Linking Emails and Chats in a Typical U.S. Workday.
American English for Life and Work in the USA. Lesson 6.
In this mid-course lesson you follow a full U.S. workday for one character and manage communication across channels: email, chat, and quick conversations. You rewrite overly formal or indirect messages into clear, American-style emails with strong subject lines and action-focused requests. You practice sending short chat messages on tools like Slack or Teams, choosing a tone that is friendly but efficient. You also connect written messages with spoken follow-ups, for example sending a reminder and then checking in during a brief hallway or video-chat conversation. Throughout the lesson you review and recycle key phrases from earlier units for asking for help, clarifying, and nudging people without sounding pushy. By the end, you can manage a busy inbox and chat stream in a U.S. office, and you start building your own phrase bank for future workdays.
1. Morning inbox and your first email.
Let us start your workday inside a typical U.S. office. Imagine it is 9 a.m. You open your laptop, grab some coffee, and check your inbox. At the top, there is an email from your manager, Jordan, asking for an updated slide deck by tomorrow. You need to reply and confirm what you will do, and maybe ask one small question. In this block we will look at two different versions of Alex’s reply to Jordan. Alex is a new team member who, like you, already speaks English well but is still adapting to American email style. One reply is very formal and wordy. The other is short, clear, and sounds natural to U.S. colleagues. As you listen and read, focus on the subject line, the first sentence, and the exact request. Then you will summarize what Alex is asking for and write your own subject line. This is how we start building your instinct for strong, American-style work emails.
The scene.
It is Monday morning in a U.S. office. Alex has just seen this message from their manager, Jordan:
> From: Jordan Rivera
> Subject: Q3 client slide deck
> Hi Alex,
> Can you send me an updated version of the Q3 client slide deck by tomorrow morning? I would like to review it before our call with the client.
> Thanks,
> Jordan
Alex wants to reply quickly, confirm the deadline, and check one detail about the slides.
Email 1 - very formal and vague.
> Subject: Re: Q3 client slide deck
> Dear Mr. Rivera,
> I hope this message finds you well. I am writing in reference to your previous email regarding the client presentation. I believe that it should be possible for me to send you something tomorrow. Please kindly let me know if there is anything else that you require.
> Sincerely,
> Alex
This email is polite, but it feels long, indirect, and a bit old-fashioned for many American workplaces.
Email 2 - clearer American style.
> Subject: Q3 deck - updated version by Tuesday a.m.
> Hi Jordan, hope you are doing well.
> Thanks for your note about the Q3 client slide deck. I can send you an updated version by tomorrow morning.
> Quick question before I finalize it: do you want me to include the new numbers from last week, or keep the original data?
> Please let me know if anything is unclear.
> Thanks in advance for your help with this.
> Talk soon,
> Alex
What makes Email 2 work in a U.S. office.
Email 2 uses a subject line with an action and a time: Q3 deck - updated version by Tuesday a.m. This helps Jordan scan their inbox and remember what this email is about.
The greeting is friendly but not too personal: "Hi Jordan, hope you are doing well." This is a very common opening line.
Alex quickly confirms the action and deadline: "I can send you an updated version by tomorrow morning." There is no long introduction; the main point comes early.
Then Alex asks one clear, specific question. Instead of saying "If you have any comments, please kindly share them," Alex asks directly about the new numbers.
Finally, Alex uses simple appreciation phrases: "Please let me know if anything is unclear" and "Thanks in advance for your help with this."
Mini-noticing task.
Look back at Email 2 and try to find:
The greeting
The sentence that confirms the action and deadline
The main question
The thanks and closing
You will now read Email 2 again and show you really understand it by summarizing Alex’s request and creating your own subject line.
Practice & Feedback
Read Email 2 in the resource box carefully one more time. Then, in one answer box, do these two things:
In 1–2 sentences, explain in your own words what Alex is telling Jordan and what Alex is asking about. Mention both the action and the deadline.
Write one alternative subject line for Alex’s email that would also work well in a U.S. office. Try to keep it short and action-focused, for example: Q3 deck - question about data.
