This document discusses business English and email etiquette. It defines business English as the form of English used for business communication globally. It also lists some common barriers to effective business English like lack of vocabulary or confidence. The document then provides tips on how to improve business English skills like learning one new word daily or listening to speeches. It also covers best practices for email etiquette, such as being concise, using proper grammar, and including meaningful subject lines that specify any required actions.

2. Business English
By
Akash J
Email Etiquette
and
EN

3. Business English
◈ A form of English used for business/corporate communication
◈ Can mean different things to different people
vocabulary and topics used in the worlds of business, trade, finance, and
international relations
communication skills used in the workplace
language and skills needed for typical business communication
presentations, negotiations, meetings, small talk, socializing,
correspondence, report writing etc.
OR
ALL OF THE ABOVE
July 24, 2020 3

4. Why Business English?
◈ Global businesses, global language
◈ English – 3rd
largest mother tongue
◈ Bridge language
◈ Users
Professionals
Diplomats
Students
Travelers
July 24, 2020 4

5. Common Barriers
◈ Lack of language knowledge
◈ Lack of vocabulary
◈ Lack of confidence
◈ Fillers
◈ Some others:
Dialects
Language Difficulties
◈ Passive Language
◈ Thinking in native language and then translating
July 24, 2020 5

6. EF - English Proficiency Index 2019
Rank countries by the average level of English language skills amongst adults.
July 24, 2020 6

7. Overcome the barriers…
◈ Learn at least 1 new word a day
◈ Read at least one page a day
◈ Small talks with someone whom you’re comfortable with
◈ Mirror talks
◈ Write daily a minimum of 5 lines other than office
documents
◈ Thinking in English language
◈ Spend an hour a day to improve language and confidence
◈ Listen to speeches by great orators with/without
subtitles
◈ English songs can also help ☺
July 24, 2020 7

8. How we can improve…
◈ Newspapers - The Hindu, New Indian Express…
July 24, 2020 8
◈ Speeches – Barack Obama, Shashi Tharoor, Narendra
Modi, Steve Jobs, Jawaharlal Nehru, Martin Luther King
Jr, Swami Vivekananda
◈ Merriam Webster's/Any Standard Dictionary
◈ Writing Tools – Grammarly, MS Office, Google ☺
◈ Social Media: LinkedIn articles, Facebook, Instagram
◈ Mobile Applications
◈ Indian English and Western novels
◈ Podcasts
◈ IELTS or similar coaching
◈ English Movies – Subtitled and otherwise

9. E-mail Etiquette
◈ E-mail:
One-to-one/ one-to-many formal means of communication
Reflects in official records
Quick to send
◈ It refers to the principles of behavior that one should use
when writing or answering E-mails
July 24, 2020 9

10. E-mail Etiquette – Basic Rules
◈ Be concise and to the point
◈ Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
◈ Make it personal. Avoid using Cc and Bcc unnecessarily
◈ Use templates for frequently used responses
◈ Answer swiftly
◈ Use a meaningful subject
◈ Read the email before you send it
◈ Keep attachments to a minimum and mention your
attachment in the content
◈ Take care with abbreviations and emotions
◈ Use active voice instead of passive voice
July 24, 2020 10

11. Poor Usage Trends
◈ Subject Line: None
◈ Missing in body:
Actions Required
Key Points
◈ Discussions that could have been done on phone
◈ Misusing global distribution lists (For e.g. tatvpm)
July 24, 2020 11

12. Subject Lines
◈ Be clear and specific
◈ Specify actions required and due dates
◈ Mention who the e-mail is for
◈ FYI: Meeting minutes from 3/14 discussion
◈ Reports Included: Minutes from MRM, all Reports due
Friday 4/1
◈ DISTRIBUTE: Program agenda & related information
◈ Bob, Joe: need you at noon meeting Wed w/ your
updates
◈ AGENDA: Staff meeting Thurs 3/12 10:00 pm
◈ Mary: Pls attend the webinar & present summary.
(EOM)
TAG description [actions] [due date]
[(EOM)]
◈ Weekly Minutes
◈ Here are the URLs
◈ Re: presentation
◈ (blank subject line)
◈ Unrelated subject line – sending an email with an
old subject line
Good
Subject
Lines
Poor
Subject
Lines
◈ If you can type your entire message in the subject
line and don’t need to write anything in the body of
the message – DO SO!
◈ Type (EOM) at the end of the subject line.
July 24, 2020 12

13. Write for Action
◈ First 3 lines of your email - specify what the email is
about
◈ Action required
◈ Require a reply back by a certain date
◈ Contains information that the reader will find necessary
for their job
◈ Use the To: and Cc: addresses appropriately
◈ If a reply is not required, end your message with Reply
Not Necessary
◈ Identify yourself clearly to cold contacts
Hello, I am…The reason I am writing…
Hello, so-in-so suggested I contact you
July 24, 2020 13

14. Recommended Standards
◈ URG - Stop everything, read me first
◈ HOT - Need immediate attention
◈ RSP - Need you to respond, either way
◈ MTG - New/modified meetings
◈ FWD - Forward to your respective group(s)
◈ HLP - Need information, assistance
◈ FYI - Just for your information
◈ ACT - Needs action
Subject
Line
Tags
◈ Standard fonts: 10 pt
Arial
Calibri
Tahoma
◈ Reply to sender only. Reply To All when
necessary
◈ Use paragraphs
◈ Zip all attachments
◈ Large files – use Google Drive/Dropbox links
◈ If possible, short messages in subject line
with (EOM)
◈ Follow uniform structure
Body
Structure
Proof-read at least twice before sending.
July 24, 2020 14

15. For Your Information…
cope up cope with
many a times many a time/many times
revert back/reply back revert/reply
discussing about discussing
called as called
give an exam take an exam
years back years ago
emphasize on emphasize
dressing sense dress sense
I saw a dream I had a dream
Me and my friends My friends and I
I’m a 25 years old man I’m a 25-year-old man/ I’m 25 years old.
July 24, 2020 15

16. July 24, 2020 16
Think Aloud

17. July 24, 2020 17
Thank You