How to Write a Professional Email in English: Phrases and Structure
Email is what you write most in English at work, and colleagues and clients often judge you by a short message. The good news is that professional email follows a fixed structure and recurring phrases you can master quickly.
The structure of a professional email
Subject line: short and specific, such as Meeting request: Q3 budget review.
Greeting: Dear Mr Ahmed, or Hi Sara, depending on the relationship.
The reason in the first line: why are you writing?
The details: short paragraphs, one idea each.
The request or next step: what you need from the reader and by when.
The closing: Kind regards, then your name.
Ready-made phrases
Opening: I am writing to... / I hope you are well.
Requesting: Could you please send me... / I would appreciate it if you could...
Following up: I am following up on my email of 3 March regarding...
Attaching: Please find attached...
Apologising: I apologise for the delay in replying.
Closing: Please let me know if you have any questions.
Common mistakes
Long messages with no paragraphs or clear purpose.
Literal translation from Arabic with overly formal phrases.
Forgetting the deadline or the action needed.
An empty or vague subject such as Hello.
A tip before you send
Read your message as the recipient: do they know from the first line what you want? Is the request clear? Then check spelling, names and attachments.
At London College UK you practise writing emails and reports in English for Business Administration and our English courses for adults.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use Dear or Hi?
Dear is more formal and suits first contact or clients; Hi suits colleagues and people you know.
Is Kind regards better than Best regards?
Both are professional and acceptable; pick one and use it consistently.
How long should an email be?
As short as possible while getting the point across, usually three short paragraphs or fewer.
Comments