How To Write an Email Asking Questions

Are you unsure about how to compose a well-crafted email when you have questions? This article will guide you through the process of writing an effective email that gets the answers you need.

When crafting your email, it’s essential to be clear and concise in your communication. You want to ensure that your questions are understood and that the recipient knows exactly what information you are seeking.

So, how can you write an email that effectively asks questions? Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

What To Do Before Writing the Email

Before you begin drafting your email, it’s important to take some preparatory steps to ensure its success:

  • Gather all relevant information pertaining to your questions.
  • Research any available resources or existing information that may provide answers.
  • Identify the appropriate person or department to address your email to.
  • Consider the context and urgency of your questions to determine the appropriate tone and level of formality.

What to Include In the Email

When writing an email asking questions, it’s crucial to include specific elements to maximize the chances of receiving helpful responses. Here’s what you should include:

1. Greeting

Begin your email with an appropriate greeting. Address the recipient by their name if known, or use a general salutation such as “Dear Sir/Madam” if necessary.

2. Introduction

In the introduction, briefly and clearly state who you are and the purpose of your email. Be concise and to the point.

Provide a brief explanation of the background or context surrounding your questions. This helps the recipient understand the relevance of your inquiries.

4. Questions

List your questions one by one, making sure each question is clear and specific. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that might confuse the recipient. If necessary, provide additional details or examples to clarify your queries.

Thank the recipient for their time and consideration. Offer to provide any additional information if needed, and express your appreciation in advance for their response.

Email Template

Greetings [Recipient’s Name], I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am reaching out to you with some questions regarding [provide brief context]. I would greatly appreciate it if you could kindly address the following questions: [Insert your first question here] [Insert your second question here] [Insert your third question here] Thank you for taking the time to consider my inquiries. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to let me know. I look forward to your prompt response. Best regards, [Your Name]

Writing an email asking questions can be straightforward and effective if you follow these guidelines. Remember to be clear, concise, and polite in your communication. Additionally, ensure that your questions are well-structured and include all relevant details.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Proofread your email before sending it to avoid any grammatical or spelling errors.
  • Be mindful of the recipient’s time and keep your email concise.
  • Consider using bullet points or numbering to make your questions easier to read and respond to.

By following these suggestions, you’ll increase the chances of receiving informative and helpful answers to your questions. Happy emailing!

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Home / Formal email writing examples & tips

25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.

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Email writing is an art and doing it well takes know-how and practice. But you don’t have to make all the mistakes for yourself in order to write professional emails.

We assembled for you the essential tips for creating highly effective formal emails with a deep dive into formal email formats, structure, and best practices. We also gathered some real-life examples and templates you can use right away with a few tweaks.

What’s in this article

  • Basic formal email structure
  • 25 top professional formal email examples you can use today

Aesthetics of a formal email

  • How to improve your email writing skills

Formal vs. informal email writing

Formal email writing is usually in a B2B or B2C scenario or a professional email between colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is something you might send a friend, or family member, or sometimes even a quick email you’re firing off to a colleague.

When you’re emailing a friend there is not much risk of getting your words or meaning wrong, and there is little risk of hurting your reputation or wrecking an incredible business opportunity. But when writing a business email there is much at stake and many things that can go horribly wrong. This is why our article will deal mostly with formal email writing and how to get it right every time.

Here, we’ll go over all the ins and outs of what goes into an 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.

email writing example

Basic formal & professional email structure

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.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

  • Your email address
  • Subject line

Email Opening

Email ending.

  • Email Sign off

Email signature/footer

Now let’s break these down, one by one.

Professional email address

Your email address is oftentimes out of your control. If you’re working 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], which anyone can create, that would be a bit suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependent on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address or 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 .

Subject lines

Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see and unless you convince her then and there that your email is a safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order) it may never be opened. If this happens, 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.

Email subject line guidelines:

  • Be clear and specific – avoid using generic or clickbait subject lines that say nothing or make unrealistic promises, like “find out how to double your business in a week”.
  • Be original – avoid using those all too common subject line templates you find on the internet. Instead make original subject lines that are relevant, personal, and concise.
  • Add relevancy – address something that the recipient will recognize, like an acquaintance’s name or an article/ show/ book they appeared 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. I advise that you take the time to think of 3-4 refined options then consider which of them will likely be most appropriate.

Best email subject line for cold sales

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 ditch it.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to define your main point in 1 or 2 paragraphs tops. If you clearly convey your request or question and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, then they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay after this point, in most cases, they’ll return your email. Good for you.

professional email greeting examples

Email opening guidelines:

  • Address your recipient by their preferred name – look up an article they’ve written or their LinkedIn page and see what name they use. Some people will use their full name or their nickname accordingly (for example David vs. Dave, or Anastasia vs. Ana).
  • Establish a connection – connect your email to a personal experience that involves the recipient, like an article or a news piece you’ve read about them, or a conversation you had with an acquaintance.
  • Match the opening with the subject line – your opening message has to mirror the promise made in the subject line because this is how the reader validates relevancy. If you don’t connect the subject line to the opening, readers will be confused and even assume clickbait.
  • Get to the point fast – tell your reader why you contacted her and what’s in it for her.

email opening lines

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.

Email body writing guidelines:

  • Be concise – detail only what’s needed to get your point across.
  • Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotions – words like “glad”, “excited”, “intrigued”, and “confident”.
  • Use the word “because ” when asking for something – it’s been scientifically shown that people are more easily convinced to do something if told why, and more so if the reason is important to them.
  • Show don’t tell – if you can’t explain something in a few words, see if you can add a screenshot, a video, or a link that explains it better.
  • Use headings to split long content into sub-topics – if you can’t avoid writing a long email, make sure to break it up into subsections with headings. This will help your time-scarce readers to scan and find their points of interest.
  • Add your concrete request or question in bold text – to ensure your readers do not miss the most important piece of content (your request or question) – set it in a separate line and put it in bold. You can also use some color. If you do avoid light shades (you want high contrast between the text and the white background. Once you pick a color – stick with it.

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to end it with a respectful and brief salutation. 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.

Email sign-off

When closing your email, you’ll want to 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,” but you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager. Make sure your signoff is appropriate to your email content and your recipient.

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 of goodbye. The way you do this can affect the impression you’ve made up to this point. If you make this moment memorable, organized, and aesthetic you can get some extra credit and a positive attitude from your reader. On the other hand, if you mess this up, your entire message or offer may be put in doubt. So, make sure your email signature looks visually appealing and well organized.

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. It would also be a good idea to add links to your website, social media sites you are most active in, or a landing page.

Professional formal email examples: specific formats for specific goals & uses

In order to get a better understanding of how all the elements of an email work together in different types of emails, it’s helpful to look at some templates. Here, we’ll cover a number of email scenarios and provide you with an example for each one. Each of these letters refers to a specific situation, but you can always tweak the content to make it more relevant to your needs.

Our examples of the most common email formats:

Thank you email

Formal letter of appreciation, letter of complaint, cover letter, reminder email.

Apology letters samples:

Letter of apology for a client

Apology letter from boss.

  • Apology mail for the manager

Sample business emails (B2B and B2C):

  • Introduction email to client (outreach)
  • Sample email for proposal submission

Proposal submission email

  • Quotation email

Email asking for feedback

Information inquiry letter samples:

Email of inquiry requesting information

Email asking for a status update.

Request email samples – professional email asking for something:

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.

Work update email samples:

  • Email to the client sharing the status of project
  • Email to the boss about work progress

Confirmation vs rejection email samples :

Acceptance email

“this is to inform you that” letter, job rejection email.

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. Additionally, they aren’t necessary 100% of the time and can sometimes just clog up the inbox of someone who might be really busy, so consider whether or not it will be useful for you before you click send on a “thank you” email.

Thank you email for work done or service rendered

Thank you so much for [action they did] It was such a pleasure to work with you, and I’m very excited about 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]

Thank you email for a job interview

Dear [name of hiring manager],

I enjoyed speaking with you the other day at the interview for the [job 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 for taking the time to interview me for the [position title] at [company]. I have a high level of interest in working for your firm and look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

professional thank you email example

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. Since hiring managers likely receive dozens of email cover letters, be sure to make sure yours stands out and doesn’t drag on too long.

Cover letter example

Dear hiring manager [name],

I was 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 relevent]

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,

If it’s your first time reaching out to someone or a second or even third, the format of your email should be different. A first contact email has to include certain details that provide context.

when writing a reminder email or follow-up email you don’t need to provide a broad context. Instead, you should just briefly and lightly remind your recipients of what you already agreed on (assume that it simply may have 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.

Reminder email sample

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.

Apology letters samples

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.

Apology mail for manager

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 information and I apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused you.

It wasn’t my intention to mislead you, and it seems the false information was a result of a careless mistake. 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 and I’d be glad to discuss this further. 

Business emai l sample s

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.

Sending quotation email

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]

Inquiry letter samples

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.

Request email samples – professional email asking for something

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 catalog of goods. 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!

Work update email

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:

  • [list them]

Tasks accomplished this week:

Tasks to do next week :

Email the boss about work progress

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:

  • [List them 1]
  • [List them 2]
  • [List them n]

Thank you for your continued support and guidance and please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Confirmation vs rejection email samples

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.

Choice of Font

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

formal email fonts

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.

How do I improve my email writing skills?

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.

1. Practice optimizing your subject lines

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:

  • Keep it short, no more than 40 characters is ideal
  • Make it personal, use the recipient’s name if you have it
  • Use a call to action, like “let’s set up a meeting today”
  • Create a sense of urgency, such as “offer to expire soon”

2. Practice summarizing your main point for your email openings

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.

3. Research the correct email etiquette to use for your most common scenarios

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.

4. Proofread grammar

Finally, before you click send, always give your email a once-over. Make sure your email is free of types, the punctuation makes sense (avoid using too many exclamation points), and that your syntax is correct.

Don’t always rely on spell-checkers, you want to read through your email before sending, especially if it’s an important message to a superior or a client since emails with grammar mistakes can potentially have a negative impact.

There are countless reasons for sending an email, and even if we didn’t cover every single scenario here, you should at least have a better idea of what constitutes a good email. Using our tips and examples, you’ll be able to compose better emails that get you the results you want. 

More on this topic

  • Email closings: The definitive guide
  • Email blast marketing: Learn how to effectively promote your brand
  • Email management: : Proven Tips for Boosting Productivity
  • Various best regards alternatives for email closing
  • Ultimate guide on how to end an email
  • How to get a professional email address
  • How does BCC work: complete guide
  • How to craft an introduction email to a new team
  • Email etiquette explained: rules and examples in business and in the workplace
  • The complete guide to cold email outreach

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Productivity

Productivity tips

Email etiquette: How to ask people for things and actually get a response

Email Etiquette: How to Ask People for Things and Actually Get a Response hero

Emails are no longer just competing with other emails for your reader's attention. In today's digital age, they're competing with every available inbox, including Instagram DMs and LinkedIn messages. But that doesn't mean you should abandon emails altogether. 

Emails can be an incredibly effective communication tool—if you know how to craft attention-grabbing ones. And if you don't, well—you're in the right place. 

From coffee chats to job pitches to meeting action items, productivity expert Jocelyn K. Glei shares nine ways to make email requests that actually get a response. 

