How to Say Email Addresses in English Correctly

1. Introduction to Saying Email Addresses

In today’s globalized world, email is one of the most important forms of communication. However, many people around the world make mistakes when saying their email address in English because they use terminology from their own language.

This lesson will help you:

• Use correct English vocabulary for email symbols
• Say your email address clearly and professionally
• Ask for someone’s email address politely
• Spell your name and email address accurately
• Understand domain endings and country codes

Why This Matters

Reason	Explanation
Clarity	Correct terminology prevents misunderstandings.
Professionalism	Proper email communication creates a good impression.
Confidence	Knowing the right words builds self-assurance.
Global communication	Email is used worldwide in business and education.

Word Meaning Section

Word / Phrase	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Email	electronic mail	ইমেইল
Address	location details for contact	ঠিকানা
Symbol	a mark or sign	প্রতীক
Domain	internet address ending	ডোমেইন
Terminology	special words used in a field	পরিভাষা

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2. Understanding the Word “Email”

The Word “Email” as Noun, Verb, and Adjective

The word email can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective.

Part of Speech	Example	Explanation
Noun	I sent you an email.	Email as a thing.
Verb	I’ll email you.	Email as an action.
Adjective	He has two email addresses.	Email describing a noun.

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	I sent you an email.	Noun; one message.
2	She received many emails today.	Plural noun.
3	I’ll email you later.	Verb; action of sending.
4	He emailed the report.	Verb in past tense.
5	She has two email accounts.	Adjective describing accounts.
6	Please check your email inbox.	Adjective describing inbox.
7	This email is from Fred.	Noun; specific message.
8	These emails just arrived.	Plural noun.
9	I need to email my professor.	Verb; action.
10	What is your email address?	Adjective; describing address.

Word Meaning Section

Word	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
Email	electronic mail message	ইমেইল
Inbox	folder for received emails	ইনবক্স
Account	personal email registration	অ্যাকাউন্ট
Address	contact location	ঠিকানা

Note on Spelling: Email vs. E-mail

Both email and e-mail are used. However, email is becoming the standard in most contexts.

Spelling	Usage
email	Modern, common
e-mail	Traditional, some formal style guides

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3. Email Vocabulary: At and Dot

The @ Symbol: “At”

The symbol @ is pronounced “at” in English.

Incorrect	Correct
at the rate of	at
strudel	at
monkey’s tail	at

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	johndoe at gmail dot com	@ = at.
2	sarah at yahoo dot com	@ = at.
3	contact at company dot com	@ = at.
4	info at website dot org	@ = at.
5	support at service dot net	@ = at.
6	admin at school dot edu	@ = at.
7	sales at business dot biz	@ = at.
8	jane dot doe at gmail dot com	@ = at; dot = period.
9	john underscore doe at hotmail dot com	@ = at.
10	jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com	@ = at.

The . Symbol: “Dot”

In email addresses, the period (.) is called “dot”.

Context	Term
Email address	dot
Numbers	point
American punctuation	period
British punctuation	full stop

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	jane dot doe at yahoo dot com	First . = dot; second . before com = dot.
2	john dot smith at gmail dot com	Use “dot” for each period.
3	info at company dot com	“dot com” at the end.
4	first dot last at email dot com	Professional format.
5	mary dot johnson at university dot edu	“dot” before domain.
6	support at website dot net	“dot net” ending.
7	contact at nonprofit dot org	“dot org” ending.
8	sales at business dot biz	“dot biz” ending.
9	jane dot doe at gmail dot com	Two “dots” in the address.
10	john dot doe at outlook dot com	Clear and professional.

Word Meaning Section

Symbol	English Name	Bengali Meaning
@	at	অ্যাট
.	dot	ডট

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4. Email Vocabulary: Underscore and Hyphen

The Underscore: _

The symbol _ is called “underscore”.

