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How to Write an Email (With Tips and Examples)

By Sarah Oakley

Table of Contents

How to write an email in 5 steps, email writing tips, mail examples, how prowritingaid can help you with writing an email.

Writing emails is a vital skill, as emailing makes up one of the biggest methods of personal and business communication. Whether you’re writing for business, to friends and family, or to a hiring manager, you’ll need to know how to write a good email.

There are several key elements to writing any email, including the email address, subject line, greeting, body of the email, and the signature. Once you understand each of the email elements and how to write them, you’ll be able to write emails to communicate effectively with others.

In this article, we’ll explore how to write an email in five steps, and we’ll provide you with some tips and examples to help with your email writing.

If you’ve not written emails before and you’ve been asked to send one, it’s hard to know where to start. There are some things to consider before you send your email, such as who you’re sending it to and what you’re emailing them about.

Luckily, email writing is simple when you follow the five steps we’ve provided below.

How to Write an Email Address

Email addresses are one of the most important parts of emailing, as it tells the email provider where to send your email, just like writing an address on an envelope when you’re sending a letter in the mail.

When entering someone’s email address, remember to check the spelling before you send any emails because you don’t want to send emails to the wrong person or have it bounce back as undeliverable.

Some people add numbers and punctuation to their email address to make it more unique. Other times, they add numbers and punctuation if their chosen simple email address is unavailable.

Once you know you’ve got the right email address, you can write it in the “To” field in your email. If you want to email anyone else about the same thing, you can add their email address to the same field, but you’ll need to leave a space or a comma between each one, depending on your email provider.

If you want to address your email to more than one person, but you only need a response from one person, type the main recipient’s email address in the “To” field, and type everyone else’s addresses in the “CC” field. CC stands for carbon copy, so it means you’re sending a copy of the email to others to make them aware of something, but they don’t need to reply.

What to Include in an Email Subject Line

When you receive an email in your inbox, the first thing you probably look at is the subject line, which is why it’s so important to ensure your subject line is clear and grabs your recipient’s attention.

Your email subject line should give the recipient an idea of why you’re emailing them in the most succinct way possible. Subject lines are brief, so don’t write an entire sentence. Try to pinpoint the most important detail from your email, and use that to create your subject line.

If you’re emailing a business, they might give you a reference number or phrase so their email system sends your email to the correct place. For example, if you’re writing to a company about an order you’ve placed, you can include your order number in the subject line so the recipient knows exactly which order you’re emailing about.

A good subject line can help you get a better response because the person opening your email knows what to expect, what the email is about, and could already know how to respond to you.

How to Structure an Email

Emails are simple ways to communicate, so your structure should get across the information you need to say in a clear, cohesive way. You can structure your email like writing the body of a letter.

Start with an email greeting, such as “Hi,” “Dear [name],” or “Hello [name].” The greeting you pick can be based on the formality of your relationship with the recipient and what you’re emailing them about. For example, if you’re writing from a business to a customer, use a formal greeting to sound professional.

If you’re writing to someone first and you’ve not emailed them before, or it’s been a long time since you last emailed them, you can use your opening line to say you hope they are well. Alternatively, your opening line can get straight to the point of your email and let them know why you’re writing to them.

Write a separate paragraph for each point in your email, starting with the main reason for emailing, and follow with any additional pieces of information and action steps. Make sure each paragraph is complete before moving on to the next point.

Emails don’t need to be long, so don’t add unnecessary information just to bulk out your email. Most people skim emails, so try to keep it short, and use keywords to draw attention to specific details you want your recipient to focus on.

Finish your email with an action phrase that prompts your recipient to do something, even if it’s having a nice day. An action phrase is perfect for marketing emails , as it reminds your customers to buy your product. If you’re writing to a hiring manager, your action phrase can prompt them to respond to your application.

How to Sign Off an Email

Your email sign-off, or signature, is how you end your email before you send it. There are several options you can use to sign off your email. Similar to picking a greeting, pick a sign-off that reflects the formality and tone of the rest of your email.

Here’s a list of ways to sign off a professional email:

Best wishes

Kind regards

Yours faithfully

Yours sincerely

Thank you for your time

Many thanks

Warmest regards

Here’s a list of ways to sign off an informal email:

[Your name]

All the best

Take it easy

If you are emailing from a business and you want to appear professional in all your emails, but you don’t want to type out your sign-off every single time, you can create an automatic email signature. Most email providers will allow you to create and save a prewritten signature with an option for it to be added to all new emails and replies.

