Everyday English

Professional email phrases in English: what to write and when

Updated: October 3, 2026

Professional email phrases in English save you time and help you sound polite without sounding stiff. The hard part is not grammar. It is choosing the right level of formality: should you write «Dear» or «Hi»? «Yours sincerely» or «Best wishes»? As BBC Learning English puts it in its Office English series, an email is usually less formal than a letter, but it depends on who you are writing to and why. This guide goes through a work email from top to bottom, with phrases for each part, notes on formal and informal style, and the mistakes learners make most often.

Greetings: Dear, Hi or Hello?

The British Council's email course gives a simple rule: write formally when you want to be polite or don't know the reader well, and informally when you know the reader and want to be friendly. Many work emails sit in the middle. Put a comma after the greeting and start your message on a new line.

Two details matter. First, Dear needs a name or title after it: «Dear,» on its own is not English. Second, with a title use the surname: «Dear Mr Haddad», not «Dear Mr Omar». If you only know the first name, write «Dear Omar» or «Hi Omar». A good habit, suggested by the BBC presenters, is to mirror the other person: if they wrote «Hi», you can reply with «Hi».

Opening lines: getting to the point

The first line says why you are writing or connects to the last message. Keep it short. In emails, a classic letter phrase such as «I am writing to enquire about...» can feel a little heavy. It is fine for a formal first email, but a lighter opener often works better with people you know.

• Thank you for your email.

  Neutral and safe when you are replying.

• I'm writing to ask about the training dates.

  States the purpose. «I'm writing to...» is fine in most work emails.

• I hope you're well.

  A friendly first line. Use it once, not in every email of a long thread.

• Following our call this morning, here are the next steps.

  Links the email to an earlier conversation.

• I wonder if you could help me with a question about invoices.

  Softer than «I am writing to enquire about invoices».

Making requests politely

This is where tone matters most. Cambridge Dictionary's grammar page on requests explains that we usually ask in an indirect way, with can, could or would you mind. A bare imperative («Send me the file») or «I want...» is very direct and can sound impolite. In formal emails, «I would be grateful if you could...» is a standard choice.

Notice the grammar after would you mind: it takes the -ing form («Would you mind checking...?»). And adding «please» to an imperative («Please send me the report») is better than nothing, but a question is still softer.

Attachments, follow-ups and apologising for a delay

These three situations come up every week. «Please find attached» is the formal standard. Between colleagues, the BBC presenters prefer something closer to speech, such as «Here's the report». Always mention the attachment in the text, and attach the file before you write, so you don't forget it.

• Please find attached the updated price list.

  Formal. Common in emails to clients.

• I've attached the slides from today's meeting.

  Neutral. Works in almost any work email.

• Here's the link to the shared folder.

  Informal and friendly, for colleagues.

• I'm just following up on my email from Monday about the contract.

  A gentle reminder. «Just» makes it less pushy.

• I wanted to check whether you've had a chance to look at the proposal.

  Polite follow-up. The past «wanted» softens the question.

• Apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

  Neutral to formal apology for a late reply.

• Sorry for the late reply. It's been a busy week.

  Informal. Fine with colleagues you know.

• Thank you for your patience.

  Turns the apology into thanks. Useful in customer emails.

Closing lines and sign-offs

A good email ends with one closing line and then a sign-off, followed by a comma and your name on a new line. The closing line tells the reader what you expect next.

• Please let me know if you have any questions.

  Neutral. Invites a reply without pressure.

• I look forward to hearing from you.

  Polite and slightly formal. Note the -ing: «hearing», not «hear».

• Thanks in advance for your help.

  Neutral. Useful after a request.

• Speak soon.

  Informal, for colleagues you talk to often.

Cambridge Dictionary describes «Yours faithfully» as mainly UK and used for formal letters that begin «Dear Sir» or «Dear Madam». In practice, as the BBC presenters say, these letter endings are unusual in emails, even formal ones. «Kind regards» is a common middle choice.

Common mistakes in work emails

Purdue University's Online Writing Lab adds a few more habits for professional emails: write a subject line that says what the email is about, keep paragraphs short, never type in capitals, avoid text-message spelling, and end with a sign-off, your name and useful contact details. It also advises against sending attachments to someone you are writing to for the first time unless they asked for them.

A short practice routine

1. Choose one email you need to write this week.
2. Decide the register first: formal, neutral or informal.
3. Pick one greeting, one opening line, one request and one sign-off from this guide.
4. Write the email, then turn every imperative into a question with «could» or «would you mind».
5. Read it aloud. If a sentence feels like an order, soften it.
6. Practise the phrases until you can type them without thinking. The Typeflu course on work emails plays real email sentences that you type word by word, with the meaning and grammar role of each word.

For the spoken version of these skills, read our guide to English phrases for meetings.

Practise it

Work Emails

Write Work Emails

From greeting to sign-off

B1 · 1 units · 4 lessons

Formal vs Informal

Formal vs Informal Register

Change your style to fit the situation

B2 · 1 units · 4 lessons