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	john underscore doe at hotmail dot com	_ = underscore.
2	mary underscore smith at gmail dot com	Use “underscore” for _.
3	contact underscore us at company dot com	Clear pronunciation.
4	first underscore last at email dot com	Professional format.
5	jane underscore doe at yahoo dot com	“Underscore” connects names.
6	support underscore team at service dot com	Use “underscore” for _.
7	info underscore desk at website dot org	Clear and correct.
8	sales underscore department at business dot biz	Use “underscore” for _.
9	john underscore doe at gmail dot com	Standard pattern.
10	mary underscore jones at outlook dot com	Clear pronunciation.

The Hyphen: –

The symbol – is called “hyphen”.

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com	– = hyphen.
2	john hyphen smith at yahoo dot com	Use “hyphen” for -.
3	info hyphen desk at company dot com	Clear pronunciation.
4	first hyphen last at email dot com	Professional format.
5	mary hyphen jones at hotmail dot com	“Hyphen” connects names.
6	support hyphen team at service dot net	Use “hyphen” for -.
7	contact hyphen us at website dot org	Clear and correct.
8	sales hyphen department at business dot biz	Use “hyphen” for -.
9	john hyphen doe at gmail dot com	Standard pattern.
10	jane hyphen smith at outlook dot com	Clear pronunciation.

Word Meaning Section

Symbol	English Name	Bengali Meaning
_	underscore	আন্ডারস্কোর
–	hyphen	হাইফেন

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5. Domain Endings: .com, .org, .net, .edu, .biz

Common Domain Endings

Ending	Pronunciation	Meaning
.com	dot com	commercial
.org	dot org	organization
.net	dot net	network
.edu	dot edu	education
.biz	dot biz	business

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	johndoe at gmail dot com	Personal email.
2	info at company dot com	Business email.
3	contact at nonprofit dot org	Organization email.
4	support at service dot net	Network email.
5	courses at abcschool dot edu	Educational email.
6	doug at fancyhotel dot biz	Business email.
7	admin at university dot edu	University email.
8	sales at company dot net	Network email.
9	jane doe at gmail dot com	Personal email.
10	help at organization dot org	Organization email.

Word Meaning Section

Domain	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
.com	commercial	বাণিজ্যিক
.org	organization	সংস্থা
.net	network	নেটওয়ার্ক
.edu	education	শিক্ষা
.biz	business	ব্যবসা

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6. Country Code Endings: .ca, .uk, .us, .br, .sa

Common Country Codes

Country Code	Pronunciation	Country
.ca	dot c a	Canada
.us	dot u s	United States
.uk	dot u k	United Kingdom
.br	dot b r	Brazil
.sa	dot s a	Saudi Arabia
.ru	dot r u	Russia

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	cooljack at xyz dot ca	Canadian email.
2	info at company dot us	American email.
3	contact at business dot uk	British email.
4	sales at company dot br	Brazilian email.
5	support at service dot sa	Saudi Arabian email.
6	admin at website dot ru	Russian email.
7	johndoe at gmail dot ca	Canadian personal email.
8	info at university dot uk	British university email.
9	contact at company dot us	American business email.
10	jane doe at yahoo dot br	Brazilian personal email.

Word Meaning Section

Country Code	English Meaning	Bengali Meaning
.ca	Canada	কানাডা
.us	United States	যুক্তরাষ্ট্র
.uk	United Kingdom	যুক্তরাজ্য
.br	Brazil	ব্রাজিল
.sa	Saudi Arabia	সৌদি আরব

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7. Spelling Your Name Clearly: NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Why Use a Spelling System?

When spelling your name or email address on the phone, letters can easily be confused. A phonetic alphabet helps prevent mistakes.

The NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Letter	Code Word	Letter	Code Word
A	Alpha	N	November
B	Bravo	O	Oscar
C	Charlie	P	Papa
D	Delta	Q	Quebec
E	Echo	R	Romeo
F	Foxtrot	S	Sierra
G	Golf	T	Tango
H	Hotel	U	Uniform
I	India	V	Victor
J	Juliett	W	Whiskey
K	Kilo	X	X-ray
L	Lima	Y	Yankee
M	Mike	Z	Zulu

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	Charlie Alpha Bravo	Spelling “cab.”
2	Alpha Bravo Charlie	Spelling “abc.”
3	India Sierra Alpha	Spelling “isa.”
4	Delta Alpha Victor India Delta	Spelling “david.”
5	Mike Alpha Romeo Yankee	Spelling “mary.”
6	Sierra Alpha Mike	Spelling “sam.”
7	Echo Delta Uniform	Spelling “edu.”
8	Uniform Kilo	Spelling “uk.”
9	Bravo Romeo	Spelling “br.”
10	Sierra Alpha	Spelling “sa.”