You can add your sign-off phrase to your signature, or you can simply add your name. If you’re writing from a business, you can also add details such as your job title, the company logo, and any other company information you think is important. Using an automatic signature will save you a lot of time as you’re writing each email.

What is Email Etiquette?

Email etiquette is how you conduct yourself in your emails, which affects how your recipient interprets your email. While you don’t have to use email etiquette for your personal, informal emails, it’s important to follow professional etiquette for business emails .

When writing professional emails, your email etiquette could be very formal and efficient, upholding the standards set by the company you work for. The standards may include avoiding slang terms, always using active voice rather than passive, and avoiding ending sentences with prepositions.

If you have a style guide your company follows when writing emails, you can use a grammar checker, like ProWritingAid, to ensure you adhere to it. The tool is also helpful to ensure you do not make any general grammatical errors in your emails, which might embarrass you and the company.

When applying for jobs, standard email etiquette is to be respectful and professional with a positive tone and optimistic voice. You don’t want to come across as pushy or too forward in your email, but you want to show how eager you are to apply and for the company to accept you for the position.

Email writing can be very simple, and you’ll get better at it the more you do it. Before you get started, we have some more tips to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing when you need to write an email to someone.

Remember to consider the tone of your email and how your recipient will interpret it. Your tone should reflect the information you are sharing with the recipient. For example, you can use a light, friendly tone to give someone good news, and a formal, respectful tone to give someone bad news.

Emails aren’t always the best way to communicate with someone, so it’s best to email only if you think it isn’t worth calling or sending a letter instead.

Emails are a great way to save time instead of having a meeting about something. Try to summarize everything you would have said in a meeting, and send it to all who need the update.

Use a professional email address that’s also easy to remember if you use it for business or job applications. An embarrassing email address might make a hiring manager question whether you would be professional in the position you’re applying for.

If you’re attaching files to your email, remember to check your attachment before you send it. Some email systems have automatic prompts to check you’ve attached your file if you use certain phrases. It’s best not to rely on your email system flagging a missing attachment though, as you don’t want to risk the embarrassment.

Most email systems have an “undo send” button, which is your friend if you notice you’ve made a mistake. Pressing “undo send” will catch the email before the system sends it so you can make your changes before clicking send again. You usually only have a few seconds to click “undo send,” so remember to be quick if you need to click on it.

It’s common to accidentally send a half-written email, so don’t worry about it if that happens. Just quickly send a follow-up email to explain what happened, apologize, and finish what you were saying.

Here are two examples of emails to inspire your own email writing.

Formal email:

Dear Mr. Jones,

I hope this email finds you well.

I am reaching out to you because I would like to arrange a meeting to discuss our quarterly figures and the potential for growth in the sales of your products.

My team has identified some key actions that we feel will cause some significant improvement in sales.

Please let me know when you are available to meet.

Best wishes,

Informal email to a friend:

Just wanna check you have the files from that photoshoot we did last weekend. Could you send them over to me when you get a minute?

ProWritingAid makes great writing easy

Easily improve your emails, reports, content, cover letters, and more.

A well-written email can ensure your recipient stays focused on what you’re saying and follows through with any actions you’ve requested they take. You can check your email for grammatical errors and readability issues by using ProWritingAid to ensure you don’t send a poorly written email.

You can use one of the ProWritingAid browser extensions to edit your emails, as the extensions integrate with most email websites. If you use any email apps, such as Outlook, to write your emails, you can try ProWritingAid Everywhere to see Realtime improvement suggestions as you’re writing.

When using the Realtime checker in ProWritingAid, you can select “Email (General)” or “Email (Sales)” from the document type drop-down menu in the sidebar. Selecting the right document type will mean your goals and suggestions will apply to email writing.

There are some specific goals for email writing to pay attention to, such as positivity, business jargon, style guide compliance, and spam phrases. Monitor the scores you’re achieving for email-specific goals to ensure your email sounds professional and understandable.

Once you’ve mastered the art of email writing, you’ll be able to communicate confidently with people via email in both professional and personal contexts.

Sarah Oakley

Get started with prowritingaid.

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How to Write an Email

Last Updated: May 7, 2024 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 595,188 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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).”

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

Writing a Friendly Email

• 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.

• 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.

• "Morning Bob!"

• 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. :)

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

Writing a Formal Email

• 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.

• "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)

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

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

• Yours faithfully
• Best regards
• Best wishes

• 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

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

• 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.

Specific Types of Formal Emails

• 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.

