This is where you add the email address/es of your primary contact.
Use this in conjunction with “To” and email addresses to this field if you want someone to see the message but you don’t need a reply.
Use this in conjunction with “To” if you want to send an email to multiple people but you need to keep their email addresses confidential.
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The attachment function in your email allows you to attach supporting documents that can be downloaded or previewed within your message. Most formats are supported, and in most cases, you can include text, images, videos , audio, and GIFs. It’s worth remembering, however, that there is usually a limit to the size of the file you can send.
The subject line of your email is all-important , spelling out the intention of your email and what it contains.
They’re often forgotten but this is bad news as they not only help the recipient understand what the body of your message contains, but they also ensure your email doesn’t end up in the trash folder .
Always start your email with a greeting.
Learning how to write an email introduction and greeting is important as it allows you to be polite and let the recipient know the purpose of your message .
Formal emails, such as for a job application or sales email , require a formal greeting. When considering personal emails or those between close colleagues, it’s usually fine to use a more casual greeting. You should keep this in mind in you’re using any email templates or AI writing tools.
Naturally, the body of your message is an important element when writing an email. The ideal email body has to be focused, structured, with a clear purpose and to the point .
Remember that story telling qualities aren’t appreciated in an email and people tend to lose focus and interest if you don’t keep your email short and to the point.
Always state what your email is about early in your message, and layout your information so it is easily accessible when skim reading .
Signing off your email correctly is just as important as starting it correctly, and ensuring you use the right kind of closing for your intended recipient ensures they know the message is finished.
Tailor your closing on a per-message basis and, if you are unsure about how to sign off, always default on the side of formality.
There are many dos and don’ts when learning to write an email:
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– Keep your subject lines short and to the point so that the recipient knows what’s in your email. | —There’s a good chance your email will either be ignored or end up in the spam folder if you forget. |
– It’s important that you use the right function at the right time. | — Not checking your To, CC, and BCC fields is a recipe for disaster, and sending emails to the wrong people can have consequences in some cases. |
– Stick to the point and make sure your sentences are understandable. Use formatting options to bring clarity to your points. | — Emails should always be as concise as possible, and long-winded texts are likely to put off your recipients and ensure that your information doesn’t hit home. Once you’ve written the body of your email, read through it once again and try to redact it as much as possible. |
– Whoever you are writing to, make sure you write in a way that is suitable. Don’t be formal with family members and don’t be casual with the boss! | — Formality in writing, whether you believe in it or not, is still extremely important in professional settings. For this reason, using the same kind of tone you would in your apps can often be a bad idea. Always tailor your tone to your purpose and avoid being too casual when writing professional emails. |
– Don’t forget to check all your email functions such as email addresses and attachments. | — If you don’t proofread your emails before hitting send, then you’re opening yourself up to a whole world of trouble. Proofread the body of your email and save yourself a headache later down the line. |
When learning how to write an email, once you have added the recipients email address to the correct field, you’ll need to focus on three main areas. These are:
Here, we provide some examples of how you should approach each of these elements so that you can compose your email.
Your subject line should be concise and to the point and include any relevant information that the recipient needs in order to identify the purpose of the message. When learning how to write an email subject line, you can use the following examples to guide you:
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This is my new email address | If you want to share your new email address with your contacts. |
Request for Information | If you want to ask for information from a contact or a company. |
Just Checking In | If you haven’t been in touch someone in a while and you want to see how they are doing or get an update on a project. |
Introduction – Hi Jane, please meet John | If you want to introduce two people who haven’t met before. |
Urgent – Please Confirm Attendance by Tuesday | If you need a time-sensitive reply to a meeting or event. |
Your greeting, salutation, or introduction should be tailored to your intended recipient. In many cases, your email introduction will be familiar to you from letter writing practices.
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Hi Gemma, | Simple, friendly and to the point. Most common for emails to friends or family. |
Hi All, | Simple, friendly and to the point. Useful for group emails. |
Dear Mr. Smith, | More formal, used when you already know the person you are writing to. |
Dear Sir/Madam | Formal. Used when you don’t know the person you are writing to. |
To Whom it May Concern | Not really used in email. A little bit archaic. |
The body of your email will need to contain all the information you want to convey, without being overly long or complicated. Here are a few tips:
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Standard Text | You can usually get your most important points across using standard texts. Just remember not to go overboard. Sometimes, a second email may make more sense. |
Bullet Points | Simple and clear, bullet points can help your recipient understand things quickly. |
Bold | If you really need to emphasize something, bolding a section of text can help. |
Italics | Sometimes italics are used, although not often. For example, they can be useful for indicating titles of publications or reports. |
Color | Stay away from color. Some email apps don’t support it and if you overuse it your email may not be comprehensible. |
Signing off your email is simple, and you can choose how you do it depending on who you are writing to. Here are a few ideas:
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Love | Use this for friends or family or informal emails to people you care about. |
Thanks | Simple, friendly and easy. Use this when you know someone and you want to say thank you. |
Best Regards | Professional and simple. Use this, or similar alternatives, when you need to write a professional email. |
Best | A little less formal and useful when you send a lot of emails at work. |
Regards | Similar to the other two but maybe a little bit cold! |
Here, we look at some common examples of email writing to help you combine the elements above and rock your email technique.
When writing an email to a friend or family member, you don’t have to have as detailed of a subject line as you would for a more professional environment. Something along the lines of “Catching Up” will suffice. With your introduction, you can take a more conversational tone with them. You can use an informal introduction like “Hi Sam” when starting a conversation with them.
Since you are talking to someone close to you in a non-business setting, you can treat it as would you a text message conversation. You’ll want to use a friendly tone, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concise and clear, though. Don’t ramble as they’ll likely skim past your information if so. When closing your message, salutations like “Love”, “From”, etc. are acceptable depending on the nature of your relationship.
Example
I just wanted to check you’d received my invite for Thanksgiving? Please let me know if you’re coming so I know how much turkey to cook!
Love,
When emailing a teacher or a professor, you’ll want to use a much more clear tone than you would normally. In this setting, this person is an academic, so formality is required. Your introduction should be very formal. In our example below, we use “Dear” as the best option. When emailing a professor, be very concise and use bullet points when possible to make your point clear. When closing your email, use a formal salutation like “ Best Regards ”.
Dear Professor Smith,
Unfortunately, due to sickness, I would like to request an extension to the deadline of our current project. If possible, I would like an extension until Monday. Please let me know if this works for if you.
Kind Regards,
When sending an email for a job application, formality will be required. Your subject line should include “Application – JOB TITLE”. In your introduction, use a formal option like “Dear”. In your body, clearly state that your resume and cover letter are attached (don’t forget to attach them!).
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please find attached my introductory letter and resume in application for the position of Marketing Associate as advertised on your website. You will find all the information you need in these documents, however, if you require anything further, you can reach me on my mobile or through email.
Best Regards,
Lorraine Lister
Getting a job interview is hard enough, so do something to set yourself apart from the rest of the applicants and send a thank you letter after the interview. In the subject line, state that you are thanking the interviewer for their time and attention. In the introduction, use the opening of “Dear NAME”. In the body, thank them for their time and let them know you are available to meet again if needed. “ Kindest regards ” is a great closing to use as your salutation.
Dear Jan,
Thanks for giving me the time to speak with you and learn more about the role available. It was a pleasure to connect with you and discuss and how I might fill the position of Marketing Associate.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like any more information or if you would like to arrange another meeting to discuss how we can proceed. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Kindest Regards,
Email is the communication language of business, so it’s important to know how to learn ace email skills to further your career. “Hi Team” or “Hi All” is an ideal opening when sending to a group of people, but for a single person, use “Hi NAME” . Clearly state the purpose of the email, the intended outcome (meeting scheduled, documents reviewed, etc.), and then communicate the timeline. When closing, use “ Thanks ” or “ Best Regards ” .
Hi Team,
Attached you’ll find the latest sales figures from the last quarter. If you have any comments, please get in touch with me directly.
Best,
Emma Watson
Sales Manager
ABC Company
Email is the number one method of digital communication in the world, and its simplicity and ease of use mean it’s still popular even though it’s pretty old. You can write an email for a number of reasons, including keeping in touch with friends or family, applying for jobs, communicating with colleagues, or even just requesting information.
Anyone with an email app and an email address can write an email, and it remains one of the most popular methods of communication thanks to its availability and ease of use.
Your email address will be made up of three of four components. These are: your name (or other handle), the @ sign, and the domain of your email provider. This is usually a .com or .net domain, however this will depend on your email service.
The subject line is usually found at the very top of your email, just below the To, CC , and BCC fields where you enter the email addresses of your contacts. Don’t forget to write a short and snappy subject line so your recipients know what your email is about.
Depending on the email app you use, you may find the attachment button at the top or bottom of the screen. It is usually indicated with a paperclip icon and a click will allow you to attach files from a computer or the cloud.
The send button may be at the top or bottom of the screen depending on the app you use. It may be a simple arrow icon, or it could be a button with the word “send”. Usually, one click is all it takes to send your message, so make sure you check it properly first.
By Sarah Oakley
How to write an email in 5 steps, email writing tips, mail examples, how prowritingaid can help you with writing an email.
Writing emails is a vital skill, as emailing makes up one of the biggest methods of personal and business communication. Whether you’re writing for business, to friends and family, or to a hiring manager, you’ll need to know how to write a good email.
There are several key elements to writing any email, including the email address, subject line, greeting, body of the email, and the signature. Once you understand each of the email elements and how to write them, you’ll be able to write emails to communicate effectively with others.
In this article, we’ll explore how to write an email in five steps, and we’ll provide you with some tips and examples to help with your email writing.
If you’ve not written emails before and you’ve been asked to send one, it’s hard to know where to start. There are some things to consider before you send your email, such as who you’re sending it to and what you’re emailing them about.
Luckily, email writing is simple when you follow the five steps we’ve provided below.
Email addresses are one of the most important parts of emailing, as it tells the email provider where to send your email, just like writing an address on an envelope when you’re sending a letter in the mail.
When entering someone’s email address, remember to check the spelling before you send any emails because you don’t want to send emails to the wrong person or have it bounce back as undeliverable.
Some people add numbers and punctuation to their email address to make it more unique. Other times, they add numbers and punctuation if their chosen simple email address is unavailable.
Once you know you’ve got the right email address, you can write it in the “To” field in your email. If you want to email anyone else about the same thing, you can add their email address to the same field, but you’ll need to leave a space or a comma between each one, depending on your email provider.
If you want to address your email to more than one person, but you only need a response from one person, type the main recipient’s email address in the “To” field, and type everyone else’s addresses in the “CC” field. CC stands for carbon copy, so it means you’re sending a copy of the email to others to make them aware of something, but they don’t need to reply.
When you receive an email in your inbox, the first thing you probably look at is the subject line, which is why it’s so important to ensure your subject line is clear and grabs your recipient’s attention.
Your email subject line should give the recipient an idea of why you’re emailing them in the most succinct way possible. Subject lines are brief, so don’t write an entire sentence. Try to pinpoint the most important detail from your email, and use that to create your subject line.
If you’re emailing a business, they might give you a reference number or phrase so their email system sends your email to the correct place. For example, if you’re writing to a company about an order you’ve placed, you can include your order number in the subject line so the recipient knows exactly which order you’re emailing about.
A good subject line can help you get a better response because the person opening your email knows what to expect, what the email is about, and could already know how to respond to you.
Emails are simple ways to communicate, so your structure should get across the information you need to say in a clear, cohesive way. You can structure your email like writing the body of a letter.
Start with an email greeting, such as “Hi,” “Dear [name],” or “Hello [name].” The greeting you pick can be based on the formality of your relationship with the recipient and what you’re emailing them about. For example, if you’re writing from a business to a customer, use a formal greeting to sound professional.
If you’re writing to someone first and you’ve not emailed them before, or it’s been a long time since you last emailed them, you can use your opening line to say you hope they are well. Alternatively, your opening line can get straight to the point of your email and let them know why you’re writing to them.
Write a separate paragraph for each point in your email, starting with the main reason for emailing, and follow with any additional pieces of information and action steps. Make sure each paragraph is complete before moving on to the next point.
Emails don’t need to be long, so don’t add unnecessary information just to bulk out your email. Most people skim emails, so try to keep it short, and use keywords to draw attention to specific details you want your recipient to focus on.
Finish your email with an action phrase that prompts your recipient to do something, even if it’s having a nice day. An action phrase is perfect for marketing emails , as it reminds your customers to buy your product. If you’re writing to a hiring manager, your action phrase can prompt them to respond to your application.
Your email sign-off, or signature, is how you end your email before you send it. There are several options you can use to sign off your email. Similar to picking a greeting, pick a sign-off that reflects the formality and tone of the rest of your email.
Here’s a list of ways to sign off a professional email:
Best wishes
Kind regards
Yours faithfully
Yours sincerely
Thank you for your time
Many thanks
Warmest regards
Here’s a list of ways to sign off an informal email:
[Your name]
All the best
Take it easy
If you are emailing from a business and you want to appear professional in all your emails, but you don’t want to type out your sign-off every single time, you can create an automatic email signature. Most email providers will allow you to create and save a prewritten signature with an option for it to be added to all new emails and replies.
You can add your sign-off phrase to your signature, or you can simply add your name. If you’re writing from a business, you can also add details such as your job title, the company logo, and any other company information you think is important. Using an automatic signature will save you a lot of time as you’re writing each email.
Email etiquette is how you conduct yourself in your emails, which affects how your recipient interprets your email. While you don’t have to use email etiquette for your personal, informal emails, it’s important to follow professional etiquette for business emails .
