How to Write a Professional Email in English
The structure and phrases that make an email sound polite and professional — openings, requests, and closings you can reuse immediately.
A professional email follows a predictable structure. Once you know the pattern and a handful of reusable phrases, writing one stops being stressful.
The structure
- Greeting
- Reason for writing
- The main request or information
- A polite closing
- Sign-off
1. Greeting
- Dear Mr. Smith, (formal, when you know the name)
- Dear Sir or Madam, (formal, when you don't)
- Hi Sarah, (friendly but still professional, once you know someone)
2. Stating why you're writing
Get to the point quickly and politely.
- I'm writing to ask about...
- I'm reaching out regarding...
- I wanted to follow up on...
3. Making a polite request
Direct commands sound rude in English emails — soften requests with these patterns.
❌ Send me the report. ✅ Could you please send me the report? ✅ Would it be possible to get the report by Friday?
4. Giving information clearly
- Please find attached...
- As discussed, here's...
- Just to confirm, the meeting is at 3 PM.
5. Closing politely
- Please let me know if you have any questions.
- Looking forward to hearing from you.
- Thanks in advance for your help.
6. Sign-off
| Formality | Sign-off |
|---|---|
| Very formal | Yours sincerely, |
| Standard business | Best regards, |
| Slightly casual | Best, / Thanks, |
Putting it all together
Dear Ms. Chen,
I'm writing to follow up on the proposal we discussed last week. Could you please confirm whether the budget has been approved?
Please let me know if you need anything else from my side.
Best regards, Alex
Try it yourself
The quiz below tests whether you can pick the phrase that sounds professional, not just correct.