Business English emails: Writing effective emails with activities and exercises:
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Objective: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to write effective business emails, with proper structure, tone, and grammar, and avoid common mistakes.
Time: 60-90 minutes
Materials: (included below)
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A sample business email
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Handouts with guidelines and tips for writing effective emails
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Worksheet with practice exercises
Procedure:
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Warm-up activity (5-10 minutes) Begin by asking learners to share their experience with writing business emails. Ask them what they find challenging or difficult about writing emails in English. Write down their responses on the board.
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Presentation (20 minutes) Introduce the topic of writing effective business emails by showing a sample email on the screen or distributing a handout. Point out the key elements of a business email, such as the subject line, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Discuss the appropriate tone for business emails and the common mistakes to avoid, such as using informal language, spelling and grammar errors, and improper formatting.
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Guidelines and tips (10-15 minutes) Distribute handouts with guidelines and tips for writing effective emails. These guidelines can include suggestions on how to write a clear subject line, how to structure the email, and how to use the appropriate tone. Encourage learners to take notes and ask questions.
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Practice exercises (20-30 minutes) Distribute a worksheet with practice exercises, such as:
Matching Exercise: Match the words/phrases with their definitions:
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Subject line a. A personal or professional statement that identifies the topic of the sender.
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Greeting b. The first part of an email message.
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Body c. The part of an email message that contains the message itself.
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Closing d. A short summary of your message.
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Signature e. The last part of an email message with your name.
Fill in the blanks: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words/phrases:
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The _________ line should be clear and concise.
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The _________ should be formal, such as “Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name.”
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The _________ should contain the message you want to convey.
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The _________ should be polite and professional, such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards.”
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The _________ should include your full name, job title, and contact information.
6. Review and feedback (10-15 minutes) Review the answers to the practice exercises as a class, and provide feedback. on the learners' writing.
7. Application (20-30 minutes) Divide learners into pairs and provide them with a scenario. For example, they could be asked to write an email to a client, a colleague, or a supervisor. They should use the guidelines and tips they learned in class to write an effective email.
Scenarios that students could use to write business emails:
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Requesting a meeting with a client or colleague
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Following up on a previous conversation or meeting
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Providing an update on a project or task
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Apologizing for a mistake or misunderstanding
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Making a recommendation or suggestion
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Asking for clarification or further information
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Confirming details of an agreement or arrangement
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Inviting someone to a business event or function
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Introducing oneself to a new client or colleague
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Responding to a complaint or concern.
After they have written their emails, they should exchange them with their partners and provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.
8. Homework (15-20 minutes) Assign homework that includes writing a business email based on a given scenario. Encourage learners to use the guidelines and tips they learned in class, and to focus on using the appropriate tone, grammar, and formatting.
9. Conclusion: End the lesson by summarizing the key takeaways from the class, including the proper structure, tone, and grammar for writing effective business emails, as well as the common mistakes to avoid. Encourage learners to continue practicing their email writing skills, and offer additional resources, such as websites or books, for further study.