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

Sample Professional Emails

Community Q&A

• Never provide usernames, passwords, or personal information like credit card numbers and social security numbers via email. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ 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

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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Quick Tips to Write a Great Email & Essay in English  

Writing a great essay and a perfect email can be a challenge, especially in a foreign language. You have to think about many things such as the tone, formality, and organization. Not to mention check over all those little errors you may have made.

In this article, you will learn some tips to write a great essay and email to use in your day-to-day life or in any of your English exams.

Writing a Great Email

Adapted from https://learningenglishwithoxford.com/2021/03/18/write-perfect-email-english/

1. Think about who you’re writing to

Maybe it’s a friend, someone you don’t know well, or a complete stranger.

Knowing your target audience will help you decide if you need to use a formal, neutral, or informal register.

As a general rule, only write an informal email when you know the reader well, such as a friend or classmate.

Formal emails are much more appropriate in a business setting. You might send a formal email to a public official, customer service, or a company you’re working with.

If you’re unsure, it’s always better to write a formal or neutral email.

2. Think about why you’re writing

Thinking about the purpose of your email can also help decide on the correct level of formality. If you’re planning a day out with friends, keep it friendly and lighthearted.

If you’re requesting information from a company, you should sound professional and polite.

Keep in mind that the reasons for writing should be reflected in the tone.

3. Keep it organized

English works well with short, simple sentences. It’s also a good idea to break your email into paragraphs. And if it’s really complex, don’t be afraid to use bullet points.

The six-step structure of a great email

A good email always follows the following six-step structure:

1. Subject line

Keep it meaningful and concise so people don’t hit the delete button before they’ve even opened it. Think about one clear sentence that conveys the main idea of your email.

Some good examples include:

• Introducing our new school magazine.
• End-of-year assessment!
• Meeting arranged for Tuesday.
• Proposal for TESOL Conference.

2. Greeting

Greetings are important in any email. Some people believe the word ‘Dear’ should only be used in a handwritten letter. However, it is perfectly acceptable to use it in an email as well. Especially if your email is very formal, like for a job application or an email of complaint. When you write to a friend you can use “Hi” or “Hello”

We normally use a comma after the opening phrase, and then begin a new line after the person we’re writing to. Take a look at these different ways to begin your email:

Often after the greeting we write an opening line. This is normally a polite gesture to establish a good relationship with the reader. It could be to wish someone well, introduce who you are, or state why you’re writing.

Here are some examples:

4. Main body

If your email is a quick internal email to a colleague it should be quite brief.

However, if you’re writing for an exam, the acronym RED is recommended; ( R easons,  E xamples,  D etails) to help bulk out your answers.

The main body of your email should also have a clear and specific purpose. This could be anything from suggesting a birthday present for a friend or giving feedback on an event you attended.

Here’s some useful language you could use:

Before signing off at the end of your email, it’s a good idea to finish with a closing statement. In a formal email, this might be requesting some form of action. In an informal email, it might be just to send some good wishes.

6. Signing-off

Saying goodbye is the last thing you do at the end of an email, so you want to get it right. It should reflect your professionalism, and mimic how close you are to the recipient.

Again, you must use a comma after the closing phrase and capitalize the first letter.

These are some of the most common ways to end an email.

4. Proofread

Once you’ve written your email, it’s time to check it and make sure it really is perfect. Give it a quick review, and look for any typos, spelling, or grammatical errors.

This is especially important if English is not your first language.

Last but not least: Practise. Any kind of writing skill comes with trying and trying again.

Writing a Great Essay

• Leave a space in the first line only and at the beginning of each paragraph.
• Write short sentences to avoid mistakes.
• Write correct sentences in terms of sentence order and tense.
• Write the subject in the present simple tense if it is a general topic and the simple past tense if it is a story or a journey.
• Use interrogative words (Wh) to help in deducing ideas and writing quick sentences.
• Write ideas on the side, and when an idea comes to you, write it down immediately.
• Use punctuation marks well; capital letters, the stop sign, commas, question marks, and exclamation marks.
• Start the topic with a main sentence indicating that you will write on a specific topic.
• The opening has a positive effect on the reader, so try not to make mistakes.
• If you are not sure about writing a certain word, search for another because spelling errors have a bad effect.
• Be careful not to use incorrect tenses because they have the same bad impression.
• Use the active voice and avoid the unknown for ease of the sentence.