Simple Alternative System

You can also use simple words:

Letter	Word
A	apple
B	boy
C	cat
D	dog
E	elephant
F	fish
G	girl
H	hat

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	A for apple	Clear spelling of A.
2	B for boy	Clear spelling of B.
3	C for cat	Clear spelling of C.
4	D for dog	Clear spelling of D.
5	S for sun	Clear spelling of S.
6	T for table	Clear spelling of T.
7	M for moon	Clear spelling of M.
8	R for rain	Clear spelling of R.
9	J for juice	Clear spelling of J.
10	K for king	Clear spelling of K.

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8. Asking for and Giving Email Addresses

Asking for an Email Address

Level	Question
Casual	What’s your email address?
Casual	What’s your email?
Formal	Could you please give me your email address?
Formal	May I have your email address, please?

Giving Your Email Address

Level	Answer
Casual	My email is johndoe at gmail dot com.
Formal	My email address is johndoe at gmail dot com.

8 Examples of Giving Email Addresses

#	Example	Explanation
1	My email is johndoe at gmail dot com.	Casual, clear.
2	My email address is jane dot doe at yahoo dot com.	Formal, clear.
3	My email is john underscore doe at hotmail dot com.	Clear with underscore.
4	My email address is jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com.	Clear with hyphen.
5	My email is info at company dot com.	Business email.
6	My email address is contact at nonprofit dot org.	Organization email.
7	My email is sales at business dot biz.	Business email.
8	My email address is admin at school dot edu.	Educational email.
9	My email is support at service dot net.	Network email.
10	My email address is johndoe at gmail dot ca.	Country code email.

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9. Professional Email Address Format

The Recommended Format

For professional purposes, use a simple, clear format:

firstname.lastname@domain.com

8 Examples with Explanations

#	Example	Explanation
1	jane dot doe at gmail dot com	Professional format.
2	john dot smith at outlook dot com	Clear and professional.
3	mary dot jones at yahoo dot com	Simple and clear.
4	first dot last at company dot com	Standard professional pattern.
5	john underscore doe at gmail dot com	Alternative when dot is taken.
6	jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com	Alternative when dot is taken.
7	info at company dot com	Generic business email.
8	contact at organization dot org	Generic organization email.
9	support at service dot net	Generic support email.
10	admin at university dot edu	Generic administrative email.

What to Avoid

Avoid	Reason
cooljack at xyz dot com	Not professional.
wonderwoman at gmail dot com	Not appropriate for job applications.
partylover at yahoo dot com	Unprofessional.

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10. Grammar Focus: Singular and Plural “Email”

Singular “Email”

#	Example	Explanation
1	This email is from Fred.	One email.
2	I received an email yesterday.	One message.
3	She sent me an email.	One message.
4	The email was important.	Singular subject.
5	Did you get my email?	One message.

Plural “Emails”

#	Example	Explanation
1	These emails just arrived.	More than one.
2	I have many emails to answer.	Multiple messages.
3	She received dozens of emails.	Large number.
4	The emails are in the inbox.	Plural subject.
5	Did you read all the emails?	Multiple messages.

Affirmative, Negative, and Interrogative Forms

Form	Example
Affirmative	I sent you an email.
Negative	I didn’t send you an email.
Interrogative	Did you send me an email?
Affirmative	The emails arrived.
Negative	The emails didn’t arrive.
Interrogative	Did the emails arrive?

5 WH-Question Examples with Answers

#	WH Question	Possible Answer
1	What is your email address?	My email is johndoe at gmail dot com.
2	How do you spell your name?	J-O-H-N; John.
3	When did you receive the email?	I received it this morning.
4	Why did you change your email?	I changed it for security reasons.
5	Where can I send the information?	You can send it to my email address.