1. Lead with the ask

Without being abrupt or pushy, it's important to put your ask at the top of your email–within the first sentence or two if possible. The goal is to get the reader's attention and have them understand the action that's being requested immediately. If you put a lot of rigmarole before your ask, an impatient reader might never get to it.

For example, let's say you're reaching out to the CEO of a startup you admire to invite her to speak at a conference. You could position the ask like so:

Hi Catherine—This is Mark Holland. I run the popular Firestarters conference, which draws over 5,000 entrepreneurs to the Crypto.com Arena in LA each year. I'm writing to extend an invitation for you to speak at our event on March 5th, 2024.

Catherine may not know what the hell the Firestarters conference is, but she does know something important: What this email is about (a speaking invitation). She also now knows the date and location of the event, and that it has fairly impressive attendance numbers. Now that the ask is clear and her interest is piqued, she's more likely to read Mark's further details, where he can include backstory on the event and more impressive stats to make his case even stronger.

Think about what will appear in the two-line message preview the recipient will see as she scrolls through her inbox: Will it capture her attention?

In a short-attention-span world, it's best to get right to the point immediately and do your explaining later. Think about what will appear in the two-line message preview the recipient sees while scrolling through their inbox: Will it capture their attention?

2. Establish your credibility

Why should I care? is the tacit question hovering in most people's minds as they open an email, especially if it's from someone they don't know. This is why establishing your credibility early on in the message is crucial. Tell your reader why you are different, why you are accomplished, or why they should pay attention to you.

For instance, if you're cold-emailing a brand to request a sponsorship, you might establish your credibility by sharing data points about your audience and the awards you've won.

Hi Tom—I'm Tracy Black, the editor of Feed Daily, a Webby award–winning website with over 2 million visitors a month. I'm putting together a new article series that targets ambitious young creatives, and I wanted to see if you might be interested in sponsoring it?

If you're emailing someone you do know—getting in touch with a coworker about an urgent task, for example—you might legitimize your request by indicating that you are under pressure from the boss (assuming that's true).

Hi Tom—I'm following up to see if you were able to implement the new email signup feature? The CEO wants to see this wrapped up by the end of the week.

Data points and brute authority aren't your only options, of course. You can also establish credibility by being a keen observer of the person you are contacting. You could tell them how long you've followed their work, what you enjoyed about the last blog post they wrote, or how their product might be improved—with tact of course! As long as it's not fawning, most people appreciate being noticed, and it makes them notice you back.

3. Make the way forward clear

A dotted path through a black and white maze. The start of the path contains a trail of hollow circles that have been "eaten" by the game character. The remaining path contains a trail of filled-in circles that lead to a large "X"

I frequently receive emails from people who are interested in some sort of knowledge exchange but never clarify how they would like for me to take action. Do they want to have a coffee? Do they want to do a phone call? It's unclear, which means that instead of saying, "Yes!" I have to respond by asking them what they're asking me for in the first place—or, more likely, not respond at all.

You're much more likely to get a response from someone if it's clear what the next step is. That makes it easy for the recipient to say yes to your request.

Let's say you're reaching out to a film director you admire for advice. Don't just email them with:

I've been a fan of your work for years, and I'd love to pick your brain. What do you say?

Instead, propose something specific:

I'm a longtime admirer of your work and have the greatest respect for your filmmaking expertise. I would love to ask you a few questions about how you financed your first film. Would you be game for a 15–20 minute phone call next week? My schedule is wide open all day Thursday and Friday if you have availability then. I promise to keep it brief.

The second example clarifies the subject matter at hand and the fact that you just want to do a brief phone call. This means that the recipient knows the time commitment will be minimal and—because you've already proposed a calendar date—they know that the email thread can be closed quickly and efficiently. In other words, you've respected their time, and they now know that dealing with you won't be another headache they don't need.

4. If you're asking a question, propose a solution

Email is not a good venue for debate. Thus, messages that offer nothing but a question like " What do you think about X? " are generally ineffectual. Busy people don't want to figure out your problems for you, and they don't want to write a lengthy response. They want to say yes or no and then move on to the next thing. So if you want to get a response—and to get your way—don't just pose questions: propose solutions.

Let's imagine you're emailing your boss to ask if you can attend a conference. You could write:

Hi Tina—I noticed that people are already booking hotels for the SXSW conference next year. I'd like to go. What do you think?

Or, you could write,

Hi Tina—I've been thinking about ways to enrich my work skill set, and it looks like there are some speakers and workshops at SXSW next year that would be very helpful. I can also put together a report to share what I've learned with the team after I return. I've estimated the cost, and it looks like a ticket, hotel, and airfare would run the company about $2,500. Do you think the company could sponsor me to attend?

The first message is short but lazy and will require numerous back-and-forth messages to clarify what's really at stake. The second email is longer but includes everything necessary for the conversation to be resolved immediately. The writer has done her homework, the costs and benefits are clear, and it's easy for the boss to just say yes. Being proactive in your communications takes more work upfront, but it pays huge dividends in the long run.

5. Be scannable

Emails are about getting results, not testing your recipient’s reading comprehension.

Use bullets, numbers, and/or bolding to make your email skimmable and digestible, emphasizing the key points. If you scoff at this type of spoon-feeding of information, go ahead and get over it. Emails are about getting results, not testing your recipient's reading comprehension. Here's an example of how you might recap next steps after a client meeting.

Hi Sharon—Great call yesterday! I'm excited about next steps. Here’s a recap of what we discussed doing in the coming week to meet our deadline: Action Items for Sharon & Team:
- Approve revised mockups (Due: Mon 4/9)
- Provide final copy for banners (Due: Wed 4/11)
- Supply hi-res photography (Due: Wed 4/11)

Because this email requires the client to do something, you want the action items to pop out of the email—thus the bold text—and be easily digested—thus the bullets. Due dates are also offset in parentheses so they're easy to see.

Remember: if you really want to get things done, success depends upon making it easy for your reader to quickly process the email and understand the salient points.

6. Give them a deadline

Is your email urgent? Does it need a response now? In two days? In two weeks? It may surprise you to learn that busy people love deadlines because they help prioritize exactly when things need to get done. In fact, I've found that emails that have no timetable are more likely to get ignored. You certainly don't want to be imperious or overly demanding, but do give your reader some polite context for timing.

If you're emailing a close colleague about an urgent task, you can be pretty straightforward about timing:

For the project to stay on schedule, I'll need a response from you in the next 24 hours if possible.

If you're extending an invitation to someone you haven't met, you might politely share your follow-up timeline:

I'm sure you're busy and will want time to mull this opportunity over. I'll follow up in two weeks if I haven't heard from you.

Or say you want to allow your boss or a client to weigh in on a decision but need to move forward if they don't respond in time:

If I don't hear back from you by this Friday, August 17th, I'll go ahead and proceed with the solution I've proposed above.

Including a deadline is like dropping an anchor: it fixes your request in space and time, making it more likely to get noticed and get done.

7. Write your subject lines like headlines

Black and white illustration of a well-dressed character that has a duck-like facial structure with a human body. The character is seated on a chair with its back facing the reader while looking at a phone.

For your email to be read, it has to be opened. Your goal should be to compose a subject line that is clear and, ideally, provocative. It's much like writing a compelling headline for an article or blog post that you want people to click on.

Let's say you're a successful musician reaching out to a designer about doing the cover for your new record. You have a decent-sized audience, so you expect the album to perform well. You could use:

Subject: Design Gig

It's accurate, but it lacks specificity and makes your email sound like a humdrum offer. Alternatively, you could use:

Subject: Cover design for high-profile album release?

This is still accurate, but it piques curiosity by clarifying what exactly the project is and promising good exposure. Especially when you're writing an "ask" email to someone you've never met before, the subject line functions like a first impression. And you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Tip: Want to improve your email deliverability ? Stay clear of using spam-triggering phrases like "offer" or "free" in your subject line.

8. Edit your messages ruthlessly

After you've drafted your email, re-examine it with an unsympathetic eye and take out anything unnecessary. Being clear and concise from the get-go saves time for everyone. It takes more time to craft a tight and to-the-point email, but that edited email will also be much more likely to get a response.

Tip: It can be hard to critique your own work. Create your own AI writing coach to give you feedback instead.

9. Preview all messages on your phone

As mentioned earlier, your email message is most likely going to be opened first on a phone. Therefore, it's wise to understand what your message will look like in mobile email apps. What seems digestible on a massive desktop screen often looks like War and Peace on a mobile phone. Preview your message on the small screen, and if it still looks way too long, ruthlessly edit it again. If your message gives the impression of being overwhelming, it's probably going to get ignored.

While the above may sound like a lot of work for a little old email, think about it this way: if you take the time to craft a message that grabs your reader's attention upfront, your emails will be more effective, and you'll ultimately spend less time going back and forth chasing down a response. Sounds like a win-win.

Related reading:

The best email apps

5 ways to automate your email

7 of the best Gmail filters to organize your inbox

Why I schedule all my emails—and you should too

All illustrations by artist Tomba Lobos from the book Unsubscribe . This article was originally published in 2019. The most recent updates to the introduction and conclusion were in April 2023.

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Jocelyn Glei

Jocelyn K. Glei writes about how to make great creative work in the Age of Distraction. Her latest book is called “Unsubscribe,” a manifesto against email. She lives in LA and online at: jkglei.com.

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  • Writing Emails

How to Write an Email

Last Updated: October 5, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly . Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification. There are 7 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 486,319 times.

Do you want to know how to write an email? It can be intimidating if you don't know where to start. When sending emails, there is a general format you should keep in mind. Be sure to know your recipient and the differences between informal and formal email messages. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to write friendly, formal, and professional emails for every occasion.

Things You Should Know

  • You must choose between a formal or informal tone when writing an email.
  • Using the wrong tone in an email can cause issues with the recipient.
  • When writing emails, you'll need an email account from a trusted service.

Email Essentials

Step 1 Set up an email address.

  • If you are uncertain about how to create a new message, check the help pages for your email service to learn more about it in greater detail.

Step 3 List the recipients' email addresses.

  • A space is often enough to separate multiple email addresses, but some services do request that you separate multiple addresses with a comma or some other form of punctuation. If this is the case, these instructions should be specified by your specific email provider.
  • Type the email address of the main receiver or receivers in the “To:” field. The main receiver usually refers to anyone whom the email is directly meant for or addressed to in the body of the email.
  • Type other email addresses in the “CC:” field. This is the “copy” field. A receiver should be listed in the “CC:” field if the email does not directly mention them but does refer to something that individual should be aware of.
  • Use the “BCC:” field to hide email addresses. If you do not want the receivers of an email to see a list of email addresses the message went to, you should type those email addresses in the “blind copy” field.

Step 4 Include an informative subject.

  • For example, a casual email to a friend could simply say “What's Up?” If you are emailing with a question about an assignment, though, the subject line might read something like “Math homework.”
  • Similarly, a question to a supervisor or professor could be labeled with a subject line like “Question” or “Question about...” followed by a brief label describing the topic in question.
  • Note that a message without a subject will appear in a recipient's inbox with the label of “(no subject).”

Step 5 Write the body of your email.

  • The nature of email is fast, so you should generally keep the length of your message fairly short.

