format of email essay

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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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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How to Write an Email (With Tips and Examples)

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.

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• Writing Tips

How to Write an Academic Email

4-minute read

• 21st October 2019

When you email a professor or tutor for the first time, you want to make a good impression. But how can you do this? Our top tips for writing an academic email include the following:

• Consider whether you need to send an email. You may be able to find the information in your syllabus, timetable, or other course materials.
• Write a clear subject line setting out what your email is about.
• Let the recipient know who you are and make a specific request.
• Use a clear, concise writing style and appropriate academic language.
• Proofread  your email carefully before hitting send.

Check out our guide below for more on how to write an academic email.

1. When to Send an Academic Email

If you say the word “inbox” to an academic, they will shudder in horror. This is because most lecturers and tutors receive dozens of emails every day. Keeping on top of this can take a lot of time and effort.

So, before writing an email, ask yourself: Do I need to send this?

Often, you can find the information you need in other places. If you want to know about a reading assignment, for example, you should check your syllabus, course documentation, or reading list.

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t ask for help. Academic staff are there to assist you. But they can do this more effectively if they have time to spare, so it’s best only to email someone when you can’t find the information elsewhere.

2. Subject Line

Every academic email should have a  clear subject line  that sets out why you’re emailing. For example, if you need to discuss a paper you’re writing, a vague subject line like “Question” or “Urgent!” may be easy to overlook.

Instead, you could write something like:

Aristotle Paper – Tutorial Request for Wednesday

This is short and simple, but the recipient will immediately understand the topic of your email, what you need, and when you need it.

3. Be Specific About Why You’re Emailing

The text of your email should be as specific as possible. To do this:

• Set out who you are and your relationship to the recipient.
• Explain your situation in no more than a couple sentences. For more complex requests, you’re better off setting up a meeting in person.
• Suggest how the recipient can help you address the problem.

This will ensure the recipient knows who you are and what you need from them. The simpler you make this, the easier it will be for them to respond.

4. Be Clear, Concise and Formal

As well as being specific, you need to use an appropriate writing style. This should be clear, concise, and  formal . Be sure to:

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• Address the recipient using their proper title (e.g.,  Dear  Prof.  Smith ).
• Use academic language as appropriate (avoid slang and emojis).
• Be polite in your request; don’t make demands.
• Thank the recipient for their time at the end of the email.

It may be the recipient is happy for you to use a less formal writing style. But it’s best to stick to formal, respectful language until you get to know them.

5. Proofread Carefully

Finally, be absolutely sure you  proofread your email before sending it.

This will save you from any embarrassing typos, ensuring your email is easy for the recipient to understand.

Example Academic Email

In closing, here’s an example of an academic email:

Dear Prof. Smith,

I am a first-year student on your Ancient Greek Philosophy module, and I was hoping we could meet to discuss the upcoming Aristotle paper (due on March 3).

I am planning to write about Plato and Aristotle, and I have attended the lectures and completed the required reading, but I have questions I would like to ask before I begin writing. Will you be available to meet this Wednesday?

Early afternoon would be best for me, but I am happy to adapt my schedule if you are not available then. If we cannot meet, do you have any books or research papers about Plato and Aristotle that you can suggest?

Thank you for your time.

Kind regards,

Isaac Kinsella

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How to Write an Email in English: Our 18 Favorite Tips [+ Example Emails]

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....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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.”

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.

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!)

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.

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”!

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 .

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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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:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

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Learning English with Oxford

The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., how to write the perfect email in english.

• by Oxford University Press ELT
• Posted on March 18, 2021 March 22, 2021

It’s also common in many English tests to have to write an email. That includes computer-based exams such as the Oxford Test of English , where you have to write an 80-130 word email in 20 minutes, for the Part 1 Writing task.

In this guide, we’ll teach you how to write informal and formal emails to use in your day-to-day life or in your Oxford Test of English exam.

Use the right register

First things first, you need to think about who you’re writing to. Maybe it’s a friend, someone you don’t know that well, or a complete stranger. Establishing your 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 services or a company you’re working with. If you’re unsure, it’s always better to write a formal or neutral email.

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 want to sound professional and polite. Keep in mind your reasons for writing and make sure that’s reflected in the tone.

Keep it organised

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. Although there is some variation between an informal and formal email, one thing is clear – a good one always follows the same six-step structure:

1.    Subject line

People are busy, and your email is one of many in their inbox. That means you want to keep the subject line meaningful and concise so they 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:

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 in an email as well. Especially if your email is very formal, like for a job application or an email of complaint.

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:

3.    Opening

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

When writing an email, it is important to get the level of detail correct. If it’s a quick internal email to a colleague it can be quite brief. However, if you’re writing for an exam, like the Oxford Test of English , you want to show what you can do. We recommend following the acronym RED ( 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:

For more informal and formal language to use in the exam, take a look at our Oxford Test of English Writing Tips .

5.    Closing

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. Either way it’s best to end on a high note!

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

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. At Learning English with Oxford we have lots of resources to help you prepare for the Oxford Test of English.

• Find lots of useful tips for passing the exam
• See the test specification s for more information on the email question.
• You can also download a sample test
• And try our online demo to put what you’ve learned into practice!

The Oxford Test of English is an online test, certified by the University of Oxford, and recognised all over the world. Find out more about it on our website .

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Author: Oxford University Press ELT

Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT

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How to Write Formal Emails in English

19 Aug 2019

This article will help you to communicate better and to write formal emails in English.

Emails are among the most commonly used means of communication in the world. They’re fast, immediate, and allow you to interact with all kinds of businesses within and beyond the national boundaries. At work above all, writing formal emails in English in the right way requires certain skills, and being a professional situation, it’s essential not to commit mistakes in order to make a good impression of yourself and your company.  

In this article you’ll find:

The rules for writing formal emails in English

• The right format to use

Examples of formal emails in English

To write an email in English in the right way, don’t improvise! Read the following advice to avoid making serious mistakes that could compromise the success of the email from the moment it is received.

The subject is the first piece of information that the recipients of an email see, and if it’s written incorrectly or unclearly, it could push the reader to delete it without even opening it! So it’s important to give a clear and precise message, right from the start, indicating the content or reason for writing in two or three words that grabs the attention of the recipient. 

Unlike many other languages which require long complex sentences in a formal written context, English is very concise and favors short sentences and a simple structure. Make sure you break up the text into two or three paragraphs – this enables the reader to quickly see the key points.

Courtesy formulas

When you write an email in English, you’re not only using another language but you’re also entering another culture with different habits. The Anglo-Saxons in general pay a lot of attention to forms of courtesy and gratitude, therefore never forget to add them.

Check the email

Never send an email in English without having re-read what you wrote. Grammatical or typing mistakes are very common even in your own language, so in English you can make errors much more easily. Double-checking what you’ve written is a simple step to take that can prevent you from appearing unprofessional and above all careless.

Be sure to have set your emails to end with all the important information about you, including:

• name and surname
• relative details about your company (name, address..)
• link to the company website

The format of a formal email in English

Introduction

Body of the text

Depending on the type of relationship you have with the person you’re writing to, there are different ways of starting an email, but any email should always start with a greeting. In our specific case being formal, the most appropriate options are:

• Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms (surname of the recipient, e.g. Mr Black)
• Dear Sir/Madam (if you don’t know the name of the recipient) or more generally ‘To whom it may concern’

After the initial greeting you need an introductory sentence that indicates clearly the reason for writing and is consistent with the subject of the email. Introduce yourself briefly (long texts often discourage people from reading them), then follow on with:

• I am writing with regard to… (email subject)
• I am writing in connection with… (email subject)
• I am writing in reference to…

If you’re writing an email to send information, you can start with one of the following sentences:

• I am writing to let you know…
• I am delighted to tell you… (if you’re communicating good news)
• I regret to inform you that… (if you’re communicating bad news)

If instead you’re replying to an email you received, you can say:

• I am writing in response to…
• I am writing in reply to…
• I am writing to thank you for… (if you need to thank the recipient) 

There are no conventional formulas for writing the body of the text because this varies according to the function of what you need to communicate. It’s useful to prepare an initial draft and then proceed with any corrections.

The general rules are that the text should be divided into short paragraphs that avoid abbreviations and acronyms, both of which you can use, on the contrary, when you write an informal email to family and friends. 

