，怎么那么矫情，能看懂意思不就完了吗。对于求职来讲，只要简历满足要求，不会有人在意这些小细节的。有可能你是对的，如果你是某个领域的学术大牛某种程序只有你会写换别人都不行的话，人家也就忍了。但如果你和绝大多数学生一样没有让人瞠目结舌的成就和经历，劝你还是老老实实仔仔细细查个百八十遍再发。多数HR或者职场人士看到这个档次的邮件就直接pass了，简历都不会打开看一眼的。这么短一封邮件，你完全可以查到100%无错误再发。你对自己求职都这么不上心，我怎么指望你给我工作更上心?
上来先问个好会死吗?
如果你和你的联系人不是第一次发邮件了，美国人习惯在邮件开头的时候加一两句问候的话，就好像寒暄一下。小编有时收到2-3个月前联系过一次的同学的邮件，标题就是一两个词，比如Question，或者Hello，上来连句好都不问，直接开门见山第一句就是I have a question about your company.....看的小编一愣一愣的，真心不想回这种邮件，感觉欠他/她的似的。
如果之前联系过，尽量把上一次联系的邮件翻出来，接着那封邮件写，这样别人即使一时没反应过来你是谁，看到之前的历史记录也会想起来。上来也不要开门见山，虽然联系过算是‘认识了’，但人家真的没跟你这么熟，而且人家回过你也不代表人家就有义务次次回你。可以来一句简单的问候，比如How are you doing?或者Hope all is well.之类的。如果刚过节假日也可以写一句Hope you had a great holiday and New Year.让人觉得有点人性。
请端住你的Professional范儿
好多女生写邮件很可爱，会很激烈的表达自己很激动的心情，比如会写什么“I feel so lucky to find you to talk! I have hope again!!!…“一堆感叹号看的人三滴汗。其实完全可以淡定的写成I am excited to connect with you就足够表达你的心情了。感叹号也尽量少用，用多了感觉你还是个热血少年，不是职场中人。
再有就是一定要避免用^^ T_T或者~~之类的聊天经常用的表情。如果写给朋友倒没什么大问题。如果你是写给职场上的人，这些都是挺不专业的，让人觉得你不够成熟。
邮件写成小说了
给职场中人写英文邮件(尤其是为了找工作找实习跟素未谋面的人联系)，切忌太长。对于求职邮件(比如networking发给校友的邮件)这里给大家一个准则：如果你的邮件多于10句话，你就不要发了。人家本来就不认识你，如果20秒读不完你的邮件，不知道你到底要干嘛，就直接pass了，毕竟大家都很忙。在求职中很多同学把cover letter当networking邮件发，三大段儿，跟生平似的，把简历里的内容重复一遍，一点额外信息都没有，这又是何必呢?你应该说一些简历里说不出来的，比如为什么想联系对方，为什么对这家公司感兴趣。
邮件Networking别同时脚踩N只船
最后讲讲networking发邮件的策略。如果你在Linkedin找到同一家公司的好几个联系人，最忌讳的是同时搭讪所有人，尤其如果他们是同一个组的。小编曾经在Linkedin上被一个校友师弟联系，于是加了Linkedin好友。当天同组的2个同事突然都向小编询问这个学生，问小编认不认识，大家最后问一圈发现他同时联系了不下10个人。顿时都有种受伤的感觉。如果你想在同一家公司多认识些人，不如先选最有可能理你的一两个人下手，比如级别不要太高的(人家可能很忙根本没空搭理你)，或者Linkedin上相对活跃的，然后和这些人见面之后，让他们介绍更多同公司的同事给你认识，这样比脚踩N只船要诚恳的多。
摆平心态
小编最后想说，对于networking邮件，就算你写的再完美也不会有100%的回复率。对方忙起来真的没空回复，也是经常有的事情，所以小编觉得在发邮件前调整心理预期很重要。小编觉得一个比较合理的回复率是5%。所以如果你只发过1-2封，人家没有回，不要回家哭天抢地说老天负你，多半是因为你做的还不够，要继续发。但是如果你的邮件过硬，你又努力广撒网，一定会有回复的。
如何真正提高英文邮件写作能力?
以上列举的都是小编亲眼所见的中国童鞋最常犯的错误。小编觉得在求职中，迅速提高邮件写作最好的方法是找networking邮件的模板，这个随便google一下都会出很多，就不在这里赘述了。多读一些模板，找出那些自己觉得好的，组成自己的模板，让Career Service或者外国同学帮忙修改，改好就可以一直用了。
如果想切实提高整体英文邮件写作能力，最好的方式还是多找能和外国人写邮件的机会。比如如果你在外国读书，最好的学习方式是找个校内工作，或者找个实习，看公司同事的邮件都是怎么写的;如果你在国内的外企工作，可以多学习美国同事的邮件写作，然后慢慢积攒，把你看到的地道的用法应用在你自己的邮件里。
“Hey! Super sorry to bother you, I was just wondering if you would be okay with….”
You know how the rest goes. Nobody ever teaches you how to send emails, but somehow we all write the same things. Why is that? It’s because we as womxn have adapted to write in a way that we hope will be perceived as “nice” or “polite.”
The problem is, being nice does not have to mean writing in a way that undermines your ideas before you even get the chance to share them. Tropes about womxn painting themselves as reactionary have forced us to be subconsciously vigilant about our perception, especially through writing, because it’s easy for our tones to be misinterpreted.
