Name: 商務英文寫作教學 ｜ ESL 必學 ｜ 傳達壞消息的技巧 💌 (Business English Writing Lesson for ESL - ET 04: Bad News Messages)
Uploaded: 2026-01-23T17:42:47.000Z
Duration: 10 min 50 s

Welcome to Email Tune up, the video podcast to help you improve your business writing.

歡迎來到 Email Tune up，這個影片節目，就是要幫助你提升你的商業寫作能力。

Now here we have a short email from Jenny, who is responsible for her company's IT services.

現在我們看到一封來自 Jenny 的簡短 email，她是負責公司 IT services 的。

She's written this email to give her colleagues some bad news.

她寫這封 email 是要給她的同事們一個壞消息。

The office email server will be down later today because of some technical problems.

辦公室的 email server 今天稍晚會因為一些技術問題而無法使用。

When a server goes down, it means that it has been taken offline or down for maintenance or because of a problem.

當一個 server 無法使用時，就表示它已經被離線，或是因為 maintenance 或問題而暫停運作。

Before we look at the mechanics, style and tone of this message, let's talk a little bit about the best way to deliver bad news in an email.

在我們看這則訊息的 mechanics、style 和 tone 之前，我們先來聊聊在 email 中傳達壞消息的最佳方式。

When you're writing to someone outside your company, it's a good idea to use an indirect style, although you should also make sure your reader understands and accepts the bad news.

當你寫信給公司以外的人時，使用 indirect style 是個好主意，同時也要確保你的讀者能理解並接受壞消息。

But in this case, Jenny is writing to her own colleagues for this internal bad news message.

但在這個例子裡，Jenny 是在寫這封內部壞消息給她自己的同事們。

It's best to use a more direct style since the company wants to deal with problems efficiently.

使用比較 direct style 是最好的，因為公司希望有效率地處理問題。

At the same time, she needs to be polite and to show understanding for her colleagues receiving the bad news.

同時，她也需要保持禮貌，並對收到壞消息的同事們展現同理心。

Regardless of which method you use, you should always try to buffer or sandwich bad news with some neutral material before and after.

不論你使用哪種方法，都應該試著在壞消息前後加上一些中性的內容來緩和或「三明治」一下。

Alright, let's start with the mechanics of this email.

好，那我們就先來看看這封 email 的 mechanics。

As you can see, we have a subject line server Restart inform.

你們可以看到，我們的 subject line 是 server Restart inform。

Let's first correct the grammar in this line.

We can't use inform as a noun in this way, so we'd better change it to something like notice.

我們不能這樣把 inform 當名詞用，所以最好改成 notice 這樣的詞。

And since we don't have an opening salutation, we can add something neutral and professional like Dear colleagues.

而且因為我們沒有 opening salutation，可以加一些中性又專業的，像是 Dear colleagues。

Now, when we look at the body of the email, the first thing we notice is that the entire message is is just one sentence long and it's a run on sentence that is it's really several separate sentences that have been incorrectly strung together with commas.

現在，我們來看 body of the email，第一眼注意到的是，整封信只有一句話，而且是 run on sentence，也就是說，它其實是好幾個句子，卻用逗號錯誤地串在一起了。

Let's start by replacing all these commas with periods so that the sentences stand on their own.

我們就先從把這些逗號都改成句點開始，讓每個句子都能獨立存在。

And we'll need to capitalize the first word in each of these new sentences.

然後我們也需要把這些新句子的第一個字大寫。

Now that we've broken the sentences apart, let's go through them one by one and make sure the grammar is correct.

現在我們已經把句子拆開了，就一個一個來檢查，確保 grammar 都正確。

In the first sentence, Jenny writes that the company will have to restart the server from 17:15pm to 18:00pm today.

第一句，Jenny 寫說公司今天下午 17:15 到 18:00 需要重啟 server。

Since Jenny is using 24 hour time here, she doesn't need PM after 17:15 or 1800.

因為 Jenny 在這裡用的是 24 小時制，所以 17:15 或 18:00 後面不需要加 PM。

This sentence also has a subordinate clause because of the backup tape equipment has some problems here.

這句話也有一個從屬子句，因為 backup tape equipment 有點問題。

我們需要把 because of 改成 because。

Remember that because of is always followed by a noun or a noun phrase.