Based on the type of message you’re sending, there are various ways to write a final invitation before ending the email, such as: 

• I look forward to hearing from you soon
• Thank you in advance
• For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me
• Please let me know if you have any questions
• Thanks for your attention

The most common way to end an email are:

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Yours faithfully (if you began the email with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ because you don’t know the name of the recipient)
• Yours sincerely (if you began the email with ‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms + surname)

Let’s see how all of this works in practice. 

Example 1: Delay with the delivery of an order

Subject: Delivery delay

Dear Mr Pascal, 

We regret to inform you that we will not be able to respect the deadline previously agreed for the delivery of your order. Our supplier has warned us today that they are experiencing supply problems, which will result in a delay in our production chain. We count on your understanding and thank you for your patience. 

Please accept our apologies.

Best regards,

Example 2: Replying to a job advertisement

Subject: Web Content Editor position

Dear Sir/Madam, 

With reference to your job ad in xxx, I would like to submit my application for the position of Web Content Editor in your company. 

I graduated in Communication Sciences at the University of xxx and worked for several years in a Digital Agency as Content Specialist. I believe my skills and experience are in line with the requirements for the job position. I will be glad to introduce myself in an interview, that will allow you to better evaluate my possible recruitment. 

Please find attached a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Example 3: Sending a product catalogue

Subject: New product catalogue 

Dear Ms.Chapman, 

Following your request, we have recently sent you our new catalogue. We are convinced that it will enable you to see the quality of our products. Our local agent will contact you soon to arrange a meeting on a day and time that suits you in order to discuss in detail how our products can be of benefit to your company’s needs.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Yours sincerely, 

If you want to improve your English and get better at writing emails, find an English course that suits your needs.

This post has been adapted from the WSE Italy blog: Come Scrivere Email In Inglese Esempi

Learning and improving your knowledge of business vocabulary is a must. Read on to find out more.

Do you want to improve your writing skills? Read on to find out our tips on how to become a better writer in English!

Get in touch

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Home / Formal email writing examples & tips

25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.

Professional email writing is a skill that comes in handy throughout your day-to-day – whether it’s communicating in the professional context, or managing your personal life. Using the right formal email writing format and best practices can get you understood, heard, and better respected.

The good news is that once you have the right examples for the right contexts, you can easily adjust the text to get your message across. Luckily, we’ve rounded up our favorite tips for creating and structuring effective formal emails, with helpful examples and templates.

Let’s dive in!

What’s in this article

Formal vs. informal email writing

• Basic formal email structure

Thank you email

Formal letter of appreciation, letter of complaint, cover letter, reminder email, letter of apology for a client, apology letter from boss.

• Apology mail for the manager
• Introduction email to client (outreach)
• Sample email for proposal submission

Proposal submission email

• Quotation email

Email asking for feedback

Email of inquiry requesting information, email asking for a status update, sick leave mail format, letter asking for a discount from the supplier, ask for a raise, email your boss about a problem (asking for help), email to schedule a meeting.

• Email to the client sharing the status of project
• Email to the boss about work progress

Acceptance email

“this is to inform you that” letter, job rejection email, aesthetics of a formal email.

• How to improve your email writing skills

Formal email writing is utilized in a B2B or B2C scenario, where you’re exchanging professional emails with colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is the style you’d likely use when corresponding with a friend or family member, or even a quick email to a colleague.

When you’re emailing a friend, there’s less on the line if you get your words or meaning wrong. But when writing a business email there is much more at stake. A crucial mistake could hurt your reputation or wreck an incredible business opportunity.

That’s why we’ve decided to cover the best practices of formal email writing, so that you can get it right every time.

We’ll review the ins and outs of email structure, different email formats you can use, as well as short email templates that you can use in various scenarios. Keep reading to learn how to write the perfect email.

Basic formal & professional email structure

Before we get into different email templates, it’s important to know how to build an email yourself. For the most part, every email, regardless of its contents, will follow the same structure with the same basic elements. You should get to know these elements in order to ensure proper and effective email writing as a whole.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

• Your email address
• Subject line
• Email opening
• Email ending
• Email sign-off
• Email signature, or “footer”

Now let’s break these down, one by one:

1. Start with a professional email address

Your email address is often out of your control. If you work for a company, or operate under the umbrella of a brand, your email address will likely include the company or brand name domain.

For example, the emails in WiseStamp are all in the following format: [employee_name]@wisestamp.com. This ensures that we all have a professional business email address. Since only the owner of wisestamp.com can issue email addresses under that domain name, this ensures our emails appear legitimate.

Imagine if each employee had a random Gmail address like [name][email protected]. Anyone can create that email, which would make it suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependent on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address—otherwise suffer very low open rates.

If you are a freelancer professional, working separately from an established brand, consider buying a domain name for your personal brand. You can look up available domains on Google domain registrar .

2. Email subject lines

Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see, so your goal here is to convince them that your email is a safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order). If you don’t succeed in doing that, your email may never be opened, and any effort you put into the rest of the email elements will go to waste.

Your subject line will depend on the purpose or content of your email, but overall, you want it to be something engaging enough for a recipient to click on.

Email writing subject line guidelines:

• Be clear and specific : Avoid using generic or clickbait subject lines that say little or make unrealistic promises, like “Find out how to double your business in a week!”
• Be original : Avoid the overused subject line templates you find on the internet. Instead, make original subject lines that are relevant, personal, and concise.
• Add relevance : Address something that the recipient will recognize, like an acquaintance’s name or an article, show or book they appeared on.

Studies have shown that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. You also want to tailor your email subject line to your email goal, whether it’s a sales email, a personal email, a newsletter, or something else. Think of 3-4 refined options then narrow them down to which will likely be most appropriate.

3. Email opening

The next most important way to hook a recipient into your email is by writing a strong email opening line . Like your subject line, the email opening is mostly used as another filtering stage for most people. If it fails to meet the promise made in the subject line, your readers will bail.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to state your main point in 1 to 2 paragraphs, tops. When you clearly convey your request or question, and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay beyond this point, then in most cases, they’ll reply to your email. Good for you!

Email writing opening guidelines:

• Address your recipient by their preferred name : Look up an article they’ve written or their LinkedIn page for reference. Some people will use their full name or their nickname accordingly. For example David might go by Dave, or Anastasia goes by Ana.
• Establish a connection : In your email, reference a personal experience that involves the recipient, like an article or a news piece you’ve read about them, or a conversation you had with an acquaintance.
• Match the opening with the subject line : Your opening message has to mirror the promise made in the subject line because this is how the reader determines whether your email is relevant or not. If you don’t connect the subject line to the opening, readers may get confused or even assume that you’re using clickbait.
• Get to the point fast : Tell your reader why you reached out and what’s in it for them.

4. Email body

The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether you’re composing an email to establish a new business connection or just following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to the point. No one wants to sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended messages in their inbox.

Email body writing guidelines:

• Be concise and detail only what’s needed to get your point across.
• Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotions , like “glad,” “excited,” “intrigued,” and “confident.”
• Use the word “because ” when asking for something. It’s been scientifically shown that people are more easily convinced to do something if told why, and even more so if the reason is important to them.
• Show, don’t tell . If you can’t explain something in a few words, see if you can add a screenshot, a video, or a link that explains it better.
• Use headings to split long content into sub-topics . If you can’t avoid writing a long email, make sure to break it up into subsections with headings. This will help your time-scarce readers to scan and find their points of interest.
• Add your concrete request or question in bold text . To best ensure your readers do not miss the most important piece of content (i.e. your request or question), add it to a separate line, in bold. You can also use a different color, if that works for your brand. Just be sure to avoid light shades for a high contrast between the text and the white background. Oh, and once you pick a color—stick to it throughout your email!

5. Email ending

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to add a respectful and brief conclusion. You can either invite your recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question. It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.

6. Email sign-off

When closing your email, choose a suitable email sign-off . There are different sign-offs you can use for each occasion, such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “with love.” Use your best judgement on which to use that best suits your email content and recipient. For example, you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager!

A cool tip you can apply is to add a handwritten signature sign off. A handwritten signature give your recipient the feeling that you gave the email special attention and a personal touch. You can create one here .

7. Email signature / footer

Your email signature (or footer) is your wave goodbye, and the way you do it seals the impression you’ve made up to this point. Make this moment memorable, organized, and aesthetic, and you can get some extra credit and a positive attitude from your reader. A messy, disorganized signature is at best an opportunity lost, and at worst, a discredit to your image.

