英文电子邮件的写作特点和格式
一、主题
主题（Subject）框的内容应简明地概括信的内容，短的可以是一个单词，如greetings；长的可以是一个名词性短语，也可以是完整句，但长度一般不超过35个字母。
YES：Supplier training
NO：professional trainees from sister company should abide by rule of local company（太长）
主题框的内容切忌含糊不清。
NO：像News about the meeting 这样的表达，
YES：应改为Tomorrow's meeting canceled。
一般来说，只要将位于句首的单词和专有名词的首字母大写即可。另外一种较为正规的格式可将除了少于5个字母的介词、连接词或冠词之外的每一个单词的首字母大写。
YES：New E-mail Address Notification；Detailed calculation
NO：detailed calculation
视信的内容是否重要，还可以开头加上URGENT或者FYI（For Your Information，供参考），如：URGENT：Submit your report today!
二、称呼
1、E-mail一般使用非正式的文体，因此正文（Body）前的称呼（Salutation）通常无须使用诸如Dear Mr. John之类的表达。在同辈的亲朋好友或同事间可以直呼其名，但对长辈或上级最好使用头衔加上姓。YES：Tommy，或者Mr. Smith。
2、称呼和正文之间，段落之间，正文和信尾客套话之间一般空一行，开头无须空格。如：
Jimmy,
I received your memo and will discuss it with Eric on Wednesday.
Best,
David
3、人家的名字千万不要错,老一辈的看到名字错就干脆撵去垃圾桶. 同样, 头衔都不要错. 头衔或学位,任择其一吧.以下是一样的: Howard E. Wyatt, Dr. Howard E. Hyatt
4、多过一个男人,用Messrs,就是Misters的意思,不过不要跟名字,跟姓就行啦.
YES: Messrs. Smith, Wyatt, and Fury 。女人呢? YES：用Mesdames, Mmes., or Mses. 同样不要跟名字. 例子: Mses. Farb, Lionel, and Gray 。男女一齐呢? 弄清楚称呼就行.例如: Dr. and Mrs. Harold Wright ；Mr. Harold Wright and Dr. Margaret Wright ；Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Adams-Quinn 。
5、有人有自己头衔就要跟紧,例如有人有荣誉学位就不喜欢用一般的头衔,有时大头不知道对方头衔,干脆用Ms.算了. Ms. Sarah Gray
6、职衔短可以一行过,长就下一行吧.例如:
Ken Green, President ／Ken Green ／Vice President of International Operations
NO：Ken Green ／Vice President of Unicom China
YES： Ken Green ／Vice President, Unicom China
7、老外的名字有时有Jr. 或 Sr.,之前的逗点是随你喜欢的,以下都是正确,不要笑人:
YES：Michael J. Smith, Jr. ／Michael J. Smith Sr.
8、用人家的名字总好过人家的头衔称呼. 如果没有名字,或者是很正规信的信件,可以考虑这些：
Dear Committee Member:
Dear Meeting Planner:
Dear Colleagues: To All Sales Reps:
To Whom It May Concern:
Dear Sir or Madam:
Dear Madam or Sir:
Dear Purchasing Agent:
如果是全公司：
YES： Gentlemen or Ladies: Ladies or Gentlemen:
9、有时见到人家用冒号就说人家错,其实也未必啊,看:
YES：Dear Mr. Jones: (非常正规) Dear Joan:
Dear Jim, Jim, (非正规)
三、拼写
1、E-mail的非正式的文体特点并不意味它的撰写可以马虎行事，特别是给长辈或上级写信，或者撰写业务信函更是如此。写完信后，一定要认真检查有无拼写、语法和标点符号的误。当然Outlook Express等软件的'拼写检查'功能可以助你一臂之力。
2、外国国名尽量用大写.是为尊重,也方便邮差.
3、标点要准确
NO：He did not make repairs, however, he continued to monitor the equipment.
YES：He did not make repairs; however, he continued to monitor the equipment.
4、大小写要注意
非必要，不要整个字都是大写，除非要骂人。
NO：MUST change to OS immediately. 外国人就觉得不礼貌和喝令人一样。
YES：要强调的话，用底线，斜字，粗体就可以了。
四、结尾部分
A、书信的结尾致意要留意,弄清大家的关系才选择用词,例子:
1、 Very Formal非常正规的(例如给政府官员的)
Respectfully yours, Yours respectfully,
2、 Formal正规的(例如客户公司之间啦)
Very truly yours, Yours very truly, Yours truly,
3、 Less Formal不太正规的(例如客户)
Sincerely yours, Yours sincerely, Sincerely, Cordially yours, Yours cordially, Cordially,
4、Informal非正规的(例如朋友,同事之类)
Regards, Warm regards, With kindest regards, With my best regards, My best, Give my best to Mary, Fondly, Thanks, See you next week!
