Letters and Emails 書信與電郵
基礎信件電郵。
- Formal email 結構：subject line → Dear + 稱謂 → 目的 → 貢獻 → Yours sincerely + 全名
- 第一句講明目的：I am writing to apply for membership of…
- 貢獻要有證據：my class collected six boxes of old batteries in one month
文體小知識：Formal words earn formal replies.
§課文原文 Passage
1Formal email to the teacher-in-charge. To: Mr Lam (teacher-in-charge, Environment Club). Subject line: Application to join the Environment Club. Greeting: Dear Mr Lam. I am Chris Wong, a Form 2 student from Class 2A, and I am writing to apply for membership of the School Environment Club.
2Your club is the most active group in our school, and I would love to join your weekend activities. I have loved nature since primary school, and I joined a beach cleanup with my family last summer. I am hard-working, and I can help design posters and organise recycling bins. I also speak clearly, so I can explain our activities to junior students. Last year, I helped my class collect old batteries, and we filled six boxes in one month. In addition, I promise to attend every meeting and to finish any task you give me. Miss Ho, my class teacher, can act as my referee if you need one. I have attached my application form and a short introduction letter to this email. Please open the attachment when you check this message.
3Please reply to me at this address if any further information is needed. An email like this is formal, not informal, so I have used polite words throughout. I have sent it to the correct recipient and checked every line. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you. Sign-off: Yours sincerely, Chris Wong (Class 2A)
§逐句中文翻譯 Sentence-by-sentence translation
Formal email to the teacher-in-charge.
給負責老師的正式電郵。
To: Mr Lam (teacher-in-charge, Environment Club).
收件人：林老師（環境學會負責老師）。
Subject line: Application to join the Environment Club.
主旨：申請加入環境學會。
Greeting: Dear Mr Lam.
問候語：林老師，您好。
I am Chris Wong, a Form 2 student from Class 2A, and I am writing to apply for membership of the School Environment Club.
我是2A班的中二學生黃子謙，寫信申請加入學校環境學會。
Your club is the most active group in our school, and I would love to join your weekend activities.
貴會是本校最活躍的組織，我很想參加你們的週末活動。
I have loved nature since primary school, and I joined a beach cleanup with my family last summer.
我從小學開始就喜愛大自然，去年暑假還和家人參加了海灘清潔活動。
I am hard-working, and I can help design posters and organise recycling bins.
我勤奮努力，可以協助設計海報和整理回收箱。
I also speak clearly, so I can explain our activities to junior students.
我說話清晰，可以向低年級同學解釋我們的活動。
Last year, I helped my class collect old batteries, and we filled six boxes in one month.
去年，我協助班上收集舊電池，一個月就裝滿了六箱。
In addition, I promise to attend every meeting and to finish any task you give me.
此外，我承諾出席每次會議，並完成你交給我的任何任務。
Miss Ho, my class teacher, can act as my referee if you need one.
我的班主任何老師可以擔任我的推薦人，如有需要請聯絡她。
I have attached my application form and a short introduction letter to this email.
我已在此電郵附上申請表和一封簡短自我介紹信。
Please open the attachment when you check this message.
請你在查看這封訊息時打開附件。
Please reply to me at this address if any further information is needed.
如需更多資料，請回覆此地址給我。
An email like this is formal, not informal, so I have used polite words throughout.
這類電郵屬於正式書信而非閒談，所以我全篇都用了禮貌用語。
I have sent it to the correct recipient and checked every line.
我已把它發給正確的收件人，並檢查了每一行。
Thank you for considering my application.
感謝你考慮我的申請。
I look forward to hearing from you.