Consider creating a professional email signature to nail a positive lasting impression. Use the simple text email signature we all used back when email started at your discretion. Whichever you choose, be sure to include all your professional and contact information. You should also add links to your website, social media sites you are most active in, or a landing page.

Professional formal email examples: specific formats for specific goals & uses

To better understand how all the elements of an email work together in different types of emails, let’s look at some templates. These letters are suitable for a number of email scenarios, so tweak the content to make it more relevant to your needs.

See our examples of the most common email writing formats:

Apology letters samples:, sample business emails (b2b and b2c):, information inquiry letter samples:, request email samples – professional email asking for something:, work update email samples:, confirmation vs rejection email samples:.

A thank you email is usually one that you’ll send after previous communication with someone. You might want to thank them for their help on a project, for fulfilling your personal request that you previously sent, for a job interview, or even for something as simple as taking a phone call or a meeting.

When composing a thank you email, you don’t want it to be too long, so get straight to the point. Also, this type of email isn’t always necessary, and might even clutter up the inbox of someone who is very busy, so consider whether or not it will be useful for you before you click “Send” on a thank you message.

Thank you email for work done or service rendered

Thank you so much for [action they did] It was such a pleasure to work with you, and I’m look forward to the next opportunity to work together again.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information.

Best regards, [name and job title]

Thank you email for a job interview

Dear [name of hiring manager],

I enjoyed speaking with you the other day during our interview for the [position title] at [company name]. The job appears to be an ideal match for my skills, ambitions, and interests.

The innovative approach to the corporate culture within the [job field] world confirmed my wish to work at your firm.

I will bring my engineering skills, assertiveness, and ability to engage others to work in a cooperative way within the [name of department] department.

Thank you, again, for your time, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best Regards,

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name],

I would like to formally recognize all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into completing [project/task]. Due to your consistent efforts, the project is what it is today and that led to the positive results we were hoping for. 

On behalf of [company name, board members, etc.], we would like to formally thank you for your hard work and we would like to let you know that we highly value your contribution and your continued dedication to your job.

We are very grateful to have you as a member of our team and we wish to continue to see you thrive within our organization.

Best regards,

[Name and job title]

Dear [name],

On January 30th, 2020, I made a reservation at your restaurant located at 1234 Mulberry Lane for a birthday dinner for four people. This letter is intended to bring certain issues to your attention.

Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our dinner due to the fact that the food was very slow to arrive and we received the wrong dishes. It’s understandable that it was a busy time at your restaurant, but the quality of the service was not as expected.

To resolve this problem, I would appreciate it if you could provide compensation in the form of a gift voucher or discount on a future meal. 

I’m looking forward to your reply.

With regards,

[Your name]

It used to be common to send your cover letter and CV as an attachment to your email. However, it’s becoming a lot more accepted to use the email itself as your cover letter and simply attach your CV.

When sending a cover letter email, make sure you’re using formal language, addressing the right person such as HR or the hiring manager, you use a relevant subject and opening line, and the body of your email demonstrates why you’d be a perfect fit for the job and company. Hiring managers likely receive dozens of email cover letters, be sure to make sure yours stands out and doesn’t drag on too long.

Cover letter example

Dear hiring manager [name],

I’m very interested while reading the job posting for the position of [job title]. I believe that the experience I have strongly match the responsibilities of this position. I am enthusiastic about submitting my application for the position.

My most recent position was at [company name], where I was a [job title name ]. Additionally, I recently participated in a [mention an accomplishment in your last job that is relevant]

I have attached my resume to this email. Thanks to it, I believe you will learn more about my experience, education, and achievements.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

The format of this type of email message will be different depending on whether it’s your first time reaching out to someone, or the second or third time. The main difference is that the first contact email has to include details that provide context.

When writing a reminder email or follow-up email you don’t need to provide a broad context. Instead, briefly remind your recipients of what you’ve both already agreed on, as it might have simply may been forgotten or placed low in their backlog.

This little push can go a long way in shortening your timetables and making sure you’re items are prioritized. Most people appreciate the reminder and respect you for being steadfast.

Reminder email sample

I’m sure your schedule is very busy, so this email is simply to remind you of your upcoming interview with [name] who is a candidate for [name of position].

The interview will be at [time] on [date] in [location].

Please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with to prepare to interview this candidate.

Apology letters samples

From time to time we all make mistakes, and we all get something wrong. Sometimes our mistakes hurt others, cause them discomfort, or make them frustrated. In these situations, it’s usually the right call to simply apologize.

Apologizing is something that must be sincere or you risk offending the person further. It’s always the best approach to express genuine regret.

But regardless of whatever you truly feel, be very careful to only use words that express empathy for whomever it is you’re apologizing to. Do not lay any responsibility on them, and do not give excuses.

Dear [client’s name],

Please accept my deepest apologies on behalf of [company or business name] for the poor experience you had at our restaurant.

I want to thank you for bringing these issues to my attention and please know that we are making every effort to correct our mistakes so events like these don’t happen in the future.

As a token of our apology, please accept a gift card in the amount of $50.00 that can be used at our restaurant in the future.

I hope to greet you again soon at [company or business name].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and job title]

Dear Mr./Mrs. [boss’s family name],

I’m writing to you to express my regret for my behavior on [date] in regard to [event]. I would like to apologize for my words and actions and reassure you that such an event will not happen again.

On the date in question, I got into a verbal altercation with the head waiter about the scheduling, and this led to my inexcusable behavior. I have already apologized to [name of colleague], and I wanted to assure you that I will work to improve my reactions and behavior in the future.

I’d be happy to meet with you to speak about the incident further if you have any outstanding concerns.

I am sorry again.

Apology mail for manager

Dear [manager’s name],

I owe you an apology for providing you with the wrong information on [date] regarding [event]. It was not my intention to provide inaccurate or misleading information, and I apologize for any inconvenience that this careless mistake may have caused you.

I will be sure to be more thoughtful in the future and learn from this incident.

Please do not hesitate to share any thoughts or concerns with me. I’d be glad to discuss this further and make it right. 

Business email writing samples

Introduction email to a client (sample email to approach a new client).

Dear [Sir/Madame/Name],

I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and my company. My name is [name] and I am a [job title] at [company name]. Our company provides customers with cutting-edge technology for all their email signature needs.

At [company name], there are a number of services we can offer, such as [short list of services]. Our employees are also highly dedicated and are willing to help you with your every need. 

I’d love the opportunity to speak or meet with you to discuss your needs further and to tell you more about how [company name] can help you succeed. You can contact me at [phone number] with any questions you may have.

Dear [Name],

Please find enclosed to this email the proposal you requested regarding your website audit.

We hope that you will find this proposal helpful and insightful and that it meets your expectations. Of course, if you would like to make any adjustments or go in a different direction, feel free to let us know and we’d be happy to discuss with you.

Thank you for entrusting [your company name] with your website audit, and we hope to hear back from you soon.

Sending quotation email

Dear [customer name],

We’d like to thank you for sending in your inquiry on [date] regarding a quotation for auditing your website.

Based on an initial estimation, we are happy to offer you a quotation based on your requests. Please find the official pricing quote attached to this email. Note that this quotation includes [list of services], but should you want additional services, we’d be happy to discuss it further with you and provide another quotation.

Please do not hesitate to get back to us with any questions about the quotation or our services.

Hi [customer name],

We really appreciate you using our services on [date] and we’d like to get your feedback on your experience.

Please follow the link [insert link] to complete a short survey regarding your experience. This survey shouldn’t take any longer than 2 minutes and it will help us improve our products and services in the future.

We want to thank you in advance for your time and hope that you enjoyed your experience with [company name].

[Name and/or company name]

Inquiry letter samples

This email is to inquire about the website audit services you posted on your website. 

As I understand, you offer services to audit businesses’ websites and provide personalized insight into what improvements can be made. I’d like to request further information with regard to your pricing as well as the scope of the work that will be performed, including specific services that can be expected.

I look forward to receiving your response.

I wanted to check in and check on the status of the website audit project that is due on [date]. 

Please let me know where you’re at with the project and don’t hesitate to let me know if you require any assistance from my end.

Request email samples: professional email asking for something

A personal request email is usually straight to the point and involves a sender asking a recipient for something. It could be anything from connecting on a professional network, asking to set up a meeting, or even requesting a professional introduction. Following a personal request email, a recipient may decide to either accept or reject what the sender is asking for. In this type of email, it’s important to be very clear with what you’re asking for.

