Would you like to write effective emails? Here is a start: let’s learn what NOT to do!
Level: B2 and above
Focus: Reading comprehension & vocabulary
Read the article and match the underlined words to their synonyms.
Five Rude Emails You Send Every Day
by Travis Bradberry
Even the most likeable and well-mannered among us can still look like jerks in an email. Writing an email that comes across just like you do in person is a fine art. Email strips a conversation bare. It’s efficient, but it turns otherwise easy interactions into messy misinterpretations. Without facial expressions and body posture to guide your message, people look at each word you type as an indicator of tone and mood. Most of the mistakes people make in their emails are completely avoidable. The following list digs into these subtle mistakes and hidden blunders.
1. The Compulsive CC And Reply All
CCing people all the time is one of the most annoying things you can do via email. I’d say it’s the most annoying, but this honor is bestowed upon the excessive “reply all.” If someone sends an email to you and a bunch of other people, do you really think every recipient needs to get another email from you saying “thanks”? They don’t, and when you do this, it sends people climbing up a wall.
2. The Way-Too-Brief
All too often, the cause of email conflict is an imbalance between the effort in the initial email and the effort in the response to that email. When someone types up a detailed paragraph outlining important issues, they expect you to respond carefully. Sending back “Got it” or “Noted” just doesn’t do the trick. Without knowledge of your intent and tone, brief responses come across as apathetic and even sarcastic to the receiver. This is unfortunate because this is rarely the sender’s intent.
3. The “URGENT” Subject Line
Subject lines that say “URGENT” or “ASAP” show complete disregard for the recipient. If your email is that urgent, pick up the phone and give the person a call. Even in the rare instance when an email actually is urgent, labeling it as such in the subject line is unnecessary and sets a strong, negative tone.
4. The Debbie Downer
Sending emails that consistently tell people what they do wrong and what they shouldn’t be doing really takes a toll. Even if you are trying to offer constructive criticism, you need to avoid negativity in your emails at all costs. Since people are unable to hear your tone directly, they read into the connotations of words and create a tone in their head as they go along. Negatives become especially negative in email form.
5. The Robot
It’s easy to think of email as a way to get something done quickly, but when you do this to the extreme, you come across as inhuman. You wouldn’t walk into someone’s office and hand them a report to do without acknowledging them somehow. Jumping straight into the nitty-gritty might seem like the most effective thing to do, but it leaves a lasting negative impression.
Bringing It All Together
The trickiest thing about emailing is making certain that people perceive your message the way you intend them to. You must be socially aware to pull this off. That is, be willing to take the time to consider how things look from your recipient’s perspective before you hit “send.”
Which of these email sins are your biggest pet peeves? Which ones are you guilty of? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.
Read the complete article on Forbes
WORDS TO KNOW – Vocabulary builder
Match the underlined words to their synonyms or explanations from among the words below.
things you really hate – ……………………………….
the most important details – ……………………………….
idiot – ……………………………….
damage(s) (verb) – ……………………………….
must be done at once – ……………………………….
mistakes – ……………………………….
can be avoided – ……………………………….
send a (carbon) copy to – ……………………………….
naked – ……………………………….
obsessive – ……………………………….
chaotic – ……………………………….
ANSWERS: jerk = idiot / bare = naked / messy = chaotic / avoidable = can be avoided / blunders = mistakes / compulsive = obsessive / CCing = send a (carbon) copy to /urgent = must be done at once / takes a toll = does damage / the nitty-gritty = the most important details / pet peeves = things you really hate.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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