CrCrCross
How to Write Professional English Emails
如何寫出更漂亮的英文郵件
Principals:
原則：
1. Who Is Your Reader? 寫給誰看？
First of all, think of who your reader is before you write the email. Professional emailsusually have a neutral tone; bad grammar and an over-friendly style will not beacceptable. Note the difference between Informal and Formal.
在寫郵件前的第一件事！想想這封郵件是寫給誰看的。專業的郵件一般採取中立的語氣；糟糕語法或過分客氣都是不可取的。請注意正式語氣和非正式語氣之間的區別。
Examples:
Informal– Thanks for the email. / Yes, I got your email.
Formal– Thank you for your email received 15 February.
Informal– Sorry, I can’t make it.
Formal– I am afraid I will not be able to attend.
Informal– Can you…?
Formal– I was wondering if you could….?
2. Be Polite! 要有禮貌！
You can be direct, but always have to be polite. Your reader might find your directness rude and sometimes offensive, especially when you are writing in another language. But by adjusting your tone, you are more likely to get a more positive response from your reader.
你可以直截了當，但是任何時候都要保持禮貌。收到這封郵件的人可能會覺得你的直接是粗魯的，有時甚至是冒犯的，尤其是當你用非母語寫作的時候。但是通過調整你的語氣和態度，你更有可能從收信人那裡得到積極的回應。
Examples:
Direct– I need this in half an hour.
Indirectand polite – Would it be possible to have this in half an hour?
Direct– There will be a delay.
Indirect– I’m afraid there will be a slight delay.
Direct– It’s a bad idea.
Indirect– To be honest, I’m not sure it would be a good idea.
Note: Don’t copy the slang language from those American movies! Be educated!
注意：不要學那些美國電影中的俚語行話！顯出你的良好教育背景。
3. Be Positive! 要積極向上！
Your email is the image you create about yourself. The words you use show your attitude to life, so choose your words wisely. Deliver the positive messages to your reader if you would like the positive in return.
你的郵件是你為自己創造的形象。你所使用的語言文字反映了你對生活的態度，所以在選詞造句式要聰明些。如果你想從郵件接收者那裡得到積極的回應的話，就首先要傳達積極的信息給他們。
Examples:
Positive: helpful, good question, agreed, together, useful, I』d be delighted, mutual, hope,benefit, opportunity, excited, happy…
Negative: busy, crisis, failure, forget it, I can’t, it’s impossible, waste, hard, difficult, reject, refuse, bad, poor…
4. Re-Check the Grammar 再三檢查語法
Give yourself time to check your email; Re-read and edit what you』ve written before you click the Send button. Be very careful of basic grammar, spelling, capitalletters, punctuation, expression and tone. A mistake could causemisunderstanding, be embarrassing, or even offensive.
給自己留些時間去檢查下寫好的郵件；在發送之前反覆閱讀和編輯郵件。仔細檢查基本語法、拼寫、大寫字母、標點符號、表達和語氣等。一個小小的錯誤都可能導致誤解、尷尬、甚至冒犯。
Tips: KISS principal
小貼士：KISS原則
Use the KISS Test – Keep It Short and Simple. Use short and easy sentences. Long sentences can often be difficult to read and understand. Don’t try to translate directly from your own language. This can often lead to confusing sentences.
謹記KISS（保持簡短）原則，使用短句子和簡單句。長語句比較難懂也不好理解。永遠不要先寫好中文，再把內容翻譯成英文發過去，這樣只會導致一些不明就裡的語句。
5. Make it Roll 一來一回，鼓勵反饋
Try to get some feedback on the emails that you write. Encourage your reader to write back of your email. This is how the communication starts.
But don’t bother the employer or the foreign IAESTE too much!
試著為你的郵件爭取反饋，鼓勵你的郵件接收者回信給你。這是交流的開始。但是不要過分打擾僱主或者對方愛因斯特。
Structure:
結構：
1. Subject Line 郵件主題
Always have a subject line that summarizes briefly and clearly the contents of the message.
一定要有清晰明確地總結出郵件內容的主題。
If you are replying an email discussing the same topic, better always start by following all the previous emails. Don’t need to change the subject. This would help to sort your emails and solve your problems in the future.
如果是同一個主題，你在繼續追蹤回復，就不需要更改主題，直接回復並把之前所有的相關記錄附上。這有助於你日後整理郵件和處理問題。
Note: cc your emails to your team member is very helpful. Eg. Chinese IAESTE applicants can cc to IAESTE China and their IAESTE host countries.
注意：把郵件抄送給你的團隊其他人非常重要。比如愛因斯特實習生寫郵件時抄送給愛因斯特中國和愛因斯特實習國。
2. Appropriate Salutation 對方稱呼
Don’t forget the salutation of your receiver in proper way. You can start with 「Dear Mr./Ms./Prof./Dr. [Full Name]」 to senior people in high position. If in doubt, "Dear [First Name]" will usually work just fine.