When writing professional emails, your email etiquette could be very formal and efficient, upholding the standards set by the company you work for. The standards may include avoiding slang terms, always using active voice rather than passive, and avoiding ending sentences with prepositions.
If you have a style guide your company follows when writing emails, you can use a grammar checker, like ProWritingAid, to ensure you adhere to it. The tool is also helpful to ensure you do not make any general grammatical errors in your emails, which might embarrass you and the company.
When applying for jobs, standard email etiquette is to be respectful and professional with a positive tone and optimistic voice. You don’t want to come across as pushy or too forward in your email, but you want to show how eager you are to apply and for the company to accept you for the position.
Email writing can be very simple, and you’ll get better at it the more you do it. Before you get started, we have some more tips to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing when you need to write an email to someone.
Remember to consider the tone of your email and how your recipient will interpret it. Your tone should reflect the information you are sharing with the recipient. For example, you can use a light, friendly tone to give someone good news, and a formal, respectful tone to give someone bad news.
Emails aren’t always the best way to communicate with someone, so it’s best to email only if you think it isn’t worth calling or sending a letter instead.
Emails are a great way to save time instead of having a meeting about something. Try to summarize everything you would have said in a meeting, and send it to all who need the update.
Use a professional email address that’s also easy to remember if you use it for business or job applications. An embarrassing email address might make a hiring manager question whether you would be professional in the position you’re applying for.
If you’re attaching files to your email, remember to check your attachment before you send it. Some email systems have automatic prompts to check you’ve attached your file if you use certain phrases. It’s best not to rely on your email system flagging a missing attachment though, as you don’t want to risk the embarrassment.
Most email systems have an “undo send” button, which is your friend if you notice you’ve made a mistake. Pressing “undo send” will catch the email before the system sends it so you can make your changes before clicking send again. You usually only have a few seconds to click “undo send,” so remember to be quick if you need to click on it.
It’s common to accidentally send a half-written email, so don’t worry about it if that happens. Just quickly send a follow-up email to explain what happened, apologize, and finish what you were saying.
Here are two examples of emails to inspire your own email writing.
Formal email:
Dear Mr. Jones,
I hope this email finds you well.
I am reaching out to you because I would like to arrange a meeting to discuss our quarterly figures and the potential for growth in the sales of your products.
My team has identified some key actions that we feel will cause some significant improvement in sales.
Please let me know when you are available to meet.
Best wishes,
Informal email to a friend:
Just wanna check you have the files from that photoshoot we did last weekend. Could you send them over to me when you get a minute?
Easily improve your emails, reports, content, cover letters, and more.
A well-written email can ensure your recipient stays focused on what you’re saying and follows through with any actions you’ve requested they take. You can check your email for grammatical errors and readability issues by using ProWritingAid to ensure you don’t send a poorly written email.
You can use one of the ProWritingAid browser extensions to edit your emails, as the extensions integrate with most email websites. If you use any email apps, such as Outlook, to write your emails, you can try ProWritingAid Everywhere to see Realtime improvement suggestions as you’re writing.
When using the Realtime checker in ProWritingAid, you can select “Email (General)” or “Email (Sales)” from the document type drop-down menu in the sidebar. Selecting the right document type will mean your goals and suggestions will apply to email writing.
There are some specific goals for email writing to pay attention to, such as positivity, business jargon, style guide compliance, and spam phrases. Monitor the scores you’re achieving for email-specific goals to ensure your email sounds professional and understandable.
Once you’ve mastered the art of email writing, you’ll be able to communicate confidently with people via email in both professional and personal contexts.
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The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., how to write the perfect email in english.
It’s also common in many English tests to have to write an email. That includes computer-based exams such as the Oxford Test of English , where you have to write an 80-130 word email in 20 minutes, for the Part 1 Writing task.
In this guide, we’ll teach you how to write informal and formal emails to use in your day-to-day life or in your Oxford Test of English exam.
First things first, you need to think about who you’re writing to. Maybe it’s a friend, someone you don’t know that well, or a complete stranger. Establishing your audience will help you decide if you need to use a formal, neutral or informal register.
As a general rule, only write an informal email when you know the reader well, such as a friend or classmate. Formal emails are much more appropriate in a business setting. You might send a formal email to a public official, customer services or a company you’re working with. If you’re unsure, it’s always better to write a formal or neutral email.
Thinking about the purpose of your email can also help decide on the correct level of formality. If you’re planning a day out with friends, keep it friendly and lighthearted. If you’re requesting information from a company you want to sound professional and polite. Keep in mind your reasons for writing and make sure that’s reflected in the tone.
English works well with short, simple sentences. It’s also a good idea to break your email into paragraphs. And if it’s really complex, don’t be afraid to use bullet points. Although there is some variation between an informal and formal email, one thing is clear – a good one always follows the same six-step structure:
People are busy, and your email is one of many in their inbox. That means you want to keep the subject line meaningful and concise so they don’t hit the delete button before they’ve even opened it. Think about one clear sentence that conveys the main idea of your email.
Some good examples include:
Introducing our new school magazine End-of-course party! Meeting arranged for Wednesday Proposal for the Evergreen Sports Centre |
Greetings are important in any email. Some people believe the word ‘Dear’ should only be used in a handwritten letter. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use in an email as well. Especially if your email is very formal, like for a job application or an email of complaint.
We normally use a comma after the opening phrase, and then begin a new line after the person we’re writing to. Take a look at these different ways to begin your email:
Hi Carlos, | Dear Luka, Dear Mr Chan, Dear Recruiting Director, |
Often after the greeting we write an opening line. This is normally a polite gesture to establish a good relationship with the reader. It could be to wish someone well, introduce who you are, or state why you’re writing. Here are some examples:
How are you? | I hope you are well. |
How are things going in London? | This is Tim from Accounting. |
I am writing to tell you… |
When writing an email, it is important to get the level of detail correct. If it’s a quick internal email to a colleague it can be quite brief. However, if you’re writing for an exam, like the Oxford Test of English , you want to show what you can do. We recommend following the acronym RED ( R easons, E xamples, D etails) to help bulk out your answers.
The main body of your email should also have a clear and specific purpose. This could be anything from suggesting a birthday present for a friend or giving feedback on an event you attended. Here’s some useful language you could use:
Guess what!
| I’m pleased to tell you that… | |
Can you tell me…? | I’m writing to ask you about… | |
Thanks for your help! | Many thanks for your help. | |
Brilliant! I can’t wait!
| I was so happy to receive your news … | |
Why don’t you … ?
| Have you considered … ? | |
Why don’t we … ? | My suggestion would be to … | |
Sorry! | Please accept my apologies. |
For more informal and formal language to use in the exam, take a look at our Oxford Test of English Writing Tips .
Before signing off at the end of your email, it’s a good idea to finish with a closing statement. In a formal email this might be requesting some form of action. In an informal email it might be just to send some good wishes. Either way it’s best to end on a high note!
I can’t wait to see you! | Hope to hear from you soon. |
I look forward to meeting you. | |
Thank you in advance. |
Saying goodbye is the last thing you do at the end of an email, so you want to get it right. It should reflect your professionalism, and mimic how close you are to the recipient. Again, you must use a comma after the closing phrase and capitalise the first letter. These are some of the most common ways to end an email.
Take care! | All the best, |
Cheers, | Best wishes, |
Lots of love, | Kind regards, |
Once you’ve written your email, it’s time to check it and make sure it really is perfect. Give it a quick review, and look for any typos, spelling or grammatical errors. This is especially important if English is not your first language.
Any kind of writing skill comes with trying and trying again. At Learning English with Oxford we have lots of resources to help you prepare for the Oxford Test of English.
The Oxford Test of English is an online test, certified by the University of Oxford, and recognised all over the world. Find out more about it on our website .
Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT
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Emails have been hugely important to the internet for decades, as most people read and send emails almost every day.
That’s why being able to write a strong, clear email in English is a really important skill—on top of the fact that it can help you get a job , make friends, get into a university and much more.
If it’s your first time writing an email in English, check out this guide for beginners , but if not, continue reading this post for useful tips about email writing and email culture (dos and don’ts).
You’ll get comfortable with the format of email writing in English and you’ll see full samples of different types of emails written in English.
1. be sure an email is necessary, 2. use separate business and personal email addresses, 3. be clear, brief and polite, 4. don’t write emails when you’re angry, 5. use short sentences, 6. avoid forwarding emails and replying to all, 7. use a spell checker, 8. watch out for signatures, 9. have a native speaker proofread your email, if possible, 10. read your email personally before sending it, 11. double-check email addresses for all recipients, 12. use the subject line, 13. start with an appropriate greeting, 14. pay attention to punctuation, 15. consider where to put “small talk”, 16. start with the end in mind, 17. put spaces between paragraphs, 18. use an appropriate closing, english email examples, how to introduce yourself in an email, how to request an appointment or meeting, how to write a formal email, and one more thing....
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Like most of the email writing tips in this section, this may seem obvious. But sometimes we forget obvious things.
So ask yourself, “Is there a better or faster way to take care of this situation?” Many people get dozens or even hundreds of emails a day, so be sure that email is the fastest, clearest and most efficient way to communicate in your situation .
For example, if you’re writing to a coworker or a friend that you often see, you can probably just talk to him or her in person. Or you could also send a text message or call on the phone.
If you’ve decided that an email is the best option, then check the following tips before you click “Send.”
This may not apply to everyone, but if you can do it, it can help you in many ways.
Many jobs automatically give you an email address that you have to use. If that’s the case, then the problem is solved. Use the business email address for work and your personal email address for personal emails.
If you have a business email address, it can make an email look more professional. That’s good if you’re writing a formal email, but it might not be as nice if you’re writing to a friend. So that’s why having two can be useful.
Also, if you have separate accounts, it can help you balance your personal and professional life.
Again, many people receive so many emails each day. If your email is confusing, angry or really long, the recipient may not respond right away. Eventually they may forget to answer or even just delete it.
So be sure to get to the point quickly, but not in a rude way.
Treat an email similarly to an essay , only much shorter, and you will probably have good results. In an essay, you have to introduce the topic, explain the different points and then conclude the topic.
Honestly, this is something I have difficulty doing myself. I’m not (usually) rude in email, but I do have problems with the “brief” part. So when I’m done writing an email, I check it and try to eliminate about 20% of the content, since it was probably unnecessary.
It can be very tempting to write a mean email when you’re frustrated or angry at something. But it’s not worth it.
If you’re angry, wait until you’ve calmed down before writing your email. It’s better to wait a day than to lose a job or destroy a friendship because you said something stupid when you were angry.
Like #3, this is a problem that I have myself. I like to write long, complicated sentences, but often those are very confusing for the reader. That’s especially true if the reader is not a native English speaker.
I teach English in Costa Rica, and in Spanish it seems to be more common to have really long sentences with many commas. That’s very confusing, especially if you translate those ideas into English.
So here’s a tip: Write short sentences. It’s not bad style in English if you write short, clear sentences. Some authors, like Ernest Hemingway, are famous for doing it. (There’s even an online tool called Hemingway App that can help you write more like him!)
If you’re very comfortable writing in English, you can use long, more complicated sentences. But then again, if you’re very comfortable writing in English, then you probably don’t need these email writing tips!
The “Forward” option on email is a blessing (a good thing) and a curse (a bad thing). It can be good to quickly pass on important information to a new person. However, it can also be annoying for the recipient if it’s not used correctly. (The same thing is true about the “Reply All” option.)
If you need to forward an email, check carefully what information you’re forwarding. In some cases, it may be personal, confidential or just plain excessive (unnecessary). If so, cut those parts out.
Also, some email programs filter out emails marked with “Fwd” (forward) at the beginning of the subject line, and may even put them in the Spam filter or refuse to deliver them.
And if you click on “Reply All,” look closely at all of the recipients who will receive your email. Some people may not need to see your message. It’s frustrating to receive emails about subjects that aren’t relevant to you.
Most email programs have this option, so make sure you use it before sending the email.
Or if your email program doesn’t offer English spell checking , you can add an extension like Grammarly to your browser and use it anytime you’re writing anything.
To get the most accurate version of Grammarly, you’ll need to make sure you have Grammarly Premium , which highlights and offers corrections for more advanced English issues.
Many people put “cool” or “funny” signatures at the bottom of emails. They often include contact information, like email addresses or phone numbers. That can be useful, but if your emails get forwarded (see #5), that information may get to people you don’t know, or even people you wouldn’t want to have that information.
Additionally, if you send multiple emails back and forth with another person, it may include your signature every time, and the email chain just gets longer and longer. So consider not including your signature in some emails.
Or if you do want an email signature, try to keep it simple, without including your personal information.
If you know any native speakers or have friends who speak English very well, you may want to ask them to review your email before you send it. That’s especially true if it’s about something important.
If you’re taking an English class, you might even be able to ask your teacher to review the email—just be sure to ask nicely and say “please”!
It might not always be possible to find a native speaker to check your email. In those cases, it’s still useful to read your email yourself. It can help your English, too.
Try to read the text of your email out loud. First of all, that will help you work on your pronunciation, which is always nice. Second, it can help you see and hear mistakes in grammar.
It also helps you understand how your email “flows.” If it’s too long or complicated to read out loud, then you should probably make it shorter and clearer.
As I mentioned before, I live in Costa Rica. People here often have the same last name as many other people. It’s basically like “Smith” or “Johnson” in the U.S., but about 10 times worse.
I’ve even had multiple students at the same time who had the exact same first and last names. And I’ve mistakenly sent emails to people who had very similar names.
So just check those email addresses twice to be safe.
