Module 5 — Business Writing and Professional Communication
Unit 5.1 Comprehensive Teaching Materials
Professional Business Emails
Target Learners
Japanese professionals working in international companies
English Level
Intermediate to Upper Intermediate
Recommended Lesson Time
5–7 hours total or divided into multiple lessons
UNIT OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:
Write professional business emails confidently in English
Use formal and polite business email expressions
Organize emails clearly and effectively
Write requests, confirmations, follow-ups, and apologies professionally
Respond to difficult situations diplomatically in writing
Improve reading and listening comprehension related to email communication
Take organized notes from spoken business instructions
Use common business email idioms and expressions naturally
UNIT TOPICS
Structure of Professional Business Emails
Writing Professional Greetings and Openings
Making Requests and Giving Information
Writing Follow-Ups and Confirmations
Writing Apologies and Handling Problems
Closing Emails Professionally
Listening and Note-Taking for Email Tasks
Full Business Email Writing Practice
TOPIC 1 — STRUCTURE OF PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS EMAILS
PART A — WARM-UP DISCUSSION
Discussion Questions
Why are professional emails important in international business?
What differences exist between Japanese and English business emails?
What makes an email clear and professional?
What common email mistakes should business professionals avoid?
PART B — KEY VOCABULARY
| Word/Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject line | Email title |
| Recipient | Person receiving email |
| Attachment | File included with email |
| Inquiry | Request for information |
| Deadline | Final due date |
| Confirmation | Verification |
| Follow-up | Additional communication |
| Tone | Writing style or attitude |
| Formality | Professional level |
| Signature | Name and contact information |
PART C — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Starting Emails
“I hope you are doing well.”
“Thank you for your email.”
“I am writing regarding…”
Organizing Information
“Please find attached…”
“I would like to inform you that…”
“The purpose of this email is…”
PART D — COMMON BUSINESS IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Get back to someone | Reply later | “I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” |
| Keep someone posted | Continue updating | “Please keep us posted.” |
| Touch base | Contact briefly | “Let’s touch base next week.” |
PART E — MODEL EMAIL
Dear Mr. Johnson,
I hope you are doing well.
I am writing regarding next week’s project update meeting. We would like to confirm the meeting schedule for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Please find attached the updated project report for your review.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Yuki Tanaka
Project Coordinator
PART F — SPEAKING PRACTICE
Activity 1 — Email Discussion Role-Play
Instructions
Students discuss:
Purpose of the email
Tone used
Important information included
Activity 2 — Email Organization Challenge
Instructions
Students organize mixed email sentences into correct order.
PART G — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“Please send a follow-up email to the overseas client regarding tomorrow’s product demonstration. Confirm the meeting time, attach the updated presentation file, and politely ask whether they require additional technical information before the meeting.”
Exercise A — Listening Questions
Who should receive the email?
What should be confirmed?
What should be attached?
What question should be asked?
PART H — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Email Task | Details |
|---|---|
| Recipient | |
| Main Purpose | |
| Attachment | |
| Additional Request |
TOPIC 2 — WRITING PROFESSIONAL GREETINGS AND OPENINGS
PART A — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Greetings
“Dear Mr. Smith,”
“Dear Ms. Lee,”
“Dear Team,”
Opening Sentences
“Thank you for your prompt response.”
“I hope your week is going well.”
“I am contacting you regarding…”
PART B — COMMON IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reach out | Contact someone |
| Follow up | Contact again |
| Get in touch | Communicate |
PART C — SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 — Greeting Matching
Students match:
Formal situations
Appropriate greetings
Suitable opening lines
Activity 2 — Tone Comparison
Students compare:
Formal vs casual openings
Appropriate vs inappropriate tone
PART D — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“Thank you for your interest in our services. I am contacting you regarding your recent inquiry about software support options for international clients.”
Exercise B — Questions
What is the customer interested in?
Why is the speaker contacting the customer?
What type of support is mentioned?
PART E — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Customer Interest | Contact Purpose | Support Type |
|---|---|---|
TOPIC 3 — MAKING REQUESTS AND GIVING INFORMATION
PART A — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Making Requests
“Could you please send…”
“Would it be possible to…”
“We would appreciate it if…”
Giving Information
“Please note that…”
“I would like to inform you that…”
“According to the latest schedule…”
PART B — COMMON IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Keep in mind | Remember |
| Pass along information | Share information |
| Fill someone in | Update someone |
PART C — SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 — Request Writing Practice
Students create requests related to:
Scheduling meetings
Sending documents
Updating reports
Activity 2 — Information Sharing Task
Students explain business updates clearly.
PART D — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“Could you please provide the updated sales figures by Friday afternoon? In addition, please inform the regional managers about the revised marketing schedule.”
Exercise C — Questions
What should be provided?
When is the deadline?
Who should be informed?
What information should be shared?
PART E — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Requested Item | Deadline | People Involved |
|---|---|---|
TOPIC 4 — WRITING FOLLOW-UPS AND CONFIRMATIONS
PART A — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Follow-Ups
“I would like to follow up regarding…”
“Just checking on the status of…”
“I’m writing to ask whether…”
Confirmations
“This email confirms that…”
“We would like to confirm…”
“Thank you for confirming…”
PART B — COMMON IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Touch base | Contact briefly |
| Stay on track | Continue as planned |
| Keep things moving | Continue progress |
PART C — SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 — Follow-Up Email Creation
Students write short follow-up emails.