You can use the following links and phrases to give more ideas:

• We all agree that ……..
• First of all, I believe that ………
• On the other hand, ………
• On the contrary, …….
• Moreover, ……..
• Above all ………….. / Important still, ………..
• In summary, ……
• We should do our best to realize ……
• We look forward to a better future.
• We are indebted much to modern inventions.
• …………plays an important role in our life.
• Finally, we have to admit that ………
• To sum up, one can say that ……
• For the prosperity of our country, we must…….
• We must stand hand in hand against…….
• The government has taken practical steps …..
• Illiteracy leads to unemployment and crime …
• To sum up, (To summarize,) (In brief,) (In short,) ……….
• Last but not least, ………..
• Finally, we can say that ……..
• From what I have mentioned in the above lines, it’s obvious that …………

Simple Guide To Writing A Basic Essay – Part 1

Simple Guide To Writing A Basic Essay – Part 2

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Effective Email Communication

What this handout is about.

This handout is intended to help students, faculty, and University professionals learn to use email more effectively. It can help you determine whether email is the best mode of communication in a particular situation and write messages that successfully convey your meaning to your intended audience.

Although email is a valuable tool, it creates some challenges for writers. Miscommunication can easily occur when people have different expectations about the messages that they send and receive. Email is used for many different purposes, including contacting friends, communicating with professors and supervisors, requesting information, and applying for jobs, internships, and scholarships. Depending on your purposes, the messages you send will differ in their formality, intended audience, and desired outcomes.

So—how do you know when sending an email is the most effective way of accomplishing your communication goals? When is a brief message OK, and when it is more appropriate to send a longer, more professional-sounding email? How should you decide what style of writing is appropriate for each task? Keep reading for answers to these questions!

When is email the appropriate form of communication to use?

Email is a good way to get your message across when:

• You need to get in touch with a person who is hard to reach via telephone, does not come to campus regularly, or is not located in the same part of the country or world (for instance, someone who lives in a different time zone).
• The information you want to share is not time-sensitive. The act of sending an email is instantaneous, but that does not mean the writer can expect an instantaneous response. For many people, keeping up with their email correspondence is a part of their job, and they only do it during regular business hours. Unless your reader has promised otherwise, assume that it may take a few days for them to respond to your message.
• You need to send someone an electronic file, such as a document for a course, a spreadsheet full of data, or a rough draft of your paper.
• You need to distribute information to a large number of people quickly (for example, a memo that needs to be sent to the entire office staff).
• You need a written record of the communication. Saving important emails can be helpful if you need to refer back to what someone said in an earlier message, provide some kind of proof (for example, proof that you have paid for a service or product), or review the content of an important meeting or memo.

When is email NOT an appropriate form of communication to use?

Email is not an effective means of communication when:

• Your message is long and complicated or requires additional discussion that would best be accomplished face-to-face. For example, if you want feedback from your supervisor on your work or if you are asking your professor a question that requires more than a yes/no answer or simple explanation, you should schedule a meeting instead.
• The information is highly confidential. Email is NEVER private! Keep in mind that your message could be forwarded on to other people without your knowledge. A backup copy of your email is always stored on a server where it can be easily retrieved by interested parties, even when you have deleted the message and think it is gone forever.
• Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily misconstrued. If you would hesitate to say something to someone’s face, do not write it in an email.

Who is your audience?

People have different opinions what email should look like, so it is always helpful to be aware of the expectations of your audience . For example, some people regard email as a rapid and informal form of communication—a way to say “hello” or to ask a quick question. However, others view email as simply a more convenient way to transmit a formal letter. Such people may consider an informal email rude or unprofessional.

A message like this one might be OK to send your friend, but not to your professor:

Do you know what the assignment is about? Can U help me?

Although it may be obvious to you that you wouldn’t send such an email to your professor, let’s carefully examine what assumptions this message makes about the reader and their expectations. The tone of this message is very casual; it assumes that the reader knows who the sender is and has a close personal relationship with the sender. Because it contains an ambiguous reference to “the assignment,” this message also assumes that the reader is familiar with the subject matter at hand (for instance, it assumes the reader will know which course and which particular assignment the sender is referring to). The writer also makes an implicit assumption about the reader’s comfort with the language that is often used when sending an instant message or text message. The “U” might be taken by some readers as a sign that the writer is too lazy to type out the word “you.”

Making assumptions about your audience’s expectations increases the risk that your message or its tone will be misinterpreted. To ensure that your message has its intended effect, use the following questions to help you think about your audience and their needs:

• Who is your audience? How often does your audience use email to communicate?
• What is your audience’s relationship to you—for example, is the reader your teacher? Your boss? A friend? A stranger? How well do you know them? How would you talk to them in a social situation?
• What do you want your audience to think or assume about you? What kind of impression do you want to make?

