Essential Email Phrases
Having the right phrases ready makes writing professional emails faster and easier. Here are the most useful expressions for common situations.
Opening Phrases
Starting a new conversation
- I am writing to inquire about…
- I am writing in connection with…
- I am contacting you regarding…
- I wanted to reach out about…
Following up
- Thank you for your email dated [date].
- Thank you for getting back to me.
- Further to our telephone conversation…
- With reference to your email below…
- As per our discussion…
Apologizing for delayed response
- I apologize for the delay in responding.
- Sorry for the late reply.
- Thank you for your patience.
- I apologize for not getting back to you sooner.
Tip: “Further to” and “As per” are commonly used in British business English.
Making Requests
Polite requests
- Could you please…?
- Would you mind…?
- I would be grateful if you could…
- I would appreciate it if you could…
- Would it be possible to…?
- I was wondering if you could…
Stronger requests
- Could you kindly…?
- Please could you…?
- I need you to…
- Please make sure that…
Tone matters: “Could you please…” is more polite than “Please…” which is more polite than “You need to…”
Giving Information
Attachments
- Please find attached…
- I have attached…
- Attached is the document you requested.
- Please see the attached file for details.
Explaining
- I would like to inform you that…
- Please be advised that…
- I wanted to let you know that…
- For your information, … (FYI)
Clarifying
- To clarify…
- In other words…
- What I mean is…
- To put it another way…
Responding to Requests
Agreeing
- I would be happy to…
- I would be glad to help.
- Certainly, I can…
- Of course, I will…
Declining politely
- Unfortunately, I am unable to…
- I am afraid that won’t be possible.
- I regret to inform you that…
- I’m sorry, but I cannot…
Buying time
- I will look into this and get back to you.
- Let me check and confirm.
- I need to consult with my team first.
- I will have an answer for you by [date].
Apologizing
For mistakes
- I apologize for any inconvenience caused.
- I am sorry for the confusion.
- Please accept my apologies for…
- I regret the error and…
For problems
- I understand your frustration.
- I sincerely apologize for…
- Please let me make this right.
- I take full responsibility for…
Recovery phrases: After apologizing, offer a solution: “To resolve this, I will…”
Expressing Thanks
Basic thanks
- Thank you for your help.
- Thank you for your prompt response.
- I appreciate your assistance.
- Many thanks for…
Acknowledging effort
- Thank you for taking the time to…
- I really appreciate your efforts.
- Your help has been invaluable.
- I am grateful for your support.
Closing Phrases
Before sign-off
- Please do not hesitate to contact me.
- If you have any questions, please let me know.
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- Looking forward to your reply.
Urgent requests
- I would appreciate a response by [date].
- This matter requires your immediate attention.
- Please respond at your earliest convenience.
- Time-sensitive - please reply by [date].
Confirming next steps
- I will send you an update on [day].
- Let’s schedule a call to discuss further.
- I will follow up with you next week.
- Please confirm receipt of this email.
Common Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FYI | For your information |
| ASAP | As soon as possible |
| EOD | End of day |
| EOM | End of month |
| TBD | To be determined |
| TBC | To be confirmed |
| CC | Carbon copy |
| BCC | Blind carbon copy |
| Re: | Regarding |
Caution: Don’t overuse abbreviations. They can seem too casual for formal emails.