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11. Sentence Patterns for Email Communication

Pattern 1: Giving Your Email Address

My email is + [address]

Example
My email is johndoe at gmail dot com.

Pattern 2: Asking for an Email Address

What’s your email address?

Example
Could you please give me your email address?

Pattern 3: Spelling Your Name

[Name] is spelled + [letters]

Example
My name is spelled J-O-H-N.

Pattern 4: Using the NATO Alphabet

[Letter] as in [word]

Example
J as in Juliett, O as in Oscar, H as in Hotel, N as in November.

Pattern 5: Confirming Understanding

Did you say [repeat address]?

Example
Did you say johndoe at gmail dot com?

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12. Special Tips for Learners

Tip 1: Master the Symbols

Symbol	Name
@	at
.	dot
_	underscore
–	hyphen

Tip 2: Practice Saying Your Own Email

Record yourself saying your email address. Compare with correct pronunciation.

Tip 3: Use the NATO Alphabet for Clarity

When spelling your name on the phone, use a phonetic alphabet.

Tip 4: Use “Dot” Not “Point” in Email

In email addresses, always say “dot”, not “point” or “full stop.”

Tip 5: Use “At” Not “At the Rate of”

In email addresses, @ is simply “at”.

Tip 6: Avoid Country-Specific Terms

Do not use terms from your own language for email symbols.

Tip 7: Create a Professional Email

For job applications, use:

firstname.lastname@domain.com

Tip 8: Practice with Common Domains

Domain	Pronunciation
.com	dot com
.org	dot org
.net	dot net
.edu	dot edu

Tip 9: Spell Unusual Names Clearly

Use a system:

“A for apple, B for boy…”

Tip 10: Confirm the Address

Repeat the email address back to confirm:

“Did you say johndoe at gmail dot com?”

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13. Tips for Competitive Exams: IELTS, TOEFL, GRE

IELTS

Skill	How It Is Tested	Strategy
Speaking Part 1	Questions about contact information.	Practice saying email addresses clearly.
Listening	Filling in forms with email addresses.	Recognize “at,” “dot,” “underscore,” “hyphen.”
Writing	Spelling accuracy matters.	Use correct email vocabulary.

TOEFL

Skill	How It Is Tested	Strategy
Listening	Campus conversations with email addresses.	Recognize symbols in fast speech.
Speaking	Giving contact information.	Pronounce symbols clearly.

GRE

Skill	How It Is Tested	Strategy
Analytical Writing	Formal communication.	Use correct terminology.

Exam Rules

• In listening tests, recognize “at,” “dot,” “underscore,” and “hyphen.”
• In speaking tests, pronounce email symbols clearly.
• Use “dot” for . in email addresses.
• Use “at” for @ in email addresses.
• Practice country codes: .ca, .uk, .us.

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14. Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct word.

1. The @ symbol is pronounced ______. (at / dot)
2. The . symbol is pronounced ______. (point / dot)
3. The _ symbol is called ______. (underscore / underline)
4. The – symbol is called ______. (dash / hyphen)
5. .com means ______. (commercial / community)
6. .org means ______. (organization / original)
7. .edu means ______. (education / editor)
8. .ca is for ______. (Canada / California)
9. .uk is for ______. (Ukraine / United Kingdom)
10. In email addresses, . is called ______. (dot / period)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct answer.

1. How do you say @ in English?
   a) at the rate of
   b) at
   c) strudel
   d) monkey’s tail
2. How do you say . in an email address?
   a) point
   b) period
   c) dot
   d) full stop
3. What is _ called?
   a) underline
   b) underscore
   c) dash
   d) hyphen
4. What is – called?
   a) underscore
   b) hyphen
   c) dot
   d) at
5. How do you say “john.doe@gmail.com”?
   a) john point doe at gmail dot com
   b) john dot doe at gmail dot com
   c) john period doe at gmail point com
   d) john full stop doe at gmail dot com
6. How do you say “john_doe@hotmail.com”?
   a) john underscore doe at hotmail dot com
   b) john underline doe at hotmail dot com
   c) john dash doe at hotmail dot com
   d) john hyphen doe at hotmail dot com
7. How do you say “jane-doe@gmail.com”?
   a) jane underscore doe at gmail dot com
   b) jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com
   c) jane dash doe at gmail dot com
   d) jane dot doe at gmail dot com
8. What does .edu mean?
   a) education
   b) editor
   c) entertainment
   d) engineering
9. What does .ca mean?
   a) California
   b) Canada
   c) Cambodia
   d) Cameroon
10. Which is a professional email format?
    a) cooljack at xyz dot com
    b) wonderwoman at gmail dot com
    c) jane dot doe at gmail dot com
    d) partylover at yahoo dot com