Hi [Name of manager/supervisor],

I am writing to request sick leave from [date range]. I will be undergoing surgery and at the recommendation of my doctor, I need to be off of work for 2 weeks in order to recover. I hope to be back at work on [date]. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dear [name of the supplier],

Thank you for sending over your product catalog. We are very much interested in purchasing [name of the product(s)] from you and would like to get a quote for these items.

Additionally, we are hoping that this will lead to a prolonged partnership between the two of us. Therefore, we are kindly requesting that you provide us with your best possible price since we would like to use your goods on a permanent basis.

Thank you for your understanding.

Dear [Name of Manager/supervisor],

I have greatly enjoyed working for [company name] over the last 3 years. During these years, I feel that I have become a valuable member of your team and I have contributed to projects in a significant way. 

Since working here, I have accomplished: [list accomplishments].

As an employee, I think I have outperformed the goals set for me. As a result, I would like to have the opportunity to discuss increasing my salary so that it matches my current performance. Please let me know when is a good time for you to meet so that we can discuss this further.

Once again, I am grateful to be part of an organization that provides me with unique challenges and opportunities to continuously learn and grow.

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name of boss],

I would like to bring to your attention the incident that occurred at [location] on [date] at [time].

I was deeply upset by the actions of [coworker/event]. I tried to speak with them, but this did not lead to any sort of resolution and now I feel as if our professional relationship at work is strained as a result.

I am turning to you for assistance with the matter and I hope that you are able to come up with a solution that neither of us has thought of yet. 

Thank you for taking the matter seriously and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for getting in touch with us about our product. I’d be glad to set up a meeting in order to give you more information, answer your questions, and show you how it can work for your business. Does [date] at [time] work for you?

I look forward to meeting with you soon!

Work update email

Email to the client sharing the status of the project.

Dear [name of client],

We’d like to keep you updated regarding the progress we’ve made on our project. Please have a look at the tasks we’ve accomplished below and do not hesitate to get back to me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Key highlights and updates:

• [list them]

Tasks accomplished this week:

Tasks to do next week :

Email the boss about work progress

Hi [name of boss],

I am happy to let you know that the project [name of project] that was assigned to me on [date] is now nearing completion. Due to the hard work of our team, the project is expected to be completed on time. Based on the pace of our work, I expect to have the entire project completed by [date].

The remaining elements of this project to be completed are as follows:

• [List them 1]
• [List them 2]
• [List them n]

Thank you for your continued support and guidance and please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Confirmation vs rejection email samples

You might get an email confirmation after you purchase something online, or you can also reply to a formal email confirming receipt of an email attachment, a meeting time, or a company update. A rejection email is similar in that it might reject the item that was proposed in an email, in which case you’d let the sender know.

It is my great pleasure to inform you that I will be accepting your offer for employment as [job title] with [company name]. The goals for this role that you described are in line with my personal career aspirations, and I hope to be able to learn and grow in this role.

As discussed in our previous meeting, my salary will be [salary] and I will be starting on [date].

I appreciate all the time you took to make the interviews as seamless as they were, and I look forward to working with you soon.

This is to inform you that your business proposal [title of the proposal] has unfortunately been rejected by our committee. While we did like your idea, unfortunately, the costs involved reach well beyond our budget for this quarter. 

We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and encourage you to submit additional proposals if you have others that are aligned with our goals.

Best of luck,

This is to inform you that I will not be proceeding in the interview process for [job title] with [company name]. I would like to formally withdraw my candidacy.

At this time, I have accepted a position with another company, so I am no longer in search of employment. However, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for being attentive to my questions about the role. 

It was a pleasure meeting with you and I wish you luck in finding the right candidate for the job.

Before you even get started on the content of your email, you want to make sure the aesthetic is appealing and not too out of the ordinary. Of course, you want to capture the attention of your recipient, but you also want to appear professional, so keep the Comic Sans font out of the equation. What sort of aesthetics should you pay attention to in a formal email? Let’s take a look.

Choice of Font

Don’t start reinventing the wheel here. It’s better to go with a safe bet instead of a creative option when selecting a font. Choose a font that’s easy to read and skim, since if you’re sending a longer email it’s possible your recipient will just skim its contents. Therefore, you want to font to be clear and the letters to be far enough apart. We suggest going with fonts like Georgia, Verdana, Arial, or Times New Roman.

You don’t want your recipient to have to squint to read your email, but your text also shouldn’t appear as if it’s yelling either. Depending on the font you go with you might need to tweak the sizing a little, but in general, font size 12 is what you should be using. You can use size 10 or 11 as well, just make sure it doesn’t look too small before sending your email.

How do I improve my email writing skills?

There are a number of ways you can make your emails shine, and you don’t need to be a professional writer to do it. In fact, there are a few small areas you can focus on to make your emails clearer and more well-received. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when composing an email:

1. Optimize your email subject lines

Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees when they receive your email. Therefore, it’s important that it’s optimized as much as possible. Keep these tips in mind when coming up with your subject line:

• Keep it short to no more than 40 characters
• Make it personal, use the recipient’s name if you have it
• Use a call to action, like “let’s set up a meeting today”
• Create a sense of urgency, such as “offer to expire soon”

2. Practice summarizing your main point for your email openings

Once you get your recipient to open your email, you don’t want to bore them right away. You have to keep things interesting, relevant, and straight to the point. That’s why it’s crucial to put your main point somewhere in the first sentence, or at least the first paragraph. 

While your opening line can be something general like “thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” the very next line should be something more powerful. Whether you ask for the results of a meeting, make a proposal, or initiate a follow-up meeting, this first sentence sets the tone of the rest of the email so the reader knows exactly what the subject is and what to expect from the rest of your message.

3. Research the correct email etiquette to use for your most common scenarios

When sending emails, especially formal or professional emails for work, it’s important to maintain email etiquette . Since many of us answer our emails on our phones while on the go, it’s tempting to reply to emails as we would a text message, but that’s not good practice.

4. Proofread for typos and grammar mistakes

Finally, always review your email before you click “Send.” Make sure your email is free of typos, punctuation errors (and that you’re not, for example, using too many exclamation points), and that your syntax is correct.

Also: don’t always rely on spell-checkers. While they’ve come a long way thanks to AI, they don’t always pickup errors where words are spelt correctly, yet used in the wrong context.

The best way to do this is to read your email out loud before sending, especially if it’s an important message to a superior or a client, as emails with grammar mistakes can potentially have a negative impact.

There are countless reasons for needing a formal email writing template. If we didn’t cover every single scenario here, we hope that you know at least have a better idea of what constitutes a good formal email. Using our tips and examples, you’ll be able to compose better emails that get you the results you want. 

More on this topic

• How to write a resignation letter: A comprehensive guide
• An Interview with Chatgpt: Can AI think outside of the box for email marketing?
• Email closings: The definitive guide
• Email blast marketing: Learn how to effectively promote your brand
• Email management: : Proven Tips for Boosting Productivity
• Various best regards alternatives for email closing
• Ultimate guide on how to end an email
• How to get a professional email address
• How does BCC work: complete guide
• How to craft an introduction email to a new team

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How to Write a Formal Email

Nov 10th 2023

In the professional world, clear and effective communication is paramount. This is especially true for emails, which often serve as the primary method of communication between colleagues, clients, and other businesses. Knowing how to properly format an email can ensure your message is understood and well-received. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to write an effective email, the proper email format, and how to make sure your message is clear and professional. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find several formal email examples for different occasions, including how to format an email for a cover letter. Feel free to use them for reference!

A checklist to use before sending

Before sending your email, always make sure to check a few vital points:

• Make sure your email address is appropriate. If you’re writing from a personal email, your address should look like  f [email protected]. Learn more about creating a professional email address.
• If you're emailing on behalf of a company,  think about including a professional signature with your contact information, including phone number and social media links. Learn more about creating a professional email signature.
• Double-check the recipient's name and email. Make sure you’re writing to the right person and spell their name correctly.
• Stick to a professional font. Although many email clients let you change the font of your emails, use something conservative like Arial or Sans Serif. Avoid playing with different colors and using all caps.
• Don’t forget to attach files. If you’re sending someone a document, make sure to attach it. Name your file properly so a recipient can guess what’s inside (e.g., “Marketing Budget Q4.”)