Activity 2 — Confirmation Practice
Students confirm:
Meetings
Deliveries
Deadlines
Reservations
PART D — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“I would like to follow up regarding the contract documents sent last week. Could you please confirm whether your legal department has completed the review process?”
Exercise D — Questions
What documents were mentioned?
When were they sent?
Which department is reviewing them?
What confirmation is requested?
PART E — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Follow-Up Topic | Department Involved | Requested Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
TOPIC 5 — WRITING APOLOGIES AND HANDLING PROBLEMS
PART A — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Apologizing Professionally
“We sincerely apologize for…”
“Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.”
“We regret the delay.”
Handling Problems
“We are currently investigating the issue.”
“We are working to resolve the problem.”
“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
PART B — COMMON IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Smooth things over | Resolve tension |
| Fix the issue | Solve problem |
| Make up for | Compensate |
PART C — SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 — Customer Complaint Response
Students respond professionally to:
Delayed delivery
Technical problems
Billing mistakes
Activity 2 — Apology Email Workshop
Students improve weak apology emails into professional versions.
PART D — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“We sincerely apologize for the shipment delay caused by unexpected transportation problems. Our logistics team is currently working to resolve the issue, and we expect delivery by early next week.”
Exercise E — Questions
What problem occurred?
What caused the issue?
Which team is handling the problem?
When is delivery expected?
PART E — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Problem | Cause | Company Response | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|---|
TOPIC 6 — CLOSING EMAILS PROFESSIONALLY
PART A — KEY EXPRESSIONS
Closing Statements
“Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.”
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
“We look forward to hearing from you.”
Sign-Offs
“Best regards,”
“Sincerely,”
“Kind regards,”
PART B — COMMON IDIOMS
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stay in touch | Continue communication |
| Look forward to | Expect positively |
| Wrap things up | Finish discussion |
PART C — SPEAKING ACTIVITIES
Activity 1 — Closing Sentence Matching
Students match:
Situations
Appropriate closing lines
Proper sign-offs
Activity 2 — Full Email Completion
Students complete unfinished professional emails.
PART D — LISTENING PRACTICE
Teacher Reading Script
“Thank you once again for your cooperation throughout this project. Please feel free to contact us if additional support is required. We look forward to future collaboration opportunities.”
Exercise F — Questions
What is appreciated?
What support is offered?
What future possibility is mentioned?
PART E — NOTE-TAKING PRACTICE
| Appreciation | Support Offered | Future Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
FINAL BUSINESS EMAIL TASK
Scenario
International client communication
Students Must Write:
Meeting request email
Follow-up email
Apology email
Project update email
Students Must Include:
Professional greeting
Clear organization
Appropriate requests
Diplomatic tone
Professional closing
TEACHER’S GUIDE
RECOMMENDED LESSON FLOW
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Warm-Up Discussion | 15 mins |
| Vocabulary & Expressions | 30 mins |
| Model Email Analysis | 25 mins |
| Speaking Activities | 45 mins |
| Listening Activities | 35 mins |
| Note-Taking Practice | 25 mins |
| Email Writing Workshop | 60 mins |
| Feedback & Reflection | 20 mins |
COMMON CHALLENGES FOR JAPANESE LEARNERS
1. Overly Direct Translation from Japanese
Problem
Emails may sound unnatural in English.
Teaching Tip
Teach fixed business expressions and email templates.
2. Excessively Formal Writing
Problem
Emails may sound stiff or overly apologetic.
Teaching Tip
Teach balanced professional tone.
3. Unclear Email Organization
Problem
Main purpose may appear too late.
Teaching Tip
Teach clear paragraph structure.
4. Difficulty Writing Concisely
Problem
Students may write overly long explanations.
Teaching Tip
Practice short and focused email writing.
ANSWER KEY
Exercise A Answers
Overseas client
Meeting time
Updated presentation file
Whether additional technical information is needed
Exercise B Answers
Services
Recent inquiry
Software support
Exercise C Answers
Updated sales figures
Friday afternoon
Regional managers
Revised marketing schedule
Exercise D Answers
Contract documents
Last week
Legal department
Review completion
Exercise E Answers
Shipment delay
Transportation problems
Logistics team
Early next week
Exercise F Answers
Cooperation throughout project
Additional support
Future collaboration
SAMPLE NOTE-TAKING ANSWERS
Topic 5
| Problem | Cause | Company Response | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipment delay | Transportation problems | Logistics team resolving issue | Delivery next week |
RECOMMENDED FEEDBACK FORMAT FOR TUTORING NOTES
| Category | Feedback |
|---|---|
| Email Organization | Structured emails clearly and professionally |
| Vocabulary | Used business email expressions accurately |
| Tone | Maintained professional and polite tone |
| Grammar | Minor grammar corrections needed |
| Listening | Understood email task instructions accurately |
| Clarity | Main purpose communicated effectively |
| Next Goal | Practice writing shorter and more concise emails |
SAMPLE TEACHER FEEDBACK COMMENTS
Positive Feedback
“Excellent organization and professional tone.”
“Good use of polite request expressions.”
“Your email purpose was very clear.”
Corrective Feedback
“Try making your requests more concise.”
“Practice using smoother transitions between paragraphs.”
“Be careful with article usage and verb tense consistency.”
HOMEWORK ACTIVITIES
Homework 1
Read sample professional emails from Microsoft Support Business Communication Tips and identify:
Greeting styles
Request expressions
Closing phrases
Homework 2
Write a professional follow-up email related to your work.
Homework 3
Rewrite an informal email into a professional business email.
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