Exercise 3: Sentence Transformation / Error Correction

Rewrite each sentence correctly.

1. My email is john at the rate of gmail dot com.
2. Contact me at jane point doe at yahoo dot com.
3. His email is john underline doe at hotmail dot com.
4. Her email is mary dash doe at gmail dot com.
5. The website is info at company full stop com.
6. My email is cooljack at xyz dot ca. (make professional)
7. The @ symbol is called strudel.
8. The . symbol is called full stop in email.
9. .org means original.
10. .uk means Ukraine.

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15. Answer Key with Explanations

Exercise 1 Answers

1. at
   Explanation: @ is pronounced “at” in English.
2. dot
   Explanation: In email addresses, . is “dot.”
3. underscore
   Explanation: _ is called “underscore.”
4. hyphen
   Explanation: – is called “hyphen.”
5. commercial
   Explanation: .com stands for commercial.
6. organization
   Explanation: .org stands for organization.
7. education
   Explanation: .edu stands for education.
8. Canada
   Explanation: .ca is the country code for Canada.
9. United Kingdom
   Explanation: .uk is the country code for the United Kingdom.
10. dot
    Explanation: In email addresses, . is “dot.”

Exercise 2 Answers

1. b) at
   Explanation: @ is pronounced “at.”
2. c) dot
   Explanation: . is “dot” in email addresses.
3. b) underscore
   Explanation: _ is “underscore.”
4. b) hyphen
   Explanation: – is “hyphen.”
5. b) john dot doe at gmail dot com
   Explanation: Use “dot” and “at.”
6. a) john underscore doe at hotmail dot com
   Explanation: _ = underscore.
7. b) jane hyphen doe at gmail dot com
   Explanation: – = hyphen.
8. a) education
   Explanation: .edu = education.
9. b) Canada
   Explanation: .ca = Canada.
10. c) jane dot doe at gmail dot com
    Explanation: Professional format.

Exercise 3 Answers

1. My email is john at gmail dot com.
   Explanation: Use “at” not “at the rate of.”
2. Contact me at jane dot doe at yahoo dot com.
   Explanation: Use “dot” not “point.”
3. His email is john underscore doe at hotmail dot com.
   Explanation: Use “underscore” not “underline.”
4. Her email is mary hyphen doe at gmail dot com.
   Explanation: Use “hyphen” not “dash.”
5. The website is info at company dot com.
   Explanation: Use “dot” not “full stop.”
6. My email is firstname dot lastname at gmail dot com.
   Explanation: Use professional format.
7. The @ symbol is called at.
   Explanation: @ = at.
8. The . symbol is called dot in email.
   Explanation: . = dot in email addresses.
9. .org means organization.
   Explanation: .org = organization.
10. .uk means United Kingdom.
    Explanation: .uk = United Kingdom.

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16. Conclusion

Mastering how to say email addresses in English is an essential skill for professional and personal communication.

Key points to remember:

• @ is pronounced “at”
• . is pronounced “dot” in email addresses
• _ is called “underscore”
• – is called “hyphen”
• Use .com for commercial, .org for organization, .edu for education
• Use country codes like .ca, .uk, .us, .br, .sa
• Use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet for spelling names clearly
• Use a professional email format: firstname.lastname@domain.com
• Avoid country-specific terms like “strudel” or “at the rate of”

By practicing these rules, you can communicate your email address clearly and professionally in any English-speaking context.

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Call to Action: Write down your own email address and practice saying it aloud using correct English terminology. Create three additional professional email addresses and practice those too. Record yourself and listen for clarity.