Important components of an effective email:

Subject lines.

Email subject lines are like newspaper headlines. They should convey the main point of your message or the idea that you want the reader to take away. Therefore, be as specific as possible. One-word subjects such as “Hi,” “Question,” or “FYI” are not informative and don’t give the reader an idea of how important your message is. If your message is time sensitive, you might want to include a date in your subject line, like “Meeting on Thurs, Dec 2”. Think about the subject lines on the email messages you receive. Which ones do you think are most effective? Why?

Greetings and Sign-offs

Use some kind of greeting and some kind of sign-off. Don’t just start with your text, and don’t just stop at the end without a polite signature. If you don’t know the person well, you may be confused about how to address them (“What do I call my TA/professor?”) or how to sign off (Best? Sincerely?). Nonetheless, it is always better to make some kind of effort. When in doubt, address someone more formally to avoid offending them. Some common ways to address your reader are:

• Dear Professor Smith,
• Hello, Ms. McMahon,
• Hi, Mary Jane,

If you don’t know the name of the person you are addressing, or if the email addresses a diverse group, try something generic, yet polite:

• To whom it may concern,
• Dear members of the selection committee,
• Hello, everyone,

Your closing is extremely important because it lets the reader know who is contacting them. Always sign off with your name at the end of your message. If you don’t know the reader well, you might also consider including your title and the organization you belong to; for example:

Mary Watkins Senior Research Associate Bain and Company

Joseph Smith UNC-CH, Class of 2009

For your closing, something brief but friendly, or perhaps just your name, will do for most correspondence:

• Best wishes,
• See you tomorrow,

For a very formal message, such as a job application, use the kind of closing that you might see in a business letter:

• Respectfully yours,

Cc: and Bcc: (‘carbon copy’ and ‘blind carbon copy’)

Copying individuals on an email is a good way to send your message to the main recipient while also sending someone else a copy at the same time. This can be useful if you want to convey the same exact message to more than one person. In professional settings, copying someone else on an email can help get things done, especially if the person receiving the copy is in a supervisory role. For example, copying your boss on an email to a non-responsive co-worker might prompt the co-worker to respond. Be aware, however, that when you send a message to more than one address using the Cc: field, both the original recipient and all the recipients of the carbon copies can see all the addresses in the To: and Cc: fields. Each person who receives the message will be able to see the addresses of everyone else who received it.

Blind copying emails to a group of people can be useful when you don’t want everyone on the list to have each other’s addresses. The only recipient address that will be visible to all recipients is the one in the To: field. If you don’t want any of the recipients to see the email addresses in the list, you can put your own address in the To: field and use Bcc: exclusively to address your message to others. However, do not assume that blind copying will always keep recipients from knowing who else was copied—someone who is blind copied may hit “reply all” and send a reply to everyone, revealing that they were included in the original message.

Some additional tips for writing more effective emails

Think about your message before you write it. Don’t send email in haste. First, decide on the purpose of your message and what outcome you expect from your communication. Then think about your message’s audience and what they may need in order for your message to have the intended result. You will also improve the clarity of your message if you organize your thoughts before you start writing. Jot down some notes about what information you need to convey, what questions you have, etc., then organize your thoughts in a logical sequence. You can try brainstorming techniques like mapping, listing, or outlining to help you organize your thoughts.

Reflect on the tone of your message. When you are communicating via email, your words are not supported by gestures, voice inflections, or other cues, so it may be easier for someone to misread your tone. For example, sarcasm and jokes are often misinterpreted and may offend your audience. Similarly, be careful about how you address your reader. For instance, beginning an email to your professor or TA with “Hey!” might be perceived as being rude or presumptuous (as in “Hey you!”). If you’re unsure about how your message might be received, you might try reading it out loud to a friend to test its tone.

