Computer Basics · The Internet & Email · Lesson 4 of 5

Email Basics

Read, reply, send files and keep junk mail out of your inbox.

Your inbox

Email is a way to send written messages over the internet. Each person has an email address, like rosa@example.com. The @ sign is said "at".

You can read email in an app, like Outlook, or on a website, like Gmail. They look a little different but work the same way.

The inbox is where new emails arrive. Each line shows who sent it, the subject and the time. Emails you haven't read yet are often in bold.

To read an email, click it once. It opens next to the list or fills the window.

An attachment is a file sent along with an email, like a photo or a document. Look for a paper clip icon. Click the file's name or picture to open it.

To answer, click Reply. A new message opens, already addressed to the sender. Type your message and click Send.

Don't worry about getting it perfect. A short, friendly reply is fine.

On the practice computer, open the email from Aunt Rosa and open her photo. Then reply with a short message. Last, find the email from Prize Center and move it to Junk.

Reply, Reply all and Junk

Some emails go to a group of people. Then you have two choices:

• Reply sends your answer only to the person who wrote.
• Reply all sends it to everyone on the email.

Use Reply all only when everyone needs to read your answer. If you're not sure, choose Reply.

To write a brand new email, click New mail. In Gmail, it's called Compose. Then fill in:

1. To: the person's email address.
2. Subject: a few words about what it's about.
3. Your message, in the big box below.

To add a file, click the paper clip and pick the file. Then click Send.

The Junk folder is where unwanted email goes. Your email app moves a lot of it there for you. In Gmail, it's called Spam. If a good email lands there by mistake, you can move it back to your inbox.

Some emails say you won a prize or a gift card. If it seems too good to be true, don't click anything in it. Just move it to Junk.