Writing and sending emails is an essential part of business. The need for good English business email is unavoidable as nowadays writing and receiving emails are not only for personal correspondence but also for business purposes so, do you know the correct English email structure for your boss or client? Don’t worry! Check out the guide below along with the email etiquette you need to know!
English Business Email Structure Guide
English business emails typically follow the same writing structure as a letter, you need to pay attention to sentence length, punctuation, and polite language.
1. Greetings
There are many variations of greetings that you can use to start an email, depending on the tone you want to use, whether formal or informal, but greetings in an email are usually preceded by:
“Dear Mr. [Recipient Name].
“Dear Sir/Madam” (used if you do not know the name of the email recipient)
“Hello/Hi” (used for a more informal tone)
What if you want to write an email to multiple people? The usual greetings used are:
“Dear All” (more formal)
“Hi everyone” (more informal)
2. Opening Sentence
An email is usually preceded by an opening sentence that states the purpose or intent of the email. English business emails often aim to clarify a point that was not clear in previous communication, confirm or follow up on something, or provide information about recent developments or important matters to the email recipient.
- Clarification:
★ “I hope this email finds you well. I’m writing to seek clarification regarding a point in our previous conversation…” (I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to request clarification on a point in our previous conversation…)
★ “I’m writing to follow up on our meeting last week and to clarify a few points that were discussed…” (I am writing to follow up on our meeting last week and to clarify a few points that were discussed…)
- Confirmation or Follow-up:
★ “I’m writing to confirm our meeting scheduled for [date and time] at [location]…” (I am writing to confirm our meeting scheduled for [date and time] at [location]…)
★ “I’m writing to follow up on our previous email regarding [topic]…” (I am writing to follow up on our previous email regarding [topic]…)
- Providing Information:
★ “I’m writing to inform you of some important developments regarding our project…” (I am writing to inform you of some important developments regarding our project…)
★ “I’m writing to share some exciting news about our company…” (I am writing to share some exciting news about our company…)
3. Closing Sentence
After writing the opening sentence, you also need to pay attention to the closing sentence in English business emails, as this is an important part of stating your expectations of the email recipient, expressing your appreciation for their time and attention, and giving a professional impression to the email recipient.
Example of an English business email closing to get a reply:
– “I look forward to hearing from you.” (I look forward to hearing from you)
– “Hope to hear from you soon.” (I hope to hear from you soon)
Example of an English business email closing to offer help:
– “Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance.” (Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance)
– “Let me know if you need anything else.” (Let me know if you need anything else)
Example of an English business email closing without further action:
– “Thank you for your help/assistance.” (Thank you for your help/assistance)
– “Have a nice day/weekend.” (Have a nice day/weekend)
Please note that ET Mates need to adjust the choice of closing sentence to the content of the email and to whom the email is written. You also need to choose to use polite and professional language. Avoid sentences that are too informal or clichéd.
4. Closing
The last part is the closing greeting to the email recipient. Choose the most appropriate phrase before typing your name.
- “Sincerely” (If you know the recipient’s name, Formal)
- “Kind/Best/Warm regards” (Formal, Most commonly used)
- “Take care, Thank you, or Have a nice day” (Informal)
You can recheck and reread the email before pressing the Send button, make sure there are no typos, grammar or punctuation errors, or poor use of words. You also need to pay attention to the etiquette of sending business emails in these points, ET Mates!
- Make sure you correctly spell the recipient’s name and only send your email to people who need to read it. Pay attention when replying to an email. When there are many recipients, the “Reply All” button will ensure everyone receives the email, so don’t make the mistake of replying to just one recipient!
- Don’t forget to include the file attachment before you press the “Send” button!
- Avoid using unnecessary capital letters because it can come off as shouting and rude.
- Create an email that is not too short nor too long, so make sure your email is clear and professional.
- Especially for business emails, you should check everything carefully so that the recipient will not think that you are also making mistakes in your work. Ask your coworker or partner to proofread your email before you press the “Send” button, OK, ET Mates?
