Meaning & use
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Meanings
nouncountable
A written message sent from one person to another through the internet or a computer network.
Grammar: Counts like any noun: one email, two emails.
Patterns
- an email from someone
- an email to someone
- an email about something
I got an email from my landlord about the broken heater.
She wrote a long email to her professor asking for an extension.
Did you see the email about tomorrow's meeting?
noununcountable
The system or practice of sending messages electronically, or a person's collection of such messages.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural to mean the system or your inbox: I'll check email later.
Patterns
- by email
- check your email
- on email
Please contact us by email rather than phone.
I never check my email on weekends.
Email has replaced most of the letters people used to write.
verbtransitive
To send a message or a file to someone using electronic mail.
Grammar: Takes a person or a file as object: email me, or email the report.
Patterns
- email someone
- email something to someone
- email someone something
I'll email you the photos tonight.
Could you email the contract to the whole team?
She emailed her teacher to ask about the homework.
Word forms
| plural | emails |
|---|---|
| third person singular | emails |
| past tense | emailed |
| past participle | emailed |
| -ing form | emailing |
Common combinations
- send an email
- I need to send an email to the whole class before noon.
- reply to an email
- She forgot to reply to my email for a week.
- email address
- Please write your email address clearly on the form.
- email attachment
- The invoice came as an email attachment.
- forward an email
- Can you forward that email to the accountant?
- check your email
- I check my email first thing every morning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- message
- 'Message' is a broader term that also covers texts and chat, whereas 'email' names one specific channel.
- 'Mail' can mean email in computing contexts but most often means physical post, so 'email' is clearer.
- memo
- A 'memo' is a short formal note inside an organization and may be on paper, while an 'email' is always electronic.
Word family
Commonly confused: email or mail?
email vs mail
'Mail' usually means letters and parcels delivered by post, while 'email' travels electronically; 'mail' alone can also mean email, so context matters.
Practice
I'll ___ you the schedule tonight so you can check it before the meeting.
Choose one answer.
After 'I'll' we need the base verb, so 'email' is correct. 'Emailed' is past tense and 'emails' is third person, neither of which follows 'will'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “email”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.