email — noun
1. the system that allows people to send written messages and files from one comput
the system that allows people to send written messages and files from one computer or phone to another over the internet
Priya checked her email first thing every morning before going to work.
collocation: check email
The company switched to a new email system that offered better security features.
collocation: email system
Many older people learned how to use email to keep in touch with family.
Sending an email is usually faster than mailing a letter across the country.
Aiko's grandmother prefers handwritten letters over email because of the personal touch.
- electronic mail
the original full term, rarely used in everyday speech but still found in formal or historical references
- e-mail
the older hyphenated spelling; still understood but increasingly outdated
- snail mail
informal term for traditional postal mail, emphasising its slower speed compared to email
- postal mail
the formal term for physical letters sent through the post office
用法筆記
In everyday conversation, email is uncountable when referring to the system: 'Do you use email?' or 'Check your email.' The countable use (an email, two emails) belongs to sense 2.
常見錯誤
2. a single written message or file delivered by electronic mail
a single written message or file delivered by electronic mail
Diego received an email from his boss about the upcoming team meeting.
verb pattern: receive an email from [someone]
Leila forwarded the email with the meeting notes to all her colleagues.
verb pattern: forward an email to [someone]
Aiko sent Kofi an email with the restaurant's address and phone number.
Tomás deleted the old spam email without even opening it first.
Hana wrote a polite email to the professor asking for an extension.
- letter
a physical piece of correspondence sent via postal mail
用法筆記
Countable — 'I got three emails today.' The subject is typically a person who sends, receives, forwards, replies to, or deletes the message. The object often specifies the topic with 'about' or the recipient with 'to'.
常見錯誤
email — verb
1. to send a message or file to someone using an email system
to send a message or file to someone using an email system
Could you please email me the sales report before Friday afternoon?
pattern: email + [someone] + [something]
Nadia emailed the hotel to confirm her reservation for next week.
pattern: email + [someone] + to-infinitive
Rohan emailed his résumé to more than twenty companies last month.
The nurse's office emailed Yara a reminder about her checkup appointment.
Tomás emailed the holiday photographs to his entire family after the trip.
- mail
to send via postal service; a slower, physical alternative to emailing
文法句型
email + someone
email + someone + something
email + something + to someone
用法筆記
Three common patterns: (1) email + person — 'Email me.' (2) email + person + thing — 'I emailed her the file.' (3) email + thing + to + person — 'I emailed the file to her.' Do not add 'to' directly before the recipient in pattern 2.