Type your answer as a short paragraph. You can start like this: "Alex is confirming that..." and then add your subject line on a new line, starting with Subject:. Focus on clarity and natural tone more than on perfection.
Email 2 - clearer American style
> Subject: Q3 deck - updated version by Tuesday a.m.
> Hi Jordan, hope you are doing well.
> Thanks for your note about the Q3 client slide deck. I can send you an updated version by tomorrow morning.
> Quick question before I finalize it: do you want me to include the new numbers from last week, or keep the original data?
> Please let me know if anything is unclear.
> Thanks in advance for your help with this.
> Talk soon,
> Alex
2. Writing clear email requests.
Now let us move a little later in Alex’s morning. The reply to Jordan is done, and Alex is working through a to do list. To finish a task, Alex needs information from a colleague and a quick review from a manager. This is very typical in U.S. offices: your work often depends on other people, so you have to ask for things clearly and politely, usually by email. In this block, we will focus on one key skill: turning your internal to do notes into short, action-focused email sentences. We will look at a simple structure you can reuse: context, clear request, and time frame. You will see examples with phrases like "Could you send me" and "When you have a moment." Then you will practice by transforming three rough notes into good American-style email lines. This will help you sound direct but not pushy, and make it easy for your coworkers to say yes.
From messy notes to clear email requests.
Imagine Alex’s quick notes in a notebook:
"get latest sales numbers from Priya"
"ask IT to fix login"
"remind Jordan to review contract"
These are useful for Alex, but they are not ready to send in a U.S. work email. To communicate clearly, Alex needs to:
Add a short context.
Turn the note into a polite question or request.
Add a realistic time frame.
A reusable email structure.
Here is a simple structure you can copy for many emails:
Greeting + small context
"Hi Priya, hope your morning is going well."
"Hi IT team, I am working on the Q3 dashboard."
Clear request sentence
"Could you send me the updated sales numbers for Q3?"
"I am writing to follow up on my account access. Could you help me reset my login?"
Time frame or deadline
"If possible, I would need this by Friday."
"When you have a moment today, can you take a quick look?"
Softening and thanks
"Please let me know if anything is unclear."
"Thanks in advance for your help with this."
Model email from Alex.
> Subject: Access issue - cannot log into dashboard
> Hi IT team,
> I am working on the Q3 dashboard and I am having trouble logging in to the system. I keep getting an error message.
> Could you help me reset my login? If possible, I would really appreciate a fix by the end of today, as I need to finish a report for tomorrow.
> Please let me know if you need any more details from my side.
> Thanks in advance for your help with this.
> Best,
> Alex
Notice how Alex:
Explains the situation in one short sentence.
Uses "Could you help me" instead of an order like "Fix this".
Adds a specific time frame: "by the end of today".
Ends with a friendly thanks.
You will now practice turning simple notes into similar request sentences you could actually send at work.
Practice & Feedback
Below you will see three simple notes, like something you might write in your notebook during the day. Your job is to transform these notes into polite, clear email request sentences you could send to a colleague or manager in a U.S. office.
Read the three notes in the resource box.
Write 3–5 full sentences that could appear in an email. You can imagine they are all for one email, or separate messages.
For each note, include: a short context, a clear request with could you or can you, and a time frame like by Friday, today, or when you have a moment.
You do not need to write full greetings or closings, just the body sentences. Try to reuse some phrases from the model, such as "I am writing to", "Could you send me", "Please let me know if anything is unclear". Focus on sounding natural and action-focused.
Here are Alex's three notes that need to become email requests:
send updated slide deck to Jordan
ask Priya to review the numbers
confirm meeting time for Thursday with client
3. Switching from email to chat.
So far we have stayed in Alex’s inbox, but U.S. workdays are not just about email. Around late morning, Alex also starts getting notifications in Slack or Microsoft Teams. Coworkers use chat for quick questions, updates, and sending links or files. The style here is different from email: messages are shorter, more direct, and often more informal, but they still need to be polite. In this block, we will focus on how to sound friendly and efficient in chat. You will see that you usually do not need a long greeting or a long explanation. One or two clear sentences are enough. I will give you three possible chat messages that Alex could send to a teammate, Maya, to ask about a file. You will listen to them, decide which one feels most natural in an American workplace, and then improve one of the weaker options. This will train your ear and your instinct for good chat tone.