After you’ve followed the general email writing tips in the previous section, you need to actually write the email. So how do you do that?
There’s a specific structure and format of email writing in English, shown in the following tips.
It’s surprising how many people don’t do this. Be specific in your subject line, as well.
For example, don’t just write “Question.” Instead, be more specific, like “Question About Schedule for Friday’s Meeting.” That way, the recipient will know immediately what your email is about, even before opening it.
It’s most polite to begin with some type of greeting. If you know the person well and it’s an informal email, you can just say “Hey [First Name].”
You can also use “Hi [First Name]” or “Hello [First Name],” to be a little less casual.
If you don’t know the name of the person (like if you’re writing to customer service), you can use “To Whom It May Concern.”
Notice that after greetings, you should generally use a comma. According to many sites like Business Writing , you should use a comma after a greeting in personal emails and letters, and use a colon after a greeting in business or formal emails/letters.
But in reality, a comma will probably always be fine if you can’t remember the rule.
Start each sentence with a capital letter. Be sure to put periods or other appropriate punctuation at the end of each sentence.
It’s a small detail, but it can really help to make a positive impression.
If you know the person you’re writing an email to, you might want to include a bit of “small talk.” That could be something like asking about the person’s family, a mutual friend or an activity that you have in common. But where and how can you include this?
Personally, I actually prefer to include this information after the “business” part of an email. If I’m asking for a favor, I prefer to ask first, and then to make small talk after.
Other people or cultures may prefer to have the small talk first, so you may want to adjust it if you know the reader’s personality well.
Get to know how to use small talk in English by seeing it in use through a program like FluentU .
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
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As you write, focus on the purpose and the goal of your email. If you’re asking a question, that should be the main focus of your email. If you need a favor, then it should be very clear what favor you need and exactly how the reader can help you.
Imagine you are the recipient: Would you understand immediately what you needed to do in response to the email?
If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with a giant block of text. Just hit the “Return/Enter” key twice between paragraphs. It’s much easier to read and less overwhelming.
You can find some examples below, but be sure that it’s a goodbye that’s appropriate for the purpose of your email . In other words, don’t sign an email with “Love, Ryan” if you’re writing to your boss.
Similarly, don’t sign it “Sincerely, Ryan Sitzman” if you’re writing to your grandma to thank her for the birthday present she gave you. (And definitely don’t sign your emails as “Ryan Sitzman” if that’s not your name! And if it is your name, let me know. I’d like to start a Ryan Sitzmans Club!)
Here are some more closings you can use to say goodbye at the end of your email. Now, let’s put all of these tips into practice!
For this example, let’s imagine that you’re going to travel to the U.S., Canada or another English-speaking country. When you get there, you’ll stay with a host family. So the organization has matched you with a family and you need to introduce yourselves before you meet in person.
Here’s what you might send:
Dear Smith Family,
Hello, my name is John. I received a confirmation letter from the exchange organization today. It said I’ll be staying with you for two months later this year. I wanted to introduce myself so you can know a bit more about me.
I’m 18 years old. I like listening to rock music, playing basketball and reading comic books. I will graduate from high school later this year, and I hope to go to college next year. I’ve never traveled outside of my country, so meeting you and visiting your country will be an exciting, new experience for me!
I’d also like to know more about you, so if you have a chance, please write back at this email address. If you have any questions for me, I’d be happy to answer them.
Thanks again for agreeing to host me—I’m very excited to meet you in person!
Dear Professor Smith,
I really enjoyed your Introduction to Writing Course, and I was interested in continuing by taking the Advanced Writing Course next semester. I’d like to meet with you to ask a few questions about the course, and also to get more information about the scholarship for international students.
Would it be possible to meet with you at your office sometime next week? I’m available during your regular office hours on Monday and Wednesday (2-5 p.m.), but if you’re busy on those days, I could also meet any time on Tuesday or on Friday afternoon. Please let me know what day and time would work best for you.
Thanks very much for your time and help!
John Johnson
I have to write emails like this pretty often, unfortunately. I say “unfortunately” because it’s frustrating to have a problem with a product. Dealing with a company’s customer service representatives can be difficult at times. But a clear, polite email should help you resolve your problems faster.
To Whom It May Concern,
I recently bought a toaster from your company, but unfortunately it appears that the heating element isn’t working correctly.
For reference, the model number is TOS-577, and I bought it on May 1, 2016 at the Toaster Emporium in New York City. I returned the toaster to the store, but they said I should contact you because the model had been an “open-box” discontinued model. Because of that, they weren’t able to offer a refund or exchange.
I can understand the Toaster Emporium’s position, but the toaster shouldn’t have broken so soon. It is still covered under your company’s one-year warranty, so I would like to exchange the toaster for a working model. If that isn’t possible I would like to receive a refund. Please let me know what steps I need to take for this to happen.
Thanks very much for your help with this situation.
Sincerely, John Johnson
So, there you have it! If you keep these tips in mind while writing emails in English, you can become an email expert.
If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:
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Mastering the art of short essay examples and writing guidance is a valuable skill for students and professionals alike. Short essays demand conciseness, clarity, and precision, making them a unique form of expression. In this guide, we will explore the key elements of crafting compelling short essays, providing examples and writing guidance. Additionally, we’ll discuss how online assignment helpers can be a valuable resource in honing your short essay writing skills.
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Mastering the art of writing short essays requires a combination of understanding the unique characteristics of short-form writing, studying examples, and seeking guidance from online assignment helpers . By following the provided examples and writing guidance, and utilizing the expertise of online helpers, you can elevate your short essay writing skills and excel in your academic endeavors. The ability to convey complex ideas within a limited word count becomes a valuable asset in academic and professional settings.
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The breadth of Georgetown’s core curriculum means that students are required to write for a wide variety of academic disciplines. Below, we provide some student samples that exhibit the key features the most popular genres. When reading through these essays, we recommend paying attention to their
1. Structure (How many paragraphs are there? Does the author use headers?)
2. Argument (Is the author pointing out a problem, and/or proposing a solution?)
3. Content (Does the argument principally rely on facts, theory, or logic?) and
4. Style (Does the writer use first person? What is the relationship with the audience?)
Philosophy Paper
Theology Paper
History Paper
Literature Review
Comparative Analysis
Policy Brief
White Paper
Critical Analysis
What this handout is about.
This handout is intended to help students, faculty, and University professionals learn to use email more effectively. It can help you determine whether email is the best mode of communication in a particular situation and write messages that successfully convey your meaning to your intended audience.
Although email is a valuable tool, it creates some challenges for writers. Miscommunication can easily occur when people have different expectations about the messages that they send and receive. Email is used for many different purposes, including contacting friends, communicating with professors and supervisors, requesting information, and applying for jobs, internships, and scholarships. Depending on your purposes, the messages you send will differ in their formality, intended audience, and desired outcomes.
So—how do you know when sending an email is the most effective way of accomplishing your communication goals? When is a brief message OK, and when it is more appropriate to send a longer, more professional-sounding email? How should you decide what style of writing is appropriate for each task? Keep reading for answers to these questions!
Email is a good way to get your message across when:
Email is not an effective means of communication when:
People have different opinions what email should look like, so it is always helpful to be aware of the expectations of your audience . For example, some people regard email as a rapid and informal form of communication—a way to say “hello” or to ask a quick question. However, others view email as simply a more convenient way to transmit a formal letter. Such people may consider an informal email rude or unprofessional.
A message like this one might be OK to send your friend, but not to your professor:
Do you know what the assignment is about? Can U help me?
Although it may be obvious to you that you wouldn’t send such an email to your professor, let’s carefully examine what assumptions this message makes about the reader and their expectations. The tone of this message is very casual; it assumes that the reader knows who the sender is and has a close personal relationship with the sender. Because it contains an ambiguous reference to “the assignment,” this message also assumes that the reader is familiar with the subject matter at hand (for instance, it assumes the reader will know which course and which particular assignment the sender is referring to). The writer also makes an implicit assumption about the reader’s comfort with the language that is often used when sending an instant message or text message. The “U” might be taken by some readers as a sign that the writer is too lazy to type out the word “you.”
Making assumptions about your audience’s expectations increases the risk that your message or its tone will be misinterpreted. To ensure that your message has its intended effect, use the following questions to help you think about your audience and their needs:
Subject lines.
Email subject lines are like newspaper headlines. They should convey the main point of your message or the idea that you want the reader to take away. Therefore, be as specific as possible. One-word subjects such as “Hi,” “Question,” or “FYI” are not informative and don’t give the reader an idea of how important your message is. If your message is time sensitive, you might want to include a date in your subject line, like “Meeting on Thurs, Dec 2”. Think about the subject lines on the email messages you receive. Which ones do you think are most effective? Why?
Use some kind of greeting and some kind of sign-off. Don’t just start with your text, and don’t just stop at the end without a polite signature. If you don’t know the person well, you may be confused about how to address them (“What do I call my TA/professor?”) or how to sign off (Best? Sincerely?). Nonetheless, it is always better to make some kind of effort. When in doubt, address someone more formally to avoid offending them. Some common ways to address your reader are:
If you don’t know the name of the person you are addressing, or if the email addresses a diverse group, try something generic, yet polite:
Your closing is extremely important because it lets the reader know who is contacting them. Always sign off with your name at the end of your message. If you don’t know the reader well, you might also consider including your title and the organization you belong to; for example:
Mary Watkins Senior Research Associate Bain and Company
Joseph Smith UNC-CH, Class of 2009
For your closing, something brief but friendly, or perhaps just your name, will do for most correspondence:
For a very formal message, such as a job application, use the kind of closing that you might see in a business letter:
Copying individuals on an email is a good way to send your message to the main recipient while also sending someone else a copy at the same time. This can be useful if you want to convey the same exact message to more than one person. In professional settings, copying someone else on an email can help get things done, especially if the person receiving the copy is in a supervisory role. For example, copying your boss on an email to a non-responsive co-worker might prompt the co-worker to respond. Be aware, however, that when you send a message to more than one address using the Cc: field, both the original recipient and all the recipients of the carbon copies can see all the addresses in the To: and Cc: fields. Each person who receives the message will be able to see the addresses of everyone else who received it.
Blind copying emails to a group of people can be useful when you don’t want everyone on the list to have each other’s addresses. The only recipient address that will be visible to all recipients is the one in the To: field. If you don’t want any of the recipients to see the email addresses in the list, you can put your own address in the To: field and use Bcc: exclusively to address your message to others. However, do not assume that blind copying will always keep recipients from knowing who else was copied—someone who is blind copied may hit “reply all” and send a reply to everyone, revealing that they were included in the original message.
Think about your message before you write it. Don’t send email in haste. First, decide on the purpose of your message and what outcome you expect from your communication. Then think about your message’s audience and what they may need in order for your message to have the intended result. You will also improve the clarity of your message if you organize your thoughts before you start writing. Jot down some notes about what information you need to convey, what questions you have, etc., then organize your thoughts in a logical sequence. You can try brainstorming techniques like mapping, listing, or outlining to help you organize your thoughts.
Reflect on the tone of your message. When you are communicating via email, your words are not supported by gestures, voice inflections, or other cues, so it may be easier for someone to misread your tone. For example, sarcasm and jokes are often misinterpreted and may offend your audience. Similarly, be careful about how you address your reader. For instance, beginning an email to your professor or TA with “Hey!” might be perceived as being rude or presumptuous (as in “Hey you!”). If you’re unsure about how your message might be received, you might try reading it out loud to a friend to test its tone.
Strive for clarity and brevity in your writing. Have you ever sent an email that caused confusion and took at least one more communication to straighten out? Miscommunication can occur if a message is unclear, disorganized, or just too long and complex for readers to easily follow. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that your message is understood:
Format your message so that it is easy to read. Use white space to visually separate paragraphs into distinct blocks of text. Bullet important details so that they are easy to pick out. Use bold face type or capital letters to highlight critical information, such as due dates. (But do not type your entire message in capital letters or boldface—your reader may perceive this as “shouting” and won’t be able to tell which parts of the message are especially important.)
Proofread . Re-read messages before you send them. Check your grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. If your email program supports it, use spelling and grammar checking tools. Try reading your message out loud to help you catch any mistakes or awkward phrasing that you might otherwise miss.
Use what you’ve just learned to explain why Student 2’s email to Professor Jones is more effective than the email written by Student 1. How does the tone of the messages differ? What makes Student 2’s email look and sound more appropriate? What are the elements that contribute its clarity? If you were Professor Jones and you received both messages, how would you respond to each one?
hey, i need help on my paper can i come by your office tomorrow
Hi Dr. Jones,
I am in your ENGL 101 class on Thursdays, and I have a question about the paper that is due next Tuesday. I’m not sure that I understand what is meant by the following sentence in the prompt:
“Write a 10 page paper arguing for or against requiring ENGL 101 for all UNC freshmen and provide adequate support for your point of view.”
I am not sure what would count as “adequate” support. Would using 3 sources be OK?
Can I come by your office tomorrow at 2:00 pm to talk to you about my question? Please let me know if that fits your schedule. If not, I could also come by on Friday after 1:00.
Here are two versions of an email from a supervisor, Jane Doe, to a group of her employees. Which version do you think is most effective? Why?
Subject: tomorrow As you know, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be meeting to discuss the status of all of our current projects. Donuts will be provided. Be sure to arrive on time and bring along the materials you have been working on this week—bring enough copies for everyone. Some of these material might include your calendars, reports, and any important emails you have sent. Also, I wanted to remind you that your parking permit requests are due later this week; you should turn those in to Ms. Jones, and if she is not at her desk when you stop by, you can email them to her.