記得 because of 後面一定要接名詞或名詞片語。

But what we have here is a complete Sentence the backup tape equipment has some problems, which takes because by itself we can also see that this last sentence Any questions, please call 588 is actually a sentence fragment.

但我們這裡有一個完整的句子：the backup tape equipment has some problems，這讓 because 本身就可以獨立存在。我們也可以看到最後這句 Any questions, please call 588，其實是一個句子片段。

We'd better turn it into a complete sentence by making the first part into a clause if you have any questions, and

我們最好把它變成一個完整的句子，方法是把前半段變成一個子句：if you have any questions，

And finally, we should think about structuring the email into separate paragraphs.

最後，我們應該考慮把 email 抽成不同的段落。

I think the best way to do this is to begin a new paragraph with sorry for the inconvenience.

我覺得最好的方法是從 sorry for the inconvenience 開始一個新段落。

This gives us two paragraphs with separate ideas, one that explains what's happening and one that apologizes to Jenny's readers and gives them an opportunity to ask for more information.

這樣我們就有兩個段落，各自有獨立的想法，一個解釋發生了什麼事，另一個則向 Jenny 的讀者道歉，並提供他們詢問更多資訊的機會。

Now let's move on to the style of this email.

接下來，我們來看看這封 email 的 style。

When you're writing a message to deliver bad news, one good strategy is to buffer the news.

當你要寫一封傳達壞消息的訊息時，一個不錯的策略是先給個 buffer。

That is to put some neutral material at the beginning and the end of the email, and

也就是在 email 的開頭和結尾放一些中性的內容，

also at the beginning and end of each paragraph containing bad news.

同時也在包含壞消息的每個段落的開頭和結尾都放上。

This makes the delivery less abrupt and helps avoid giving a negative impression to the reader.

這樣可以讓傳達訊息的方式不那麼突然，也避免給讀者負面的印象。

As you can see, Jenny hasn't followed this rule.

你看到了，Jenny 沒有遵守這個規則。

We will restart our mail server, and only afterwards does she explain the reason for the news.

我們會重啟我們的 mail server，之後她才解釋這個消息的原因。

Let's rearrange this paragraph to put the explanation first so the readers understand why they are being inconvenienced.

讓我們重新安排這個段落，把解釋放在前面，這樣讀者就能理解為什麼會造成他們的不便。

We can begin by saying something like, we have discovered that the backup tape equipment for our mail server has some problems, and

我們可以先說，我們發現 mail server 的 backup tape 設備有些問題，

then cut out the second clause of the original sentence.

This puts the bad news in the second sentence of the paragraph, but

這樣就把壞消息放在段落的第二句，但是

we should probably add a clause that explains the connection between the equipment problem and the server restart.

我們應該補充一個子句，解釋設備問題和 server restart 之間的關聯。

Let's start by saying, For this reason we will restart.

我們先從說「因為這個原因，我們會重啟」開始。

And we can just say the server in this sentence, since we've identified the system already.

這句話我們可以直接說 server，因為系統已經說過了。

The last sentence in this paragraph gives the readers some additional bad news.

這段的最後一句給了讀者一些額外的壞消息。

Jenny is telling them that the company may lose its email connection for a long time this afternoon.

Jenny 告訴他們，公司今天下午可能會失去 email 連線很長一段時間。

But since we know that the repair should be finished by 1800, we can rephrase this news in a positive way.

但既然我們知道維修應該會在 1800 結束，我們可以正面地重新措辭這個消息。

Where Jenny writes from 1715 to 1800, let's say beginning at 1715 today and end the second sentence there.

Jenny 寫的是從 1715 到 1800，那我們就說從今天 1715 開始，然後第二句就到這裡結束。

This gives us the chance to end the paragraph on a positive note.

這讓我們有機會在正面訊息中結束這段。

Instead of saying, we expect to restart the server many times, the final sentence can say, we expect the server to be available again after 1800.

與其說「我們預計會重啟 server 很多次」，最後一句可以說「我們預計 server 在 1800 後就能恢復使用」。

When an email has to deliver bad news, it's also helpful to emphasize how readers can benefit by cooperating or by accepting the situation.

當 email 需要傳達壞消息時，強調讀者透過合作或接受現況能獲得什麼好處，也會很有幫助。

So let's have Jenny add a new sentence in a separate paragraph explaining why this temporary interruption of service will make things easier for her colleagues in the long run.

