Meaning & use
emailing
Last updated
“emailing” is a form of “email”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
The present participle of email; sending a message to someone using a computer or phone.
Grammar: Use after be to form continuous tenses: She is emailing the client. Can take an object (email someone) or not (I'll email later).
Patterns
- email someone
- email about something
- email to do something
She is emailing the whole team about the meeting.
I was emailing my sister when the power went out.
They have been emailing each other all morning.
noununcountable
The activity or process of sending emails.
Grammar: Used as a noun, usually uncountable: Emailing is faster than calling. No plural form.
Patterns
- emailing is ...
- the emailing of something
Emailing has replaced letter writing for most business communication.
Constant emailing can take up a lot of your day.
Common combinations
- emailing back and forth
- We spent the afternoon emailing back and forth about the schedule.
- emailing someone directly
- Instead of posting in the group, try emailing her directly.
- busy emailing
- He was busy emailing clients all morning.
- stop emailing
- Please stop emailing me after midnight.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: emailing or mailing?
emailing vs mailing
Mailing usually refers to sending physical letters or packages, while emailing is only electronic.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
After is, we need the -ing form emailing to make the present continuous. Option B uses the base form email, which doesn't fit after is; option D omits is; option C mixes tenses incorrectly.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “emailing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.