Subject: materials for Wed. staff meeting
Hi, everyone—
For tomorrow’s 3 p.m. staff meeting in the conference room, please bring 15 copies of the following materials:
See you tomorrow—
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Lamb, Sandra E. 2006. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write , 2nd ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.
Terminello, Verna, and Marcia G Reed. 2002. E-Mail: Communicate Effectively . New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Last Updated: September 11, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 122,106 times.
Essay writing is a common assignment in high school or college courses, especially within the humanities. You’ll also be asked to write essays for college admissions and scholarships. In a short essay (250-500 words), you will need to provide an introduction with a thesis, a body, and a conclusion, as you would with a longer essay. Depending on the essay requirements, you may also need to do academic or online research to find sources to back up your claims.
D. L. Smith
Sep 9, 2019
Aug 15, 2023
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Published on December 22, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 26, 2023.
Sending good emails is an important skill in academic and professional contexts. It’s essential to start your emails on the right foot with an appropriate greeting and an engaging opening line .
Below, we explore how to start an email, providing five professional greetings and five strong opening lines that you can use in your correspondence. We also explain the contexts where each one would be an appropriate choice.
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5 strong greetings (salutations), 5 good opening lines, how not to start an email, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions.
For your email’s greeting (also called a salutation ), you don’t need to do anything fancy. Keep it simple and choose one of the tried and tested greetings below based on the context and the level of formality you’re aiming for.
Greeting the recipient by their full name is best when you haven’t previously interacted with them.
Use “Dear,” not the less formal greetings “Hello” and “Hi,” alongside someone’s full name to avoid creating a jarring combination of different levels of formality. Also avoid using this option if you’ve interacted with the person previously, as it comes across as overly stiff.
Using an abbreviated title (such as “Ms.” or “Dr.”) followed by the person’s last name is another way of greeting someone formally. This can be a good option to show respect to a superior in some context—for example, when writing to your professor at university. It’s also a formal way of addressing someone you’ve never interacted with before.
Use of titles like this is often considered somewhat old-fashioned, though. As such, it’s best saved for contexts in which you haven’t interacted with the person before or want to show a special level of respect.
People sometimes assume that all emails sent in a professional context need to be formal in tone, but this isn’t the case in most workplaces today. If you’ve had some previous interaction with a person, it’s normally fine to just greet them by their first name, preceded by “Hi,” “Hello,” or the slightly more formal “Dear.”
This kind of informal greeting is not appropriate in all contexts. If you’re applying for a job or contacting someone you don’t know, it’s best to go for something more formal. This kind of greeting is sometimes used in marketing emails, but some might find it presumptuous —always consider your target audience.
When your email is addressed to someone whose name you don’t know, to a group of people, or to an organization or department, using alternative names is an appropriate choice: the person’s job title, the name of the team, or (in a more familiar context) something more generic like “team” or “everyone.”
Do this only when you have a good reason to. If you’re writing to an individual whose name you know or can reasonably find out, it’s better to use their name than something generic like a job title.
Sometimes a simple “Hello” or “Hi” is all you need. It’s a good, straightforward choice for a quick message to someone you communicate with frequently and don’t need to show any particular formality with. It lets you get straight to the point.
Though people sometimes choose this greeting when they’re not sure whom they’re writing to, it’s not a good choice in that context, as it can come across as overly blunt. In that situation, try using a job title or department name instead, as suggested above.
Use the best grammar checker available to check for common mistakes in your text.
The opening line of the email itself is where you can catch the reader’s attention, build a rapport, or quickly communicate what you need from them.
If you want to get straight to the point but don’t want to sound overly blunt (e.g., “I need you to do x for me by Tuesday”), a phrasing using “I’m reaching out” is a good choice. It avoids wasting your or the reader’s time but still comes across as polite and thoughtful.
However, this opening only really makes sense to begin or resume a conversation, not to continue an ongoing discussion. Use this expression for an unsolicited email, not a direct reply to a previous message.
I’m reaching out to let you know that I won’t be available for any assignments in April.
A straightforward way too add a friendly personal touch to your email is to simply ask the recipient how they’re doing, how their week is going, what they did at the weekend, or something more specific if you know something about their interests. A generic “How are you?” is good enough but can seem formulaic—try emphasizing it with another sentence.
This kind of question is appropriate in an email to someone you know or work with regularly, but it will appear overfamiliar if sent to someone you’ve had no previous interaction with. Don’t open with this in your first email to someone.
How’s your week going? I took a couple of days off, so I’m still catching up.
If you’re replying to someone directly, or following up on a previous discussion, one way to build a positive interaction is to thank them for their previous contribution. This could be for some information they gave you, something they did for you, or just taking the time to talk to you.
This opening obviously only makes sense if the person has done something for you. You could try thanking someone for opening your email in the first place, but it’s likely to come across as patronizing.
I appreciate your quick response. Regarding the invoice, …
Simply wishing the recipient well is a good way to start an email in a friendly way. Rather than the generic “ Hope you’re doing well ” or the slightly stiff “ I hope this email finds you well ,” try a more specific phrasing to emphasize the sincerity of your wishes.
Hope you had a good time on vacation!
When writing to someone you don’t know well but with whom you’ve had some previous interaction, or with whom you have a mutual connection, it’s a good idea to start by explaining that connection or reminding them where you’ve previously met.
If that introduction involves mentioning a mutual connection, make sure you have their permission to do so.
Maybe you remember me from your first weekly meeting, but we didn’t get the chance to speak much at the time. I’m reaching out to …
There are many valid ways to start an email, but there are also a few common pitfalls to avoid.
Greetings like “ Dear Sir or Madam ” and “ To Whom It May Concern ” are best avoided whenever possible. Besides sounding quite old-fashioned, they show the recipient that you’re not sure exactly whom you’re contacting. Always address the recipient by name if you can find it out; use something like a job title if not.
Starting an email without any sort of greeting line is rarely appropriate in a professional context. While you might sometimes skip the greeting in personal emails to someone you know well, in a work email you should always have some kind of greeting, whether formal (e.g., “Dear Ms. Aoki”) or casual (e.g., “Hi John”).
Consider whether your opening really adds anything of value or just wastes the reader’s time. Statements announcing what you’re going to do next in the email are usually unnecessary. Try cutting them out entirely.
If you want to know more about commonly confused words , definitions , and differences between US and UK spellings , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
Confused words
Definitions
US vs. UK spellings
You should start a professional email with a greeting and the name and title of the recipient (e.g., “Dear Mr. Walken”). Then, you should include an introductory line like I hope this email finds you well , followed by the body of the email.
For less formal emails, you can use a more casual introductory line like I hope you’re doing well .
Our rewriter can help you find alternative ways to start a professional email.
Miss is a title for an unmarried woman or girl (e.g., “Miss Jones”). It cannot be used for a married woman. It is sometimes seen as slightly old-fashioned, since it defines the woman by her marital status.
Ms. is a title for a woman whose marital status is unknown, for an older unmarried woman, or for any woman in a context where you don’t want to emphasize the woman’s marital status. It’s intended to be neutral, in that it can be used for married and unmarried women alike—much like “Mr.” can be used for married and unmarried men.
Some synonyms and phrases related to I hope this email finds you well include:
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English that goes straight to the heart
An essay is a piece of writing that revolves around a particular theme and contains the academic opinions of the person writing it. To write an essay you need an Introduction, a Body (Supporting Paragraphs), and a Conclusion.
A basic essay mainly consists of three parts: Introduction , Body , and Conclusion . The following parts will help you write a good essay.
Introduction
It constitutes the opening paragraph of the essay.
Body (Supporting Paragraphs)
They constitute the supporting sentences and ideas.
It constitutes the ending paragraph(s) of the essay.
Short essay writing #1, short essay writing on my family (250+ words).
Family is the place where you learn your first lesson in life. Your family members are the only assets that will remain with you forever. Whatever the circumstances, family members are always there for each other to support us. Good values and good morals are always taught in a family.
In the family, we are prepared to respect our elders and love younger ones. We learn lessons consistently from our family, about honesty, dependability, kindness and so on. Although I am a student in my final year, my family always treats me like a child but always provides us with a sensation of so much love and care. My family is the best family for me. I live in a nuclear family of four members.
My father is a teacher. He is the man who heads and leads our family. My mother is a housewife as well as a beautician. She is a lovely woman. My mother is everything to me. She is the one who understands me best and most closely. My grandmother is the cutest person of all.
I love my family because they are the jewels of my life. They work hard so that we can get anything we desire makes me love and respect my parents considerably more. We play games every night and discuss various topics to spend quality time together. I give deep respect and pay the highest regard to my family not just because they are my family, but for their unmatched and incredible sacrifices for me.
Short essay writing on christmas (250 words).
Christmas is one of the most famous and light-hearted festivals which is celebrated across the world by billions of people. People of the Christian religion celebrate Christmas to remember the great works of Jesus Christ. 25th December is celebrated as Christmas Day across the world. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ of Bethlehem was a spiritual leader and prophet whose teachings structure the premise of their religion.
Christmas Day is celebrated every year with great joy, happiness and enthusiasm. Everyone whether they are poor or rich gets together and partakes in this celebration with lots of activities. On this day people decorate their houses with candles, lights, balloons etc. People decorate Christmas trees on this day in their homes or a public square. They decorate Christmas trees with small electric lights of various colours, gift items, balloons, flowers, and other materials. After that, the Christmas tree looks very appealing and wonderful.
People follow popular customs including exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, obviously, trusting that Santa Claus will arrive. Children eagerly wait for Christmas day very anxiously as they get lots of beautiful gifts and chocolates. In most cases, the fat person in the family dressed up as Santa Clause with a bell in his hand which attract kids and they get lots of beautiful gifts and chocolates from Santa Clause. 25th December, Christmas Day, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
Short essay writing on health is wealth (250+ words).
The greatest wealth is our own health. A healthy body can earn great wealth but, a wealthy person cannot earn great health. We live in a fast-moving world where individuals have no time for themselves. Most part of their life withers away in search of materialistic wealth in order to outshine others but, along the way, they lose their health.
Recent studies have shown that the increased stress of the present speedy life is leading to various medical conditions. Major among those are heart and neurological problems. Good health assists an individual to keep a positive attitude toward work and life in general. Wealth matters, but, is not as important as health.
Spending lots of money on junk food in five-star hotels or on other entertainment sources like watching films for a day and so on has no advantages other than self-satisfaction. Being physically and mentally healthy helps an individual to be socially and financially healthy as well. A healthy person can earn lots of money however an unhealthy person cannot because of a lack of motivation, interest, and concentration level.
Money is the source to carry on with a healthy life however good health is the source of living a happy and peaceful life. So, everyone should take many precautions in maintaining good health. Everyone should be away from bad habits and unhealthy lifestyles. Being healthy isn’t only the condition of being free of disease, ailment, or injury but also being happy physically, mentally, socially, intellectually, and financially. Good health is an actual necessity of happy life and the greatest gift from nature.
Short essay writing on balanced diet (250+ words).
A diet that contains all kinds of necessary ingredients in almost the required quantity is called the “Balanced Diet”. A Balanced diet is one that helps to maintain or improve overall health. We should consume a balanced diet consisting of essential nutrition: liquids, adequate proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and calories. We must eat fresh fruits, salad, green leafy vegetables, milk, egg, yoghurt, etc. on time in order to maintain a healthy body.
Among the minerals, we require chiefly iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and small quantities of iodine, copper, etc. They are found in green vegetables and most fruits, Vitamins have a number of kinds like A, B, C, D, etc. Vitamin A is found in fish oil, butter, carrot, papaya, etc., and Vitamin B is found in green leafy vegetables, wheat grain, etc. Vitamin C is found in green chilli, green vegetables, amla, lemon, and citric fruits. Vitamin D is found in the first oil, butter, and rays of the sun. We also need Vitamins E and K for our health. Milk is perhaps the only single item that can be called a balanced diet in itself.
Animal protein is found in meats, poultry, and fish. The white of an egg also contains protein. Another kind of protein is found in milk (casein), cheese, curd, pulses, soybean, dry fruits, etc. Fat is found in butter, pork, coconut, all edible oils, cod liver oil, the yolk of an egg, etc. We should drink more water at least 7-8 glasses of water. A healthy body also needs some daily physical activities, proper rest and sleep neatness, a healthy environment, fresh air, and water, personal hygiene, etc.
Short essay writing on science and technology (250+ words).
In a fast-changing world, the fate of the country can be moulded through our ability to harness modern science and technology, which is a road to boost the development programs of the country. Rapid technological advances have reduced the dependency on natural resources or the factors in proportion to it.
Man is performing precisely by machines with a regular improvement in his work because of quick technological changes by virtue of scientific advancement all around the world. We have accomplished desired scientific and technological advancement and have succeeded in boosting various important international activities like information and telecommunication, television, meteorological services, medical advancement, industrial development, nuclear research, Space Research Oceanographic Research, etc.
Over the years a strong science and technology infrastructure base has been established for giving modern shape to world industries. It covers a chain of laboratories, specialized centres, various academic and research institutes, training centres, and useful development programs, which continuously provide skill, technically trained manpower, and technological support to industries for better execution. Science has advanced a great deal in the field of medical care. New technology has given a compelling medical care framework at a reasonable cost. Medical research has been carried out, broadly on nutrition, tuberculosis, reproduction, child care, leprosy, drugs, communicable diseases, cholera, and malaria, which has an extremely certain result.
