The English You Need

EMAIL EXPRESSIONS
Starting
Dear Mr. Dupont
Hello Yolande/ Hi Peter

Referring to previous communication

Following our phone call, I'm writing to..
Sorry for taking so long to answer.

Saying thank you

Thanks for replying so quickly..
I appreciate your help on this.

Asking for help

I'd appreciate it/I'd be grateful if you could...
Can/Could you...? / Please.....

Offering help
I'd be happy to....
Do you want/Would you like me to...?

Introducing good news

You'll be pleased to hear that...
I'm happy to tell you that....

Introducing bad news

I'm afraid/Unfortunately
Sorry, but....

Referring to an attachment
Please find attached....
I'm attaching...

Asking for a reply

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Please get back to me as soon as possible.

Finishing
Yours sincerely (UK)/Sincerely yours (US)
Best regards/Rgds

Now match the two halves of the sentences.

1 Can you get back

your order will be a little delayed.

2 Would you like me

that we've found a solution.

3 You'll be pleased to hear

send me that report asap.

4 I look forward

sending me those missing invoices.

5 I'm afraid

I'm writing to ask if you have any more ideas.

6 Please find attached

to me by Friday if possible?

7 Sorry,

to confirm that in writing?

8 I'd be grateful if you

to receiving your answer.

9 Thanks for

and sorry for not replying sooner.

10 Following our meeting last week,

the document you asked for.

11 Please

could meet him from the airport.

12 Thanks for your recent e-mail

but I can't give you an answer before next week.

Phrases to use in business letters and emails


Request for information
I am writing to inquire about . . .
I am writing in reference to . . .
I read/heard . . . and would like to know . . .
Could you please send me . . .
at the address below/above
Thank you for your assistance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Response to request
Thank you for your interest/inquiry

2SHQLQJHPDLOSKUDVHV

I am writing to confirm ...
I am writing to apologize for ...
I am writing to enquire about ...
I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for...
I received your address from + and would like ...
I recently wrote to you about ...

Enclosed is the information you requested.

You can learn more about this at . . .

In reply to your letter of 8 May, ...

If you have further questions,

If you require assistance, please contact:

With reference to your advertisement in ...

If I can be of more help, please feel free to contact me at . . .

After having seen your advertisement in ... , I would like ...

Sample Sentences: Requests

Could you please send me your most recent brochure?
Could you fax me the results of the market survey?

With reference to your letter of 8 June, I ...

With reference to your phone call today, ...

After having received your address from ... , I ...

Thank you for your letter of 8 May.

I would like to order ten copies of the book, Touchy Situations.

I would be very grateful if you could send me this information.

Thank you for your letter regarding ...

Please return the enclosed envelope with your payment.

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you for your letter/e-mail about ...

Sample Sentences: Goodwill

Thank you for your hospitality.
I enjoyed having lunch with you last week while I was in New York.
Congratulations on your promotion to General Manager.
I want(ed) to congratulate you on your new position.
I was happy to hear that contract negotiations went well.
Sample Sentences: Introduction of Product/Service
I am writing to tell you about . . .
(Our new product) is coming out next month.
This product/service is designed to (help you) . . .
Sample Sentences: Reference
I am writing in regard to . . .
I am writing in reference to . . .
Please refer to the enclosed invoice/brochure.
I hope you have had a chance to look over the materials we sent.
Sample Sentences: Confirmation
I am writing to confirm . . .
I would like to confirm what we discussed last Friday.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed . . .
Sample Sentences: Notification
I am writing to let you know that . . .
Please be aware / informed that . . .
I would like to inform you of a recent policy change. I am happy to inform
you that . . .
Your request for funding has been approved.
Sample Sentences: Offering Assistance
We would be happy to . . .
If we can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to ask.
Sample Sentences: Collection
According to our records . . .
Our records show that . . .
Your monthly installment is past due.
Please send payment as soon as possible.

)RULQIRUPDOHPDLOV%HVWRU5HJDUGVRU&KHHUV)RUIRUPDOHPDLOV.LQGUHJDUGVRU5HVSHFWIXOO\RU6LQFHUHO\

12 tips for better e-mail etiquette - Outlook

1 of 1

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/12-tips-for-better-e-mail...