Formatting a formal email

Emailing is all about context, so before drafting your message, take a moment to think about your relationship with the recipient. Is it your boss, colleague, or potential partner? This will help you define the appropriate level of formality - if you’re in doubt, it’s safer to stick to a more formal version. Here are the key components your message should contain:

1. Email Subject Line

A good subject line informs recipients what the message is about and why they should read it. Try to make your subject line clear, specific, and concise. For example:

• Marketing Budget Q4: Please review by August, 31
• Meet the new VP of Engineering
• Spark for Android: First impressions from our users
• Requesting vacation for Aug, 10-20

2. Greeting

If you need help picking a proper salutation, check out our comprehensive list of email greetings . Depending on the level of formality, your salutations can take various forms. Here are some standard greeting examples:

• Hello [Name],
• Dear [Name],
• Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./Professor [Last name],

3. Email body

Now, it’s time to craft the main part of your email. Here are some points to think about:

• Explain what you’re writing about.   If you’re emailing a stranger, briefly introduce yourself and get straight to the point. State the purpose of your email clearly so a person can understand why you’re emailing them and how they can help. 
• Value the reader’s time.  Provide a recipient with any additional information they need to reply. At the same time, try to keep your email short and simple, and don’t overload it with extra details. 
• Make your email easy to read. Break your message into short paragraphs and take advantage of headings and lists. Where appropriate, emphasize the key information with bold or italics. Your aim to make your email as structured and easy to skim as possible.

If you want your recipient to do something,  a formal closing tells a recipient what’s next and includes a specific call to action. If you’re just wrapping up the discussion you’ve previously had, end on a friendly note to show a reader you’re willing to keep in touch with them.

5. Signature

Here are some common phrases you can use to sign off:

• Best regards,
• Kind regards,
• Thanks again,

By following these guidelines, you can increase your open rates and ensure that your emails are professional and effective.

Formal email examples

Please note that these samples are for reference, and we recommend you adjust them to match the tone and level of formality appropriate for a particular recipient and occasion.

Example 1: Cover Letter

Subject: [Role] Application Dear [Company Name] , I am writing to express my interest in the [Job Title] position. With a [Degree or Professional Qualification] in [Your Field of Study] and [Number of Years] years of experience in [Your Current or Previous Relevant Job Role] , I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to your team at [Company Name] . In my previous role at [Previous Company] , I [Briefly Describe a Relevant Achievement or Project] . This experience honed my skills in [Specific Skills Relevant to the New Job] , which I believe align well with the requirements for the [Job Title] role. For instance, [Provide a Specific Example of How You Used a Skill or Addressed a Challenge Relevant to the New Job] . Enclosed is my resume, which highlights my qualifications. I look forward to the possibility of discussing this exciting opportunity with you. I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, [Your Name]

Example 2: Announcement

Subject: Meet the new Customer Support Representative Dear team, I am pleased to introduce you to [Name] who is starting today as a Customer Support Representative. She will be providing technical support and assistance to our users, making sure they enjoy the best experience with our products. Feel free to greet [Name] in person and congratulate her with the new role! Best regards, [Your name] [Job title]

Example 3: Business follow-up email

Subject: RE: [subject line of your previous email] Hi [Name] , Following up on my previous email about the collaboration with your website. I’m still interested in writing a guest post about the best UX practices for dating apps. With 10 years of experience in the mobile industry, I have a lot of insights to share with your audience. Please let me know if you’re interested in collaborating! Best, [Your name]

Example 4: Request

Subject: Vacation request for September, 10-15 Dear Mr./Ms. [Last name] , I would like to request a vacation from Monday, September 9th till Friday, September 13th. I will make sure to complete all my current projects and pending tasks in advance before the vacation. My colleagues [Name] and [Name] will cover my responsibilities during my absence. Looking forward to your approval. Sincerely, [Your name] [Job title]

Example 5: Question

Subject: Do you have student discounts for the Annual Coding Conference? Greetings, I would like to ask if you provide student discounts for tickets to the Annual Coding Conference. I’m a full-time student at the University of Texas and I’m very excited about your event, but unfortunately, the ticket price is too high for me. I would appreciate if you could offer me an educational discount. Looking forward to hearing from you! Best, [Your name]

Example 6: Response to a complaint

Dear [Name] , I’m sorry for the unpleasant experience you had in our store and I can understand your frustration. I have forwarded your complaint to our management team, and we’ll do our best to make sure this never happens again. I refunded your purchase, and your funds should be with you shortly. We also want to offer you a 10% discount for your next purchase in our store. Please use this promo code to get a discount: [link] . Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience you had. Best regards, [Your name] [Job title] [Contact details]

So, by ensuring your emails are clear, respectful, and professional, you'll foster positive and effective communication with your professional network. Whether you're seeking a formal email example or just curious about the best ways to sign off, you can now master the art of the art of email for all your professional interactions.

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How to Write an Email

Last Updated: October 5, 2023 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 525,240 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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How to Write an Email - Best Examples and Top 5 Dos and Don’ts

Want to know how to write an email? Need some guidance on what goes where and why? Well, whether this is the first email you’ve ever composed, or you just want to refresh your memory, here go through everything you need on the subject of how to write email properly! For more advanced email writing techniques, check out our how to write a professional email article .

Formatting and Components

Learning how to write a basic email is simple, and every email you ever write will feature the same format that requires you to address each of these components:

To, CC, BCC

Attachments.

• Subject Line

Here, we go into each of these components in more detail so you know exactly what makes a great email.

These fields, found at the top of your email, are where you will place the email addresses of the people you wish to contact. Each has a different function:

Discover More:

• What’s The Difference Between CC and BCC In Email? Your Complete Guide!
• The Best Email Providers That Don’t Need a Phone Number
• Want iMessage for PC? We’ve got the Solution for You

The attachment function in your email allows you to attach supporting documents that can be downloaded or previewed within your message. Most formats are supported, and in most cases, you can include text, images, videos, audio, and GIFs. It’s worth remembering, however, that there is usually a limit to the size of the file you can send.

The subject line of your email is all-important , spelling out the intention of your email and what it contains.

They’re often forgotten but this is bad news as they not only help the recipient understand what the body of your message contains, but they also ensure your email doesn’t end up in the trash folder .

Always start your email with a greeting.

Learning how to write an email introduction and greeting is important as it allows you to be polite and let the recipient know the purpose of your message .

Formal emails, such as for a job application or  sales email , require a formal greeting. When considering personal emails or those between close colleagues, it’s usually fine to use a more casual greeting. You should keep this in mind in you’re using any email templates or AI writing tools.

Naturally, the body of your message is an important element when writing an email. The ideal email body has to be focused, structured, with a clear purpose and to the point .

Remember that story telling qualities aren’t appreciated in an email and people tend to lose focus and interest if you don’t keep your email short and to the point.

Always state what your email is about early in your message, and layout your information so it is easily accessible when skim reading .

Signing off your email correctly is just as important as starting it correctly, and ensuring you use the right kind of closing for your intended recipient ensures they know the message is finished.

Tailor your closing on a per-message basis and, if you are unsure about how to sign off, always default on the side of formality.

Sending and Writing an Email – Dos and Don’ts

There are many dos and don’ts when learning to write an email:

How To Write An Email – The Basics

When learning how to write an email, once you have added the recipients email address to the correct field, you’ll need to focus on three main areas. These are:

Here, we provide some examples of how you should approach each of these elements so that you can compose your email.

How to Write an Email Subject Line — Examples

Your subject line should be concise and to the point and include any relevant information that the recipient needs in order to identify the purpose of the message. When learning how to write an email subject line, you can use the following examples to guide you:

How to Write Email Introduction – Examples

Your greeting, salutation, or introduction should be tailored to your intended recipient. In many cases, your email introduction will be familiar to you from letter writing practices.

How to Write the Email Body – Examples

The body of your email will need to contain all the information you want to convey, without being overly long or complicated. Here are a few tips:

How to Write an Email Signature or Sign Off – Examples

Signing off your email is simple, and you can choose how you do it depending on who you are writing to. Here are a few ideas:

How To Write Email Like A Boss – Full Examples

Here, we look at some common examples of email writing to help you combine the elements above and rock your email technique.

How to Write an Email to a Friend or Family Member

When writing an email to a friend or family member, you don’t have to have as detailed of a subject line as you would for a more professional environment. Something along the lines of “Catching Up” will suffice. With your introduction, you can take a more conversational tone with them. You can use an informal introduction like “Hi Sam” when starting a conversation with them. 