If we look at the global scenario, the modern world is moving exceptionally fast. There are rapid scientific and technological changes that are occurring in a steady progression. Our country, as a global competitor, in the race of becoming a world power, needs to accomplish more in the area of Science and Technology emphasizing it as its foremost national priority in order to accomplish its objective.
Short essay writing on co-education (250+ words).
Co-education is a system of education in which boys and girls study together in a common school or college. Co-education was not prevalent in ancient times. It is a groundbreaking thought. Co-education is exceptionally practical. The number of schools required is less. The strength of the teaching staff is diminished. The government spends less money on infrastructure and laboratories. The balance of money so saved is spent on better maintenance of schools and colleges, which facilitates the students for better study.
The parents supported the case for adequate education for the children irrespective of their sex. The countrymen realized that the boys and girls have to move together and shoulder to shoulder in every walk of life in the free world. They started educating their children in co-educational institutions. That is the reason why the students of co-educational institutions do better in every walk of their life.
It is useful in producing a sensation of solidarity and a feeling of equivalent obligation among boys and girls. When young boys and girls come closer to each other, they take more care in understanding each other. That helps in creating a friendly atmosphere between the two. The boys and the girls partake in their joint exercises consistently in schools and universities.
If we want that our country ought to sparkle, we need to bring young boys and young girls together for making a power of working hands in the country, which can give a compelling reaction for greatness by accelerating the advancement in every one of the fields.
Also, Read Examples of Informative Essay
Short essay writing on education (250 words).
There are two basic purposes behind education. The first is to free people from ignorance, superstition, bad habits, and many wrong ideas. Secondly, to provide the citizens of a country with some skill or special kind of knowledge that would enable them to earn a decent living. In a highly populated country like India education is a must for both the purposes mentioned. First, there must be a hundred per cent literacy if the so-called democracy that the constitution guarantees for its citizens is to have any true meaning.
Only educated citizens can utilize democratic rights usefully. But as the population of this country rises by leaps and bounds, mere knowledge for its own sake will not suffice. People, educated people, must learn to produce things that are in daily demand. We need more technicians, more carpenters, more well-informed farmers and cultivators, and more skilled workers of different categories who can increase the goods and services they demand which are constantly rising.
There should be close coordination between producers of necessary goods and educational planners. Turning out graduates from colleges and universities would not help things because such ordinary graduates are not employable in industries. Colleges, universities, and other seats of higher education must train young men and women who are able to show tangible results in the form of useful goods needed by society. Such education alone can exorcise the spectre of unemployment that is stalking the country today and is at the root of all its serious troubles.
Short essay writing on save environment (250 words).
Environment means a healthy natural balance in the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources. The environment influences the existence and development of an organism. Pollution is the process of creating the environment dirty by adding harmful substances thereto. Owing to indiscriminate industrialization man has created a polluted environment. He has continuously tampered with nature which led to a threat to the sustenance of mankind.
The constant more in the world population is the main reason for environmental pollution. More population means more industry. Factories release toxic gases into the air, and filthy poisonous waters from factories and mills For also released into the waters of rivers; trees are cut down for fuel and other commercial purposes, or for procuring land for building houses. This results in a fall in the supply of oxygen that the trees provide With the felling of trees animals and birds also lose their shelter and this destroys the balance in the ecology.
To prevent these hazards from endangering human, animal, and plant life measures should be taken before the situation goes out of control. More trees should be planted. Anti-pollution scientific methods should be devised, so that toxic gases and poisonous effluents are not released by factories and mills into the air and water respectively. Cutting down trees should be made punishable by law. Poaching and hunting of animals for monetary gain and recreation should also be stopped. Finally, from early life, people should be so educated that they become aware of the vital importance of a healthy, natural, and toxic-free environment.
Also, Read Top 10 Essay Examples
Short essay writing on cleanliness (230+ words).
There is truth in the common saying: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Cleanliness is a great virtue. It makes a man healthy and happy. The healthy habit of cleanliness should be formed from childhood in our everyday routine. A clean environment keeps us free from pollution. Cleanliness comes out of a taste for decency.
Cleanliness is of two types—cleanliness of body and cleanliness of mind. Cleanliness of the body makes for physical health. Health is an impossibility without bodily cleanliness. The disease is the handmaid of dirt. The germs of disease breed and multiply in the dirt. Epidemic diseases like cholera and typhoid which often sweep over villages and towns and take a heavy toll on life are the result of dirty habits and the surroundings of the people.
Cleanliness of the mind is as necessary as that of the body for self-respect. No one loves and respects a man if he is not clean in mind-free from impure desires, and evil thoughts. Mental cleanliness makes for one’s success in any sphere of life. The effects of cleanliness are great. It contributes to the character of a noble personality not only with clean clothes but also with clean ideas, clean thoughts, and clean ways of life. In every walk of life, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness in body and mind as well as indoors and outdoors. Cleanliness is truly next to godliness. All should cultivate it.
Short essay writing on water pollution (250+ words).
According to the World Health Organization, any foreign matter either natural or other sources which contaminates and pollutes the water or the water supply making it harmful to human and aquatic life is termed water pollution. Household detergents and wastes pollute water bodies. When detergents and fertilizers containing phosphates are discharged into water, it promotes the growth of algae. Drilling oil under the sea may prove dangerous for marine life.
Water pollution may severely affect human, plant, and animal life. When contaminated water is consumed, the pathogens enter the human body. It may cause various water-borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, and jaundice. Metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium dissolved in water may cause several diseases if they enter the human body. When water contaminated with cadmium was consumed by the Japanese, they were affected by a disease called Itai-Itai.
Similarly, a disease known as Minamata affected the Japanese after they consumed fish that had a large concentration of mercury. When phosphorus and nitrates from fertilizers are disposed of in water bodies, they promote the growth of algae. The presence of algae in water bodies in a large number reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen in water resulting in the death of fish and other water organisms. Thermal pollution increases the temperature of the water which in turn reduces the level of oxygen in the water. This results in the death of many species of fish. Measures should be taken to prevent water pollution before the situation goes out of control. Anti-pollution scientific methods should be devised.
Short essay writing on child labour (250+ words).
Child labour has been quite a problem down the ages. Child labour means the labour done by children below the age of eighteen. Employing little boys and girls not only saves money but also helps the employer avoid labour unrest. Young boys and girls can be paid lesser wages and they do not form unions to realize demands for higher pay.
The types of work children have to do are many and various. In tea stalls and small hotels, they clean the utensils, mop the floors and serve at the table. In garages, they wash the cars, buses, and lorries. The female children serve as maid-servants in various families. Though child labour is a cruel practice it saves many families from starvation. The income of the adult members of these families is not sufficient even for their hand-to-mouth living. If the children do not work to supplement their income, the families will have to starve. So simply banning the use of child labour one could not solve the problem.
In recent times the government of India has become aware of the evils of the system. But it can be hard to do away with it all of a sudden. Abolition of the employment of child labour must be preceded by a process of improving the economic condition of the families concerned. Proper methods should be adopted so that the children are educated and not sent to workplaces that destroy both the body and the soul of these unfortunate creatures.
Short essay writing on my hobby (250 words).
A hobby is voluntary work done in leisure with pleasure. There are many fashionable hobbies such as stamp-collecting, coin-collecting, photography, etc. But my favourite hobby is gardening. I started it when I was only ten. I have a small plot of land beside our house. There I cultivate gardening. I spend one hour every day gardening. Back from the morning walk, I go to my garden with a spade and a waterful bucket. I dig up the soil, trim the plants, and water them. I also spray insecticides and apply fertilizers.
When I see the plants swaying in the wind, my heart leaps in joy. I experience heavenly pleasure as I see them grow day by day. I have chosen this hobby because it gives me not only joy but also enough physical exercise to keep my body fit.
I face some problems in cultivating gardening. Entellus often eat up flowers and destroy the plants, though I am at pains to scare them away. Gardening brings me both joy and health. Every afternoon I work for an hour in my garden and watch the buds come up and the branches nod in the breeze. Although a hobby is a source of pleasure and not of profit, my hobby combines the two. My mother looks upon it very kindly, as a part of my garden serves as a kitchen garden. A hobby is an index to a man’s character and I believe my hobby reflects my character.
Also, Read Academic Essay Examples
Short essay writing on my ambition in life (200 words).
Ambition is a goal or objective to achieve in life. In order to succeed in life, one must have a goal. An aimless man is like a ship without a compass. So, I have to select an ambition in my life. Very soon I shall be a citizen of my country. I shall have some duties to society and my country. I must perform them. I think no country can prosper without education. So, my ambition in life is to spread education. Any noble work needs money.
So, after completing my graduation I shall join my father’s business. Business is the best source of earning money. I shall spend a large part of my profit on spreading education and treatment for the poor and sick villagers. I shall set it up. schools for children. I shall start night schools for the adults to make them literate. I shall set up a library. Books on various subjects will be issued without any subscription. I shall open training centres for young boys and girls to provide them with jobs. I do not know how far my ambition will be successful. But I shall try my best.
Short essay writing on value of time (250 words).
There is a saying, “Time and tide wait for none. The value of time is very great. We can regain lost money and lost health. But lost time is gone forever. So, we should know the use of time. We should remember that we cannot recall the time that is gone. We can stop the clock but we cannot stop the time. And so we must make the best use of every moment. This knowledge and habit of proper use of time are the secrets of success.
Our life is short. But time passes swiftly. Our life is made of moments. So, to lose a moment is to waste a valuable part of life. By making the right use of the time we can do a lot. We should avail ourselves of every opportunity. If we do not know the use of time our life becomes miserable. We should know that a stitch in time saves nine. Idle time is said to be a thief of time.
If we idle away our time, our appointed work will suffer and success will be hard to achieve. Time lost is lost forever. We are born to do a lot of work. Great men realize it. They never lose a moment. Gandhiji always used to keep a watch to watch his time. He who performs his duties punctually prospers in life positively. What can be done today should not be put off for tomorrow. We should not say ‘later’, we should do ‘now’.
Short essay writing on value of trees (250+ words).
Trees are of great importance in our everyday life. They provide us with thatch for huts, timber for buildings and furniture, firewood, food like fruits, honey, etc., and medicine. We are dependent on trees for our very existence on earth. They produce oxygen which keeps us alive. They also absorb carbon-di-oxide exhaled by us and thereby help to create a pollution-free atmosphere. Trees help to prevent the erosion of soil and floods.
Both the urban and rural people gain advantages from growing more trees. The former enjoys a pollution-free atmosphere and the latter gets fruits, fuel, goods of economic importance, and medicines. Road-side trees are planted to beautify the roads and purify the air. Trees supply fresh air to reduce pollution in urban areas and help in rural economic growth. It is important to note that 33% of the land is required as forests in any country to maintain ecological balance. Hence we must take utmost care to grow more trees and stop deforestation. Trees give men shelter and shade. They protect wildlife. Trees help men fight against environmental pollution.
So we all must grow more trees and stop deforestation. We must care for trees for our own sake. We should not forget that the great scientist Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose proved that trees are living beings. The festival, Vano-Mahotsav is observed every year during the rainy season. Thousands of saplings are planted on the occasion. More and more areas are brought under forest cover and people are taught “Plant trees and save a life.”
Short essay writing on morning walk (250 words).
Morning walk and early rising go hand in hand. One who wants to go for a morning walk has to get up early. A morning walk is a healthy habit. It removes the physical lethargy caused by the night’s sleep, helps in the circulation of blood, and makes one healthy. It is good exercise after a long night’s rest and provides us with fresh oxygen from the cool morning air. It gives a good start to a man’s whole day’s work. He can finish a large amount of his work before others get out of bed. He need not hurry over any part of his work.
A morning walk enables a man to have closer contact with nature. He can see the calm, quiet and complete beauty of nature- the beauty he cannot see by day. A morning walk provides independent exercise. He need not go to the gymnasium for exercise. Morning walk, like early rising, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Even doctors advise their patients to have a morning walk daily, as a remedy for various types of physical ailments, especially diabetes. Moreover, a morning walk is certainly a good start for the whole day’s work. During our walk in the morning, we come into greater and closer contact with nature. A morning walk is advantageous as an independent exercise. If anyone wants to ensure proper care of his or her health, he or she can undertake a morning walk as it is very simple as well as beneficial.
Short essay writing on science (250 words).
Science is a great boon to human civilization. All signs of Progress in civilization have been made possible by science. Science has made our life easy and comfortable. It has given us electric fans, and lights. fans cool us, lights remove darkness. Lift, washing machine, etc. save our labour. Car, train, bus, and aircraft have made our travel speedy and comfortable. The computer has taken the excess load off our brains. Science has given us life-saving medicine. Surgery can do something miraculous. Space flight is another wonder of science.
Thus through the gifts of science, the man who had once lived in the cave has now landed on the science of the moon is a blessing to us. But it is a curse at the same time. Science has given us speed but has taken away our emotions. It has made our machine. The introduction of the mobile phone has destroyed the art of letter writing. Science has made war more dreadful by inventing sophisticated weapons. Peace has become scarce. Yet there are some abuses of science. It has given us the frightful nuclear weapons that can destroy the whole world.
But who is responsible for making Science a curse? Certainly, it is the evil intention of a few scientists and malignant politicians. We can use fire for cooking our food or burning other’s houses. It is not the fault of fire, but of its users. Likewise, man is responsible for the uses and abuses of science. But science cannot be blamed for this.
Short essay writing on noise pollution (250+ words).
Any unwanted loud sound which causes stress and irritation can be termed noise pollution. Of late, sound or noise pollution has adversely affected our normal life in a major way. It is chasing us at almost every step. In schools, colleges, offices, and even hospitals we have an explosion of deafening sound. The main sources of noise pollution are Means of transport, the Use of loudspeakers, the Industrial sector, and the Celebration of festivals and wedding ceremonies. We are almost deafened by the blaring mikes or the record players which are often played at full volume.