Strive for clarity and brevity in your writing. Have you ever sent an email that caused confusion and took at least one more communication to straighten out? Miscommunication can occur if a message is unclear, disorganized, or just too long and complex for readers to easily follow. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that your message is understood:

• Briefly state your purpose for writing in the very beginning of your message.
• Be sure to provide the reader with some context. If you’re asking a question, cut and paste any relevant text (for example, computer error messages, assignment prompts you don’t understand, part of a previous message, etc.) into the email so that the reader has some frame of reference for your question. When replying to someone else’s email, it can often be helpful to either include or restate the sender’s message.
• Use paragraphs to separate thoughts (or consider writing separate emails if you have many unrelated points or questions).
• Finally, state the desired outcome at the end of your message. If you’re requesting a response, let the reader know what type of response you require (for example, an email reply, possible times for a meeting, a recommendation letter, etc.) If you’re requesting something that has a due date, be sure to highlight that due date in a prominent position in your message. Ending your email with the next step can be really useful, especially in work settings (for example, you might write “I will follow this up with a phone call to you in the next day or so” or “Let’s plan to further discuss this at the meeting on Wednesday”).

Format your message so that it is easy to read. Use white space to visually separate paragraphs into distinct blocks of text. Bullet important details so that they are easy to pick out. Use bold face type or capital letters to highlight critical information, such as due dates. (But do not type your entire message in capital letters or boldface—your reader may perceive this as “shouting” and won’t be able to tell which parts of the message are especially important.)

Proofread . Re-read messages before you send them. Check your grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. If your email program supports it, use spelling and grammar checking tools. Try reading your message out loud to help you catch any mistakes or awkward phrasing that you might otherwise miss.

Questions to ask yourself before sending an email message

• Is this message suitable for email, or could I better communicate the information with a letter, phone call, or face-to-face meeting?
• What is my purpose for sending this email? Will the message seem important to the receiver, or will it be seen as an annoyance and a waste of time?
• How much email does the reader usually receive, and what will make them read this message (or delete it)?
• Do the formality and style of my writing fit the expectations of my audience?
• How will my message look when it reaches the receiver? Is it easy to read? Have I used correct grammar and punctuation? Have I divided my thoughts into discrete paragraphs? Are important items, such as due dates, highlighted in the text?
• Have I provided enough context for my audience to easily understand or follow the thread of the message?
• Did I identify myself and make it easy for the reader to respond in an appropriate manner?
• Will the receiver be able to open and read any attachments?

Sample emails

Use what you’ve just learned to explain why Student 2’s email to Professor Jones is more effective than the email written by Student 1. How does the tone of the messages differ? What makes Student 2’s email look and sound more appropriate? What are the elements that contribute its clarity? If you were Professor Jones and you received both messages, how would you respond to each one?

Email from Student 1:

hey, i need help on my paper can i come by your office tomorrow

Email from Student 2:

Hi Dr. Jones,

I am in your ENGL 101 class on Thursdays, and I have a question about the paper that is due next Tuesday. I’m not sure that I understand what is meant by the following sentence in the prompt:

“Write a 10 page paper arguing for or against requiring ENGL 101 for all UNC freshmen and provide adequate support for your point of view.”

I am not sure what would count as “adequate” support. Would using 3 sources be OK?

Can I come by your office tomorrow at 2:00 pm to talk to you about my question? Please let me know if that fits your schedule. If not, I could also come by on Friday after 1:00.

Here are two versions of an email from a supervisor, Jane Doe, to a group of her employees. Which version do you think is most effective? Why?

Version 1 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: tomorrow As you know, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be meeting to discuss the status of all of our current projects. Donuts will be provided. Be sure to arrive on time and bring along the materials you have been working on this week—bring enough copies for everyone. Some of these material might include your calendars, reports, and any important emails you have sent. Also, I wanted to remind you that your parking permit requests are due later this week; you should turn those in to Ms. Jones, and if she is not at her desk when you stop by, you can email them to her.

Version 2 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: materials for Wed. staff meeting

Hi, everyone—

For tomorrow’s 3 p.m. staff meeting in the conference room, please bring 15 copies of the following materials:

• Your project calendar
• A one-page report describing your progress so far
• A list of goals for the next month
• Copies of any progress report messages you have sent to clients this past month

See you tomorrow—

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Lamb, Sandra E. 2006. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write , 2nd ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Terminello, Verna, and Marcia G Reed. 2002. E-Mail: Communicate Effectively . New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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

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....

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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.”

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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.

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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!)

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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.

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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”!

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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 .

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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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Dec 16, 2022

8 samples on how to send a formal email

Learn how to write a formal email including format, structure, greetings, body, and sign-offs with the help of our formal email examples and template.

Lawrie Jones

Table of contents

Formal emails play a crucial role in communicating information clearly and without errors in our business, professional and personal lives.

So, whether you're enquiring about an opportunity, inviting someone to an event, or resigning from a job, knowing how to write a formal email is an essential skill you need to know.