期待收到你的回覆。
Sign-off: Yours sincerely, Chris Wong (Class 2A)
結語：黃子謙（2A班）敬上。
1重點摘要 Summary
信件電郵。
2生字卡 Vocabulary
Dear Sir/Madam。
Hi John。
Email title。
Dear/Hi。
Best regards。
File attached。
To: 欄。
Write back。
3逐步講解 Steps
- Subject考點：正式電郵的 subject line 是格式分的第一關，必須讓收件人一眼看清來意，這是書信題的固定檢查點。方法：把申請或查詢的核心動詞直接寫進標題，採用名詞短語形式，不加句號。例如：範文寫 Application to join the Environment Club，申請一詞放在最前，收件人未開信已知目的。易錯處：考生常寫 Hello 或 Hi 一類空泛標題，甚至完全留空；正式電郵切忌標題含糊，也不要寫成完整句子，名詞短語最穩妥，關鍵字眼置於開首。
- Greeting考點：稱呼與自我介紹考查正式語域的掌握，格式與內容同時評分，位置次序亦是檢查點。方法：以 Dear 加頭銜與姓氏稱呼對方，首段立即說明自己是誰，包括姓名、級別與班別。例如：範文寫 Dear Mr Lam，接着 I am Chris Wong, a Form 2 student from Class 2A，一段之內完成稱呼與身份交代，乾淨利落。易錯處：考生常稱呼對方名字如 Dear Lam，對老師不夠尊敬；或自我介紹拖到第二段才出現，頭重腳輕。記住正式書信稱姓氏不稱名字，第一段便要交代身份。
- Body考點：body 段考查組織力，申請信要求目的、資歷與貢獻三個層次分明，段落安排本身便是評分項。方法：按目的、資歷、貢獻的順序展開，每段集中一個重點，不互相混雜。例如：範文先寫 I am writing to apply for membership of the School Environment Club 說明來意，再以 I have loved nature since primary school 帶出對自然的長期興趣，之後才談具體貢獻。易錯處：考生常把目的與資歷混寫，或通篇只談興趣不談貢獻；申請信的重心在你能為對方做什麼，而非單方面抒發感受。
- Sign-off考點：結尾敬語是格式題的必查項，用錯即反映語域意識不足，屬於最不應失分的基礎位。方法：正式書信採用 Yours sincerely 或 Yours faithfully，之後簽全名並附班別，缺一不齊。例如：範文以 Yours sincerely, Chris Wong (Class 2A) 收結，敬語、全名、班別三者齊備，格式完整。易錯處：考生常受日常電郵影響，寫出 Cheers、Bye 一類輕佻用語配正式申請信，語域錯配；另須注意知道對方姓名時用 sincerely，只有以 Dear Sir or Madam 開頭時才用 faithfully。
- 貢獻證據考點：自誇之詞必須有證據支持，否則內容分與說服力雙失，這是申請信與推薦信的共同鐵律。方法：每項優點配一個具體事例或數字，證明所言非虛。例如：範文不單說自己勤力，而是寫 I helped my class collect old batteries, and we filled six boxes in one month，一個月收集六箱舊電池，數字具體，可信度大增，貢獻立現。易錯處：考生常只寫 I am hard-working and responsible 一類空話，毫無憑據；批改者最想看的是事例，記住口訣：有話先有例，有例先有數，例證愈具體愈好。
- referee 附件考點：推薦人與附件是進階內容點，寫出這兩項能令申請信更周全，在眾多答卷中脫穎而出。方法：提出一位願意作保的老師並寫明職銜，同時說明附件已隨電郵附上，再禮貌提醒對方開啟。例如：範文寫 Miss Ho, my class teacher, can act as my referee，又寫 I have attached my application form，最後以 Please open the attachment 提醒，安排細緻。易錯處：考生常只寫 I attach my form 卻沒有提醒語，或整封信忘記提附件；推薦人要寫明職銜，附件要寫明名稱，兩者齊備才顯誠意與周全。
- 語域考點：全文語域一致是正式電郵評分的明文要求，任何口語化或縮寫都會破壞風格，屬通篇檢查項。方法：通篇採用禮貌用語，所有縮寫一律展開為完整形式，並使用正式套語收結。例如：範文結尾聲明 An email like this is formal, not informal，並用 I look forward to hearing from you 一類正式套語；文中寫 do not 而非 don't，寫 cannot 而非 can't，前後一致。易錯處：考生常前段正式、末段忽然口語化；交卷前通讀一次，逐個縮寫檢查，確保語域從頭到尾統一。
5例題示範 Example
任務：寫一封正式 email 申請加入 Environment Club——講明你是哪個、為什麼想加入、你可以貢獻什麼東西。
- 第一步：Subject line 寫明目的——Application to join the Environment Club.
- 第二步：稱呼 + 自我介紹——Dear Mr Lam, I am Chris Wong, a Form 2 student from Class 2A.
- 第三步：講明申請和原因——I am writing to apply for membership… I have loved nature since primary school.
- 第四步：列貢獻加證據——I can help design posters; last year my class collected six boxes of old batteries in one month.
- 第五步：提 referee 和 attachment，用 Yours sincerely + 全名收結。
- 答案：Subject: Application to join the Environment Club
Dear Mr Lam,
I am Chris Wong, a Form 2 student from Class 2A, and I am writing to apply for membership of the School Environment Club. I have loved nature since primary school, and I joined a beach cleanup with my family last summer. I am hard-working and creative, so I can help design posters and organise recycling bins; last year my class collected six boxes of old batteries in one month. Miss Ho, my class teacher, can act as my referee, and I have attached my application form.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Wong (Class 2A)
6常見錯誤 Mistakes
75 題快測 Quick check
Q1What is formal?
Q2What is informal?
Q3Where is subject?
Q4What is sign-off?
Q5What is attachment?
8重點回顧 Recap
- Formal email 結構：subject line → Dear + 稱謂 → 目的 → 貢獻 → Yours sincerely + 全名
- 第一句講明目的：I am writing to apply for membership of…
- 貢獻要有證據：my class collected six boxes of old batteries in one month
- 加 referee 提升可信度：Miss Ho can act as my referee.
- 有 attachment 就寫明：I have attached my application form.——formal 全文用 polite words