That being said, why can a man disagree with something and it’s seen as a “good point,” but when a womxn does the same thing it’s abrasive? Below is a short list of phrases you need to unlearn from your email vocabulary (and some you should add) to make sure you are getting your points heard.
“JUST”
When you say “just,” you are trying to minimize your actions, which not only makes you come across as less serious, but can be interpreted as you having something to apologize for. If you are “just checking in” on someone’s progress, you have nothing to be sorry for. Check in and own it!
Tip: Cut out the word “just.” It can be tough to catch because it’s a filler like…well, “like,” but your emails will feel significantly more direct and confident with this quick change.
“LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!”
This one comes across as a need for validation from the other party. If they have criticism or commentary then you can expect them to share that with you without explicitly asking for it. Usually we add this phrase to make an email seem nicer, but you have every right to unapologetically share your ideas without creating a contingency on another person’s approval.
Tip: Share your idea and maybe say you look forward to discussing it further, but otherwise this is another phrase to completely leave out if you can.
“SORRY TO BOTHER YOU”
Stop! Apologizing! You have probably already heard ibefore that we as a culture overuse the word sorry, but this phrase here is a deadly combination that we are almost all guilty of using. Chances are that if you’re emailing someone, you have every right to be conversing with them, whether it be a professor, a boss or a peer. So for starters you aren’t bothering anyone, you are engaging in a discussion.
As difficult as it may be in a society that expects us womxn to feel sorry for merely existing, we need to stop expressing that in emails because it opens the door for other parties to speak over us and not give our valuable opinions as much attention as they deserve.
Tip: A great piece of advice I’ve heard for cutting out apologies is turning them into thanks whenever you can. Instead of “sorry to bother you,” try saying, “Thank you for taking a look at my essay.” Thanking someone carries more value and allows you to come across as respectful without weakening their perception of you.
“DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?”
If they don’t know what you mean then they can follow up with you. When you ask someone if they know what you mean, you are stating that your idea is inherently hard to understand or poorly phrased at some fault of your own.
The truth is, it is likely that you are perfectly eloquent and do not need to prepare for the chance that someone doesn’t understand. Like the statements above, this one just creates an expectation in the reader’s mind that what you have to say is less valuable.
Tip: Wait until someone expresses that they need clarification, and then address it at that point by offering to follow up with them.
“!!!” “:)” “I’D LOVE TO!”
PHOTO BY AUSTIN DISTEL FROM UNSPLASH
If I were to take a guess I’d say that we are all the most guilty of this one. In the age of “hey girly!” speak, adding these to our texts, emails, and Instagram comments is the norm.
That being said, you do not have to bring it into your professional conversations. These phrases are used to compensate for the fact that women who are stern are perceived as demanding, emotional, or my least favorite “b!tchy.”
In a world where congressmen are calling Alexandria Ocasio Cortez “the B-word” on the stairs of Congress, it’s understandable that womxn may feel intimidated by the way we are perceived by men. However, it is extremely important that we harness our inner AOC and stop adapting our language to make men feel comfortable.
Try: Limit your exclamation points. If you see more of them than periods on a page you’re probably overdoing it. Remove modifiers like “love/happy/glad” to make statements like “I will follow up with her.” There’s nothing to feel guilty about when you make a statement without adding an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm to it.
As for smiley faces, keep them for the gram or candid interactions with friends.
LEARN TO SAY “NO”
Look, I’m not saying you should start turning down opportunities left and right. But it can be really easy to overcommit yourself as a womxn because you may feel like you need to work harder than a man for the same level of recognition, or because you’re scared to say no. Learn the difference between an opportunity and being taken advantage of when taking on additional tasks for school or work.
Tip: You don’t have to explain yourself for saying no. If you are compromising your mental health, your time with friends/family or other commitments by taking on an additional task, that is a perfectly valid reason to say no.
GET COMFORTABLE WITH DISAGREEING
We have all been there in class sharing commentary when a dude abruptly stops you in the middle of your sentence to begin speaking his mind, consequently telling everyone how little your opinion is valued by him. It’s why we write the way that we do!
Tip: To combat this behavior, we need to start feeling comfortable with disagreeing. It can be exhausting taking on the responsibility for resolving problems created by the patriarchy, but gaining the confidence to respectfully disagree with someone else will allow you to set the tone for your expectations in future engagements.
YOU CAN SAY, “THAT MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE”
This one may come across as obvious, but it is one of the most important phrases to feel confident utilizing, especially in professional settings. You do not owe men (or anyone) the comfort of making inappropriate comments or jokes about your appearance, another womxn’s body or sensitive topics such as the wage gap.
This goes for any marginalized group, too. If your reaction to someone’s disrespectful commentary makes them uncomfortable, you have done nothing wrong.
Tip: While telling a person that you don’t approve of what they said is easy advice to give, approach the situation and handle it in the safest way possible, whether that be refraining from laughter, confronting the individual or removing yourself from the situation entirely.
While it might be nerve-wracking to send someone a direct email, think of it as your own little act of civil disobedience against the unspoken rules of the patriarchy. By making small changes to the way you speak, you establish your confidence, boundaries and expectations, which can enact great change within your professional circles.
就让我们以一封邀请函范文来结束今天的学习吧！
