Email Basics - Complete Guide to Email Communication

What is Email?

Email (electronic mail) is a digital communication system that allows you to send and receive messages instantly over the internet. It's essential for personal communication, professional correspondence, and online account management.

Instant Delivery

Messages arrive in seconds anywhere in the world

Attachments

Send documents, photos, and files

Multiple Recipients

Send to one person or groups at once

Organization

Store and organize all your messages

Popular Email Services

Gmail

Google's email service with 15GB free storage and powerful search

Outlook

Microsoft's email with calendar integration and Office tools

Yahoo Mail

Long-standing service with 1TB storage

iCloud Mail

Apple's email service for iOS and Mac users

Parts of an Email

From: yourname@email.com

To: recipient@email.com

Cc: copy@email.com (carbon copy - others can see)

Bcc: hidden@email.com (blind copy - others can't see)

Subject: Brief description of email content

Email Body: Your main message content goes here

Attachments: Files you want to send

Signature: Your closing information (name, title, contact)

Field Explanations

To: Primary recipient(s) - required field
Cc (Carbon Copy): Secondary recipients who should know about the email. Everyone can see who's Cc'd
Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy): Hidden recipients - they receive the email but no one else knows they got it
Subject: Brief summary (5-10 words) that describes the email content

Writing Professional Emails

Email Structure

Greeting: "Dear [Name]," or "Hi [Name],"
Opening: State your purpose clearly
Body: Provide details, use paragraphs for different topics
Closing: Summarize or call to action
Sign-off: "Best regards," "Sincerely," etc.
Signature: Your name and contact information

Good Example

Professional Email

Subject: Meeting Request - Project Update

Dear Ms. Johnson,

              I hope this email finds you well. I'm writing to request a meeting
              to discuss the progress on the website redesign project.
            
              I have prepared an update on our milestones and would like to
              review the timeline for the next phase. Would you be available for
              a 30-minute meeting next Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon?
            
Please let me know what time works best for your schedule.

              Best regards,

              John Smith

              Web Developer

              john.smith@company.com

              (555) 123-4567

Bad Example

Unprofessional Email

Subject: hey

              hi need 2 talk about the project can u meet tomorrow let me know
              thanks

Problems:

No proper greeting
Vague subject line
Poor grammar and spelling
No proper closing or signature
Not specific about meeting details

Email Best Practices

Use clear subject lines - Recipients should know what the email is about before opening
Keep it concise - Get to the point quickly and use short paragraphs
Proofread before sending - Check spelling, grammar, and tone
Reply promptly - Respond within 24-48 hours when possible
Use professional tone - Avoid slang, emojis, and all caps in work emails
Include signature - Add your name, title, and contact information
Be careful with Reply All - Only use when everyone needs to see your response
Double-check attachments - Make sure files are attached before sending

Working with Attachments

How to Attach Files

Click the paperclip or attachment icon in your email
Browse your computer to find the file
Select the file and click "Open"
Wait for the upload to complete before sending

Attachment Tips

Check file size limits (usually 25MB for Gmail, Outlook)
Use cloud storage links for large files (Google Drive, Dropbox)
Compress multiple files into a ZIP folder
Name files clearly (e.g., "Johnson_Resume_2025.pdf")
Mention attachments in your email body

Common File Types

PDF (.pdf)

Documents that look the same on any device

Word (.docx)

Editable text documents

Images (.jpg, .png)

Photos and graphics

Excel (.xlsx)

Spreadsheets with data

Organizing Your Inbox

Inbox Management Strategies

1 Use Folders/Labels

Create categories like "Work," "Personal," "Receipts," "Important" to sort emails automatically

2 Star/Flag Important Emails

Mark urgent or important messages so they're easy to find later

3 Archive Old Emails

Remove emails from inbox but keep them searchable in archives

4 Unsubscribe from Unwanted Lists

Click "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of marketing emails you don't want

5 Set Up Filters/Rules

Automatically sort incoming emails based on sender, subject, or keywords

Inbox Zero Method

Try to keep your inbox empty by handling each email once:

Delete if not needed
Delegate if someone else should handle it
Respond if it takes less than 2 minutes
Defer if it needs more time (flag and schedule)
Do if it's important and urgent

Email Security & Safety

Recognizing Phishing Emails

Phishing emails try to trick you into revealing passwords, credit card numbers, or personal information.

Red Flags - Don't Click!

Urgent threats: "Your account will be closed!" or "Immediate action required!"
Too good to be true: "You've won $1 million!" or "Free iPhone!"
Suspicious sender: Email doesn't match the company name or looks strange
Generic greetings: "Dear customer" instead of your name
Spelling errors: Professional companies proofread emails
Strange links: Hover over links - if URL looks suspicious, don't click
Unexpected attachments: Don't open attachments from unknown senders
Requests for personal info: Banks never ask for passwords via email

Phishing Example

Phishing Scam Email

From: security@paypa1-verify.com
Subject: URGENT: Verify Your Account NOW!

Dear Customer,

              Your PayPal account has been compromised! Click here immediately
              to verify your identity or your account will be permanently
              suspended within 24 hours!
            
[Suspicious Link]

Warning Signs:

Misspelled domain: "paypa1" instead of "paypal"
Creates panic with urgent threats
Generic greeting instead of your name
Asks you to click a link to verify
Poor grammar

Security Best Practices

Use strong passwords - Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols (12+ characters)
Enable two-factor authentication - Adds extra security layer with phone verification
Don't share passwords - Never email passwords or tell others
Check sender carefully - Verify email addresses match the real company
Hover before clicking - Check where links actually go before clicking
Be skeptical - If something seems off, it probably is
Report spam - Mark suspicious emails as spam/phishing
Log out on shared computers - Always sign out when using public computers

Quick Email Tips

Timing Matters

Send work emails during business hours. Avoid late nights and weekends unless urgent.

Reply vs Reply All

Use Reply for one person. Use Reply All only when everyone needs your response.

Avoid All Caps

ALL CAPS LOOKS LIKE SHOUTING. Use normal capitalization.

Clean Up Regularly

Delete or archive old emails weekly to keep inbox manageable.

Check Mobile View

Many people read emails on phones. Keep messages concise and formatted simply.

Use Search

Can't find an email? Use search with keywords, sender name, or date ranges.

Common Email Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting attachments: Mention attachments in email so you remember to attach them
Wrong recipient: Double-check the "To" field before sending, especially with autocomplete
Replying too fast: Take a moment to read carefully and compose thoughtful responses
Tone misunderstandings: Without voice/face, emails can seem rude. Use friendly language
Too many emails: Consider calling or meeting instead of long email chains
Unclear subject lines: "Question" is too vague. Use "Question about Friday's Meeting Agenda"
Forwarding chains: Summarize information instead of forwarding long email threads
Mixing personal and work: Keep work emails professional, use personal email for casual chats

Practice Exercise

Try writing a professional email for this scenario:

Scenario

You need to request time off from work. You want to take vacation from July 15-22. Write an email to your manager requesting approval.

Include:

Clear subject line
Professional greeting
Specific dates
Mention your work coverage plan
Professional closing and signature