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Sometimes I found myself in the situation that I don't know how to link two different ideas in the same message. For example, writing an e-mail:

Hello. I can start working on the project, just tell me which are the requirements. _ _ _ _ I would like to see if you can help me with my income tax declaration.

What word is a good option to fill the blank space? I thought moreover and in the other hand are good options, but they don’t convince me.

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"Also', should do the trick. It's hidden in a few answers below, so I won't write another. I'm just highlighting it as the best suggestion. –  Karl Apr 21 '11 at 5:50

4 Answers 4

up vote 6 down vote accepted

Moreover isn't the word you are after. It implies a relationship between the two ideas; moreover, it implies that the second is even more pertinent to what you are discussing than the first is.

On the other hand (not in the other hand) isn't an appropriate phrase either. It too implies a relationship, specifically that the two ideas are somehow opposite to each other in some sense. For example, I could have a burger and chips for lunch today. On the other hand, I could be good and have a salad instead.

The word you are after is probably "also", as in "I would also like to see if you could help me with my income tax declaration." However, you still hit the basic problem that the two sentences are not actually related to each other. They don't belong in the same paragraph, since part of the point of a paragraph is that it collects one idea together. If you try to jam an unrelated idea in like this, a lot of people will simply fail to notice it.

So a better way to structure your email would be something like this:

Hello. [This is rather abrupt; a bit more of a greeting wouldn't hurt.]

I can start working on the project, just tell me what the requirements are. [It would help to put in something relevant to the project here, just to fill out the paragraph, even if the person you are writing to doesn't need to know. Something that's too terse comes across as impolite.]

I would also like to see if you can help me with my income tax declaration. [Again, padding it out a bit with a reason helps to make it sound more polite.]

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I've noticed that people don't read emails carefully, and one with two different topics will often have the second overlooked. Your best option is to send two emails. At the very least, start another paragraph. Keep separate ideas separate and you'll communicate better and get a better response.

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Yo are absolutely right. –  kiewic Apr 22 '11 at 7:14

In This case you could use "Furthermore", "In addition" (These words are more formal), "Other thing" or "Then" (less formal). Here is some language you may find useful to join ideas together in other situations:

Listing ideas

  • first, second, etc
  • then
  • in addition
  • furthermore
  • besides
  • similarly

Contrasting ideas

  • nevertheless
  • nonetheless
  • on one hand + on the other hand
  • conversely
  • in contrast
  • whereas
  • although
  • in spite of
  • despite
  • yet

Describing results of ideas

  • as a result
  • since
  • thus
  • in turn
  • consequently
  • therefore
  • so

Make sure you know how to use these words if you include them in your answer and don’t use too many!

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'Furthermore' perhaps? 'One other thing' is a little less formal.

It's true what @thursdaysgeek says, many people seem to skim emails and if you really want all your points to be noticed, and they are distinct questions or requests, then a separate email is a better option.

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