Step 6 Hit the

Writing a Friendly Email

Step 1 Know when a friendly email is appropriate.

  • The only time you would not send a friendly email to a family or friend would be if you are sending a group email of an official nature, like a plea for donations or sale advertisement. Since these emails will likely be sent to people who you are not on casual terms with, as well, you must gear the email toward them.

Step 2 Keep the subject line casual.

  • If you are just writing an email to catch up with a friend, you could include a humorous subject line or one as simple as "Long time no see!"
  • If you are writing with a purpose, mention what that purpose is. For example, if you decide to write an email about a group outing, label the email with a subject that specifically mentions that outing.

Step 3 Consider addressing the recipient by name.

  • "Morning Bob!"

Step 4 Write your message clearly, but keep your language casual.

  • Read your email and ask yourself if the content of the email sounds like the way you speak in person. If so, then you've achieved a good tone for a friendly email.
  • Use contractions. Contractions are not a part of formal writing, but they are a common part of everyday conversation, making them appropriate for a friendly email.
  • Feel free to use slang. If desired, you can include Internet slang: "thx" instead of "thanks," "4" instead of "for," "l8r" instead of "later," etc.
  • Also use emoticons when appropriate. :)

Step 5 Consider signing your name.

  • "Later! Jen"
  • "This email will self-destruct in 3...2...1..."

Writing a Formal Email

Step 1 Understand when formal emails are necessary.

  • The tone of your message can be a little more conversational but you should stay away from Internet slang.
  • You should still include your signature, but you may not need to provide all of your contact information below your name.

Step 2 Include an informative subject.

  • "Essay question" (when writing an email to a professor asking for details about an essay assignment)
  • "Application for Management Job Ad" (when sending an email in response to a job ad)
  • "Problem with Part #00000" (when typing an email to request customer service or to report a technical problem)

Step 3 Type a formal salutation.

  • "Dear Mr. Smith:"
  • "Dear Ms. Jones:"
  • "Dear Dr. Evans:"

Step 4 Make sure that the body of your email is concise and accurate.

  • Avoid the use of contractions.
  • Do not use Internet slang or emoticons.

Step 5 Include an appropriate closing.

  • Yours faithfully
  • Best regards
  • Best wishes

Step 6 Provide contact information in your signature, when appropriate.

  • Your title, if you have one, should include your position and the name of the company or institution you are a part of.
  • Include your telephone number, fax number, and email address, at minimum. You may also wish to include your mailing address and website URL.

Specific Types of Friendly Emails

Step 1 Write an email to a friend who moved away

  • While it's a pretty risky move, you can also use email to tell a guy you like him.

Step 4 Understand how to write an email to a girl

  • Similarly, write a flirty email to someone on an dating website. For an email like this, though, you need to be both flirty and informative so that the recipient gets a good idea of who you are.

Step 6 Write a love...

Specific Types of Formal Emails

Step 1 Apply for a...

  • Similarly, you can also write an email applying for an internship . Describe what sort of internship you are looking for and how it will help you meet your career goals. Also provide reasons why you should be selected for the internship.
  • Send a follow-up email if you have not yet received a reply about the position you applied for.

Step 2 Know how to...

  • If your professor knows you well enough, you can also email your professor when asking for a letter of recommendation .

Step 3 Write a query...

Sample Professional Emails

writing an email questions

Community Q&A

wikiHow Staff Editor

  • Never provide usernames, passwords, or personal information like credit card numbers and social security numbers via email. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Tell Your Teachers You Won't Be Here over Email

  • ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/gmail/sending-email/1/
  • ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-start-an-email/
  • ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-end-an-email/
  • ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/format-for-formal-email
  • ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/sending-applications
  • ↑ https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/students/professor.php
  • ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/email-hr

About This Article

Tami Claytor

To write a formal email, start with a formal salutation followed by the recipient's last name and appropriate title, like "Dear Mr. Smith." Then, when you're finished writing the body of your email, conclude with a formal closing, like "Sincerely," "Best regards," or "Thank you." Next, include your full name below the closing of your email, followed by your title and the name of your company, if you have one. Finally, underneath your name, add your phone number and email address. To learn how to write a friendly, casual email, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Email in English: Our 18 Favorite Tips [+ Example Emails]

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.

Our Favorite English Email Tips

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....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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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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If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

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FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

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FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

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FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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writing an email questions

  • Business English

English for emails

English for emails

Do you need to write emails in English at work?

In this section, follow our series of lessons for pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) or intermediate (CEFR level B1) learners and improve your email writing skills in English.

You will learn useful language and techniques for writing, organising and checking emails. Each unit has interactive exercises to help you understand and use the language.

Choose a lesson

Unit 1: Email addresses

Unit 1: Email addresses

E-mail addresses are essential in business – do you know how to say them correctly?

  • Read more about Unit 1: Email addresses
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Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Learn how to talk about the different parts of an email in English.

  • Read more about Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Unit 3: Organising your emails

Unit 3: Organising your emails

You've got mail! Learn how to talk about the different parts of an email program.

  • Read more about Unit 3: Organising your emails

Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

How should you begin and finish an email message to someone you don't know? Find out here!

  • Read more about Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Need to organise something? In this unit you can practise common phrases used to make plans by email.

  • Read more about Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 6: Enquiries

Where can you practise the ways we ask questions in emails? Here, of course!

  • Read more about Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 7: Organising your writing

Unit 7: Organising your writing

Make your emails clear and easy to understand by properly organising them.

  • Read more about Unit 7: Organising your writing

Unit 8: Proofreading

Unit 8: Proofreading

Spelling errors make a poor impression! Learn about some common mistakes to avoid.

  • Read more about Unit 8: Proofreading

Unit 9: Email etiquette

Unit 9: Email etiquette

Don’t be rude! Be sure to follow these fundamental rules on what to write and what not to write in your emails.

  • Read more about Unit 9: Email etiquette

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Article • 10 min read

Writing Effective Emails

Getting people to read and act on your messages.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Email has long been a core tool for business communications, but according to research, 50 percent of emails and texts are misunderstood. [1]

So, how can you avoid your emails getting misconstrued? And how can you write emails that get the results you want? In this article and video, we look at some strategies you can use to ensure that your emails are clear, effective and successful.

The average office worker receives around 80 emails each day. [2] With that volume of mail, individual messages can easily get overlooked. Follow these simple rules to get your emails noticed and acted upon.

1. Don't Overcommunicate by Email

One of the biggest sources of stress at work is the sheer volume of emails that people receive. So, before you begin writing an email, ask yourself: "Is this really necessary?"

As part of this, you could use direct messaging or a phone call to deal with questions that are likely to need some back-and-forth discussion. Use our Communications Planning Tool to identify the channels that are best depending on your message.

Also, email is not as secure as you might think, particularly as people can forward emails without thinking or delete the conversation history. So, avoid sharing sensitive or personal information in an email, and don't write about anything that you, or the subject of your email, wouldn't like to see plastered on a billboard by your office.

Whenever possible, deliver bad news in person. This helps you to communicate with empathy, compassion, and understanding, and to give detail or explain more if your message has been taken the wrong way.

2. Make Good Use of Subject Lines

A newspaper headline has two functions: it grabs your attention, and it summarizes the article, so that you can decide whether to read it or not. The subject line of your email message should do the same thing.

A blank subject line is more likely to be overlooked or rejected as "spam," so always use a few well-chosen words to tell the recipient what the email is about.

You may want to include the date in the subject line if your message is one of a regular series of emails, such as a weekly project report. For a message that needs a response, you might also want to include a call to action, such as "Please reply by November 7."

A well-written subject line, like the one below, delivers the most important information, without the recipient even having to open the email. This serves as a prompt that reminds recipients about your meeting every time they glance at their inbox.

If you have a very short message to convey, and you can fit the whole thing into the subject line, use "EOM" (End of Message) to let recipients know that they don't need to open the email to get all the information that they need.

(Of course, this is only useful if recipients know what "EOM" means.)

3. Keep Messages Clear and Brief

Emails, like traditional business letters, need to be clear and concise. Keep your sentences short and to the point. The body of the email should be direct and informative, and it should contain all pertinent information. See our article on writing skills for guidance on communicating clearly in writing.

Unlike traditional letters, however, it costs no more to send several emails than it does to send just one. So, if you need to communicate with someone about a number of different topics, consider writing a separate email for each one. This makes your message clearer, and it allows your correspondent to reply to one topic at a time.

It's important to find balance here. You don't want to bombard someone with emails, and it makes sense to combine several, related, points into one email. When this happens, keep things simple with numbered paragraphs or bullet points, and consider "chunking" information into small, well-organized units to make it easier to digest.

Notice, too, that in the good example above, Monica specified what she wanted Jackie to do (in this case, amend the report). If you make it easy for people to see what you want, there's a better chance that they will respond positively.

4. Be Polite

The messages you send are a reflection of your own professionalism , values, and attention to detail, so a certain level of formality is needed when using email, especially at work.

Unless you're on good terms with someone, avoid informal language, slang, jargon , and inappropriate abbreviations. Emoticons can be useful for clarifying your intent, but it's best to use them only with people you know well.

Close your message with "Regards," "Yours sincerely," or "All the best," depending on the situation.

Recipients may decide to print emails and share them with others, so always be polite.

5. Check the Tone

When we meet people face-to-face, we use the other person's body language , vocal tone, and facial expressions to assess how they feel. Email robs us of this information, so it can be difficult to tell whether people have misunderstood our messages or misread them in some way.

Your choice of words, sentence length, punctuation, and capitalization can easily be misinterpreted without visual and auditory cues. In the first example below, Emma might think that Harry is frustrated or angry, but, in reality, he feels fine.

Think about how your email "feels" emotionally. If your intentions or emotions could be misunderstood, find a less ambiguous way to phrase your words.

6. Proofreading

Finally, before you hit "send," take a moment to review your email for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. Your email messages are as much a part of your professional image as the clothes you wear, so it looks bad to send out a message that contains typos.

As you proofread, pay careful attention to the length of your email. People are more likely to read short, concise emails than long, rambling ones, so make sure that your emails are as short as possible, without excluding necessary information.

Our article on writing skills has tips and strategies that you can use when proofreading your emails.

Most of us spend a significant portion of our day reading and composing emails. But the messages we send can be confusing to others.

To write effective emails, first ask yourself if you should be using email at all. Sometimes, it might be better to pick up the phone or use direct messenger apps.

Make your emails concise and to the point. Only send them to the people who really need to see them, and be clear about what you would like the recipient to do next.

Remember that your emails are a reflection of your professionalism, values, and attention to detail. Try to imagine how others might interpret the tone of your message. Be polite, and always proofread what you have written before you click "send."

How to Write Effective Emails Infographic

See our infographic, How to Write Effective Emails .

writing an email questions

[1] Jenkins, R. (2020). 50 Percent of Emails and Texts are Misunderstood, But There's an Easy Way to Change That [online]. Available here .

[2] The Radicati Group, Inc. (2015). Email Statistics Report, 2011-2015 [online]. Available here .

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5 Tips for Writing Professional Emails

  • Scott Stein

writing an email questions

A guide to crafting messages that drive results.