Chat in a typical U.S. workday.
After sending a couple of emails, Alex needs a file quickly. Instead of writing another email, Alex opens Slack and messages a teammate, Maya.
Chat tools like Slack or Teams are great for:
Quick questions: "Do you have a minute to look at this?"
Short updates: "I dropped the file in the team channel."
Fast coordination: "Let us aim for tomorrow at 10 a.m. Eastern."
They are not good for:
Long explanations that should be in email.
Sensitive topics like performance reviews.
Complex decisions that need a meeting.
Typical features of good work chat messages.
Good chat messages in U.S. offices usually:
Start with a short greeting or name, or even just the name: "Hi Maya" or "Maya,".
State the question or update quickly, in one or two sentences.
Use a friendly but efficient tone: "Quick question" is very common.
Avoid very formal phrases like "I hope this message finds you well".
Examples:
"Hi Maya, quick question. Do you happen to have the latest Q3 deck?"
"Hey, I will drop the file in the team channel in a sec."
"Quick question, do you have a minute to review slide 5?"
In this activity, you will listen to three different chat messages Alex might send to Maya about a missing file. They all ask for the same thing, but the style is different. Your job is to choose which one you would actually send in a U.S. office, and then improve one of the others.
While you listen, notice:
Which option sounds too formal, like an email?
Which option sounds too short or a bit rude?
Which option feels balanced: friendly, clear, and efficient?
Then you will explain your choice and rewrite one weaker version in your own words.
Practice & Feedback
Listen carefully to the audio in the resource box. You will hear three options for a chat message from Alex to Maya about a missing file. They are called Option A, Option B, and Option C.
Then, in one answer box, please do all of the following:
Say which option you think is best for a U.S. workplace chat (A, B, or C) and explain why in 2–3 sentences. Mention tone, length, and clarity.
Choose one weaker option (either A or B or C) and rewrite it as a better chat message in 1–2 sentences. Imagine you are Alex writing to a real colleague.
You can organize your answer like this:
"I think Option __ is best because..."
"I would improve Option __ like this: ..."
Try to use some phrases from earlier in the lesson, such as "Quick question", "Do you have a minute?", or "I will drop the file in the team channel."
4. Sending polite follow ups and reminders.
Fast forward to the afternoon. Alex has already sent emails and a few chat messages, but one important person has not replied yet. The updated report is due soon, and Alex is still waiting for some data from a colleague, Sam. This is a stressful but very common moment in a U.S. workday. You need to **nudge** someone without sounding annoyed or rude. In this block, we will practice short follow ups and reminders in both email and chat. You will see useful phrases from our chunk bank, like "Just bumping this to the top of your inbox" and "When you have a moment, can you review this?" Then you will simulate a short chat with Sam, writing several messages as if you are Alex. I will answer as Sam and also give you feedback on your tone and clarity. This will help you build the confidence to push projects forward while still sounding friendly and professional.
The situation.
It is 3: 30 p.m. Alex needs updated numbers from Sam to finish a report for tomorrow. Alex sent Sam an email in the morning but has not heard back. In a U.S. office, it is normal to send a polite follow up the same day if something is urgent.
Alex decides to send:
a short follow up email, and
a quick chat message on Teams.
Useful follow up phrases.
You can mix and match these in email or chat:
"Hi Sam, just bumping this to the top of your inbox."
"I am writing to follow up on the email I sent this morning about..."
"When you have a moment, can you review this?"
"Could you send me the updated report by Friday?"
"I am hoping to finalize this today."
"Please let me know if anything is unclear."
"Thanks again for your help with this."
Sample follow up email.
> Subject: Follow up - updated numbers for Q3 deck
> Hi Sam, hope you are doing well.
> I am writing to follow up on the email I sent this morning about the updated Q3 numbers. I am hoping to finalize the client deck today.
> When you have a moment, could you send me the latest version of the spreadsheet?
> Please let me know if anything is unclear from my side.
> Thanks again for your help with this.
> Best,
> Alex
Sample follow up chat message.
