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There are some situations in which writing a letter is more appropriate than writing an email. If you need a permanent record of what you are writing, or if you are writing in a formal situation, a letter is a better choice. For example, you would probably write a letter of resignation and a covering letter with your CV. But you would email a colleague for help on a project, and email a customer to follow up on a meeting.
Structural differences
Emails are generally shorter than letters. As they are often written quickly, in response to a request or question, they may contain only a few lines. Informal English, abbreviations, and absence of standard salutations are common in emails.
Letters often contain the following elements:
- A standard greeting (For example: Dear Sir / Madam)
- A reference to previous contact or reason for writing
In this first paragraph, you should say why you are writing. Use a sentence that refers to a previous contact, such as a previous letter or phone call. Or use an “objective” sentence to say why you are writing: to confirm, clarify or enquire about something, for example.
- (The background to the letter.)
This is an optional paragraph and gives more information to help the reader become more familiar with the subject of the letter.
- Main point or idea
- Additional points
- Asking for action / reference to the future
In the final paragraph, close the letter with an offer of further help, or ask for future action.
- Standard closing (For example: Yours faithfully)
Emails may contain the following elements:
- Subject line
This shows the reader the exact subject of the email
- (Salutation)
This is optional. Some people start with “Hi”, others with the first name “Clare”, or others with no name or salutation at all.
- Reason for writing
- Main point
- (Closing)
There are a variety of closing phrases, such as “Cheers” or “Thanks”. These are also optional.
For more information on how to start and end letters and emails, see our post.
Language differences
There are standard phrases used in letters, but the language in emails is often a lot more informal. Sentences tend to be shorter, and nouns can often be omitted. For a list of different phrases for letters and emails,