Learning to write better emails will improve your reputation as a strong and thoughtful team member, help you articulate your ideas clearly,  grow your influence, avoid unnecessary back-and-forths, and actually get things done. Here are a few basic guidelines to follow:

  • First, identify what you want your email to convey. Ask yourself: What outcome do I hope this email brings? What do I want the recipient to do? This will help clarify your intentions.
  • Next, decide the recipients of your email. In general, though, avoid sending a message to an entire team of people if you only need to talk to one or two. Similarly, don’t CC your boss on all emails that don’t require their oversight. Tailor your subject line. Use a verb or a phrase to indicate what action you want the recipient to take such as “Decision,” “Action Required,” or “Feedback.”
  • When you write your message, start with the action you want the reader to take. Follow up with the context, and end by letting them know you’re available for questions. Include visual elements like bullet points, bold text, italics, and shorter paragraphs.
  • Always specify the timeline of the action or by when you want the recipient to get back to you. Include the expected end date for the task, request, or feedback.

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  • SS Scott Stein works with leaders and staff to implement fast-track strategies that improve results. He is the author of the book, “Leadership Hacks: Clever Shortcuts to Boost Your Impact and Results.” For more information visit www.scottstein.com .

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30 most-asked email questions answered

We solve the web's biggest email mysteries

email questions

It’s been around for decades, and is used by nearly everyone who has access to the internet, but many people still have questions about email. So, in this article, we set out to answer 30 of the most commonly-asked questions, covering things like email security, when email was invented, and which email is best.

  • Read our guide to the best email services
  • Where does Gmail archive mail? We answer your top Gmail questions
  • The best email hosting providers

What do CC and BCC mean?

When sending an email, CC stands for Carbon Copy and BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy. 

CC works in exactly the same way as adding more than one address to the ‘To’ field, each recipient will get the same copy of the email. Everyone in the To and CC fields will be able to see who else the email has been sent to. 

CC tends to be used when you’re sending an email that you want someone to know has been sent, but the subject of the email may not be directed at them.

BCC works a bit differently in that the BCC recipient will receive a copy of the email, but other people in the To and CC fields won’t know it’s been sent to anyone else, whereas people in the BCC field will be able to see all the other recipients. 

You would use BCC if you don’t want the primary recipient to know it has been sent to anyone else, but also if you are sending to a large list and don’t want everyone to be able to see everyone else’s email address.

Is email secure?

How secure your email is will depend on which provider you use to send your email. Some providers, like Protonmail, use end-to-end encryption which means only you and the recipient can read the contents of an email. Others, like Gmail, have security measures in place to ensure your emails can’t be hacked, but Google can still access your email data.

What should I do if my email is hacked?

The very first thing you should do is change your password. It shouldn’t be a password you’ve used elsewhere and it shouldn’t be something that’s easy to guess or remember. It’s recommended that you use a password manager to create unique passwords.

Which email is best?

The answer to that question is longer than we can fit into this article, but luckily, we’ve already covered it in our Best email service 2020 guide.

What’s the difference between IMAP and POP3?

POP3 and IMAP are what’s known as incoming email protocols. With POP3, an email is  downloaded from a mail server to a device and then usually deleted from the server, meaning the only copy exists on the device to which it was downloaded. IMAP, on the other hand, stores the message permanently on the server so that it can be synchronized across multiple devices.

Are email addresses case sensitive?

No, they’re not, which means you can type out your email addresses any way you like and they will still reach the intended recipient as long as there are no spelling errors.

When was email invented?

It’s generally considered that email was created in 1972 by ARPANET contractor, Ray Tomlinson, although others claim it was 14-year-old Shiva Ayyadurai who developed the technology in 1978 working for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

How can you email large files?

You might’ve tried to email a large file before—like a video—and got an error message back saying that the file was too large. So how do you send it? You need to use file transfer software, and we’ve compiled a guide of the best file transfer software options available.

Can emails be blocked?

Emails can be blocked, depending on which email provider you use. Services like Google, Yahoo, and Outlook all provide ways to block senders.

Why is email marketing important?

This is another question that requires an article of its own, so we’ve compiled a list of the best email marketing software which helps answer the question.

Why do some emails go to spam?

There are a number of reasons why your emails might be ending up in people’s spam or junk folders, but among the most common are you’ve included attachments, your email body contains too many links or spam trigger words, or you’ve added too many addresses to the BCC field.

Are email and Gmail the same thing?

Given how ubiquitous Gmail is, you could be forgiven for thinking they are the same thing, but they’re not. Email is a technology used for sending electronic messages, whereas Gmail is a service provided by Google for sending emails.

Which email service is owned by Microsoft?

Outlook.com is owned by Microsoft . It started out as Hotmail in 1996 before being bought by Microsoft in 1997 and renamed to MSN Hotmail, then Windows Live Hotmail, and eventually rebranded as Outlook.com in 2012.

Can email addresses be traced?

The answer to this question also depends on which email provider you use. Every email includes what are known as ‘headers’, which are pieces of information about how the email was sent. Once you have an email’s header data, you can use online tools to determine which IP address it was sent from. Some email service providers will include the IP address of the person who actually sent the email, while others, like Gmail, will only show a Google IP address.

Whose email is this?

If you’ve received an email from an unknown recipient and you’d like to find out a bit more about who they are before replying, you could type the email address into a search engine like Google, or you could do a search on a social media platform like Facebook or LinkedIn.

Are emails legally binding?

This will vary depending on where you live as laws apply differently from country to country and often state to state, but in many jurisdictions, email is considered to be legally binding. To be on the safe side, you should assume that to be the case.

Which email provider uses @me?

An @me email address is associated with iCloud from Apple with other aliases including @me.com, @icloud.com, and @mac.com.

Does email use data?

To download an email from the mail server to your device uses data, but once you’ve downloaded, it doesn’t use any further data to read it, regardless of how many times you open it.

Where are emails stored?

If your email account is set up with the IMAP protocol, then emails are stored in the cloud on a mail server. If you’re using POP3 instead, usually the email will only be stored on the device to which it was downloaded, although some email software gives you the option of keeping a copy on the mail server too.

Can email addresses have spaces?

Like any other address on the Internet, email addresses can’t have spaces, although you can break words up with periods, dashes, or underscores.

Why is my email stuck in the outbox?

There are many reasons why this could happen but some are that you’ve included attachments that are too large, you have antivirus software which is scanning outgoing emails and has prevented the sending, or the mail server you’re sending to is offline.

Do emails expire?

Some email providers, like Protonmail, include a feature whereby email messages can be set to expire after a period of time of your choosing.

Do emails take up space?

Yes, all emails will take up space. How much depends on the contents of the email and whether there are any attachments or not.

Do emails have read receipts?

This is another feature that depends on your email provider. Some have it available, others do not. For example, Google’s Gmail for personal use doesn’t, but G Suite for business does.

Can emails be unsent?

Again, it depends on your email provider. Some include an ‘undo send’ feature whereby you can set how long after you’ve sent an email that you have to undo the action.

Is email social media?

No. While email does share some of the characteristics of social media, such as the sharing of information and content, social media is more about creating online communities, which isn’t what email is used for.

Is an email address PII?

Email is classified as confidential information and so falls under the definition of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) which should only be collected with an explicit opt-in and give people a method whereby they can remove themselves from a mailing list.

How does email spoofing work?

We mentioned email headers earlier and email spoofing works by forging or spoofing email headers to make an email seem like it’s come from a different address than the actual sender. This spoofing technique is used most often by those sending spam or phishing emails.

What is a phishing email?

Phishing emails are those that try to trick you into sending sensitive personal information like bank account details or passwords. They usually look like they come from legitimate businesses like your bank or a government agency, but have used the spoofing technique to disguise their true origin.

How do you transfer emails to a new device?

If you’ve bought a new phone and want to transfer your emails from your old one to your new one, the chances are you set your email account up to use IMAP which means that all your messages are still stored in the cloud. So all you need to do is enter the settings for your email account, and you’ll instantly have access to all your old emails.

Although most of us use it every day, there are still many mysteries surrounding email and how it works. But with our list, hopefully, you’re now better informed about things like POP3 and IMAP, read receipts, phishing, and emailing large files.

  • Read our guide to the best email providers

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John Faulds

John is a freelance writer and web developer who has been working digitally for 30 years. His experience is in journalism, print design and web development, and he has worked in Australia and the UK. His work has been published in Future publications including TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and ITProPortal. 

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How to write an effective email

Even though there are multiple communication modes, email is still considered the most reliable and formal mode of communication. Unlike social media platforms or chat applications, email is universal. This makes email one of the most preferred communication tools, for work. With more and more organizations adapting to hybrid mode, where some employees work from distributed remote offices and some of the employees work from their homes, email conversations have increased manyfold. While chat, comments in team collaboration software can be to the point and a bit informal, business email is still considered formal and elaborate. It is one of the most important asynchronous modes of communication. The recipients can receive the email, read it, understand it and then respond to the email. 

How to write an email

Use a professional email address Have a simple and clear subject Begin with a positive greeting State the background Provide the purpose in a crux Mention the CTA Add closing remarks Use professional signatures Run a spelling/ grammar/ sanity check  Use CC/ Bcc wisely  Format your email consistently  Schedule your email  Set up reminders for follow-ups

1. Use a professional email address

Imagine that you are a hiring manager and you receive the following two emails - 

From: [email protected] &  From: [email protected] 

Which email are you more likely to open and read and which person would you consider hiring? Obviously the second person, given that all other parameters are the same. Ensure that you send non-personal emails from a professional email address. Whether you are applying for a new position or just contacting a support team to get your questions answered, the email address you use helps you gain the trust of a new recipient. 

It is highly recommended to use a custom domain-based email address while sending official communication or sending emails to your business contacts. However, if you do not have one, ensure that your email address is professional , with your name or with your business name. 

2. Have a simple and clear subject

The Email Subject is the first thing that anyone reads (sees?) in any email and is often one of the factors that influence the recipient to open and read the emails. Whatever is said, most of the readers 'judge' the email by the 'Subject' line.

In fact, a lot of recipients decide whether to open an email or not, based on the subject - when they receive emails from non-contacts or strangers. It is the most precise content of the email, and most business relationships have begun with great subject lines. Your subject line should be a small summary of the email and can also set an expectation on the call to action needed from the email. In short, your subject should be able to pull the attention of the recipient, enough to click on the email and read it. 

Subject: Quarterly revenue report | Includes analysis  Subject: Our meeting @ <event> | Let's catch up!  Subject: Request your presence at <event>

3. Begin with a positive greeting

Start the email with a positive note. Provide a relevant greeting for the recipient, based on the region they are from, the time of the year they receive this email, or just a simple 'Good day from...'. 

When the email turns into an email thread or conversations with a lot of to & fro replies, you can drop the greeting. However, when you are emailing someone for the first time, the greeting gives a positive vibe to the reader and you can be assured of a response in a positive tone. 

Examples: 

Thanks for the great insights about <discussion topic> at <event name>  It was a pleasure meeting you at <>.  

4. State the background

If you are emailing someone for the first time, introduce yourself, and state the background of the email. You need to state how you know the recipient, and why you are emailing the person. For example, when you are emailing someone you met at an event or emailing a contact introduced by a friend, be sure to mention the event name or your friend's name along with the details on how you know the recipient. 

