对于每一个已经在或正要去外企工作的朋友们必定要掌握一项技能,那就是:英文邮件。
邮件格式
1
问候greeting
●不知收件人:
To whom it may concern, (敬启者)
Dear Sir or Madam,
●知性别:
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms + 姓
●知头衔/职位:
Dear Prof.(教授)/Dr.(博士)+ 姓
注意:在正式的英文邮件中,如果在知道对方职位的前提下,尽量使用“头衔+姓”的方式开场。要记得greeting后面的标点符号是逗号, 然后空一行之后才正式开始信的内容。
2
目的purpose
●在详细表述前,告知邮件重点:
I am writing to inquire…
I am writing in reference to…
I am writing to confirm/ enquire/ inform you…我写信时要确认/询问/通知你…
I am delighted to give you the detail about…我很开心能给你提供…的详情
●回信的开头可以说:
Thank you for reaching out to us regarding …
Thank you for your email…感谢你的来信…
Thank you for calling me yesterday to discuss…感谢昨天你来电讨论…
注意:特别是商务信函我们一般多使用比较书面的语言,例如上面的in reference to(一般说明已经和对方提过的事)以及regarding都是【关于】的意思,但我们应尽量避免用about这样口语的表达。
3
正文content
●一个段落一个主题,几个段落一个主旨
Attached please find the latest information on…最新消息可查看附件…
In order to achieve our sales target, we need to…为了完成我们的销售目标,我们需要…
●对方了解你写信的目的及背景,接下来就该要求对方行动,例如回信、回电话、表达意见、缴交文件等:
Could you please call me later today?
你能明天给我电话吗?
●商业信函中应注意使用书面语▶用 receive, 不用got;
●不要用缩写▶用 does not, 而不用doesn't;
●多用委婉客气的语气▶I was wondering if you could provide some more details.
●重要内容加粗,但不要全部大写▶Please review the attached documents thoroughly.
4
结尾Closing
●最后一部分通常会表示感谢或解释下一步是什么。
常用的表达有:
If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
I look forward to hearing from you.
期待你的回信。
I hope this information is helpful.
希望这些信息有用。
Please call me if you have any question.
如果你有任何问题,请给我电话。
(一般这些句子后面用句号即可,没有必要用感叹号。其他地方一般情况下也不要用感叹号)
5
落款signature
●结尾祝福语
以下词汇在正式场合及非正式场合均可使用
Sincerely, Sincerely Yours,Yours Sincerely
Regards, Best Regards
Yours, Yours Truly, Truly
Best, Best Wishes
●签名档要跟着结尾敬语后面:
Sincerely,
John SmithSales Representative,
Flooring Company
一些常用句
●请求帮忙:
At your convenience, would you please send me…最后加上Thank you for your assistance.
●寻求意见:
Our team would appreciate your insights/input on…
●期待回复:
Due to the short timeframe for this proposal, prompt reply is greatly appreciated.
●回答对方问题:
Hope this answers your question. Let me know if further detail/explanation would be helpful.
●致歉:
My sincere apology for this unfortunate situation; I will address to my team immediately.Again,please accept my most sincere apology.
●谈及……
With reference to our telephone conversation today…
As I mentioned earlier about…
As you requested…
This is in response to your email today.
●告知消息
Please be advised/ informed that…
Please note that…
We would like to inform you that…
●告知坏消息
We are sorry to inform you that…
I'm afraid I have some bad news.
●请求
We would be grateful if you could…
I would appreciate it if you could…
Would you please send us…?
●提供帮助
If you wish , we would be happy to…
Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
●提醒
I'm just writing to remind you of…
May we remind you that…?
注意事项
1
Subject Line 标题
简洁清楚的总结邮件出题的内容。
例如:
Subject line: Summary of Our Meeting with ABC Suppliers
又或是市场宣传类的邮件标题:
- Join us at the MLH Scholars Luncheon!(号召性的标题)
- 3 Tools to Simplify Your Marketing (总结式的标题)
2
Simplified Sentences
简化句子
忌用复杂的长单词或是技术术语使邮件内容累赘冗长,而是应该尽量简化邮件里的句子。但这并不代表不能使用复合句(用and, although, or等连词组合起来的句子),只要保证长句是清楚易懂的就没有问题。
例如:
原句:In 1962 , Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
简化后:Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962.
3
Who are readers?
明确读者
同事、客户还是老板?正式还是非正式?
例如:
非正式–Thanks for emailing me on 15th February.
正式–Thank you for your email dated 15th February.
非正式–Sorry, I can’t make it.
正式–I am afraid I will not be able to attend.
非正式–Can you…?
正式–I was wondering if you could….?
4
Capital letters, punctuation,
spelling and basic grammar
细节
尤其是在工作中的邮件,对于细节的注重能够看出个人本身的修养和工作的专业态度。
Capital letters 首字母大写:什么时候使用大写字母?
1. 每一句的第一个单词的第一个字母
2. 第一人称“我”
3. 人名或是头衔
4. 电影、书籍和作品等的名字
5. 月份
6. 星期
7. 季节
8. 节日
9. 国家或大洲
10. 河流、海洋、湖泊等
11. 沙漠、山地等地点名称
12. 街道、大楼或是公园等
5
Direct or indirect
直接或是不直接
美国普遍的工作邮件风格都是较直接、不是很正式的。但对于英语非母语的我们来说这样的风格不好把握,稍微弄不好还会让别人误会自己是粗鲁没有礼貌。
例如以下两种直接和非直接的用法。
Direct– I need this in half an hour.
Indirect and polite– Would it be possible to have this in half an hour?
Direct– There will be a delay
Indirect– I’m afraid there may be a slight delay.
Direct– It’s a bad idea
Indirect– To be honest, I’m not sure if that would be a good idea.
6
Be positive
积极的态度
邮件里的用词用句都能够体现个人的态度和性格,要巧妙的选用显示积极态度的词语,表现出自己在工作中的Can-do精神。
显示积极态度的词:
helpful, good question, agreed, together, useful, I will do my best, mutual, opportunity
显示负面态度的词:
busy, crisis, failure, forget it, I can’t, it’s impossible, waste, hard
7
Get feedback
请教别人的意见
向身边写作能力好、工作经验足的朋友、同事或是老师求教,请他们帮忙看看你的邮件,从而根据他们的意见改进提高。
另一个方法则是注意观察和学习其他人写的好的邮件。例如收到来自同事的、老板的或是教授的邮件,注意学习他们的用词用句然后记录下来,收为己用!