Since you are talking to someone close to you in a non-business setting, you can treat it as would you a text message conversation. You’ll want to use a friendly tone, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concise and clear, though. Don’t ramble as they’ll likely skim past your information if so. When closing your message, salutations like “Love”, “From”, etc. are acceptable depending on the nature of your relationship. 

Example 

I just wanted to check you’d received my invite for Thanksgiving? Please let me know if you’re coming so I know how much turkey to cook!

Love, 

How to Write an Email to a Teacher or Professor

When emailing a teacher or a professor, you’ll want to use a much more clear tone than you would normally. In this setting, this person is an academic, so formality is required. Your introduction should be very formal. In our example below, we use “Dear” as the best option. When emailing a professor, be very concise and use bullet points when possible to make your point clear. When closing your email, use a formal salutation like “ Best Regards ”.

Dear Professor Smith, 

Unfortunately, due to sickness, I would like to request an extension to the deadline of our current project. If possible, I would like an extension until Monday. Please let me know if this works for if you. 

Kind Regards, 

How to Write an Email for a Job Application 

When sending an email for a job application, formality will be required. Your subject line should include “Application – JOB TITLE”. In your introduction, use a formal option like “Dear”. In your body, clearly state that your resume and cover letter are attached (don’t forget to attach them!).

Dear Sir/Madam, 

Please find attached my introductory letter and resume in application for the position of Marketing Associate as advertised on your website. You will find all the information you need in these documents, however, if you require anything further, you can reach me on my mobile or through email. 

Best Regards, 

Lorraine Lister

How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview 

Getting a job interview is hard enough, so do something to set yourself apart from the rest of the applicants and send a thank you letter after the interview. In the subject line, state that you are thanking the interviewer for their time and attention. In the introduction, use the opening of “Dear NAME”. In the body, thank them for their time and let them know you are available to meet again if needed. “ Kindest regards ” is a great closing to use as your salutation.

Dear Jan, 

Thanks for giving me the time to speak with you and learn more about the role available. It was a pleasure to connect with you and discuss and how I might fill the position of Marketing Associate. 

Please feel free to contact me if you would like any more information or if you would like to arrange another meeting to discuss how we can proceed. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. 

Kindest Regards, 

How to Write an Email for Business Purposes 

Email is the communication language of business, so it’s important to know how to learn ace email skills to further your career. “Hi Team” or “Hi All” is an ideal opening when sending to a group of people, but for a single person, use “Hi NAME” . Clearly state the purpose of the email, the intended outcome (meeting scheduled, documents reviewed, etc.), and then communicate the timeline. When closing, use “ Thanks ” or “ Best Regards ” .

Hi Team, 

Attached you’ll find the latest sales figures from the last quarter. If you have any comments, please get in touch with me directly. 

Best, 

Emma Watson

Sales Manager

ABC Company

How to Write an Email – FAQs

Email is the number one method of digital communication in the world, and its simplicity and ease of use mean it’s still popular even though it’s pretty old. You can write an email for a number of reasons, including keeping in touch with friends or family, applying for jobs, communicating with colleagues, or even just requesting information.

Anyone with an email app and an email address can write an email, and it remains one of the most popular methods of communication thanks to its availability and ease of use.

Your email address will be made up of three of four components. These are: your name (or other handle), the @ sign, and the domain of your email provider. This is usually a .com or .net domain, however this will depend on your email service.

The subject line is usually found at the very top of your email, just below the To, CC , and BCC fields where you enter the email addresses of your contacts. Don’t forget to write a short and snappy subject line so your recipients know what your email is about.

Depending on the email app you use, you may find the attachment button at the top or bottom of the screen. It is usually indicated with a paperclip icon and a click will allow you to attach files from a computer or the cloud.

The send button may be at the top or bottom of the screen depending on the app you use. It may be a simple arrow icon, or it could be a button with the word “send”. Usually, one click is all it takes to send your message, so make sure you check it properly first.

Gain Communication Clarity with Spike

Email Writing

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future of letter writing– electronic mail writing. Gone are the days where people have to wait for weeks to receive a letter from a friend or a significant other. The concept of pen pals is no longer applicable when everyone from any part of the world can be contacted almost immediately– depending on your Internet speed and the kind of social media site you are using. If there are certain laws in your country that prevent you from accessing Google-related sites or even Facebook-owned sites, (e.g. China) then you would have to find another way to contact your fellow peers and colleagues using whatever mobile apps they have (e.g. WeChat). You may also see formal writings .

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Regardless, almost all forms of communication (except face-to-face talking) is already done through the use of modern technology that is able to fill the gap between the distance among people. The use of electronic mail writing these days are for more semi-formal and formal purposes (e.g. submitting a resume, asking your college instructor for some clarifications, making a business transaction) than casual purposes (e.g. chatting with a friend). You may also see some email examples by clicking here. For newbies who do not know the first thing about email writing, here are a few tips for you. You may also see application writings .

Sample Email Writing Example

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General Tips for Writing Emails in English

1. be sure an email is necessary.

Ask yourself if sending an email is really the best option to use in addressing the query or issue to the concerned party. Because if the matter at hand is something not so important or confidential, it can always be dealt directly with the aforementioned party. But then again, it is entirely up to your discretion. If you’ve decided that an email is the best option, then write your email and click “send”. You may also see article writings .

2. Use separate business and personal email addresses

Many jobs will normally give you an email address that you have to use, in case you have concerns or questions that you would want to raise to your boss or supervisor. Make sure that you strictly use your work email for work matters and personal email address for personal matters. Having a work email can look and sound 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. You may also see memo writings .

3. Be clear, brief and polite

Everyone in the office is usually bombarded with emails every single day. That is why it is always best to keep the content of the message short, simple and concise enough so that they may be able to understand the gist of the letter without straining so much effort and time. Go straight to the point, but not in a rude and condescending way. Write your email just like you would in an essay. Similar to an essay, you have to introduce the topic, explain the different points, and then conclude the topic. You may also see summary writings .

4. Don’t write emails when you’re angry

They say that there is a right time for everything– which includes expressing that rage and anger towards the person. But never in an email. Keep in mind that you have to be respectful and courteous to the one you are sending that letter to.

5. Use short sentences

Just as it is important to keep the content of your message short and simple, it is also essential to keep the sentences simple and easy to read in order to keep your thoughts cohesive and understandable. Try your best not to use very lengthy sentences in your letter. Instead, learn to break down each separate thought with a ‘period’. You may also see minutes writings .

6. Be careful with “forward” and “reply to all”

The “forward” button is considered a lifesaver especially when you do not have the files you need to send to your boss or colleague, and you realize you sent that specific file to someone else who needed it before they did. So, you simply use that forward button in order to save time and effort. But make sure that the content of the forwarded message is meant for that specific person. Otherwise, it is best you delete the rest and to just retain the file that is needed to be sent. The same can be said for the “reply to all” option. If your supervisor has sent a joint message to recipients A, B, and C, make sure you only reply to your supervisor and not reply to all the concerned parties mentioned, especially if it is not really “need to know” information by the others. You may also see narrative writings

7. Read your email personally before sending it

Since you are the one composing the email, it would be best if you took the time to proofread the letter just to make sure that the grammar is in tact and that the thoughts are coherent enough for your letter to be organized and understandable. This will prevent the email recipient from struggling to understand your email.

8. Double-check email addresses for all recipients

Make sure that the recipient’s email address is correct. Be careful as there are times that email addresses are structured in a similar way. You may also see argumentative writings .

Sports Email Writing Example

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The 3 Common Types of Emails

1.  a personal email –  introducing yourself for the first time.

As mentioned before, most people do not write personal emails to each another anymore. They would mostly communicate through texting, calling, or via any social media applications that do not really need much formality (e.g. Facebook Messenger, Viber, WeChat). But if ever you are the conservative type of person, then here are a few guidelines that you would need to follow.

General rules for personal emails:

• Politeness:  You don’t need to be too formal, but you would want to appear polite and friendly when you address the recipient. If you have any requests that you would need to ask from your friends, make sure that you are polite in doing so. Instead of saying “Write me back,” for example, try something like “If you have a chance, I’d love to hear back from you,” or even “Please write back when you have a chance.”
• Greetings:  For greetings, people would normally use the first name after the word “Dear”.
• Closings: To say goodbye, use something like “Thank you”, “See you soon!” or even a brief sentence like “I’m really looking forward to meeting you in person.” Be sure to write/type your name, even if it will be included in your signature.
• Casualness:  With these types of emails, you can probably include more jokes or informal comments. However, still be careful about the tone of your email, especially if you don’t know the recipient well.