It was great discussing with you about <>. I am emailing you to take <> forward.  I am reaching to you about <>. 

5. Provide the purpose in a crux

This is the main part of the email where you mention the core content or purpose of the email. Ensure that you write the core email content in clear short sentences. Avoid unwanted jargon, or too technical/industry-specific terms in the very first email, when you are not sure about the recipient's knowledge in those areas. If you are reaching out, based on research or if someone has recommended this contact, make sure you mention that in the email. This will help the reader understand the context of the email better. If you have a lot to say, it would be better to communicate the main and important items in the first email and save the rest for later. 

Too long emails might be skipped and you might not get the much-needed response from the other person. 

6. Mention the CTA

Every email is essentially a task list for someone. It either expects a response with some details or action from the recipient. In some cases, the recipient might have to connect you with someone who can act on the email. In any case, mention the action expected from the recipient clearly in the email. This should be immediately after the core email where you state the purpose of the email. 

Reply to the email with the following details.  Can we meet for a coffee and discuss further.  Let me know a suitable time and contact details, to schedule a call regarding this. 

7. Add closing remarks

In addition to the CTA, add closing remarks to give that finishing touch to your email. Use simple sentences as in the sample below, without being too pushy. 

'Waiting for your positive response, to take it further'. 'Looking forward to work with you on this'. 'Feel free to call me on ######, if you need more details'. 

8. Use professional signatures

Do not forget to add a professional signature to the end of your email. Your signature helps you to establish your authenticity, your role, your brand, along with the required contact information.

When you are emailing someone for the first time, use an email signature that specifies your full name, your role, and the company or brand you are associated with. Additionally, you can include your company's website and links to social media handles. However, make sure that you use simple signatures when the email turns into a long conversation - or configure a simpler signature for replies/ forwards. 

Sign off the email with a 'Sincerely' or 'Regards' or 'Best regards'

If you are sending an internal email, you can include your department and role, but skip the company website and social media handles. You can save 2 or 3 signature templates and include the relevant ones in the emails you send. 

Regards , Rebecca Thomson, Marketing Manager, Zylker Inc.   Sincerely, Rebecca Thomson Ph: +1 234 234 2345  Email: [email protected] Website: www.zylker.com

9. Run a spelling/ grammar/ sanity check 

Running a spell check for your email

10. Use CC/ Bcc wisely 

You can include other relevant contacts in the email cc/ bcc to have them in the loop. For example, when you send an email to someone, who has been introduced by another common friend, it is good to copy that common friend in the cc of the email, thank him/ her for the introduction, and continue the email. 

In general, it is not a good practice to Bcc someone without the actual recipient knowing unless you think that future conversations are irrelevant for them. In some cases, you may need to add a compliance email address in BCC to archive the emails separately. 

11. Format your email consistently 

Email formatting

To ensure that you can choose ' presets ' for the default font family and size, which matches your signature settings. By this, you can be assured that your emails are neatly formatted and presented to the recipients. 

12. Schedule your email 

Scheduling your email

Do a little homework to check the timezone of the recipient and schedule the email to be sent at the right time, that matches the recipient's location and timezone. 

13. Set up reminders for follow-ups

Even after all hard work, the recipient might have read the email and missed it or sometimes even missed reading your email. So set up reminders for the emails, to notify you when there's no response from the recipient within a day or two of sending the email. 

Sending reminder emails

Example: 

Hey there!  Did you get a chance to revisit my previous email? Please let me know if you require any further information to take this forward.

Email communication is essential to establishing contacts and building relationships. Writing an email can be a breeze when you ensure that you keep it simple, to the point, and follow the email etiquette rules. 

How to Write an Email - Best Examples and Top 5 Dos and Don’ts

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Want to know how to write an email? Need some guidance on what goes where and why? Well, whether this is the first email you’ve ever composed, or you just want to refresh your memory, here go through everything you need on the subject of how to write email properly! For more advanced email writing techniques, check out our how to write a professional email article .

Formatting and Components

Learning how to write a basic email is simple, and every email you ever write will feature the same format that requires you to address each of these components:

To, CC, BCC

Attachments.

  • Subject Line

Here, we go into each of these components in more detail so you know exactly what makes a great email.

These fields, found at the top of your email, are where you will place the email addresses of the people you wish to contact. Each has a different function:

Discover More:

  • What’s The Difference Between CC and BCC In Email? Your Complete Guide!
  • The Best Email Providers That Don’t Need a Phone Number
  • Want iMessage for PC? We’ve got the Solution for You

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.

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.

Sending and Writing an Email – Dos and Don’ts

There are many dos and don’ts when learning to write an email:

How To Write An Email – The Basics

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.

How to Write an Email Subject Line — Examples

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:

How to Write Email Introduction – Examples

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.

How to Write the Email Body – Examples

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:

How to Write an Email Signature or Sign Off – Examples

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:

How To Write Email Like A Boss – Full Examples

Here, we look at some common examples of email writing to help you combine the elements above and rock your email technique.

How to Write an Email to a Friend or Family Member

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, 

How to Write an Email to a Teacher or Professor

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, 

How to Write an Email for a Job Application 

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

How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview 

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, 

How to Write an Email for Business Purposes 

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

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How to Write an Email – FAQs

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.

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How to Write Formal Emails in English

19 Aug 2019

This article will help you to communicate better and to write formal emails in English.

Emails are among the most commonly used means of communication in the world. They’re fast, immediate, and allow you to interact with all kinds of businesses within and beyond the national boundaries. At work above all, writing formal emails in English in the right way requires certain skills, and being a professional situation, it’s essential not to commit mistakes in order to make a good impression of yourself and your company.  

In this article you’ll find:

The rules for writing formal emails in English

  • The right format to use

Examples of formal emails in English

To write an email in English in the right way, don’t improvise! Read the following advice to avoid making serious mistakes that could compromise the success of the email from the moment it is received.

The subject is the first piece of information that the recipients of an email see, and if it’s written incorrectly or unclearly, it could push the reader to delete it without even opening it! So it’s important to give a clear and precise message, right from the start, indicating the content or reason for writing in two or three words that grabs the attention of the recipient. 

Unlike many other languages which require long complex sentences in a formal written context, English is very concise and favors short sentences and a simple structure. Make sure you break up the text into two or three paragraphs – this enables the reader to quickly see the key points.

Courtesy formulas

When you write an email in English, you’re not only using another language but you’re also entering another culture with different habits. The Anglo-Saxons in general pay a lot of attention to forms of courtesy and gratitude, therefore never forget to add them.

Check the email

Never send an email in English without having re-read what you wrote. Grammatical or typing mistakes are very common even in your own language, so in English you can make errors much more easily. Double-checking what you’ve written is a simple step to take that can prevent you from appearing unprofessional and above all careless.

Be sure to have set your emails to end with all the important information about you, including:

  • name and surname
  • relative details about your company (name, address..)
  • link to the company website

The format of a formal email in English

Introduction

Body of the text

Depending on the type of relationship you have with the person you’re writing to, there are different ways of starting an email, but any email should always start with a greeting. In our specific case being formal, the most appropriate options are:

  • Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (surname of the recipient, e.g. Mr Black)
  • Dear Sir/Madam (if you don’t know the name of the recipient) or more generally ‘To whom it may concern’

After the initial greeting you need an introductory sentence that indicates clearly the reason for writing and is consistent with the subject of the email. Introduce yourself briefly (long texts often discourage people from reading them), then follow on with:

  • I am writing with regard to… (email subject)
  • I am writing in connection with… (email subject)
  • I am writing in reference to…

If you’re writing an email to send information, you can start with one of the following sentences:

  • I am writing to let you know…
  • I am delighted to tell you… (if you’re communicating good news)
  • I regret to inform you that… (if you’re communicating bad news)

If instead you’re replying to an email you received, you can say:

  • I am writing in response to…
  • I am writing in reply to…
  • I am writing to thank you for… (if you need to thank the recipient) 

There are no conventional formulas for writing the body of the text because this varies according to the function of what you need to communicate. It’s useful to prepare an initial draft and then proceed with any corrections.

The general rules are that the text should be divided into short paragraphs that avoid abbreviations and acronyms, both of which you can use, on the contrary, when you write an informal email to family and friends. 

Based on the type of message you’re sending, there are various ways to write a final invitation before ending the email, such as: 

  • I look forward to hearing from you soon
  • Thank you in advance
  • For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me
  • Please let me know if you have any questions
  • Thanks for your attention

The most common way to end an email are:

  • Best regards
  • Kind regards
  • Yours faithfully (if you began the email with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ because you don’t know the name of the recipient)
  • Yours sincerely (if you began the email with ‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms + surname)

Let’s see how all of this works in practice. 

Example 1: Delay with the delivery of an order

Subject: Delivery delay

Dear Mr Pascal, 

We regret to inform you that we will not be able to respect the deadline previously agreed for the delivery of your order. Our supplier has warned us today that they are experiencing supply problems, which will result in a delay in our production chain. We count on your understanding and thank you for your patience. 

Please accept our apologies.

Best regards,

Example 2: Replying to a job advertisement

Subject: Web Content Editor position

Dear Sir/Madam, 

With reference to your job ad in xxx, I would like to submit my application for the position of Web Content Editor in your company. 

I graduated in Communication Sciences at the University of xxx and worked for several years in a Digital Agency as Content Specialist. I believe my skills and experience are in line with the requirements for the job position. I will be glad to introduce myself in an interview, that will allow you to better evaluate my possible recruitment. 

Please find attached a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Example 3: Sending a product catalogue

Subject: New product catalogue 

Dear Ms.Chapman, 

Following your request, we have recently sent you our new catalogue. We are convinced that it will enable you to see the quality of our products. Our local agent will contact you soon to arrange a meeting on a day and time that suits you in order to discuss in detail how our products can be of benefit to your company’s needs.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Yours sincerely, 

If you want to improve your English and get better at writing emails, find an English course that suits your needs.

This post has been adapted from the WSE Italy blog: Come Scrivere Email In Inglese Esempi

Learning and improving your knowledge of business vocabulary is a must. Read on to find out more.

Do you want to improve your writing skills? Read on to find out our tips on how to become a better writer in English!

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Jul 26, 2022

How to ask for something in an email with 9 examples

Learn how to write request emails that get results with our in-depth guide. This article breaks down the process of writing request emails for information, documents, contact details, favors and more.

Blog writer

Lawrie Jones

Table of contents

How many times have you asked for a crucial favor and not got what you needed?

Being able to write a polite and formal email requesting information with a clear purpose is essential in your personal and professional life.

The best email requests demand a reply – and get it. Thus it's critical that you are clear about what you want, when you want it, why you want it, and why the recipient is the right person to fulfil the request.

This is simpler than it sounds, and after some practice it will be easy to create reliable request emails if you follow some simple rules.

This article breaks down these rules to show you how to request something via email. We also provide examples that show you how to write request emails for information, documents, contact details, and more.

Making a formal request has never been easier than using Flowrite , test it out below:

What is a request email?

A request email is a message asking someone to do something for you. Some of the reasons you might want to send a request via email include:

  • You want to request information
  • Ask for advice
  • To complete a form
  • To request a document
  • Ask for additional resources

You'll find that you need to send request emails regularly throughout your job, so learning this essential skill can boost your career.