> "Hi Sam, quick follow up on the Q3 numbers. When you have a moment, can you drop the latest spreadsheet in the team channel? I am trying to wrap up the deck today. Thanks!"
Notice that in both the email and the chat, Alex:
Reminds Sam what the topic is.
Explains why it matters now.
Uses a soft but clear request.
Ends with a simple thanks.
Now you will write your own short chat sequence, playing Alex and speaking to Sam.
Practice & Feedback
Read the situation and example language above, then check the detailed scenario in the resource box. You are going to simulate a short chat conversation with Sam on Teams, as if you were Alex.
In your answer, please:
Write 3–5 separate chat messages, each on a new line, as if you are Alex. Imagine you are sending them over a few minutes.
Start with a friendly opener and a gentle reminder about the previous email.
Include one clear request with a time frame, for example "When you have a moment today" or "by the end of the day".
End the chat with a short thank you and, if you like, a closing comment such as "Really appreciate it".
You only write Alex’s lines. I will reply as Sam and then give you feedback on your tone and word choice. Try to reuse some of the follow up phrases like "I am writing to follow up", "just bumping this", or "When you have a moment", but adapt them so they sound natural in chat format.
Chat follow up scenario
You are Alex, a new team member. This morning you emailed Sam asking for updated Q3 numbers to finish a client slide deck. It is now 3:30 p.m. and you still do not have the file. The deck is due tomorrow morning.
Sam is usually friendly but often busy and a bit slow to answer email. A quick, polite chat message will probably get attention.
Write a short chat sequence to Sam where you:
Remind Sam about the Q3 numbers.
Explain that you want to finalize the deck today.
Ask clearly for the spreadsheet, with a realistic time frame.
Stay friendly and appreciative.
5. Linking emails with a quick spoken check in.
By the end of the afternoon, Alex has sent several emails and chats. There is one more important step: a brief spoken check in with Jordan, the manager. In many U.S. offices, people will say, "Let us talk real quick" or "Do you have a minute?" even if you already emailed about something. This quick conversation connects your written messages with your spoken communication. In this block, you will see and hear a short hallway style conversation between Alex and Jordan after Alex has sent an email and a follow up. Notice how Alex refers to the earlier email, repeats the key request, and confirms next steps and timing. Then you will write what you might say in a similar situation with your own manager or colleague. The goal is to reuse some of the same phrases from emails and chats, but make them sound natural out loud.
The moment.
It is 4: 45 p.m. Alex sees Jordan in the hallway just after a meeting. Alex has already emailed and chatted during the day, but wants to make sure Jordan is aware of the status before tomorrow’s client call.
Alex decides to do a quick spoken check in. It is informal, friendly, and only takes a minute.
Sample dialogue.
> Alex: Hey Jordan, do you have a minute to talk about the Q3 deck?
> Jordan: Sure, what is up?
> Alex: I just wanted to follow up on the email I sent this morning. I am planning to send you the updated version tomorrow by 9 a.m. Eastern. I am waiting on some numbers from Sam, but I should be able to finalize everything tonight.
> Jordan: Sounds good. Let me know if anything blocks you.
> Alex: Will do, thanks again for your help with this.
> Jordan: No problem, talk tomorrow.
Bridge phrases that connect email, chat, and speech.
Notice how Alex uses some of the same patterns from email and chat, but spoken:
"Do you have a minute to talk about..." – similar to "Quick question" in chat.
"I just wanted to follow up on the email I sent this morning." – clearly links to the written message.
"I am planning to send you..." – confirms the planned action and time.
"Let me know if anything blocks you." – Jordan’s spoken version of a support phrase.
In American workplaces, this kind of short conversation:
Shows that you are proactive.
Helps your manager feel informed.
Gives you a chance to update the plan if something is delayed.
Useful spoken check in phrases.
You can adapt these for your own situation:
"Hey [Name], do you have a minute to talk about [project]?"
"I just wanted to follow up on the [email / message] I sent earlier."
"I am planning to [action] by [time]."
"I am still waiting on [person / information], but I should be able to [next step]."
"Does that timing work for you?"
"Thanks again for your help with this."