Important notice for users of Office 2003 To continue receiving security updates for Office, make sure you're
running Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3). The support for Office 2003 ends April 8, 2014. If youre running Office
2003 after support ends, to receive all important security updates for Office, you need to upgrade to a later
version such as Office 365 or Office 2013. For more information, see Support is ending for Office 2003.
By Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, The Productivity Pro
I remember opening my first e-mail account and thinking how much fun it was to send a message to a friend.
However, most people now no longer find e-mail simple or fun. E-mail messaging now exceeds telephone traffic
and is the dominant form of business communication. Some workers tell me that handling e-mail consumes half
of their day. A recent Wall Street Journal report indicates that soon employees will spend three to four hours a
day on e-mail.
Don't you wish that every person who received a new e-mail account had to agree to follow certain rules to use
it? There are certain professional standards expected for e-mail use. Here are some things to keep in mind
regarding professional e-mail conduct:
1. Be informal, not sloppy. Your colleagues may use commonly accepted abbreviations in e-mail, but when
communicating with external customers, everyone should follow standard writing protocol. Your e-mail
message reflects you and your company, so traditional spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply.
2. Keep messages brief and to the point. Just because your writing is grammatically correct does not mean that
it has to be long. Nothing is more frustrating than wading through an e-mail message that is twice as long as
necessary. Concentrate on one subject per message whenever possible.
3. Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING. Using all lowercase letters
looks lazy. For emphasis, use asterisks or bold formatting to emphasize important words. Do not, however,
use a lot of colors or graphics embedded in your message, because not everyone uses an e-mail program that
can display them.
4. Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don't use BCC to keep others from seeing who you
copied; it shows confidence when you directly CC anyone receiving a copy. Do use BCC, however, when
sending to a large distribution list, so recipients won't have to see a huge list of names. Be cautious with your
use of CC; overuse simply clutters inboxes. Copy only people who are directly involved.
5. Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact. Don't forget the value of face-to-face or even
voice-to-voice communication. E-mail communication isn't appropriate when sending confusing or emotional
messages. Think of the times you've heard someone in the office indignantly say, "Well, I sent you e-mail." If
you have a problem with someone, speak with that person directly. Don't use e-mail to avoid an
uncomfortable situation or to cover up a mistake.
6. Remember that e-mail isn't private. I've seen people fired for using e-mail inappropriately. E-mail is
considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. Unless you are
using an encryption device (hardware or software), you should assume that e-mail over the Internet is not
secure. Never put in an e-mail message anything that you wouldn't put on a postcard. Remember that e-mail
can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you've written. You might also inadvertently send
something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment.
7. Be sparing with group e-mail. Send group e-mail only when it's useful to every recipient. Use the "reply all"
button only when compiling results requiring collective input and only if you have something to add.
Recipients get quite annoyed to open an e-mail that says only "Me too!"
8. Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose. Don't just say, "Hi!" or "From Laura." Agree on
acronyms to use that quickly identify actions. For example, your team could use <AR> to mean "Action
Required" or <MSR> for the Monthly Status Report. It's also a good practice to include the word "Long" in the
subject field, if necessary, so that the recipient knows that the message will take time to read.
9. Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail. Always check a reputable antivirus Web site or your IT
department before sending out an alarm. If a constant stream of jokes from a friend annoys you, be honest
and ask to be removed from the list. Direct personal e-mail to your home e-mail account.
10. Remember that your tone can't be heard in e-mail. Have you ever attempted sarcasm in an e-mail, and the
recipient took it the wrong way? E-mail communication can't convey the nuances of verbal communication. In
an attempt to infer tone of voice, some people use emoticons, but use them sparingly so that you don't
appear unprofessional. Also, don't assume that using a smiley will diffuse a difficult message.
11. Use a signature that includes contact information. To ensure that people know who you are, include a
signature that has your contact information, including your mailing address, Web site, and phone numbers.
12. Summarize long discussions. Scrolling through pages of replies to understand a discussion is annoying.
Instead of continuing to forward a message string, take a minute to summarize it for your reader. You could
even highlight or quote the relevant passage, then include your response. Some words of caution:
If you are forwarding or reposting a message you've received, do not change the wording.
If you want to repost to a group a message that you received individually, ask the author for permission
first.
Give proper attribution.
Use these suggestions as a starting point to create e-mail etiquette rules that will help your team stay efficient
and professional.
About the author Laura Stack is the president of The Productivity Pro, Inc., an international consulting firm in
Denver, Colorado, that specializes in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations. Laura holds an MBA
in Organizational Management (University of Colorado, 1991) and is an expert on integrating advances in
business productivity with the retention of key employees. Laura is the author of the best-selling book Leave the
Office Earlier (Broadway Books, 2004).

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5/4/2014 9:25 PM

formality - What are some expressions that can be used to end an email? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

Business Email/Letter Closings:

Best Regards,

Here are some more business email and letter phrases. In this list we look at how to make requests,

Cordially,

complain, apologise and give bad news.

Enjoy,
Enthusiastically,

The examples in the left column are more formal. The right-hand column shows the less formal

Good Wishes,

equivalent.

Many Thanks,

When we make a request:

Most Sincerely,
Regards,
Sincerely,
Thank You,

[more formal]
I would be grateful if you could .
I would appreciate (it) if you could .

[less formal]
Could you possibly ?
Could you please

With Confidence.
Informal Email/Letter Closings:

When we agree to a request someone has made:

[more formal]
I would be delighted to .
(delighted means very happy)

Adios,
Blessings,
Cheerio,

[less formal]
I will be happy to .