Before jumping into how to write a request email, we recommend understanding and analyzing the structure. We provide a breakdown in this blog but don't stop there. Read the emails you receive and assess what works and what doesn't. 

Writing effective emails is a learning process, so always be curious and critical. 

Should you make a request via email?

First, if your request is urgent or sensitive, an email isn't the best way to deliver it. We tend to jump straight into messaging, even when other options may be more suitable, says Erica Dhawan in the HBR . 

Emails can be missed (or ignored). If you're dealing with a deadline, any delay could cause issues, so pick up the phone. Suppose your email is asking for sensitive information or personal details (such as asking for bank account information). In that case, an email will be inappropriate (and, in some cases, illegal). 

On the other hand, if your email request isn't urgent, ask yourself: can it wait until you meet someone?

An email request is required if it's not urgent but simply can't wait a little longer. 

7 essential rules and principles of email requests 

At Flowrite, we're experts at writing emails and understand how to craft requests that get replies. Each email should follow basic principles and an established structure to ensure you receive a response. While not each step is essential, following them can help you create more effective emails. You can use these six points as a list as tick list for your email requests, and you won't go far wrong. We put these

1. Don't beat around the bush 

In business, time is precious, so the most effective request emails are short and sweet. You'll want to be upfront and open about what you want.

Don't ask for a favor without explaining why. Don't mislead them or misrepresent what you want. 

Put simply, make your intentions clear immediately. 

2. Be concise 

Email requests should be concise and clear. Tell someone what you want and when you want it. Don't leave room for misunderstanding. That doesn't mean you must be rude but respectful of their time. Say what you mean immediately.

3. Don't assume others will complete the request

In a perfect world, you'd receive an immediate and positive response. But it doesn't always happen that way. 

Don't put pressure on the person you're messaging. For example, avoid using terms such as "thanks in advance" or "I look forward to your reply", as it can provide unwanted pressure on an interaction.

Offer them a mechanism to reject your request (if they want to). This can help the recipient to save face if they can't – or won't – comply with your request. Why do this? There are many reasons why someone may not be able to agree with your request. Giving them a way out can preserve and protect your relationships. 

4. Make the request as easy as possible for the other party

You'll want to make it as easy as possible for the other person to understand what you want. Use clear instructions and consider breaking things down into steps. Use single sentences.

If your request is complicated, consider using bullet points to break things down into easy-to-understand chunks.

You'll want to explain why you want the information and what to do with it. 

5. Convey how urgent and important the request is 

Your request will likely be time-limited, so spell out when and why you need a response. Provide the person you're emailing with a clear deadline. If your request is urgent, say so. As we've said before, if your request is urgent, it may be more appropriate to call. Of course, you can always send an email if you don't get a reply. 

6. Convey that they are the right person for the job 

Be clear about why the person you're messaging is the right person for the job. A little flattery can work wonders in getting a response. Explain why they are the only person that can complete the task. But don't stop there; convey why they are the best person for the job.

7. Provide a clear call for action (CTA)

Ensure that the person you're emailing understands what you're asking them to do. Then, consider breaking things down into simple steps with clear timelines for what happens next. In marketing terms, it's known as a  call-to-action (CTA).  Writing a great CTA is part of science and art. Still, breaking it down to its basics is about providing clear instructions on what you want someone to do. Don't try and be sophisticated with your CTAs, be simple.

How to write an email asking for something

We've explained how to shape the content; now, it's time to put what we've learned into practice. We've written extensively on creating compelling correspondence, so this is a brief reminder of the basics.  Check out our blog for a detailed breakdown of how to write effective professional emails.

Email format for requesting something

Each request email is a  formal email that follows a standard format . There's no need to complicate matters, just follow this structure, and you'll find your messages are simple to write and easy to understand.

Each request email has five parts:

  • Opening lines & Body

Let's break these down and detail what to include and avoid.

1. How to write an email subject line for a request

The subject line is the first thing your recipient will see, so make it clear and keep it simple.

In the subject line, you can clarify whether your request is urgent, essential, or time-limited. You can make it obvious you're asking for help and why you're asking for help.

Don't just copy and paste these. Instead, spend time crafting a suitable subject line for your resignation email as it's more likely to get a response.

2. How to start an email asking for something

There are no rules about opening an email, but you must be upfront about what you want. However, diving too early into demanding something can seem rude.

  • Start by introducing yourself and creating a connection with the recipient. Don't be too informal, just friendly enough to make a good impression.
  • Follow up with details of your request. 

We provide some examples below to see how to put this into practice.

3. How to write the body of the request email 

We've covered the basics of how to write an effect request email, but to recap: 

  • Keep it short
  • Explain precisely what you want support with
  • Be clear about why you're asking for help
  • If there's a time limit, say when you need an answer

Each request is unique, so feel free to rearrange these parts to complete request emails. You'll already have a relationship with the person, so use this to your advantage.

4. How to end an email when requesting something

Every email needs a call to action. Explain what you want the person to do and, if required, provide a timeline for progress.

After that, you'll want to use an appropriate and respectful ending. Traditionally, you'd use 'yours sincerely' or 'yours faithfully, but times have changed, as have relationships.

If your request is formal, we'd recommend using the traditional endings. However, don't let formality define your emails. Instead, find an end that's respectful of your relationship.

7 steps to write an email request 

We're nearly ready to put what we've explained into practice with some examples. Before then, here's a checklist for anyone writing a resignation email. 

  • What is the outcome you are looking to achieve with the request?
  • Who is the best person to handle this?
  • How urgent/important is the request?
  • Should I call or ask for a meeting instead?
  • Can you give them a favor in return?
  • Draft the email and proofread it
  • Is the call-to-action and next steps clear? 

These questions can act as a prompt before creating a personal request email. You'll see how we've implemented these principles with the examples below.

9 samples for requesting something via email

To illustrate the points we've made previously, we've created a series of email request samples for you to review and use. These demonstrate the principles of creating effective emails. Read these sample request emails and analyze them to see what we're doing. Don't simply copy and paste them, but personalize them for each request and recipient.

1. How to write a formal email for a request sample

This is a formal email request that anyone can use. You'll still need to add the specifics of your request to make the email effective, but we've highlighted gaps where you can add your information. Start here if you want to know how to write a formal email requesting something.

2. How to write a polite email asking for something sample

Every request email should be polite, but this is a little friendlier than the formal request email above. In this example of how to write a polite email asking for something, we keep it short and straightforward, focusing on the solution.

3. Sample professional email requesting information

Asking for information is a common reason for creating a request. This sample professional email requesting the information is addressed to someone you don't know, so we've kept it to the standard format. However, depending on your role, you may have to create a business email to request something – and here's how.

4. How to write an email asking for information sample 

Similar to the email approach above, this example of how to write an email asking for information is addressed to someone you already know. Unlike the email request for information example above, we've made it more personal and a little less professional.

5. Sample email requesting documents 

Asking for documents is a common reason you'd want to send an email request. Again, this request document email sample follows the standard format above. With some editing, this email can be used as a letter requesting documents from a client or a customer.

6. Sample email requesting immediate action or something urgent

If you cannot speak to someone on the phone, this sample email requesting immediate action is for you. The basics of how to write an email for requesting something urgent are the same as all other emails here. Still, we've upped the urgency, which is reflected in the tone and the structure.

7. How to request something from your boss in an email sample 

When considering how to request something from your boss by email, think carefully about the context and your future career. Be clear about what you want and why you need it, but maintain respect for their position. If you're searching for some inspiration, check out this sample on how to request something from your boss.

8. Sample email asking to fill out a form 

This example is for you if a client, customer, or colleague has to fill out a form. This sample email asking someone to fill out a form is quick and straightforward. However, be sure to adapt it for your audience and add the essential specifics, such as links.

9. Request for resources email sample 

Sometimes you're asking for more than help, but for resources. Asking for additional resources can be challenging and will always require detailed information that only you can provide. See how we've approached the task in this resource request email sample.

How to request something via email using Flowrite

Flowrite is an AI writing assistant that turns your instructions into ready-to-send emails and messages, like this:

Our Chrome extension covers the email format, capitalization, grammar, spelling, punctuation.

In other words, you can focus on the message, and Flowrite will take care of the delivery. We dare to claim that it's the easiest way to request something in an email.

Our email template collection features dozens of templates to help you. To grasp how easy is is to write an email asking for something by using Flowrite, check out an example of how to make a request below.

Sending an email requesting information is simple, but you'll need to follow the correct structure and strike the right tone of voice to be effective. The best emails are clear and confident, and follow the 7 rules we outlined here.

We covered how to write email for requesting something and some common examples that professionals use frequently. Let us know if this article was helpful. Now it's up to you to put this into practice!

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Formal request

Reply to: "

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requesting help on restructuring project of our shared client SkyTech let's discuss details over call or video conference your advice invaluable

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How to Write a Professional Email

Dawn Rosenberg McKay is a certified Career Development Facilitator.

For many years now, people have been predicting email's demise. While it's true we use other forms of communication like texting and social media to "talk" to our friends or send quick messages to our colleagues, we still use email, especially for work-related communication. It is also the primary means of contact when you are applying for a job. It is as important as ever to know how to write a professional email.

Email may be your initial point of contact with someone and because of that, it's your first opportunity to make an impression. Take great care in composing your messages. Before you hit send, answer these 7 questions.

1. Is my message error free?

Checking your email for mistakes is the most important thing you can do before you send it. Incorrect spelling and bad grammar will make you look careless. That goes against the impression you are trying to make, especially if you are applying for a job.

Proofread until you are confident you have caught all spelling and grammatical errors, as well as typos.  Grammarly.com  has free tools, including an extension for the Chrome browser, that can help you with this.

2. What does my email address say about me?

Your work email address—which by the way, you should never use for job searching—probably is very straightforward. Most likely it is some variant of your name. You may have chosen a less business-like address to use for personal email. An address that is suggestive, childish, or cute is okay if you are only using it to send messages to your friends and family but if you need to write a professional email, sign up for a new account that conveys professionalism.

Set up an email address that uses your actual name. Try your first and last names; your first name, middle initial and last name; or some combination of those. Never send your professional email from chickybabe@mymail.com.

3. Are the name and email address in the "To" field correct?

When you begin typing a recipient's name into the "To" field, most email clients will fill in the rest of the name with one from your contacts. You could easily end up with the wrong name in that field so make sure to pay attention to this.

Imagine what trouble might arise if you accidentally send an email to the wrong recipient. Let's say you are looking for a job while you are still employed. A hiring manager at a prospective employer could have a name that begins with the same letter as your current boss's name. How embarrassing would it be if you sent your boss a message meant for that hiring manager? Not only do you want to make sure your message reaches its intended destination, but you also want to be certain it doesn't reach an unintended one.

4. Have I used the proper title to address the recipient?

If you are already on a first name basis with the person you are emailing, it is okay to address them that way in your message. However, if this is your first time communicating with someone, or you aren't sure how they prefer to be addressed, it is preferable to use a formal title like Mr., Ms., Mrs., or Dr. and the recipient's last name.

Always err on the side of caution. It can't hurt to be formal. For a hint about how someone with whom you already have an established relationship prefers to be addressed, look back on prior messages to see how they are signed. That will help you decide what to do.