有时在we, I, and you之间选择是很烦的事-- 如果是公司代表联络生意之类,可以用: We will reimburse you for these legal expenses. Sinopec will reimburse you for these legal expenses. 如果单纯说你自己,可以用: I found the brochure very informative. 有时可以一起用啦...: We are pleased to offer you the position of sales director, and I am looking forward to our Tuesday morning meeting.
那么I和you呢?好烦好烦.一般来说,收信人的利益比较重要,名义上都要这样想.给人尊重的语气就一般不会错了. 多用you有时会有隔阂的感觉.
You will be pleased to learn that you have been selected to serve on our advisory board. Your prompt response will be appreciated. (好像欠你一样)
I am pleased that our board has selected you as the best qualified candidate to serve on our advisory board. I hope you’ll agree to serve. (这就友善多了)
Your book was well written and comprehensive. (不用你来判断我呀~~)
I thoroughly enjoyed your book and found an answer to every one of my questions about performance appraisals. (客气一点,人家受落)
总之,语气和宾词的运用得当能决定你的礼貌程度.
B、信尾客套话（Complimentary close）通常也很简明。常常只须一个词，如：'Thanks'，'Best'，'Cheers'，不需要用一般信函中的'Sincerely yours'或'Best regards'。
C、签名：不要把Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr.之类一起签,人家会笑你的... 签名也看信件的语气.给朋友或公司客户,签Bill也可以,给陌生人就最好用Gates或者Bill Gates啦.
五、其它注意事项：
A、文法
1、切忌主客不分或模糊
例子：Deciding to rescind the earlier estimate, our report was updated to include $40,000 for new equipment.
应改为：Deciding to rescind our earlier estimate, we have updated our report to include $40,000 for new equipment. (We我们是主语, 不是report。)
2、句子不要零碎
例子：He decided not to audit the last ten contracts. Because of our previous objections about compliance. 应该连在一起。
3、结构对称，令人容易理解。
例子: The owner questioned the occupant's lease intentions and the fact that the contract had been altered with ink markings.
应改为：The owner questioned the occupant's lease intentions and ink alterations of the contract.
4、单复数不要搞乱，不然会好刺眼，看不舒服。
例如：An authorized person must show that they have security clearance.
5、动词主词要呼应。想想这两个分别：
1）This is one of the public-relations functions that is under budgeted.
2）This is one of the public-relations functions, which are under budgeted.
6、时态和语气不要转变太多。看商务英语已经是苦事，不要浪费人家的精力啊。
7、选词正确
像affect和effect，operative和operational等等就要弄清楚才好用啦。
8、地址上的数字直接用阿拉伯数字吧,除了One,例子:
127 Ninth Avenue, North
127 E. 15 Street
5 Park Avenue
One Wingren Plaza
556 - 91 Street
B、文体
1、可读性：对象是大学程度的话，用高中的英文就行，不要以为人人都是语言大师，多用短句(15-20字吧)， 技术性的字,就更加要简单易明.
2、注意段落的开头.一般来说,重要或强调的事情都放在信件或段落的开头,而句子就放在最尾. 例如: （1）.Because he was unable to attend the meeting personally, he forwarded his congratulations on cassette tape.
（2）.He forwarded his congratulations on cassette tape because he was unable to attend the meeting personally. 两者强调的事情就有分别了.
3、轻重有分， 同等重要的用and来连接，较轻放在次要的句子里.
4、意思转接词要留神. 例如: but (相反), therefore (结论), also (增添), for example (阐明). 分不清furthermore和moreover就不要用啦.
5、句子开头不要含糊不清的主词。
例子: These decisions have been a big disappointment to the committee members. They have delayed further action. They是指什么呀?开头少用this, that, it, they, 或 which.
6、修饰词的位置要小心,
例如: He could only reimburse the cost after July 15.
应为 He could reimburse the cost only after July 15.
7、用语要肯定准确.切忌含糊.
例如:The figures show a significant increase.” 怎样significant呀,
改为: The figures show an increase of 19%.
8、.立场观点一致. 少用被动语.
例如: Partial data should be submitted by April.
改为: You should submit partial data by April.就很好了.
C. 格调
1、式样和句子长度不要太单调. 千篇一律的subject-verb-object会闷死人的.有时短句跟着长句可以化解一下.
2、弱软的词(e.g. was, were, is, are...)可以加强一点.
例如: Prunton products are highly effective in ...
改为: Prunton products excel in ...就有力很多了.
3、亲切,口语化是比较受欢迎! 用宾词和主动的词,让人家受落.
例如: （1）. This information will be sincerely appreciated.”
（2）. We sincerely appreciate your information. 明显地,我们会喜欢第2句.
D、内容与附件
E-mail文体的另外一个特点是简单明了，便于阅读，太长的内容可以以附件的方式发出。一个段落大多仅由一到三个句子组成。
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