Skip to main content

Email Basics: Common Email Features


Introduction
No matter which email service you choose, you'll need to learn how to interact with an email interface, including the inbox, the Message pane, and the Compose pane. Depending on the email provider, the interfaces may look and feel different, but they all function  in essentially the same way.

In this lesson, we'll talk about using an email interface to send and receive messages. We'll also discuss various terms, actions, and features that are commonly used when working with email.

Understanding the email interface
Below are some examples of different email interfaces from Gmail. Review the images below to become familiar with various email interfaces.

* Keep in mind that these examples will only provide a general overview. You can visit our Gmail tutorial to learn how to use an email application in detail. 

 Inbox
The inbox is where you'll view and manage emails you receive. Emails are listed with the name of the sender, the subject of the message, and the date received.

Gmail inbox

Message pane
When you select an email in the inbox, it will open in the Message pane. From here, you can read the message and choose how to respond with a variety of commands.

Some of the actions you can take while reading an email

Compose pane
You can click the Compose or New button from your inbox to open the Compose pane to create your own email message. From here, you'll need to enter the recipient's email address and a subject. You'll also have the option to upload files (photos, documents, etc.) as attachments and add formatting to the message.

Typing a subject and body and sending an email

* A Compose pane will also appear when you select Reply or Forward. The text from the original message will be copied into the Compose pane. 

 Common email terms and actions
All email applications use certain terms and commands you will need to understand before using email. The examples below use Gmail's Compose pane and Message pane to introduce basic email terms, but these will still be applicable for Yahoo! and Outlook.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Message pane.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Computer Basics: Basic Parts of a Computer

Introduction The basic parts of a desktop computer are the computer case, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and power cord. Each part plays an important role whenever you use a computer. Watch the video below to learn about the basic parts of a desktop computer. Computer case The computer case is the metal and plastic box that contains the main components of the computer, including the motherboard, central processing unit (CPU), and power supply. The front of the case usually has an On/Off button and one or more optical drives. Computer cases come in different shapes and sizes. A desktop case lies flat on a desk, and the monitor usually sits on top of it. A tower case is tall and sits next to the monitor or on the floor. All-in-one computers come with the internal components built into the monitor, which eliminates the need for a separate case. Monitor The monitor works with a video card, located inside the computer case, to display images and text on the screen. Most monitors have control but...
Post a Comment
Read more

Computer Basics: Buttons and Ports on a Computer

Introduction Take a look at the front and back of your computer case and count the number of buttons, ports, and slots you see. Now look at your monitor and count any you find there. You probably counted at least 10, and maybe a lot more. Each computer is different, so the buttons, ports, and sockets will vary from computer to computer. However, there are certain ones you can expect to find on most desktop computers. Learning how these ports are used will help whenever you need to connect something to your computer, like a new printer, keyboard, or mouse. Watch the video below to learn about the buttons, ports, and slots on a desktop computer. Front of a computer case Back of a computer case The back of a computer case has connection ports that are made to fit specific devices. The placement will vary from computer to computer, and many companies have their own special connectors for specific devices. Some of the ports may be color coded to help you determine which po...
Post a Comment
Read more