5. Does my tone convey my message well?

As the saying goes, "It's not what you say but how you say it." When you speak to someone face-to-face, you can rely on intonation, body language, and facial expression to help give additional meaning to your words.

When you try to convey the same message in writing, there is more room for misunderstanding because the reader can't see your face, read your body language, or hear your voice. Make sure your message is polite and sounds friendly, and that your intended meaning is clear.

6. Is my message simple, but not cryptic?

Keeping your messages short and sweet will make them easier to understand. At the same time, you should not omit anything important. You don't want to force the recipient of your email to guess what you are trying to say. Your message should be as precise as possible but include all the necessary information.

7. Have I included unsolicited attachments?

Many people refuse to open email attachments they aren't expecting. They are right to avoid doing that. Computer viruses are often transmitted in those attachments. If you want to send a file to someone, for example, your resume, ask your recipient for his permission first. Send it only if he says it is okay.

  • Letter and Email Salutations and Greetings
  • How to Start a Letter (With Professional Greeting Examples)
  • How to Write and Send Professional Emails
  • Email Greeting Examples and Writing Tips
  • How to Write Effective Emails
  • Email Etiquette Tips for Job Seekers
  • Formal Letter Closing and Signature Examples
  • Employee Thank You Examples and Writing Tips
  • How to Introduce Yourself in an Email (With Examples)
  • Business Letter Salutation Examples
  • Tips for Sending Email When You're Job Hunting
  • Sample Recommendation Letter for a Teacher
  • Sample Apology Letter for Being Late for Work
  • How to Write a Congratulations on Your New Job Email
  • Sample Email Message Formats for Job Searching
  • Appreciation Email Samples
  • Conventions of Mails and Sample Mails

Suppose you want to give a birthday party. You want to invite some of your college friends, your colleagues and some of your senior in the office. Suppose you are writing an email to them to invite them.  Is the email writing format the same for all persons? Can you use the same language and wordings in the different email writing format? In this section, we will learn about email writing format. We will also get ourselves familiar with the different types of emails .

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Email writing.

Email stands for electronic mail. It is the easiest and the cheapest way of communication . It is used in formal, semi-formal as well as an informal way of expression or writing.

Browse more Topics under Writing Formal Mails

  • Definition, Effective Mails
  • Essential Elements of Mails

Categories of Email Writing

Emails are of three types

  • Semi-Formal email
  • Formal email
  • Informal email

Email Writing Format

The email writing format is the same for each of the categories. Though the choice of words and language differ depending upon the type of email. One can use friendly and casual language in informal emails . The language used in formal emails should be professional, clear, and formal. The email writing format is

email writing format

Let us discuss each type of email writing format.

A Sample of Informal Email Writing Format

An email written for any friends, family members or relatives comes under this category. Use of polite, friendly and casual words along with proper greetings and closings are some of the rules of the informal emails.

Suppose you have to write an email to your friend inviting him or her to your birthday party.

Subject: Invitation to a birthday party

Hope this mail finds you in the best of your time. I am very happy to invite you to my birthday party on Nov 03 at ABC Hotel from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The theme of the birthday party is ‘Pirate of the Caribbean”.

It would be great if you come and join us at the party. We will have a great time and fun together.

See You Soon

A Sample of Semi-formal Email Writing Format

An email written for any teammates or colleague is the semi-formal email. One can use friendly language but have to maintain the limit and the decency. The length, proper greetings and closing and clarity are some of the rules of the semi-formal emails.

Writing a letter to inform your classmates regarding intra-college quiz competition.

Subject: Intra-college Quiz Competition.

Hello Everyone!

This is to inform you guys that an intra-college quiz competition is going to be held in our college on Nov 25 from 11:30 am in Hall – 01.

Everyone is therefore asked to take part in the competition so that our department can win.

For further queries, feel free to contact me.

(Class Representative)

A Sample of Formal Email Writing Format

An email written for business communication or professional use comes under this category. The email written for any government department, school authority, company or any officers are the formal emails. Use of polite and formal words, the reason for writing mail, clarity, proper greeting and closing are some of the rules of the formal email.

A mail for resignation.

Subject: Resignation Letter

Please accept this mail as a notice that I am leaving my position with this organization. As per the norm of the company I’ve to give a month notice before resigning. I hope you will get a good replacement for me within this time period.

writing an email questions

I really appreciate the opportunities that I have been given to me to help me grow. Wish you and the company the best in the future.

Please let me know what to expect as far as my final work schedule and the employee benefits. Please let me know in case of any assistance for the above.

Kindly look into the matter.

Thanks and Regards

(Project Head)

Solved Examples on E mail Writing Format

Problem: What does the opening part of the formal mail contain?

  • Inquiry about the weather in the city
  • The health condition of the recipient
  • Inform the recipient about the reason for writing the mail
  • None of the above

Solution: 3. Inform the recipient about the reason for writing the mail.

Problem: In an informal letter you should

  • Ignore grammar
  • Ignore punctuation
  • Write clear and readable in simple English

Solution: 3. Write clear and readable in simple English.

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Professional emails: How to write an effective business email

Two young businesswomen working together in the office at a computer

How to write a professional email

  • A clear subject line
  • An appropriate greeting
  • A concise message
  • A closing that states what action is expected
  • A signature that includes your contact information

1. Clear subject line

  • Follow-up on [task/meeting]
  • Invitation: [event/meeting]
  • Request for feedback on [project/proposal/presentation]
  • Agenda for [event] on [date]
  • Confirmation of [event/arrangement]

2. Appropriate greeting

3. concise message.

  • I am writing to follow up on our discussion during [meeting/date].
  • I wanted to reach out to you regarding [specific issue/project].
  • I would like to share some updates on [project/task].
  • I’m writing with a question about [issue].

4. Closing stating what action is needed

  • I hope to see you at [event]. Please let us know by [date] if you will be able to attend.
  • Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
  • Thank you for your time and attention to [issue].
  • If you have any feedback, please let me know by [day].
  • I look forward to receiving your response by [day].

5. Professional sign-off

  • Regards to the team in New York.
  • Hope you have a great weekend!
  • Thanks again for your help!
  • Best wishes from Seattle.
  • Kind regards,
  • Best regards,
  • Best wishes,

6. Signature with contact information

7. proofread your message before sending.

  • Make sure your recipient’s name is spelled correctly and you have used their correct title.
  • Check for typos and spelling mistakes.
  • Consider your tone – a professional email should be neutral or friendly.
  • Be certain that your message is clearly structured and easy to understand.
  • If you mention sending an attachment, make sure it is really there before you hit send!

Professional email example

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  • Email Writing

Email Writing - Format and Samples

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.

How to Write an Email?

Email expressing your appreciation, email about your trip.

  • 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, 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,

  • Make sure you type in the right email ID. Always check with the receiver for the exact email address because even a full stop that is not part of the email address can land your email with the wrong person, or the mail would simply bounce.
  • The Subject line is the next most important factor you should carefully consider because that is the first thing anyone receiving the email would see. It also determines if the receiver would want to open the mail. ‘The from line is what recipients use to determine whether to delete an email. The subject line is what motivates people to actually open the email.’ said Loren McDonald. Spend double the time you spend on drafting the body to draft the subject.
  • See to it that your Salutation or Greeting is appropriate to the receiver/s. The greeting builds a rapport.
  • The Body of the email states what the email is about. Be clear with what you want your receiver to know. Make sure you have everything you want to convey drafted in simple terms. Do not use colloquial language or long unwinding sentences. Try not to repeat words or use cliched terms. Make your message positive, even if you’re turning down an offer. If you have to follow, do it before they remind you to. Keep it short. Use standard font style and size. Do a final spelling/grammar check/proofread.
  • Finally, Sign off the email on a polite note and proofread it before hitting send. The closing should feel genuine; only then will the receiver want to respond.

Email Writing Format Samples

Here are some sample emails that will help you understand how to write an email in the best possible way.

Informal Email Writing Format Samples

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,

Formal Email Writing Format Samples

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,

What should I put as the subject in an email?

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.

What is the format of email writing?

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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Example prompts to try with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

Experience the power of Get started with Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat  (formerly named Microsoft 365 Chat). See how much time you can save and how much more you can get done. Use Microsoft Copilot to catch up, create content, and ask questions. This article provides several example prompts you can try.

Tip:  When you’re giving Copilot instructions, you can direct it to specific work content by using the forward slash key (“/”), then typing the name of a file, person, or meeting.  If you write a prompt and don’t reference a specific file, person, or meeting, Copilot will determine the best source of data for its response, including all your work content.

Synthesize large amounts of data into simple, consumable responses and catch up on things quickly. Here are some examples:

You've been on vacation now you're back. You need to find out what's going on with Project X. Find the latest about Project X. What's the current timeline? When are deliverables due?

You've just joined a new team and you're trying to ramp up on recent activities. Summarize team communications over the last 30 days. What are the team's priorities? 

There's been a recent change in how your team is tracking work. Find information about the new way our team is tracking work. Include email communications and points of contact for questions.

Create content

Brainstorm ideas and draft new content based on information at work. Here are some examples:

You want to draft a one-page description of a new project (let's call it Project Foo) that's just about to kick off at work. Using information in file1, file2, and file3, write a one-page description of Project Foo. Write it so non-technical people can understand what the project is about and when it's scheduled to be completed.

You're preparing an email to invite customers to attend an upcoming conference and visit your company's booth. Using information in Document Z, write a fun, catchy email inviting our customers to come see us at our booth during next month's conference.

You want to plan a morale event for your team. List 3-5 ideas for group activities in the Seattle area that would be suitable for my team. Include approximate cost and time estimates. 

Ask questions

Find information and get answers quickly, even if you can't remember where the information you need is or how it was shared. Here are some examples:

You need to know what's left in the budget for supplies. How much did we spend on supplies for Project Foo?  How much budget do we have left for Project Foo?

Your team received customer feedback. You want to identify the top things your team should address. Review the feedback we received from customers via email last week. What are the top three issues we should address?

Overview of Microsoft Copilot with Graph-grounded chat

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Writing Studio

Call for graduate writing consultant applications for 2024-2025.

Posted by Writing Studio and Tutoring Services on Monday, February 19, 2024 in Hiring , News & Events .

We are now recruiting graduate and professional students to join our staff of Graduate Writing Consultants beginning in August 2024 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Why Become a Graduate Writing Consultant?

Graduate Writing Consultants start at $15.50 per hour and benefit from paid training and ongoing professional development. Given the centrality of writing to life of the university, this role is a wonderful chance for graduate and professional students to grow as educators, scholars, and researchers, while joining a dedicated and supportive community of like-minded peers.

In service of our mission to support writing across the whole Vanderbilt community, we encourage applications from students from diverse backgrounds and from departments and programs across the University.

Likewise, we welcome applications from students who are multilingual or who have experience supporting language learning. As this can be a Federal Work Study position, we appreciate applications from those who anticipate receiving Federal Work Study in the coming academic year.

Graduate Writing Consultant Position: Key Info

  • Starting AY24-25 Pay: $15.50 per hour
  • Time Commitment: 5-15 hours per week (set by the consultant each semester)
  • Start Date: August 12, 2024
  • Paid time includes training and ongoing professional development activities. (See our website for important information on mandatory August training.)
  • Application deadline: For priority consideration, apply by Monday, March 18.*

*Applications will continue to be accepted until all 2024-2025 openings are filled.

