English Learning for Beginners: Emails at Work
Dialogue
Bob: Alice! You look stressed. Everything okay?
Alice: Oh, Bob! Just another Tuesday, drowning in emails.
Bob: Emails? Already? It’s barely 9 AM!
Alice: Tell me about it! My inbox is a black hole. Things go in, but they never truly come out.
Bob: Haha, I know the feeling. Did you see Sarah’s email about the “urgent” cake order?
Alice: The one with the subject line ‘URGENT: Sugar Emergency’?
Bob: That’s the one! I almost replied with ‘URGENT: Send Coffee’.
Alice: I saw! And then Mark ‘replied all’ asking if it was gluten-free. Seriously?
Bob: Of course he did! It’s like email etiquette goes out the window when cake is involved.
Alice: Exactly! And don’t even get me started on the passive-aggressive emails. “Just a friendly reminder…” when it really means “You forgot!”
Bob: Oh, those! Or the ones that are a single sentence. “See attached.” That’s it!
Alice: Or the really long ones that make you scroll for ages. I need a TL;DR button for work emails.
Bob: What’s TL;DR?
Alice: Too Long; Didn’t Read! It’s an internet thing. Very useful for overly detailed reports.
Bob: Haha, I should start using that. My boss might get confused though.
Alice: Probably! But seriously, how do you handle your inbox?
Bob: I try to keep subject lines clear and reply promptly. And I never, ever ‘reply all’ unless absolutely necessary.
Alice: Good advice, Bob. Maybe I should implement a ‘no cake-related email’ policy for myself.
Bob: Good luck with that, Alice! See you later!
Current Situation
In today’s professional world, emails are a primary method of communication. For beginners, understanding how to write, read, and manage work emails is a crucial skill. Emails are used for everything from making requests and sharing information to confirming meetings and sending important documents. They can be formal or informal, depending on the recipient and company culture.
Learning good email etiquette, such as using clear subject lines, being concise, and knowing when to “reply all,” helps you communicate effectively and professionally. It also helps manage the large volume of messages many people receive daily, preventing important information from getting lost.
Key Phrases
- Drowning in emails: To have too many emails to manage or read.
- Example: “I can’t take a break; I’m drowning in emails.”
- Inbox: The folder where you receive new emails.
- Example: “My inbox is full of unread messages.”
- Subject line: The short text at the top of an email that tells you what it’s about.
- Example: “A clear subject line helps people understand your email quickly.”
- Reply all: To send your response to everyone who received the original email.
- Example: “Be careful when you use ‘reply all‘; everyone will see your message.”
- Email etiquette: The polite and correct way to behave when sending or receiving emails.
- Example: “Good email etiquette is important in the workplace.”
- Passive-aggressive: Expressing negative feelings indirectly instead of directly.
- Example: “His email was a bit passive-aggressive, asking if I’d ‘had a chance’ to do something that was due yesterday.”
- See attached: A common phrase indicating that a file or document is included with the email.
- Example: “Please see attached for the full report.”
- Reply promptly: To respond to an email quickly.
- Example: “It’s good to reply promptly to work emails.”
Grammar Points
- Present Simple Tense:
Used for habits, routines, facts, and general truths. Many sentences in the dialogue use this to describe Alice and Bob’s usual experiences or advice.
- Examples: “My inbox is a black hole.” (Fact)
- “I try to keep subject lines clear.” (Habit/Routine)
- “It ‘s barely 9 AM!” (Fact)
- Imperatives:
Used to give commands, advice, or instructions. They often start with a verb.
- Examples: “Tell me about it!” (Command/Exclamation)
- “Be careful when you use ‘reply all’.” (Advice)
- “See attached for the full report.” (Instruction)
- “To be” Verb (is, am, are):
Used to describe states of being, conditions, or identities.
- Examples: “You look stressed. Everything is okay?”
- “My inbox is a black hole.”
- “It’s an internet thing.”
- Question Words (What, How):
Used to ask for specific information.
- Examples: “What‘s TL;DR?” (Asks for definition)
- “How do you handle your inbox?” (Asks for method/process)
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
- I have so many new messages; my _______ is overflowing! inbox
- Always use a clear _______ _______ so people know what your email is about. subject line
- He pressed _______ _______ by mistake and sent his funny comment to everyone! reply all
- It’s good to respond to work emails _______. promptly
- “Just a friendly reminder” can sometimes be a _______-_______ way to say “hurry up!” passive-aggressive
Exercise 2: Match the sentence parts
Match the beginning of the sentence with the correct ending.
- You should always have a clear _______
a. attached.
b. drowning in emails.
c. promptly.
d. subject line.
e. use ‘reply all’. 1. d. subject line. - Be careful when you _______
a. attached.
b. drowning in emails.
c. promptly.
d. subject line.
e. use ‘reply all’. 2. e. use ‘reply all’. - Please find the document _______
a. attached.
b. drowning in emails.
c. promptly.
d. subject line.
e. use ‘reply all’. 3. a. attached. - It’s important to reply to emails _______
a. attached.
b. drowning in emails.
c. promptly.
d. subject line.
e. use ‘reply all’. 4. c. promptly. - My inbox is _______
a. attached.
b. drowning in emails.
c. promptly.
d. subject line.
e. use ‘reply all’. 5. b. drowning in emails.
Exercise 3: Simple Q&A (based on the dialogue)
- What kind of email did Sarah send? She sent an email about an “urgent” cake order.
- What does Alice say her inbox is like? She says it’s like a black hole.
- What is Bob’s advice for handling emails? He advises keeping subject lines clear, replying promptly, and not using “reply all” unless necessary.
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