Secondly, we have noise pollution caused by various groups of people shouting out their slogans or impatient automobiles always honking their horns. During some social and religious festivals, crackers are burst indiscriminately. Noise pollution can have serious effects on human health. It may cause impairment of hearing and can cause sleep disruption. People who are frequently subjected to a high level of noise pollution may suffer from hypertension, depression, and panic attacks. It may lead to an abnormal increase in heartbeat and heart palpitation. It can also cause migraine headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
Some Measures to Minimise Noise Pollution are Prohibiting the blowing of horns, The use of loudspeakers should be banned, Airports should be located away from residential areas, and People should restrain themselves from lighting firecrackers. In recent times laws have been passed to take effective steps to control sound pollution. People must also be made aware of the dangers of noise pollution.
Short essay writing on television (250+ words).
Television is one of the many wonders of modern science and technology. It was invented in England by the Scottish scientist J.N. Baird in 1928 and the British Broadcasting Corporation was the first to broadcast television images in 1929. Previously the radio helped us hear things from far and near and spread information and knowledge from one corner of the globe to another. But all this was done through sound only. But television combined visual images with sound.
Today we can watch games, shows, and song and dance programs from all corners of the world while sitting in our own homes. TV can be used for educating the masses, for bringing to us the latest pieces of information audio-visually, and can provide us with all kinds of entertainment even in colour.
But as in all things, too much televiewing may prove harmful. TV provides visual images but the televiewer has a limited choice of programs. He has to adjust himself to the scheduled programs of a particular television channel. But as for the book, a reader’s imagination plays a vital role. He can freely read a book which is a personal activity and it cannot be shared with others at the same time. In many cases, the habit of watching TV has an adverse effect on the study habits of the young. When we read books, we have to use our intelligence and imagination. But in most cases, TV watching is a passive thing. It may dull our imagination and intelligence.
Short essay on newspaper (250+ words).
The Newspaper is the mirror of the world. Modern life cannot be imagined without newspapers. A newspaper is a regular source of important news from home and abroad. It represents the current and living history of the world. Newspapers are of various kinds dailies, weeklies, bi-weeklies, monthlies, etc. The main function of a daily paper is to publish news of general interest while the others mostly contain literary pieces and articles on important topics.
Nowadays every newspaper has some special sections dealing with politics, everyday problems, off-beat news, business, sports, editorial page, feature pages, etc. So, the newspaper is one of the most powerful organs for the dissemination of news and views among the public. It plays a very important role in educating people and guiding them along the right path. If it wants to it can fight social evil successfully. A newspaper can also do us much harm. Used wrongly it can create hatred and enmity between man and man, section and section, nation and nation.
Sometimes it publishes baseless reports or stories to create deliberately confusion in the minds of gullible people. A newspaper is as powerful as any potent weapon. It can be used for both good and evil. Much depends on the outlook and motive of the people who are at the helm of the paper. It shapes Public opinion. It can mislead people with false and fabricated news. The newspaper should give impartial and correct pieces of information. It must not feed false news.
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Home / Formal email writing examples & tips
Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.
Professional email writing is a skill that comes in handy throughout your day-to-day – whether it’s communicating in the professional context, or managing your personal life. Using the right formal email writing format and best practices can get you understood, heard, and better respected.
The good news is that once you have the right examples for the right contexts, you can easily adjust the text to get your message across. Luckily, we’ve rounded up our favorite tips for creating and structuring effective formal emails, with helpful examples and templates.
Let’s dive in!
What’s in this article
Formal letter of appreciation, letter of complaint, cover letter, reminder email, letter of apology for a client, apology letter from boss.
Email of inquiry requesting information, email asking for a status update, sick leave mail format, letter asking for a discount from the supplier, ask for a raise, email your boss about a problem (asking for help), email to schedule a meeting.
“this is to inform you that” letter, job rejection email, aesthetics of a formal email.
Formal email writing is utilized in a B2B or B2C scenario, where you’re exchanging professional emails with colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is the style you’d likely use when corresponding with a friend or family member, or even a quick email to a colleague.
When you’re emailing a friend, there’s less on the line if you get your words or meaning wrong. But when writing a business email there is much more at stake. A crucial mistake could hurt your reputation or wreck an incredible business opportunity.
That’s why we’ve decided to cover the best practices of formal email writing, so that you can get it right every time.
We’ll review the ins and outs of email structure, different email formats you can use, as well as short email templates that you can use in various scenarios. Keep reading to learn how to write the perfect email.
Before we get into different email templates, it’s important to know how to build an email yourself. For the most part, every email, regardless of its contents, will follow the same structure with the same basic elements. You should get to know these elements in order to ensure proper and effective email writing as a whole.
Now let’s break these down, one by one:
Your email address is often out of your control. If you work for a company, or operate under the umbrella of a brand, your email address will likely include the company or brand name domain.
For example, the emails in WiseStamp are all in the following format: [employee_name]@wisestamp.com. This ensures that we all have a professional business email address. Since only the owner of wisestamp.com can issue email addresses under that domain name, this ensures our emails appear legitimate.
Imagine if each employee had a random Gmail address like [name][email protected]. Anyone can create that email, which would make it suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependent on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address—otherwise suffer very low open rates.
If you are a freelancer professional, working separately from an established brand, consider buying a domain name for your personal brand. You can look up available domains on Google domain registrar .
Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see, so your goal here is to convince them that your email is a safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order). If you don’t succeed in doing that, your email may never be opened, and any effort you put into the rest of the email elements will go to waste.
Your subject line will depend on the purpose or content of your email, but overall, you want it to be something engaging enough for a recipient to click on.
Studies have shown that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. You also want to tailor your email subject line to your email goal, whether it’s a sales email, a personal email, a newsletter, or something else. Think of 3-4 refined options then narrow them down to which will likely be most appropriate.
The next most important way to hook a recipient into your email is by writing a strong email opening line . Like your subject line, the email opening is mostly used as another filtering stage for most people. If it fails to meet the promise made in the subject line, your readers will bail.
Therefore, it’s extremely important to state your main point in 1 to 2 paragraphs, tops. When you clearly convey your request or question, and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay beyond this point, then in most cases, they’ll reply to your email. Good for you!
The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether you’re composing an email to establish a new business connection or just following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to the point. No one wants to sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended messages in their inbox.
After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to add a respectful and brief conclusion. You can either invite your recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question. It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.
When closing your email, choose a suitable email sign-off . There are different sign-offs you can use for each occasion, such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “with love.” Use your best judgement on which to use that best suits your email content and recipient. For example, you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager!
A cool tip you can apply is to add a handwritten signature sign off. A handwritten signature give your recipient the feeling that you gave the email special attention and a personal touch. You can create one here .
Your email signature (or footer) is your wave goodbye, and the way you do it seals the impression you’ve made up to this point. Make this moment memorable, organized, and aesthetic, and you can get some extra credit and a positive attitude from your reader. A messy, disorganized signature is at best an opportunity lost, and at worst, a discredit to your image.
Consider creating a professional email signature to nail a positive lasting impression. Use the simple text email signature we all used back when email started at your discretion. Whichever you choose, be sure to include all your professional and contact information. You should also add links to your website, social media sites you are most active in, or a landing page.
To better understand how all the elements of an email work together in different types of emails, let’s look at some templates. These letters are suitable for a number of email scenarios, so tweak the content to make it more relevant to your needs.
Apology letters samples:, sample business emails (b2b and b2c):, information inquiry letter samples:, request email samples – professional email asking for something:, work update email samples:, confirmation vs rejection email samples:.
A thank you email is usually one that you’ll send after previous communication with someone. You might want to thank them for their help on a project, for fulfilling your personal request that you previously sent, for a job interview, or even for something as simple as taking a phone call or a meeting.
When composing a thank you email, you don’t want it to be too long, so get straight to the point. Also, this type of email isn’t always necessary, and might even clutter up the inbox of someone who is very busy, so consider whether or not it will be useful for you before you click “Send” on a thank you message.
Thank you so much for [action they did] It was such a pleasure to work with you, and I’m look forward to the next opportunity to work together again.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information.
Best regards, [name and job title]
Dear [name of hiring manager],
I enjoyed speaking with you the other day during our interview for the [position title] at [company name]. The job appears to be an ideal match for my skills, ambitions, and interests.
The innovative approach to the corporate culture within the [job field] world confirmed my wish to work at your firm.
I will bring my engineering skills, assertiveness, and ability to engage others to work in a cooperative way within the [name of department] department.
Thank you, again, for your time, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Best Regards,
Dear Mr./Mrs. [name],
I would like to formally recognize all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into completing [project/task]. Due to your consistent efforts, the project is what it is today and that led to the positive results we were hoping for.
On behalf of [company name, board members, etc.], we would like to formally thank you for your hard work and we would like to let you know that we highly value your contribution and your continued dedication to your job.
We are very grateful to have you as a member of our team and we wish to continue to see you thrive within our organization.
Best regards,
[Name and job title]
Dear [name],
On January 30th, 2020, I made a reservation at your restaurant located at 1234 Mulberry Lane for a birthday dinner for four people. This letter is intended to bring certain issues to your attention.
Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our dinner due to the fact that the food was very slow to arrive and we received the wrong dishes. It’s understandable that it was a busy time at your restaurant, but the quality of the service was not as expected.
To resolve this problem, I would appreciate it if you could provide compensation in the form of a gift voucher or discount on a future meal.
I’m looking forward to your reply.
With regards,
[Your name]
It used to be common to send your cover letter and CV as an attachment to your email. However, it’s becoming a lot more accepted to use the email itself as your cover letter and simply attach your CV.
When sending a cover letter email, make sure you’re using formal language, addressing the right person such as HR or the hiring manager, you use a relevant subject and opening line, and the body of your email demonstrates why you’d be a perfect fit for the job and company. Hiring managers likely receive dozens of email cover letters, be sure to make sure yours stands out and doesn’t drag on too long.
Dear hiring manager [name],
I’m very interested while reading the job posting for the position of [job title]. I believe that the experience I have strongly match the responsibilities of this position. I am enthusiastic about submitting my application for the position.
My most recent position was at [company name], where I was a [job title name ]. Additionally, I recently participated in a [mention an accomplishment in your last job that is relevant]
I have attached my resume to this email. Thanks to it, I believe you will learn more about my experience, education, and achievements.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
The format of this type of email message will be different depending on whether it’s your first time reaching out to someone, or the second or third time. The main difference is that the first contact email has to include details that provide context.
When writing a reminder email or follow-up email you don’t need to provide a broad context. Instead, briefly remind your recipients of what you’ve both already agreed on, as it might have simply may been forgotten or placed low in their backlog.
This little push can go a long way in shortening your timetables and making sure you’re items are prioritized. Most people appreciate the reminder and respect you for being steadfast.
I’m sure your schedule is very busy, so this email is simply to remind you of your upcoming interview with [name] who is a candidate for [name of position].
The interview will be at [time] on [date] in [location].
Please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with to prepare to interview this candidate.
From time to time we all make mistakes, and we all get something wrong. Sometimes our mistakes hurt others, cause them discomfort, or make them frustrated. In these situations, it’s usually the right call to simply apologize.
Apologizing is something that must be sincere or you risk offending the person further. It’s always the best approach to express genuine regret.
But regardless of whatever you truly feel, be very careful to only use words that express empathy for whomever it is you’re apologizing to. Do not lay any responsibility on them, and do not give excuses.
Dear [client’s name],
Please accept my deepest apologies on behalf of [company or business name] for the poor experience you had at our restaurant.
I want to thank you for bringing these issues to my attention and please know that we are making every effort to correct our mistakes so events like these don’t happen in the future.
As a token of our apology, please accept a gift card in the amount of $50.00 that can be used at our restaurant in the future.
I hope to greet you again soon at [company or business name].
Yours sincerely,
[Your name and job title]
Dear Mr./Mrs. [boss’s family name],
I’m writing to you to express my regret for my behavior on [date] in regard to [event]. I would like to apologize for my words and actions and reassure you that such an event will not happen again.
On the date in question, I got into a verbal altercation with the head waiter about the scheduling, and this led to my inexcusable behavior. I have already apologized to [name of colleague], and I wanted to assure you that I will work to improve my reactions and behavior in the future.
I’d be happy to meet with you to speak about the incident further if you have any outstanding concerns.
I am sorry again.
Dear [manager’s name],
I owe you an apology for providing you with the wrong information on [date] regarding [event]. It was not my intention to provide inaccurate or misleading information, and I apologize for any inconvenience that this careless mistake may have caused you.
I will be sure to be more thoughtful in the future and learn from this incident.
Please do not hesitate to share any thoughts or concerns with me. I’d be glad to discuss this further and make it right.
Introduction email to a client (sample email to approach a new client).
Dear [Sir/Madame/Name],
I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and my company. My name is [name] and I am a [job title] at [company name]. Our company provides customers with cutting-edge technology for all their email signature needs.
At [company name], there are a number of services we can offer, such as [short list of services]. Our employees are also highly dedicated and are willing to help you with your every need.
I’d love the opportunity to speak or meet with you to discuss your needs further and to tell you more about how [company name] can help you succeed. You can contact me at [phone number] with any questions you may have.
Dear [Name],
Please find enclosed to this email the proposal you requested regarding your website audit.
We hope that you will find this proposal helpful and insightful and that it meets your expectations. Of course, if you would like to make any adjustments or go in a different direction, feel free to let us know and we’d be happy to discuss with you.