Example of a personal email:

For this example, let’s imagine that you are going abroad for the summer, say the United States or Canada. When you get there, you’ll be staying with a host family. There is a great chance that you will need to introduce yourself via email. Listed below is a sample:

Dear Smith Family,

My name is Mark. I received a confirmation letter from the exchange organization today. It said I’ll be staying with you for three months later this year. I wanted to introduce myself so you can know a bit more about me.

I’m currently 17 years old. I like listening to classical music, playing football and reading comic books. I will graduate from high school later this year, and I hope to go to college in the next year. I’ve never traveled outside of my country, so meeting you and visiting your country will be an exciting, new experience! 

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!

2. A Semi-Formal Email – Writing to request an appointment or meeting

This is a very common type of email, especially when you need to write to your teacher to request a meeting.

General rules for semi-formal emails:

• Length:  Follow the K.I.S.S. (keep it short and simple). Remember that you are talking to a professional. These types of people do not have the luxury of time to thoroughly go through your letter, sentence per sentence. So, go straight to the point on what you want to discuss. After all, other concerns can be resolved during the meeting.
• Respect:  Remember that you’re requesting a favor from the recipient, so be respectful and not too demanding.
• Greetings:  Use formal or semi-formal greetings. You can still use “Dear ~,” but instead of including the recipient’s first name, use their title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., Prof. etc.) and last name.
• Closings: Depending on the purpose, you can probably use a semi-formal goodbye, such as “Thanks,” “Hope to hear from you soon” or “Thanks in advance.” If it’s someone you have talked to before in person, you can maybe use something less formal, like “Have a great weekend.”
• Clarity:  If you’re requesting for a specific day, that day/date and time should be set. Try to give multiple options. That way, if your first option doesn’t work out, your recipient has other dates/times to choose from.

Example of a semi-formal email:

Dear Professor Constantine,

I really enjoyed your Introduction to Witchcraft Course, and I was interested in continuing by taking the Advanced Demonology 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 Tuesday and Wednesday (1-4 p.m.), but if you’re busy on those days, I could also meet any time on Monday 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!

Gary Oldman

3. A Formal Email – Writing about a problem with a product

General rules for formal emails:.

• Politeness:  Follow Confucius’ Golden Rule which is, “Do not do unto others want you others to do unto you.”
• Formality: Avoid making jokes and using slang words.
• Clarity:  Be clear by including any relevant details.
• Requests: State the result or response that you want or expect. This is also called making your email “actionable.”
• Greetings: For greetings, use a common phrase like “To Whom It May Concern,” since you probably won’t know the name of the person who will be receiving the email. But if you do know the name, you can use “Dear [Title] [Last Name],” like the one in the semi-formal email example.

If those seem  too formal, you may want to try something like “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening.” It could make you seem friendly and make the recipient more receptive to your complaint or questions.

• Closings: For goodbyes, a simple “Sincerely Yours” is best. But if it’s a more casual company or an organization that you’ve already interacted with, you can always say “Thanks”.

Example of a formal email:

To Whom It May Concern,

I recently bought a magic wand from Hogwarts, but unfortunately it appears that the wand is not working correctly.

For reference, the model number is TOS-577, and I bought it on May 1, 2016 from Dumbledore at Hogwarts. I returned the magic wand to the store, but they said I should contact you since you would have an idea on how to fix the wand. Because of that, they weren’t able to offer a refund or exchange.

I can understand Hogwarts’ position, but the magic wand shouldn’t have broken so soon. It is still covered under the school’s warranty, so I would like to exchange the magic wand for a working model. Please let me know what steps I need to take for this to happen.

Thanks very much for your help with this situation.

Sincerely, Voldemort

Business Conference Call Email Writing Example

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Just remember these steps in writing an email and you’ll be able to get it in no time.

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How to Do Hanging Indent in Word for Your Essay? [For Students]

Referencing can be a really dreadful task, especially when you're required to follow specific formatting styles like APA, MLA, or Chicago. These styles often demand hanging indents for organizing the bibliography page, and getting them right can be a challenge. In this article, we'll show you how to add hanging indents in Microsoft Word, making it easier for students to format their references correctly.

Hanging Indents in APA, MLA and Chicago Style

When crafting essays in some of the most widely used academic styles, like APA, MLA, and Chicago, proper formatting is key. One essential element for a well-organized bibliography in all three of these academic styles is the hanging indent .

A hanging indent is a specific text formatting technique where the first line of a paragraph remains flush with the left margin, while all subsequent lines are indented a designated amount. In the context of bibliographies, this creates a visually distinct presentation for each source.

The first line of each citation (typically the author's name) starts at the left margin, while subsequent lines (publication details, title, etc.) are indented by half an inch.

Similar to APA, the first line (usually the title of the work) stands out at the left margin, and subsequent lines containing author information and publication details are indented by half an inch.

The first line of each reference (often the author's name) remains flush with the left margin, while the following lines with publication details are indented slightly (specific indentation amount may vary depending on the reference type).

To ensure accessibility across various devices, including mobile, Windows, and Mac, I'll be using WPS Office for this demonstration. I've found WPS Office to be an incredibly user-friendly office suite, and the fact that it's available for free makes it even more appealing, especially for students. By following along with the steps using WPS Office, you can avoid any potential confusion and seamlessly navigate through the demo.

WPS Office is also compatible with all Word document versions and offers the convenience of converting your papers to PDF without losing formatting, making it a versatile and reliable choice for academic and professional tasks alike.

How to Do Hanging Indent Quickly in Word for Your Essay

Working on essays and formatting them according to the required academic style is crucial because grades depend on it. Moreover, many academic styles require hanging indents in references, so learning how to create hanging indents in Word can be very useful and rewarding!

Since hanging indent is a feature that is not readily visible in the interface, it can be a bit challenging to find while formatting citations in Word. Let's dive right in and explore two different methods to add hanging indents in Word using WPS Office, which can be extremely helpful for students in the long run.

Using Paragraph Option

Let's see how we can add a hanging indent in Word using the paragraph options.

Step 1 : Let's open the document in WPS Office where we need to do the formatting.

Step 2 : Select the text using your mouse on which you want to apply hanging indent formatting.

Step 3 : Right-click to open the context menu, and then click on "Paragraph" to access the paragraph options.

Step 4 : Now, in the Indentation section, navigate to the "Special" field and select "Hanging" from the options.

Step 5 : Ensure that the indent is set to "0.5" in the "By" field. Pay attention to the unit of measurement next to the "By" field and make sure it is set to "inch".

Step 6 : Once the indentation settings have been adjusted, click on OK.

Using the Ruler

Another method that involves using the ruler to add a hanging indent is a rather interactive approach. Let's explore the steps to add a hanging indent using the ruler.

Step 1 : Select the text on WPS Office that you want to format.

Step 2 : After selecting the text, go to the "View" tab in the ribbon menu and ensure that the "Ruler" option is checked to display the ruler.

Step 3 : Now, on the ruler, drag the bottom triangle to add the hanging indent. Ensure that you move the ruler by just 0.5 inches to apply the formatting according to the academic style.

Shortcut for Hanging Indents in Word

Here's a breakdown on how to quickly apply hanging indents in Microsoft Word using keyboard shortcuts, whether you're on Windows or Mac:

Shortcut for Windows:

Step 1 : Open your Microsoft Word document on your Windows system.

Step 2 : Highlight the text you want to format with a hanging indent.

Step 3 : Press Ctrl + T on your keyboard.

Shortcut for Mac:

Step 1 : Open your Microsoft Word document on your Mac.

Step 2 : Select the text you want to format with a hanging indent.

Step 3 : Press Shift + Command + T on your keyboard.

Bonus Tips: How to Convert Word to PDF Without Losing Format

APA, MLA, and Chicago formatting can be tricky, but the real test comes when converting your work to a PDF. Often, this final step disrupts your carefully crafted format, leading to frustration. WPS PDF is a student-friendly tool that simplifies this process, helping you maintain consistent formatting without the stress. It ensures your paper looks as it should, preventing those moments when you're tempted to pull your hair out.

WPS Office is a complete tool that allows you to create, edit, and format documents with ease. It supports all major Word document formats, so you don't need to worry about compatibility issues. With its simple interface and robust features, WPS Office is perfect for students and writers who need to follow strict formatting guidelines.

