The short messages ordinary life runs on — notes, emails, forms and phone calls — read and written, with the right level of formality for each.
Most English written by ordinary people is short: a note, a confirmation, a form, a message that has to be clear on the first read because nobody will ask twice. This bundle covers that traffic in both directions. It starts with reading — the short emails and notes that arrive — then moves to writing and answering them, then to the phone, which is harder than either, because the words come once, with no face attached and often on a bad line. The last three articles deal with what actually causes trouble: filling in an official form, complaining or apologising in writing, and reading the formality of what you received so your reply matches it instead of sounding stiff or far too casual.
7 lessons