商業Email萬用7大金句

寄出前請檢查

寫完email,你會很仔細地檢查一遍再按send嗎?如果不會,請從今天開始養成這個好習慣;即使是很簡短的文句,都可能不經意出錯,以下就是常見的英文email錯誤例子:

1. (X)How are you recently?

口頭或Email上最常見到的錯誤問候。英文的「recent」或「recently」,指的是從以前到現在的一段時間,多用於「現在完成式」或「過去式」,而不是現在式。應該說:

(O)How have you been?

 

2. (X)We are looking forward to hear from you. 我們期待聽到您的回音。

(O)We are looking forward to hearing from you.

這句話在email文末最常出現,look forward to是「期待」之意,後面須接V-ing或名詞。

 

3. (X)Thank you for all the good advices you have given me. 謝謝您給我的所有好忠告。

(O)Thank you for all the good advice you have given me.

advice當「忠告、建議」時,是不可數名詞,複數不加s。

 

4. (X) Please notice that the price is included in installation. 請注意此價格包含了安裝費。

(O)Please notice that installation is included in the price.

若按照原句,意思會變成「安裝費包含了價格」,與真正句意顛倒。

 

5.(X)With refer to our recent discussion, I would like to demonstrate this new model for you. 

依據我們最近的討論,我想要為您示範這個新的機型。

(O)With reference to our recent discussion, I would like to demonstrate this new model for

you. With是介係詞,後面須接名詞,所以refer須更正為reference。

 

6.(X)Do those foreign workers have the necessary experience to produce our products? 

這些外國工人擁有生產我們產品所需的專業技能嗎?

(O)Do those foreign workers have the necessary expertise to produce our products?

「專門技術」的英文是expertise;experience指的是「經驗」,兩者請勿混淆。

 

7. (X)Meeting was held on July 22 to discuss new procedures for invoicing customers.

7月22日舉辦了一場會議來討論為顧客開立發票的新程序。

(O) A meeting was held on July 22 to discuss new procedures for invoicing

      customers. Meeting是可數名詞,前面須加冠詞,有限定時加the,沒有限定時加a或an。

 

收錄於英語島 2015年8月號
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