In this guide on how to write a formal email, we break down the process into simple steps. Then, we describe the ideal formal email format and provide a selection of formal email examples that you can use as the basis for your correspondence. 

Writing formal emails has never been faster or easier, just use Flowrite. Our smart email templates that write your email for you, like this:

What is a formal email?

A formal email is an email that you send to a person (or group of people) that you don't know or an important email that you are sending to a person in a position of authority – your boss, for example.

Emailing or messaging a close colleague or a friend can be done in a more informal way ( here are some informal sample emails ).

Writing a formal email is similar to writing a formal letter, with the same structure, salutations, and sign-off. They're free from spelling and grammatical errors, planned and written with a clear purpose.

Formal emails are polite, professional, and get straight to the point. They're 100% focused on an outcome, leaving no room for mistakes or misunderstandings.

Some examples of formal emails include:

• Introducing yourself to a professional person that you don't know
• Making a complaint
• Resigning from a job
• Offering an apology

You may be asking why, in a digital world, we still need formal emails? 

Many organizations and individuals have indeed shifted to communicating less formally. However,  US researchers found  this can cause problems in the workplace, contributing to what they describe as a growing risk of "incivility".

Organizations where individuals communicate formally, politely, and with respect are less likely to experience conflict, they say.

Formal emails have some influential friends. The Plain English Campaign has been calling for clarity in communication since 1979. "Remember that people are unlikely to be offended if you are too formal, but some may think you are being rude if you are too informal," they advise.

The solution? "Always think about the reader." 

We agree. If you know the person you are writing to, then you have the freedom to write more informally. If you don't know the person or the message you are sending is important, be formal. 

We've written before about the importance of professional communication. To learn more, check out our guide on  how to write a professional email .

Why write a formal email?

"People tend to believe that they can communicate over email more effectively than they actually can," researchers at the  American Psychological Association  found. In a 2005 study, they performed a series of experiments and concluded that it's hard to convey emotion and tone over email. 

The reason? Because of our own "egocentrism," we're unable to detach ourselves from our perspective and see someone else's. 

Put simply, it's easy for misunderstandings to occur if we're too friendly or informal in our emails. The  tone of voice  may not be suitable for communicating vital information, too. 

Formal emails remove the potential for misunderstanding and misrepresentation. It's all about observing the correct  business email etiquette .

A formal email has a clear purpose and treats the reader with respect. It's written in a standard way that travels across borders and cultures. 

Writing formal emails can benefit anyone in business, including leaders, says the influential  Forbes columnist Benjamin Laker . Emails should be respectful of emotions and delivered with empathy. Most importantly, your email says a lot about your "personal brand". How do you want to be perceived?

A well-written formal email is polite and professional, two powerful brand attributes that will improve your brand and increase business success.

Formal email format

Creating great formal emails is very simple. There are just five parts to the perfect formal business email format:

• Opening lines & Body 

Each piece of correspondence follows the same formal email structure , which means that once you've mastered it, you'll never need to change.

1. Formal email subject line

In business, time is money, so be brief.

Your subject line should be short and easy to understand. Tell your reader precisely what's in the message. The ideal formal email subject line is a few words: "Leave Request", "Meeting Request", or "Customer Complaint", for example. 

Formal email subject lines shouldn't attempt to be overly friendly or funny either. 

2. How to start a formal email

The formal way to start an email is to use 'Dear'.

It may seem old-fashioned or strange if you know the person, but it's about following some set rules that we've used for generations to communicate formally. Dear is a formal email salutation that continues to be used to this day.

If you know the person's gender, you can use what's called an honorific – Mr, Mrs, etc. – but we'd suggest simply using the full name if you have it. This advice may seem to contradict some of the older guides on formal writing, but it reflects broader changes in society.

If you want to know how not to open a formal email, avoid "Dear Sir/Madam" or stuffy-sounding collective terms such as "To whom it may concern".

3. Formal email greetings with no name

Suppose you're worried about how to write a formal email without knowing the name. In that case, you can use "Dear Sir/Madam" as a suitable substitute. This approach is practical, too, if you don't know how to address a formal email to a company.

When deciding how to start a formal email to multiple recipients, you have several options (in case you need it, here's our guide to remind you about how to use CC and BCC ). For example, you can address the team ("Dear team"), collective ("Dear all", "Dear Colleagues"), or for events ("Greetings"). 

You can check out our guide on  how to start an email . 

4. Formal email opening lines

There is no standard formal email opening. Instead, you'll have to decide what's appropriate for the communication and the context. 

