21 Phrases For Formal Emails – Business English

If you need to write formal emails for work, then this is the lesson for you! Learn 21 of the most common formal email phrases in this short Business English lesson.

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Watch my other lesson: MORE phrases for formal emails – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuWCquyruUM&t=7s

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Greetings
Dear Mr/Ms Jones
Always use Ms and not Mrs when writing to a woman in a professional context.

In formal emails we always use the surname, so if the person’s name is Mary Franklin, don’t write Dear Ms. Mary or Dear Ms. Mary Franklin, write Dear Ms. Franklin

Sometimes you don’t know the name of the person you’re writing to because the email address starts with info or office. In this case write:
Dear Sir/Madam

Introducing yourself – name, job title and company
My name is Susan Whitby and I am the Head of Marketing at HMU.

Friendly opening – this all depends on your relationship with the person. If you know someone a little better, but still have a formal relationship it might be nice to use a phrase like this at the beginning of your mails.
I hope everything is going well.
I hope you had a nice Christmas.

Referring to the last contact between you
It was lovely meeting you at the sales conference last week.
It was nice talking to you on the phone earlier.
Thank you for your mail last week.

Reason for writing
I am writing in connection with the order we placed last week.
I am writing with regard to next week’s board meeting.
I am writing to update you on the progress of the Masterson project.
As discussed, I am sending you more detailed information about the upcoming conference.

Giving information
I would like to inform you about the results of our customer survey.

Attachments – don’t write “I have enclosed” in an email – we only use that for letters
I have attached a pdf with the most relevant information.

Making a request
Could you please let me know if you can attend the event next week?
I would appreciate it if you could send me the documents this week.
Would it be possible to deliver the goods one week earlier?

Making arrangements
I was wondering if you would be available for a meeting next week.
Would 10am be a suitable time?
I am afraid I am not available on Wednesday. Would Thursday work?

Confirming
I would like to confirm our meeting for 3pm on Wednesday the 11th.

Answering questions
In answer to your first/ second/ third/ last question…
To answer your question about…

Closing line
If you need/require any further information, please feel free / do not hesitate to contact me.

Closing line referring to the next meeting
I look forward to seeing you …
I look forward to meeting you …

Closing
Best regards, …

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