所以，讓 Jenny 在另一個段落補充一句，解釋為什麼這次暫時的中斷服務，長期來看會讓她的同事們更輕鬆。

She can say, these repairs to the server will make your Internet and email connections more reliable in the future.

她可以說：「這次對 server 的維修，將讓你們未來的網路和 email 連線更穩定。」

In the next paragraph, Jenny is right to use apologetic phrasing, since this ends the email in a less negative way.

在下一個段落，Jenny 使用道歉的措辭是正確的，因為這樣能讓 email 的結尾不那麼負面。

But we should make some changes to her language so it sounds less abrupt.

但我們應該稍微修改她的用詞，讓它聽起來不那麼生硬。

A sentence beginning with sorry sounds very informal, which probably isn't a good idea if she wants to show sympathy for her colleagues.

以「抱歉」開頭的句子聽起來非常隨意，如果她想對同事表達同情，這可能不是個好主意。

Let's change it to we apologize for the inconvenience and we don't really need this final to you and we can change call 588 to call me on extension 588 again making the sentence less abrupt and more informative, and

我們把它改成「對於造成的不便，我們深感抱歉」，而且我們不需要「致你的」這句，我們可以把「call 588」改成「call me on extension 588」，讓句子不那麼生硬，資訊也更豐富，

emphasizing that Jenny is personally involved in solving this problem.

並強調 Jenny 個人參與解決這個問題。

And finally, let's review the email for tone.

最後，我們來檢查一下這封 email 的 tone。

The first and second paragraphs have a neutral tone, which is appropriate for delivering bad news in an internal memo.

第一段和第二段的 tone 是中性的，這很適合在內部備忘錄中傳達壞消息。

But in the third paragraph, we should add some language to make Jenny's apology sound more sincere.

但在第三段，我們應該加入一些語句，讓 Jenny 的道歉聽起來更真誠。

By expressing concern for the needs of her colleagues, Jenny wants to make her readers feel welcome to ask for more information about the server problem.

透過表達對同事需求的關心，Jenny 希望讓讀者覺得很歡迎，可以就 server 問題詢問更多資訊。

So let's begin by adding or concerns to this final sentence so it becomes questions or concerns.

所以，我們就從在這裡加入我們的 concerns 開始，讓它變成 questions or concerns。

And we can change Please call to Please feel free to call again to create a more welcoming tone.

我們可以把 Please call 改成 Please feel free to call，這樣能創造一個更受歡迎的 tone。

Finally, we should add a closing sentence to show appreciation for the reader's problems and their willingness to cooperate in solving them.

最後，我們應該加上一句結尾，來表達對讀者所面臨問題的感謝，以及他們願意配合解決的態度。

Let's write something like thank you for your patience and understanding.

我們可以寫「感謝您的耐心與理解」。

This sentence we apologize for the inconvenience may not really be necessary.

這句「我們為造成的不便道歉」可能不是真的有必要。

Some of you may feel it makes the email too apologetic, so I think we can let our listeners decide for themselves.

有些人可能會覺得這讓 email 過於道歉，所以我想我們可以讓我們的聽眾自己決定。

Now, let's take one final look at this email.

好了，我們最後再來看一下這封 email。

Jenny has taken a problem that might cause a lot of annoyance to her readers, and

Jenny 把一個可能會讓她的讀者很頭痛的問題，

she's explained it in a way that's direct, professional, and sympathetic.

用一種直接、專業又體貼的方式解釋了。

She's making the best of a bad situation, which is a very important skill in any business setting.

她把一個爛情況處理得最好，這在任何商業場合都是非常重要的技能。

So let's hit the send button and get this message out to Jenny's colleagues.

所以，我們就按下傳送鍵，把這封訊息寄給 Jenny 的同事們吧。

字幕列表影片播放

商務英文寫作教學｜ ESL 必學｜傳達壞消息的技巧 💌 (Business English Writing Lesson for ESL - ET 04: Bad News Messages)

material

situation

positive

negative

商務英文寫作教學 ｜ ESL 必學 ｜ 傳達壞消息的技巧 💌 (Business English Writing Lesson for ESL - ET 04: Bad News Messages)

material

situation

positive

negative

商務英文寫作教學｜ ESL 必學｜傳達壞消息的技巧 💌 (Business English Writing Lesson for ESL - ET 04: Bad News Messages)