If you don't know the person (or organization) you are writing to, it's polite to introduce yourself. However, if you know the person, you don't need to do this and can jump straight into the meat of your message.

We provide examples of several formal email opening sentences below. If you need some more email intro inspiration, read our  article on best email opening lines .

We would advise against using empty phrases such as "I hope you are doing well" in a formal email. Such phrases are clichés that add nothing to a message, and you should avoid them.

5. Formal email body

So, you've engaged the recipient and introduced yourself (if required), now it's time to get to the point.  

We provide some examples below, but formal email communication should follow the Pyramid Principle. Developed by a leading executive at McKinsey, the  Pyramid Principle  states that you should start with the answer first and structure the information underneath it to support your argument.

In a formal email, the recipient will want to know what the message is about and why they should care about it. So, tell them!

You can see some examples below of how we address several examples. We also illustrate how to end a formal email, including common formal email closing sentences.

6. Formal email sign off

A formal email ending uses a specific ending (or a valediction to give it its formal name). Readers will be familiar with (and expect) formal ways to end an email.

In most cases, you'll use the formal email ending "Yours sincerely" if you know the name of the person you are writing to.

If you don't (or are writing to a group of people, for example), you'd typically end a formal email with "Yours faithfully".

However, there are changes in how to end an email formally. Examples of acceptable formal endings include "Sincerely", "Regards", and "With best wishes".

The best way to end a formal email depends on the individual, the context, and what you're communicating. In most cases, we'd suggest sticking with either "Yours sincerely", or "yours faithfully".

Are you struggling to find a fitting ending? See our in-depth guide on  how to end an email . 

8 Formal email examples

To illustrate the points above, we've created a selection of formal email writing examples for situations you may encounter. 

While it can be helpful to see an example of a formal email, we don't recommend that you cut and paste these and use them yourself. You should tailor every formal email to your specific circumstances. Instead, use these as an essential guide to increasing understanding before creating your own – or using  Flowrite  to write your emails for you.

1. Formal introduction email

There are several reasons you may want to introduce yourself formally . For example, you may inquire about a job vacancy, research opportunity or reach out to someone you want to ask for some advice. If you're struggling with how to introduce yourself via email formally, this one's for you. 

Check out our formal introduction email sample below for an example.

2. Formal thank you email

After excellent service or support, it's polite to show your appreciation, but just how to thank in an email formal ?

In this   formal thank you email sample, we demonstrate how to construct a personal and positive reply that can be shared within an organization and externally with other clients or customers.

3. Formal resignation email

When resigning from a job, it's vital that you send a formal resignation email . The resignation not only notifies your employer that you are leaving but also acts as proof of your resignation date.

A formal email resignation can be short – in some cases, just one line. However, as you'll see in this formal resignation email sample, we've taken the time to show our appreciation to our employer.

4. Formal invitation email for an event

Here's a formal invitation email sample sent to a group of colleagues. Every formal invitation email should include a clear subject line, all details about the event (including date, time, and location), and how people can RSVP.

Here's a formal invitation email for an evening event at business.

5. Formal complaint email

If you have received poor service or are disappointed with a product, a formal complaint email can raise awareness of your issues. In formal emails, it's important to state facts but to avoid becoming overly emotional.  

Here's an example of a formal complaint email.

6. Formal apology email

Composing a formal apology email can be challenging, but admitting a mistake has been made is crucial at limiting damage and restoring a relationship.

Here's a straight-to-the-point formal apology email sample from a company to  deal with a customer who has made a complaint .

7. Formal reminder email

If you're reading this, chances are you're a human, but if you're like us, that might mean your memory is that of a goldfish. We all forget things and sometimes all we need is a little nudge to remind us of something important.

Sending a formal reminder email is one of the most common emails you will send as a professional. So here's a formal email example to remind your manager about a vacation request before you take off on holiday:

8. Formal request email

Most of us ask for favors or request something on a daily basis . Here's a formal email example of how to so just that:

Want to write better formal emails? Try Flowrite

Writing formal emails is simple if you follow our process. The formal email templates included in this blog post should provide a guide but should always be adapted and updated to reflect your specific circumstances.

However, there's an even easier way. Flowrite is an AI writing tool that turns short instructions into ready-to-send emails and message.

If you're still struggling to find the right words for writing formal email, Flowrite can help you get started and offer some inspiration – or even write the whole email for you with click of a button. As you can see from the example below:

Do you still wonder how to send a formal email? We hope not. The next time you are writing a formal email just keep these examples in mind and you can communicate with confidence.

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