You will now listen to the Alex–Jordan dialogue and then write what you would say in a similar quick check in.
Practice & Feedback
Listen to the short conversation in the audio carefully. Then imagine a similar situation from your own work life: you have already sent an email about a task, and you now see your manager or a key colleague for a quick check in.
In your answer, please:
Write 3–5 sentences of what you would say in that quick spoken check in. You only write your part, not the manager’s.
Include at least one phrase that links to your earlier email or message, such as "I just wanted to follow up on the email I sent".
Clearly mention your planned action and time frame, for example "I am planning to send you the report by tomorrow afternoon".
End with a short, natural thank you.
You can adapt the sample dialogue, but change the project and details to fit your reality. Imagine you are really standing in the hallway or on a quick Zoom call.
6. Designing your mini workday communication plan.
You have now followed Alex through a full, busy American workday: morning emails, mid day chat messages, afternoon follow ups, and a quick spoken check in. For the last step in this lesson, you will create your own small communication plan for a typical day in your job or future job in the U.S. The idea is to connect everything you have practiced: clear subject lines, action-focused requests, friendly follow ups, efficient chats, and short spoken updates. In this block, you will read a short scenario in the resource box and then write three connected pieces: one morning email, one chat message, and one quick spoken check in script. You can base them on the sample situation or adapt them to your real life. I will respond with detailed feedback so you can reuse your three texts as models in your next real workday. Think of this as building your personal phrase bank for living and working in the U.S.
Pulling the day together.
We have seen how one U.S. workday can include:
Morning emails with clear subject lines and requests.
Short chat messages on Slack or Teams for quick questions.
Polite follow ups and reminders to keep projects moving.
A brief spoken check in to confirm next steps.
Now it is your turn to design a mini communication plan for a similar day.
Your three connected messages.
You will create three pieces that belong to the same small story.
Morning email
To a manager or key colleague.
Include a subject line, greeting, 3–5 sentences, and a closing.
Use at least one phrase like "I am writing to", "Could you", or "Please let me know if anything is unclear."
Midday chat message
To a teammate on Slack or Teams.
1–3 short lines only.
Use a quick question style, for example "Hi [Name], quick question" or "Quick question, do you have a minute?"
Afternoon spoken check in
A short script of 3–4 sentences you might say in person or on Zoom.
Link to your earlier email with a phrase like "I just wanted to follow up on the email I sent this morning".
Confirm your plan and timing.
Mini checklist for success.
For each of your three messages, ask yourself:
Is the main action clear?
Is there some time frame (today, by Friday, tomorrow morning)?
Is the tone friendly but efficient, not too formal?
Did I use at least one useful chunk from this lesson?
You do not need to write about Alex, Jordan, or Sam anymore. You can use a project and names from your own world. The important thing is to connect your email, chat, and spoken script to the same small situation, like preparing a report, organizing a meeting, or fixing a problem.
Practice & Feedback
Read the scenario in the resource box and decide if you want to use it, or if you prefer to adapt it to your real work situation. Then write three connected pieces in one answer, clearly labeled so I can see each one.
Please include:
Morning email – Start with Email: on its own line. Add a subject line, greeting, 3–5 sentences with a clear request, and a natural closing and sign off.
Midday chat – On a new line, write Chat: and then 1–3 short chat-style lines you would send to a teammate about the same task.
Spoken check in – On another new line, write Spoken: and then 3–4 sentences you might say in a quick hallway or Zoom check in about the same situation.
Try to reuse helpful phrases from this lesson such as "I am writing to follow up", "Could you send me", "When you have a moment", "Please let me know if anything is unclear", and "Thanks in advance for your help with this". Focus on clarity, natural American tone, and making the three pieces clearly part of the same story.
Optional scenario for your mini workday
You work on a project team preparing a short presentation for an internal meeting tomorrow.
Morning: You need your manager to confirm which three slides are most important to highlight.
Midday: You realize you are missing one chart and need a teammate to send you the latest version.
Afternoon: You want to quickly update your manager in person or on Zoom so everyone feels ready for tomorrow.
You can use this exact scenario with different names, or change the project to something closer to your real job.