郵件以對方合適的稱謂開頭。對方如果地位或資歷較高，你可以寫「親愛的xx（全名）先生/小姐/教授/博士」。如果不是很確定的話，通常就用「親愛的xx（名）」即可。
Check the name carefully before write down, don’t make a typo. Don’t forget the comma following the name.
在寫下名字前要仔細檢查，不要有拼寫錯誤。（尤其是非英語國人名！）不要忘了名字後面要加逗號。
3. Warm-Up 寒暄問候
Warm up your email by greetings or expressing your thanks, and self-introduction necessary if it is the first email you write to the receiver.
接下來一般要寒暄問候或者表達感謝來暖場。如果是你給對方寫的第一封郵件，不要忘記做個自我介紹。
Examples:
This is Zhang San, IAESTE exchange student from China. I’m the intern student forthe company XXX with the offer number XXX. Nice to meet you.
Thank you for contacting me/ providing so much useful information /your prompt reply/getting back to me/ your feedback…
4. Email body: Get Straight to the Point 意願清晰明了
Explain why you write the email, or report the updates of the issue you both concern, or state the information you want to confirm, or raise questions you ask for help or clarify CLEARLY.
郵件正文用來解釋你寫這封郵件的用意，告知對方你們共同關心事情的最新情況，陳述你先要和對方確認的信息，提出問題尋求幫助或者希望得到對方進一步解釋……所有這些的統一要求就是要清楚明確。
Tip #1. Keep it short
第一點：短一些
Try to keep your email short. Make the paragraphs short too.
儘量使郵件簡短，段落內容也要儘量短。
Tip #2. Use Numbered Points
第二點：用數字列舉要點
If you've got several questions or points to make, it's very helpful to number them. Don’t number too much however in one email.
如果你有幾個問題或者要點要說明，用數字一條條列舉出來會很有幫助。但是同一封郵件內不要列舉太多項。
5. End and Your Signature 結尾及籤名
Emails usually end with best wishes to their readers. Also you can say thanks again to them.
郵件通常以祝福結尾，當然你也可以再次表達你的感謝。
Examples:
Thank you again for everything you』ve done.
Thank you for all your assistance.
Thank you a lot in advance.
Looking forward to working with you.
Seeyou soon in June/July/August…!
Seeyou in Zagreb!
And don’t forget your signature! Your full Chinese name Pinyin as signature is preferred. Don’t use the childish fancy background for your email settings. Just use the plain normal pattern.
不要忘記你的籤名！最好是中文全名的拼音。不要為你的郵箱設置幼稚或花哨的信紙背景，普通尋常的格式就行了。
Examples: Case Study
例文分享
Case Study 1: Interview arrangement
Dear Sutthida,
Thank you for offering me this interview opportunity. Here is the information from my side:
Name: XXX
Nationality: Chinese
Applied offer code: XXX
Skype account: XXX
Available interview date: 21th, May 2015
Available interview time: 9:00-10:00am Spain time (15:00-16:00 China time)
Looking forward to the interview. If there is anything needs me to prepare in advance, please kindly let me know. Thanks a lot!
Best regards.
XXX
Case Study 2: Received a welcome letter from foreign IAESTE but not received the acceptance documents from IAESTE China office.
Dear Mr. Veronika Juráskov,
I am so delighted to receive your mail. Thank you very much for all the detailed and useful information, and so warm and kind words too! I'm really excited to have the chance to be trained in Czech. I can hardly wait!
But unfortunately, I have to wait that I cannot fix my itinerary yet, as I'm still waiting for Employer Invitation Letter, Accommodation Certificate and other documents from Czech IAESTE to apply my visa. I'll let you know my detailed flight and stay dates as soon as it is fixed.
Also I would much appreciate if you can help to check with the Czech IAESTE about my document process. So that I can start my visa application assoon as when I get the documents!
Anything else needs me to prepare in advance, please let me know. Thanks alot!
Looking forward to seeing you in Prague!
Sincerely yours,
XXX
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Who is IAESTE?
愛因斯特(IAESTE)是「國際大學生技術經驗交流協會」 (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)的中文簡稱，為致力於國際青年人才實習和交流的國際非盈利和非政府組織，最初於1948年在英國成立，現在90多個國家均設有組織機構。愛因斯特為在校大學生和研究生提供來自全球95個國家的企業、大學和政府研究機構，包括科學、工程、技術、商業和應用藝術等相關領域的專業帶薪實習機會。
從2000年開始，愛因斯特進入中國。至今為止，已經送出超過1千名中國優秀大學生到全球60多個國家的僱主進行為期兩到六個月的專業實習與跨文化交流活動。同時也接收相等數量的優秀外國大學生來中國進行實習和交流。