Thank you for entrusting [your company name] with your website audit, and we hope to hear back from you soon.
Dear [customer name],
We’d like to thank you for sending in your inquiry on [date] regarding a quotation for auditing your website.
Based on an initial estimation, we are happy to offer you a quotation based on your requests. Please find the official pricing quote attached to this email. Note that this quotation includes [list of services], but should you want additional services, we’d be happy to discuss it further with you and provide another quotation.
Please do not hesitate to get back to us with any questions about the quotation or our services.
Hi [customer name],
We really appreciate you using our services on [date] and we’d like to get your feedback on your experience.
Please follow the link [insert link] to complete a short survey regarding your experience. This survey shouldn’t take any longer than 2 minutes and it will help us improve our products and services in the future.
We want to thank you in advance for your time and hope that you enjoyed your experience with [company name].
[Name and/or company name]
This email is to inquire about the website audit services you posted on your website.
As I understand, you offer services to audit businesses’ websites and provide personalized insight into what improvements can be made. I’d like to request further information with regard to your pricing as well as the scope of the work that will be performed, including specific services that can be expected.
I look forward to receiving your response.
I wanted to check in and check on the status of the website audit project that is due on [date].
Please let me know where you’re at with the project and don’t hesitate to let me know if you require any assistance from my end.
A personal request email is usually straight to the point and involves a sender asking a recipient for something. It could be anything from connecting on a professional network, asking to set up a meeting, or even requesting a professional introduction. Following a personal request email, a recipient may decide to either accept or reject what the sender is asking for. In this type of email, it’s important to be very clear with what you’re asking for.
Hi [Name of manager/supervisor],
I am writing to request sick leave from [date range]. I will be undergoing surgery and at the recommendation of my doctor, I need to be off of work for 2 weeks in order to recover. I hope to be back at work on [date].
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Dear [name of the supplier],
Thank you for sending over your product catalog. We are very much interested in purchasing [name of the product(s)] from you and would like to get a quote for these items.
Additionally, we are hoping that this will lead to a prolonged partnership between the two of us. Therefore, we are kindly requesting that you provide us with your best possible price since we would like to use your goods on a permanent basis.
Thank you for your understanding.
Dear [Name of Manager/supervisor],
I have greatly enjoyed working for [company name] over the last 3 years. During these years, I feel that I have become a valuable member of your team and I have contributed to projects in a significant way.
Since working here, I have accomplished: [list accomplishments].
As an employee, I think I have outperformed the goals set for me. As a result, I would like to have the opportunity to discuss increasing my salary so that it matches my current performance. Please let me know when is a good time for you to meet so that we can discuss this further.
Once again, I am grateful to be part of an organization that provides me with unique challenges and opportunities to continuously learn and grow.
Dear Mr./Mrs. [name of boss],
I would like to bring to your attention the incident that occurred at [location] on [date] at [time].
I was deeply upset by the actions of [coworker/event]. I tried to speak with them, but this did not lead to any sort of resolution and now I feel as if our professional relationship at work is strained as a result.
I am turning to you for assistance with the matter and I hope that you are able to come up with a solution that neither of us has thought of yet.
Thank you for taking the matter seriously and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks for getting in touch with us about our product. I’d be glad to set up a meeting in order to give you more information, answer your questions, and show you how it can work for your business. Does [date] at [time] work for you?
I look forward to meeting with you soon!
Email to the client sharing the status of the project.
Dear [name of client],
We’d like to keep you updated regarding the progress we’ve made on our project. Please have a look at the tasks we’ve accomplished below and do not hesitate to get back to me with any questions or concerns you may have.
Key highlights and updates:
Tasks accomplished this week:
Tasks to do next week :
Hi [name of boss],
I am happy to let you know that the project [name of project] that was assigned to me on [date] is now nearing completion. Due to the hard work of our team, the project is expected to be completed on time. Based on the pace of our work, I expect to have the entire project completed by [date].
The remaining elements of this project to be completed are as follows:
Thank you for your continued support and guidance and please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.
You might get an email confirmation after you purchase something online, or you can also reply to a formal email confirming receipt of an email attachment, a meeting time, or a company update. A rejection email is similar in that it might reject the item that was proposed in an email, in which case you’d let the sender know.
It is my great pleasure to inform you that I will be accepting your offer for employment as [job title] with [company name]. The goals for this role that you described are in line with my personal career aspirations, and I hope to be able to learn and grow in this role.
As discussed in our previous meeting, my salary will be [salary] and I will be starting on [date].
I appreciate all the time you took to make the interviews as seamless as they were, and I look forward to working with you soon.
This is to inform you that your business proposal [title of the proposal] has unfortunately been rejected by our committee. While we did like your idea, unfortunately, the costs involved reach well beyond our budget for this quarter.
We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and encourage you to submit additional proposals if you have others that are aligned with our goals.
Best of luck,
This is to inform you that I will not be proceeding in the interview process for [job title] with [company name]. I would like to formally withdraw my candidacy.
At this time, I have accepted a position with another company, so I am no longer in search of employment. However, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for being attentive to my questions about the role.
It was a pleasure meeting with you and I wish you luck in finding the right candidate for the job.
Before you even get started on the content of your email, you want to make sure the aesthetic is appealing and not too out of the ordinary. Of course, you want to capture the attention of your recipient, but you also want to appear professional, so keep the Comic Sans font out of the equation. What sort of aesthetics should you pay attention to in a formal email? Let’s take a look.
Don’t start reinventing the wheel here. It’s better to go with a safe bet instead of a creative option when selecting a font. Choose a font that’s easy to read and skim, since if you’re sending a longer email it’s possible your recipient will just skim its contents. Therefore, you want to font to be clear and the letters to be far enough apart. We suggest going with fonts like Georgia, Verdana, Arial, or Times New Roman.
You don’t want your recipient to have to squint to read your email, but your text also shouldn’t appear as if it’s yelling either. Depending on the font you go with you might need to tweak the sizing a little, but in general, font size 12 is what you should be using. You can use size 10 or 11 as well, just make sure it doesn’t look too small before sending your email.
There are a number of ways you can make your emails shine, and you don’t need to be a professional writer to do it. In fact, there are a few small areas you can focus on to make your emails clearer and more well-received. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when composing an email:
Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees when they receive your email. Therefore, it’s important that it’s optimized as much as possible. Keep these tips in mind when coming up with your subject line:
Once you get your recipient to open your email, you don’t want to bore them right away. You have to keep things interesting, relevant, and straight to the point. That’s why it’s crucial to put your main point somewhere in the first sentence, or at least the first paragraph.
While your opening line can be something general like “thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” the very next line should be something more powerful. Whether you ask for the results of a meeting, make a proposal, or initiate a follow-up meeting, this first sentence sets the tone of the rest of the email so the reader knows exactly what the subject is and what to expect from the rest of your message.
When sending emails, especially formal or professional emails for work, it’s important to maintain email etiquette . Since many of us answer our emails on our phones while on the go, it’s tempting to reply to emails as we would a text message, but that’s not good practice.
Finally, always review your email before you click “Send.” Make sure your email is free of typos, punctuation errors (and that you’re not, for example, using too many exclamation points), and that your syntax is correct.
Also: don’t always rely on spell-checkers. While they’ve come a long way thanks to AI, they don’t always pickup errors where words are spelt correctly, yet used in the wrong context.
The best way to do this is to read your email out loud before sending, especially if it’s an important message to a superior or a client, as emails with grammar mistakes can potentially have a negative impact.
There are countless reasons for needing a formal email writing template. If we didn’t cover every single scenario here, we hope that you know at least have a better idea of what constitutes a good formal email. Using our tips and examples, you’ll be able to compose better emails that get you the results you want.
Emails are modern-age letters. This article explains the format of email writing and also gives you sample emails for students of Class 8 to Class 12 and working professionals.
Email expressing your appreciation, email about your trip.
Email on official intimation of your resignation, email informing your employees about the change in work timings, faqs on email writing format.
Email writing is an essential part of professional communication. It is not easy to get people to respond to your emails if they do not feel interested in your message or proposal. This is exactly the reason why you should learn to write good emails. Be bold. Get to the point right away. The best email communication is the one that is simple and clear.
There are a few tips you have to keep in mind when you sit down to write emails. Emails can be casual or professional, just like informal and formal letters. The format of the email changes according to the kind of email you are writing. However, accurate grammar and spelling are aspects that are to be taken seriously.
When you start writing an email,
Here are some sample emails that will help you understand how to write an email in the best possible way.
To: Recipient’s email address
Subject: Congratulations!
Dear (Name),
My heartfelt congratulations to you. I was glad to see your name on the merit list. All your efforts were definitely not in vain. I bet everyone at home is so proud of you.
You have truly honoured the family name, and I am happy that you would get to take up the course in architecture that you had been waiting for. I am waiting to meet you in person to convey all my love and appreciation.
Convey my regards to uncle, aunty and grandpa.
To: Recipient’s email ID
Subject: About my trip
My dear (Name),
I am very excited to write to you about the long tour I will be going on along with my parents. We will be leaving on the 25 th .
We will be away for three months. We are going to San Francisco for an official meeting my father has to attend. We would then be travelling to New York to visit our cousins. We would stay there for a month. After that, we will be going to Paris. It has always been my dream to visit Paris at least once in my lifetime, and my parents have finally agreed to take me there. I will definitely write to you all about my trip – all the different places we visit, the variety of food we eat and the people we meet.
It would have been even more special if you had come along with me. We will make sure we plan out a trip once I am back home.
With best wishes,
Email on seeking information regarding course details.
Subject: Regarding Course Details
I have passed the B.Sc. degree examination with Electronics as the main subject. I intend to have a course in Computer Science and would like to know the details of the courses taught at your institution. Could you please send me a copy of your prospectus?
Yours faithfully,
Subject: Meet the New Customer Service Representative
I am pleased to introduce you to (Name), who is starting today as our Customer Service Representative. She will be providing technical support and assistance to our users and making sure they enjoy the best experience with our products.
Feel free to greet (Name) in person and congratulate her on the new role!
Best regards,
Designation
Subject: Resignation
Dear Sir/Ma’am,
I am planning to pursue my higher studies in the coming academic year, and hence I would like to inform you of my intention to resign from the post of (Designation) at (Name of the Institution), effective three months from now.
I appreciate the opportunities for growth and development you have provided during my association with (Name of the Institution). It was indeed a privilege working here, and it was a valuable work experience which has helped me grow personally and professionally to a great extent.
Please accept this letter as the formal intimation of my resignation.
Thank you for your guidance and support.
Yours sincerely,
Subject: Revised Working Hours
Our company is growing, and there is a good inflow of projects every week. This has been possible with your dedicated and timely teamwork. In order to keep up with this, we have decided that the working hours would be advanced by 30 minutes. The revised time would be 8:30 am to 5 pm. This will be in effect from July 5, 2021 (Monday). It would be appreciated if all of you keep up with the timing and abide by it.
Feel free to come up with suggestions, if any.
Warm regards,
The subject in an email should state what your email is about. Do not use long sentences when writing the subject. Use simple vocabulary and place the most important words at the very beginning of the subject.
Be sure to type in the exact email address of the recipient. Keep the subject as short as possible. Use it only to convey what the mail is about. No explanation about the matter should be included in the subject line. The body of the email should explain the purpose of the email. However, add only the necessary details. Keep it simple. End the email with a complimentary close and sign off with just your name in informal emails and with your name and destination in a formal email.
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Flowrite blog
Dec 16, 2022
Learn how to write a formal email including format, structure, greetings, body, and sign-offs with the help of our formal email examples and template.
Lawrie Jones
Table of contents
Formal emails play a crucial role in communicating information clearly and without errors in our business, professional and personal lives.
So, whether you're enquiring about an opportunity, inviting someone to an event, or resigning from a job, knowing how to write a formal email is an essential skill you need to know.
In this guide on how to write a formal email, we break down the process into simple steps. Then, we describe the ideal formal email format and provide a selection of formal email examples that you can use as the basis for your correspondence.
Writing formal emails has never been faster or easier, just use Flowrite. Our smart email templates that write your email for you, like this:
A formal email is an email that you send to a person (or group of people) that you don't know or an important email that you are sending to a person in a position of authority – your boss, for example.
Emailing or messaging a close colleague or a friend can be done in a more informal way ( here are some informal sample emails ).
Writing a formal email is similar to writing a formal letter, with the same structure, salutations, and sign-off. They're free from spelling and grammatical errors, planned and written with a clear purpose.
Formal emails are polite, professional, and get straight to the point. They're 100% focused on an outcome, leaving no room for mistakes or misunderstandings.
You may be asking why, in a digital world, we still need formal emails?
Many organizations and individuals have indeed shifted to communicating less formally. However, US researchers found this can cause problems in the workplace, contributing to what they describe as a growing risk of "incivility".
Organizations where individuals communicate formally, politely, and with respect are less likely to experience conflict, they say.
Formal emails have some influential friends. The Plain English Campaign has been calling for clarity in communication since 1979. "Remember that people are unlikely to be offended if you are too formal, but some may think you are being rude if you are too informal," they advise.
The solution? "Always think about the reader."
We agree. If you know the person you are writing to, then you have the freedom to write more informally. If you don't know the person or the message you are sending is important, be formal.
We've written before about the importance of professional communication. To learn more, check out our guide on how to write a professional email .
"People tend to believe that they can communicate over email more effectively than they actually can," researchers at the American Psychological Association found. In a 2005 study, they performed a series of experiments and concluded that it's hard to convey emotion and tone over email.