Cheers,
God Bless,
Gotta Boogie,
Grace and Peace,

When apologising:

Have Fun,

[more formal]
I apologise for the delay in replying.
I/We apologise for the inconvenience.
I/We apologise for any inconvenience
caused.
Please accept our/my sincere apologies.

Health and Happiness,

Keep the Faith,
Later Vader,
Later Alligator,
Lots of Love,

[less formal]
Sorry for the delay in replying.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Sorry for any trouble caused.
I/We are very sorry .

Onward and Upward,

Over and Out,
Peace, Love & Happiness,
Peace & Blessings,
Rock On,
See ya,
Smell ya Later,
SMILE,

When giving bad news:

[more formal]
I/We regret that .
I/We regret to inform you that .
I am afraid that I must inform you of/that
.

[less formal]
Unfortunately .
I am sorry to have to tell you that .
I am sorry to have to tell you that .

TA TA,

When complaining:

Toodles,

(The following phrases may be used as the opening line of the letter or email.)

Your Friend,
Dream BIG.

[more formal]
I/We wish to draw your attention to .
I am writing to complain about .
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction
with .

[less formal]
I wanted to inform you about .
I would like to complain about .
[none]

(The following phrase may be used as the closing line of the letter or email.)

[more formal]
I would appreciate your immediate
attention to the matter.

[less formal]
I would appreciate if you could sort it o
as soon as possible.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/332/what-are-some-expressions-that-can-be-used-to-end-an-email[9/18/2013 10:50:49 PM]

Writing Informal Letters and E-mail

A List of Expressions Used in E-mail
Below are expressions which can be used both in e-mails and in snail mail letters. Expressions
listed early in each group tend to be more casual, while those listed later in a group tend to be more
formal. In any particular e-mail, avoid using more than two expressions from a particular category.
Try to use expressions which you are relatively certain are socially appropriate for a particular
occasion.

I heard you

Notice that in e-mail, in contrast to snail-mail, people often skip a line instead of indenting to show a
new idea with a new paragraph.

Alright!

Click on an expression to see how its used in REAL e-mails!

(Only the names of people have been changed.)

(Third persons name) told me that you

Way to go!

Thats great news!

Congratulations!

E-mal

Congratulations on passing the test!

Hi (name)!
Hi there, (name)

Im happy to hear that you got the job!

How are you?

What do you think?

Hows everything going?

How have you been?

How does that sound?

It was so nice to hear from you.

What do you recommend I do?

So nice to hear from you.

Would you have any ideas about what I should do?

I was glad to hear from you.

I was wondering if you could give me some advice.

Its always nice to hear from you.

I hope you are doing fine.
I hope things are going well with you these days.
Hope you are well.
Long time no see.

I have no information Do you?

Please let me know.
Please tell me more about it!
You should

Hope all's well in your world!

Hi everyone! (to more than two people)

Maybe you ought to

Whats new?

Why not?

Are you keeping warm/cool these days?

If I were you, I'd

Dear (name),

Please

Can you?
Say hi to (third persons name) for me.
(Name) says hi.

Would you

Send my regards to (third persons name).

Could you please?

Give my regards to (third persons name).

Could I ask a favor of you?

Would you mind?

Good luck on (your test).

Good luck with this!

Would you be able to?

I was wondering if

Wishing you the best.

If its not too much trouble, could you?

I wish you the very best.

If you don't mind, would you

Im sure youll do well.

I would like to request that

I have confidence that you can

Would it be too much to ask you to

You will also do very well.

I would appreciate it very much if you would

Study hard.
Ill be thinking about you.

Thanks a lot!

Let me know how it goes.

Thank you kindly.

Let's hope it will come out!

It was great meeting you this week!

I really like the (N).
Thank you for (N)
Thanks for (v-ing)

http://vu.flare.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/english/writing/intermediate/informal/informal.htm[9/18/2013 11:07:44 PM]

Writing Informal Letters and E-mail

It was very kind of you to
Thank you in advance.
Hang in there!

Keep your spirits up!

I'm so sorry to hear about (N).
I was sorry to hear that(S)

Sorry to let you down.

Sorry to trouble you.
Sorry about this short notice.
First, I have to apologize for
Im afraid I cant (VP)
I'm sorry, but I won't be able to
I feel guilty about
Let's try to get together in the near future.

We are going to have (N)

We hope you
How about
Would you be interested in?
Are you interested?
Would a Sunday be convenient for you?
Come visit us
I was wondering if you would like to
I was wondering whether you
I would like to invite you to
Reply ASAP by e-mail, or call me at home.
If you have some free time
Why not
Lets
Turning Down an Invitation
As kind and inviting as your suggestion is, I regret that I have to decline at this time.

Dear Sirs,
Dear (company name)
I visited your home page.

I would like to

I placed an order for

Please let me know about

Please could you check on this as soon as possible?

http://vu.flare.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/english/writing/intermediate/informal/informal.htm[9/18/2013 11:07:44 PM]