How to Apply (and Find Out More)

To view full details about the position and the application, visit our Graduate Writing Consultant Positions page .

Contact John Bradley, Director of the Writing Studio, at [email protected] .

Tags: hiring , Writing Studio Jobs

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2 possible ballot questions are facing legal challenges

  • Chris Lisinski, State House News Service

Two high-profile ballot questions could soon face the state's highest court. Opponents challenged the eligibility of a measure seeking to eliminate the separate tipped minimum wage and a measure to allow rideshare drivers to unionize.

A group of plaintiffs including the head of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association quietly filed a complaint with the Supreme Judicial Court last week contending that the tipped minimum wage measure improperly combines disparate topics. And on Thursday, the Fiscal Alliance Foundation submitted its own complaint about the driver unionization proposal, similarly arguing that it runs afoul of the state Constitution's requirement for ballot initiatives to feature only related or mutually dependent issues.

The high court could now decide whether these topics can go before voters on the November ballot.

Tipped minimum wage

Under state law, all workers must earn $15 per hour, but employers can pay tipped workers $6.75 per hour so long as gratuities bring their total rate of pay up to $15 hourly.

The proposed ballot question backed by the One Fair Wage campaign would phase out that separate, lower rate over five years, eventually requiring employers to pay tipped workers the full minimum wage.

It would also allow employers to create "tip pools," which would combine any gratuities workers earned and then distribute them to the full staff, including back-of-house employees and others who do not traditionally earn tips.

That latter component is where opponents directed their focus. In a complaint filed Feb. 7, plaintiffs argued that phasing out the separate minimum wage and giving businesses the power to require that workers pool their tips "presents two substantively distinct policy choices for voters to decide with a single vote."

They asked the SJC to rule the question ineligible and enjoin the secretary of state from placing it on the ballot.

Plaintiffs include Steve Clark, the president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, as well as individual restaurant owners and servers. The group did not publicize or announce their complaint when they filed it last week, but Clark confirmed the action and provided the News Service with a copy of the document once asked.

The One Fair Wage campaign, which describes itself as a national coalition "seeking to end all subminimum wages in the United States," did not respond to a State House News Service request for comment Thursday.

Rideshare unionization

Opponents of the driver unionization measure also turned to the relatedness test as their argument of choice, drawing criticism from a campaign leader, who called the complaint "divorced from past precedent."

The Fiscal Alliance Foundation, which describes itself as promoting "individual liberty and a more fiscally responsible, transparent government," contended that the question covers too many different topics by addressing whether drivers for Uber and Lyft can collectively bargain, how they should be classified, how their process of organizing would differ from other industries, and the kinds of wages, benefits and working conditions they can expect.

"By incorporating these and other disparate policy objectives, the Petition yokes the straightforward question of whether Drivers may unionize to an assortment of discrete yet far-reaching policy choices that are not essential to — and in some instances conflict with — the putative end of the enactment," the foundation wrote in its complaint. "This unfairly forces voters who might readily have supported only some of these policy choices to swallow them whole or risk giving away the objectives most important to them."

The question backed by 32BJ SEIU and the International Association of Machinists would give drivers with transportation network companies, often called TNCs, the right to form unions and collectively bargain. Supporters  argue that the tens of thousands of workers on those platforms have little say over their conditions, which can include low pay and a lack of benefits.

Uber and Lyft continue to face a lawsuit filed by former Attorney General Maura Healey in 2020 alleging their existing worker classification practices violate state labor laws to boost profits.

The initiative petition would define "active drivers" as those who completed more than the median number of trips in the last six months. An organization of drivers would need signatures from 5 percent of active drivers in the bargaining unit to serve as a bargaining representative, and signatures from at least 25 percent of active drivers to serve as the exclusive bargaining representative.

Plaintiffs contended those thresholds are improperly lower than federal standards.

Paul Craney, a spokesperson for the Fiscal Alliance, made clear that his group also opposes the measure not just because of how it is drafted but on policy grounds, too.

"If the goal is to make Massachusetts more expensive and send a message to businesses looking to invest in Massachusetts that they are not welcome here, this ballot question achieves this goal," he said in a statement. "As we have seen with the income surtax, union boss-backed ballot questions further chip away at Massachusetts's economic competitiveness and make living here more expensive. At a time when our state faces an uncertain economic future, making Massachusetts even more hostile to economic competitiveness is the last thing the state needs right now. People need more flexibility in how they do work, not less. This potential ballot question would make life a lot harder for riders and drivers alike."

Roxana Rivera, assistant to the president of 32BJ SEIU, called the SJC complaint a "predictable attempt by an anti-union outfit" that's "misinformed at best and divorced from past precedent."

"It will not stand in the way of rideshare drivers in Massachusetts winning the right to collectively bargain. The Attorney General correctly approved United for Justice's ballot initiative after a careful analysis under the relevant constitutional provisions," Rivera said. "Like many other multi-part ballot initiatives approved by the Attorney General and upheld by the Massachusetts courts, United for Justice's ballot measure consists of related and mutually dependent provisions, all of which address the right of rideshare drivers to organize a union and bargain over terms and conditions of work."

The complaint could put both of the high-profile, well-funded app-based driver-related questions before judges. Earlier this month, drivers and organized labor leaders asked the SJC to block an industry-funded worker classification question — which has multiple versions still in play — from advancing.

In the 2022 election cycle, the SJC tossed an earlier iteration of the question declaring drivers to be independent contractors and not employees while outlining some new benefits, concluding that it improperly combined changes to the relationships between the companies and their workers with liability reforms.

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  1. 6 Proven Ways to Write Better Emails this Year

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  1. How To Write an Email Asking Questions

    When writing an email asking questions, it's crucial to include specific elements to maximize the chances of receiving helpful responses. Here's what you should include: 1. Greeting Begin your email with an appropriate greeting. Address the recipient by their name if known, or use a general salutation such as "Dear Sir/Madam" if necessary. 2.

  2. 25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

    Solutions Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.

  3. How to Write an Effective Formal Email

    How is a formal email structured? The formal email format is a consistent structure you'll encounter in nearly all of the formal emails you send and receive. Although there may be minor variations from email to email, the standard formal email format includes these elements: Subject line Salutation Body Closing Signature

  4. Email etiquette: How to ask for things and get a response

    1. Lead with the ask Without being abrupt or pushy, it's important to put your ask at the top of your email-within the first sentence or two if possible. The goal is to get the reader's attention and have them understand the action that's being requested immediately.

  5. How to write email asking questions using our email template

    Email format for asking questions. Our email template collection covers the most common emails and messages across company functions and job descriptions, like follow-ups, thank you emails, and reminder emails. This way you will never have to worry about getting the email format right again (or think about how to write the perfect email asking ...

  6. How to Write an Email: Formal and Informal (With Examples)

    2. Click on "Compose" or "New." Before you can write an email, you will need to open a new, blank message box to write your email in. The exact method varies depending on the service you use, but there will usually be a button toward the top of the page with a label like "Compose," "New," or "New Message.".

  7. How to Write a Proper Email: Make the Right Impression

    2 Openers In most email writing situations, you'll want to include a quick greeting to acknowledge the reader before diving into your main message or request. The exception: When you're on an email chain with close colleagues, it often becomes more natural to drop the opener (as well as the closing).

  8. How to Write an Email in English: Our 18 Favorite Tips

    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.".

  9. English for emails

    Where can you practise the ways we ask questions in emails? Here, of course! 32 Unit 7: Organising your writing Make your emails clear and easy to understand by properly organising them. 20 Unit 8: Proofreading Spelling errors make a poor impression! Learn about some common mistakes to avoid. 35 Unit 9: Email etiquette Don't be rude!

  10. Writing Effective Emails

    3. Keep Messages Clear and Brief. Emails, like traditional business letters, need to be clear and concise. Keep your sentences short and to the point. The body of the email should be direct and informative, and it should contain all pertinent information.

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  13. How to write an effective email with examples (+tips)

    While writing an email is an art, it can be perfected with practice. Some of the best practices in drafting a perfect email - the one that the recipient doesn't miss among the heap - are listed below: ... Whether you are applying for a new position or just contacting a support team to get your questions answered, the email address you use helps ...

  14. How to Write an Email

    Greeting 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.

  15. Email practice

    Practise your email writing by using the five exercises below. Choose the correct words to complete the emails. Each email revises one unit from Business one : one. Unit 35 Unit 36 Unit 37 Unit 38 Unit 39 Copyright © Oxford University Press, Tue Jan 30 18:25:20 UTC 2024. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Legal Notice | Cookie Policy |

  16. How to Write Formal Emails in English

    Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (surname of the recipient, e.g. Mr Black) Dear Sir/Madam (if you don't know the name of the recipient) or more generally 'To whom it may concern'. After the initial greeting you need an introductory sentence that indicates clearly the reason for writing and is consistent with the subject of the email.

  17. 19 Email Etiquette Rules to Know, With Examples

    19 email etiquette tips 1 Proofread, proofread, proofread. Nothing undermines your professionalism like a grammar mistake or misspelling the recipient's name. Before you send an email, proofread it carefully or use Grammarly to ensure it's free of grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Also, double-check that all the details, including the spelling of the recipient's name, are correct.

  18. How to write email for requesting something

    Jul 26, 2022 How to ask for something in an email with 9 examples Learn how to write request emails that get results with our in-depth guide. This article breaks down the process of writing request emails for information, documents, contact details, favors and more. Lawrie Jones Writer

  19. How To Write a Professional Email (With Tips and Examples)

    For example: yourfullname@thedomain. firstname.lastname@thedomain. firstnamemiddleinitial.lastname@thedomain. Tip: A professional email typically consists of five elements: subject line, salutation, body, closing and signature. Read more: How To Create a Professional Email Account in 5 Steps. 2.

  20. PDF Writing skills practice: A more formal email exercises

    Look at the exam question and email and do the exercises to practise and improve your writing skills. Preparation Circle True or False for these sentences. 1. You should use polite expressions and more formal grammatical structures. True False 2. You don't have to include all the points mentioned in the question. True False 3.

  21. Writing a Professional Email? 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You

    Set up an email address that uses your actual name. Try your first and last names; your first name, middle initial and last name; or some combination of those. Never send your professional email from [email protected]. 3.

  22. Email Writing Format: Conventions and Samples with Solved Questions

    The health condition of the recipient. Inform the recipient about the reason for writing the mail. None of the above. Solution: 3. Inform the recipient about the reason for writing the mail. Problem: In an informal letter you should. Ignore grammar. Ignore punctuation. Write clear and readable in simple English.

  23. Professional emails: Examples & phrases

    Here are some examples of how to introduce the topic of a professional email: I am writing to follow up on our discussion during [meeting/date]. I wanted to reach out to you regarding [specific issue/project]. I would like to share some updates on [project/task]. I'm writing with a question about [issue]. 4. Closing stating what action is needed

  24. Email Writing

    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.

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    Include email communications and points of contact for questions. Create content. Brainstorm ideas and draft new content based on information at work. Here are some examples: ... Using information in Document Z, write a fun, catchy email inviting our customers to come see us at our booth during next month's conference.

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