The reason? Because of our own "egocentrism," we're unable to detach ourselves from our perspective and see someone else's.
Put simply, it's easy for misunderstandings to occur if we're too friendly or informal in our emails. The tone of voice may not be suitable for communicating vital information, too.
Formal emails remove the potential for misunderstanding and misrepresentation. It's all about observing the correct business email etiquette .
A formal email has a clear purpose and treats the reader with respect. It's written in a standard way that travels across borders and cultures.
Writing formal emails can benefit anyone in business, including leaders, says the influential Forbes columnist Benjamin Laker . Emails should be respectful of emotions and delivered with empathy. Most importantly, your email says a lot about your "personal brand". How do you want to be perceived?
A well-written formal email is polite and professional, two powerful brand attributes that will improve your brand and increase business success.
Creating great formal emails is very simple. There are just five parts to the perfect formal business email format:
Each piece of correspondence follows the same formal email structure , which means that once you've mastered it, you'll never need to change.
In business, time is money, so be brief.
Your subject line should be short and easy to understand. Tell your reader precisely what's in the message. The ideal formal email subject line is a few words: "Leave Request", "Meeting Request", or "Customer Complaint", for example.
Formal email subject lines shouldn't attempt to be overly friendly or funny either.
The formal way to start an email is to use 'Dear'.
It may seem old-fashioned or strange if you know the person, but it's about following some set rules that we've used for generations to communicate formally. Dear is a formal email salutation that continues to be used to this day.
If you know the person's gender, you can use what's called an honorific – Mr, Mrs, etc. – but we'd suggest simply using the full name if you have it. This advice may seem to contradict some of the older guides on formal writing, but it reflects broader changes in society.
If you want to know how not to open a formal email, avoid "Dear Sir/Madam" or stuffy-sounding collective terms such as "To whom it may concern".
Suppose you're worried about how to write a formal email without knowing the name. In that case, you can use "Dear Sir/Madam" as a suitable substitute. This approach is practical, too, if you don't know how to address a formal email to a company.
When deciding how to start a formal email to multiple recipients, you have several options (in case you need it, here's our guide to remind you about how to use CC and BCC ). For example, you can address the team ("Dear team"), collective ("Dear all", "Dear Colleagues"), or for events ("Greetings").
You can check out our guide on how to start an email .
There is no standard formal email opening. Instead, you'll have to decide what's appropriate for the communication and the context.
If you don't know the person (or organization) you are writing to, it's polite to introduce yourself. However, if you know the person, you don't need to do this and can jump straight into the meat of your message.
We provide examples of several formal email opening sentences below. If you need some more email intro inspiration, read our article on best email opening lines .
We would advise against using empty phrases such as "I hope you are doing well" in a formal email. Such phrases are clichés that add nothing to a message, and you should avoid them.
So, you've engaged the recipient and introduced yourself (if required), now it's time to get to the point.
We provide some examples below, but formal email communication should follow the Pyramid Principle. Developed by a leading executive at McKinsey, the Pyramid Principle states that you should start with the answer first and structure the information underneath it to support your argument.
In a formal email, the recipient will want to know what the message is about and why they should care about it. So, tell them!
You can see some examples below of how we address several examples. We also illustrate how to end a formal email, including common formal email closing sentences.
A formal email ending uses a specific ending (or a valediction to give it its formal name). Readers will be familiar with (and expect) formal ways to end an email.
In most cases, you'll use the formal email ending "Yours sincerely" if you know the name of the person you are writing to.
If you don't (or are writing to a group of people, for example), you'd typically end a formal email with "Yours faithfully".
However, there are changes in how to end an email formally. Examples of acceptable formal endings include "Sincerely", "Regards", and "With best wishes".
The best way to end a formal email depends on the individual, the context, and what you're communicating. In most cases, we'd suggest sticking with either "Yours sincerely", or "yours faithfully".
Are you struggling to find a fitting ending? See our in-depth guide on how to end an email .
To illustrate the points above, we've created a selection of formal email writing examples for situations you may encounter.
While it can be helpful to see an example of a formal email, we don't recommend that you cut and paste these and use them yourself. You should tailor every formal email to your specific circumstances. Instead, use these as an essential guide to increasing understanding before creating your own – or using Flowrite to write your emails for you.
There are several reasons you may want to introduce yourself formally . For example, you may inquire about a job vacancy, research opportunity or reach out to someone you want to ask for some advice. If you're struggling with how to introduce yourself via email formally, this one's for you.
Check out our formal introduction email sample below for an example.
After excellent service or support, it's polite to show your appreciation, but just how to thank in an email formal ?
In this formal thank you email sample, we demonstrate how to construct a personal and positive reply that can be shared within an organization and externally with other clients or customers.
When resigning from a job, it's vital that you send a formal resignation email . The resignation not only notifies your employer that you are leaving but also acts as proof of your resignation date.
A formal email resignation can be short – in some cases, just one line. However, as you'll see in this formal resignation email sample, we've taken the time to show our appreciation to our employer.
Here's a formal invitation email sample sent to a group of colleagues. Every formal invitation email should include a clear subject line, all details about the event (including date, time, and location), and how people can RSVP.
Here's a formal invitation email for an evening event at business.
If you have received poor service or are disappointed with a product, a formal complaint email can raise awareness of your issues. In formal emails, it's important to state facts but to avoid becoming overly emotional.
Here's an example of a formal complaint email.
Composing a formal apology email can be challenging, but admitting a mistake has been made is crucial at limiting damage and restoring a relationship.
Here's a straight-to-the-point formal apology email sample from a company to deal with a customer who has made a complaint .
If you're reading this, chances are you're a human, but if you're like us, that might mean your memory is that of a goldfish. We all forget things and sometimes all we need is a little nudge to remind us of something important.
Sending a formal reminder email is one of the most common emails you will send as a professional. So here's a formal email example to remind your manager about a vacation request before you take off on holiday:
Most of us ask for favors or request something on a daily basis . Here's a formal email example of how to so just that:
Writing formal emails is simple if you follow our process. The formal email templates included in this blog post should provide a guide but should always be adapted and updated to reflect your specific circumstances.
However, there's an even easier way. Flowrite is an AI writing tool that turns short instructions into ready-to-send emails and message.
If you're still struggling to find the right words for writing formal email, Flowrite can help you get started and offer some inspiration – or even write the whole email for you with click of a button. As you can see from the example below:
Do you still wonder how to send a formal email? We hope not. The next time you are writing a formal email just keep these examples in mind and you can communicate with confidence.
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Learn proper business email etiquette with rules, tips, and examples that'll help you communicate better, maintain professionalism and avoid expensive mistakes.
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Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has three original works published in a new anthology of contemporary literature for young adults. “Just YA: Short Poems, Stories, and Essays,” edited by Sarah Donovan, is designed for teachers of grades 7 through 12. The book includes a teacher’s guide and is organized around the themes of identity, love, place, justice, and the future. Credit: Penn State . Creative Commons
September 24, 2024
ALTOONA, Pa. — Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has three original works published in a new anthology of contemporary literature for young adults.
“Just YA: Short Poems, Stories, and Essays,” edited by Sarah Donovan, is designed for teachers of grades seven through 12. The book includes a teacher’s guide and is organized around the themes of identity, love, place, justice and the future.
Murphy’s featured works include “Erased,” an erasure poem about climate change; “Illuminated,” a poem about social media; and “Slow Burn,” a creative nonfiction essay about family and mental health.
“Just YA” is published as an open-access book, which means that all content is free of charge and available online. Interested teachers and readers may download the anthology from the anthology website .
“Just YA” is a “rich anthology … with an emphasis on currency and relevance missing from commercial textbooks,” writes educator Wendy Stephens, adding that the book is “an incredible resource with immediate curricular application and more than fifty pages of ideas for instructional support.”
Murphy is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, chapbooks and anthologies, with two additional books forthcoming from Salmon Poetry and Wesleyan University Press. She is the Poet Laureate of Blair County and is currently serving as Penn State’s inaugural Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow for the Big Ten Academic Alliance. You can read more about her work on the author's website .
Marissa Carney
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If you're requesting information from a company, you should sound professional and polite. Keep in mind that the reasons for writing should be reflected in the tone. 3. Keep it organized. English works well with short, simple sentences. It's also a good idea to break your email into paragraphs.
2 Generate ideas. Jot down key points, arguments, or examples that you want to include in your essay. Don't get too wrapped up in the details during this step. Just try to get down all of the big ideas that you want to get across. Your major argument or theme will likely emerge as you contemplate.
Colleges with Short Essays. Brown University requires four short answer essays, ranging from 3 words to 100 words.; California Institute of Technology (CalTech) has three optional short essays with word limits between 50-150 words. Given how competitive Caltech is, researching some short answer essay examples is wise!
When emailing a professor, be very concise and use bullet points when possible to make your point clear. When closing your email, use a formal salutation like "Best Regards". Example. Dear Professor Smith, Unfortunately, due to sickness, I would like to request an extension to the deadline of our current project.
Start with an email greeting, such as "Hi," "Dear [name]," or "Hello [name].". The greeting you pick can be based on the formality of your relationship with the recipient and what you're emailing them about. For example, if you're writing from a business to a customer, use a formal greeting to sound professional.
Especially if your email is very formal, like for a job application or an email of complaint. We normally use a comma after the opening phrase, and then begin a new line after the person we're writing to. Take a look at these different ways to begin your email: Informal. Formal / Neutral. Hi Carlos, Dear Luka,
According to many sites like Business Writing, you should use a comma after a greeting in personal emails and letters, and use a colon after a greeting in business or formal emails/letters. But in reality, a comma will probably always be fine if you can't remember the rule. 14. Pay attention to punctuation.
2 Greet and address the recipient (s) Start your email by addressing the recipient (s) properly. If you're addressing only one person, use their full name or their last name with the appropriate honorific. If you're emailing a group of people, use a greeting like "Dear Team.".
If you can, make sure it's always addressed to an actual person. Remember that, with a greeting, we have to capitalize every word in the line. So, you can write, Hello [Name], Hi [Name], We don't insert a comma between "Hello" and the name, even though we do in all other cases ("Hello, Danny!").
Introduction: Share a brief personal experience or challenge faced. Thesis: Highlight the lessons learned and personal growth. Body: Provide specific examples and evidence. Conclusion: Summarize the key takeaways and reflect on the experience. Example 2: Analyzing a Literary Work Title: "Symbolism in 'The Great Gatsby'".
The essay writing process consists of three main stages: Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline. Writing: Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion. Revision: Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling ...
Sample Essays. The breadth of Georgetown's core curriculum means that students are required to write for a wide variety of academic disciplines. Below, we provide some student samples that exhibit the key features the most popular genres. When reading through these essays, we recommend paying attention to their . 1.
What this handout is about. This handout is intended to help students, faculty, and University professionals learn to use email more effectively. It can help you determine whether email is the best mode of communication in a particular situation and write messages that successfully convey your meaning to your intended audience.
4 Closings. Just as you want to start things off on the right foot with your greeting, you also want to part well. That means writing a friendly sign-off. And there are plenty of options to choose from. For example, here are 12 common, and professional, closings that Grammarly users chose on a given day: thanks. best.
Composing the Essay. Download Article. 1. Create an outline for the short essay. Before you begin writing the essay, use an outline to plan out what you want to say in each of your paragraphs. Number your paragraphs 1-3 and jot down a phrase or sentence that sums up the major point you want to make in that paragraph.
3. State the purpose of the email. After your introduction, briefly state the purpose of your email. Be sure to state this in clear terms so your readers can understand it easily. This section serves to further clarify why you're sending the email. 4. Add brief context. The next part of your email is the context.
4. I hope you …. Simply wishing the recipient well is a good way to start an email in a friendly way. Rather than the generic " Hope you're doing well " or the slightly stiff " I hope this email finds you well," try a more specific phrasing to emphasize the sincerity of your wishes. Examples: Wishing them well.
Short Essay Writing on My Ambition in Life (200 Words) Ambition is a goal or objective to achieve in life. In order to succeed in life, one must have a goal. An aimless man is like a ship without a compass. So, I have to select an ambition in my life. Very soon I shall be a citizen of my country.
Email body writing guidelines: Be concise and detail only what's needed to get your point across. Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotions, like "glad," "excited," "intrigued," and "confident.". Use the word "because " when asking for something.
The basic steps for how to write an essay are: Generate ideas and pick a type of essay to write. Outline your essay paragraph by paragraph. Write a rough first draft without worrying about details like word choice or grammar. Edit your rough draft, and revise and fix the details. Review your essay for typos, mistakes, and any other problems.
Informal Email Writing Format Samples. Email Expressing Your Appreciation. Email about Your Trip. Formal Email Writing Format Samples. Email on Seeking Information about Course Details. Email on Introducing a New Employee to Your Team. Email on Official Intimation of Your Resignation. Email Informing Your Employees about the Change in Work Timings.
Learn how to write a formal email including format, structure, greetings, body, and sign-offs with the help of our formal email examples and template. x. ... Your subject line should be short and easy to understand. Tell your reader precisely what's in the message. The ideal formal email subject line is a few words: "Leave Request", "Meeting ...
Include the purpose of your email in the opening sentences. Trim your email to keep it short and topical while eliminating redundancy. Maintain professionalism while adding a personal touch to the language. Types of professional emails, with examples. Here are 10 of the most common types of professional emails, with examples. 1 Introductory ...
Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has three original works published in a new anthology of contemporary literature for young adults. "Just YA: Short Poems, Stories, and Essays," edited by Sarah Donovan, is designed for teachers of grades 7 through 12.