Let's explore how users can convert their Word documents into PDF format using WPS Office.

Step 1 : Open your written essay document in WPS Office.

Step 2 : Click on the Menu button located in the top left corner.

Step 3 : In the menu, click on "Save as", and then select "Other formats" from the flyout menu.

Step 4 : Now, you will see the Save option. Choose "PDF Format" from the "File Type" field.

Step 5 : Finally, click Save to convert your Word document to PDF .

FAQs About Hanging Indents in Word

Q1. where is hanging indent in word on mac.

Hanging indent is present in the paragraph options on Mac. Simply click on the "Format" menu, then choose "Paragraph," and you'll find it there.

Q2. Why is my hanging indent not working?

Possible Reasons for Hanging Indent Issue:

Hard or soft returns after each line : This disrupts the natural flow of the text, causing the hanging indent to apply to the entire text instead of just the selected part. Remove any hard or soft returns after each line to overcome this issue. Lines should wrap naturally without any inserted returns to ensure the hanging indent works properly.

Incorrect application of the hanging indent : Incorrectly following the steps to apply the hanging indent can lead to the entire text being indented instead of just the desired portion. Follow these steps carefully to ensure that you add the indent correctly:

Step 1 : Navigate to the Format menu.

Step 2 : Choose "Align & Indent" followed by "Indent options".

Step 3 : Within the Indent options, select "Special".

Step 4 : Click on the arrows in the Special menu and choose "Hanging".

Step 5 : Finally, press the "Apply" button.

Q3. Do you need a hanging indent?

Hanging indents make it easier to spot the gaps between different citations and find authors' names in a bibliography. It's important to format your works cited or bibliography correctly. This format enhances readability by visually separating each entry, making it quicker to find author names. It also ensures a neat and organized look, which is essential for maintaining a professional appearance. While hanging indents are standard for styles like Chicago, APA, or MLA, it's always a good idea to check your assignment guidelines to see if this formatting is required before you begin writing.

Learn Indent Essentials with WPS Office

Formatting is crucial when writing an academic paper, and understanding the significance of elements like hanging indents is key, especially in major formatting styles like MLA, APA, and Chicago. Learning how to apply hanging indents and properly cite references is essential to avoid losing marks unnecessarily. With WPS Office, managing formatting becomes effortless, thanks to its user-friendly features and integrated AI for document handling. Download WPS Office now to streamline your document creation and ensure your academic papers meet the required standards.

• 1. How can we make text paragraphs indent automatically
• 2. How to increase or decrease indent in WPS Writer
• 3. How to create a hanging indent in WPS Writer
• 4. How to indent the second line in WPS Writer
• 5. How to set hanging indentation in word?
• 6. How to Double Space in Word for Your Essay: A Guide for Students

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Home > Christian Resources > How to Quote a Bible Verse in an Essay

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How to Quote a Bible Verse in an Essay

Published: April 23, 2024

Learn the proper way to cite Bible verses in academic essays, ensuring accurate and respectful integration of scripture into your writing.

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Table of Contents

Choosing the right translation, determining the citation style, in-text citations, introducing bible verses, quoting longer passages, citing the bible in references/works cited, ethical considerations, additional tips.

Quoting Bible verses in an essay is a common practice, especially in religious studies, theology, or literature classes. However, it’s essential to do it correctly to maintain academic integrity and avoid unintentional plagiarism. In this comprehensive guide from Academized.com , I’ll walk you through the steps to quote Bible verses properly, ensuring your essay is well-structured and follows academic conventions.

The first step is to choose the right translation. The Bible has been translated into numerous languages and versions, each with slight variations in wording and phrasing. When quoting a Bible verse, it’s crucial to use a reputable and widely accepted translation that aligns with your specific academic or research purposes.

Some popular translations include the King James Version (KJV), New International Version (NIV), and English Standard Version (ESV). The KJV is known for its literary quality and poetic language, while the NIV and ESV are more modern translations aimed at preserving the original meaning while using contemporary language.

If you’re writing for a religious studies or theology course, it’s generally recommended to use a translation approved by the religious institution or denomination you’re studying, as discussed in this Academized review on https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/academized-review-2023-actually-good-mary-walton . For literature or general academic purposes, any widely accepted translation should suffice.

Read more : Christian Blogs To Follow Before Writing a Religious Essay

Next, you’ll need to determine the appropriate citation style. Different academic disciplines and institutions may have their own preferred citation styles. The most common citation styles for quoting Bible verses are:

• MLA (Modern Language Association) style: Commonly used in literature, arts, and humanities. 
• APA (American Psychological Association) style: Frequently used in social sciences, education, and psychology. 
• Chicago/Turabian style: Often used in history, religion, and some humanities fields.

Before you start writing, check with your instructor or consult the style guide to ensure you’re using the correct citation format. Adhering to the proper citation style is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism.

When quoting a Bible verse within the body of your essay, you’ll need to include an in-text citation. The format for in-text citations varies depending on the citation style you’re using.

In MLA style, the in-text citation for a Bible verse should include the book name (abbreviated), chapter number, and verse number(s). For example: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3.16).

In APA style, the in-text citation for a Bible verse should include the book name (not abbreviated), chapter number, and verse number(s), separated by colons. For instance: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

In Chicago/Turabian style, the in-text citation for a Bible verse should include the book name (abbreviated), chapter number, and verse number(s), separated by periods, like this: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3.16).

It’s also important to introduce Bible verses properly within the context of your essay. You can provide context by explaining the situation or context in which the verse is being used or referenced. Alternatively, you can use a signal phrase to indicate that you’re quoting a Bible verse, such as “As stated in the Gospel of John,” or “The Bible says.”

Introducing the verse with context or a signal phrase helps to smoothly integrate the quotation into your writing and clarifies the source for the reader.

If you’re quoting a longer passage from the Bible that spans multiple verses, you’ll need to format it differently. In MLA style, for example, longer quotations (four or more lines) should be indented one inch from the left margin and double-spaced. Here’s an example:

As the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2.8-10)

Note the indentation and the use of a signal phrase to introduce the quotation. This format helps to visually separate the longer quotation from your own writing and makes it easier for the reader to follow.

Read more : 26 Life-Changing Bible Verses For Graduation

In addition to in-text citations, you’ll need to include a full citation for the Bible in your references or works cited list at the end of your essay. The format for this citation varies depending on the citation style you’re using.

• MLA Style: In MLA style, the Bible citation should appear as: The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.
• APA Style: In APA style, the Bible citation should appear as: Bible. (Year of publication). (Version/Translation). (Publisher details). For example: Bible. (2011). New International Version. Biblica.
• Chicago/Turabian Style: In Chicago/Turabian style, the Bible citation should appear as: Bible. Translated by [Translation/Version]. [Publisher details]. For example: Bible. Translated by New International Version. Biblica, 2011.

Including a full citation in your reference list ensures that readers can easily locate the specific version of the Bible you’ve used in your research.

When quoting from the Bible, it’s important to consider ethical implications and potential biases. The Bible is a sacred text for many religions, and quotes should be handled with respect and sensitivity.

Avoid taking verses out of context or using them to promote harmful or discriminatory viewpoints. Be mindful of the historical and cultural contexts in which the verses were written, and strive for a balanced, objective analysis.

If you’re writing about controversial or sensitive topics related to the Bible, it’s advisable to consult with experts or religious authorities to ensure your interpretations are accurate and respectful.

While quoting Bible verses is important, you should also include your own analysis and interpretation, avoiding excessive quotation. Use quotations judiciously, only quoting verses that are directly relevant to your argument or analysis.

Provide context by explaining the significance of the quoted verse and how it relates to your essay’s main points. Don’t assume that the reader has the same level of familiarity with the Bible or the specific context of the verse.

When interpreting or analyzing Bible verses, be sure to back up your claims with evidence from reliable sources, such as scholarly works or authoritative religious texts.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to effectively quote Bible verses In your essay while maintaining academic integrity, adhering to citation conventions, and demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the material. Remember, quoting Bible verses is not just about including the text; it’s also about providing context, analysis, and demonstrating your knowledge of the subject matter.

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Earth Day 2024: Planet Vs. Plastic

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Born in 1970, Earth Day has evolved into one of the largest civic events of all time. When we observe the 54 th Earth Day on April 22, the health and safety of the planet couldn’t be timelier, especially when it comes to dealing with the proliferation of plastic.

Over the past 60 years, around eight billion tons of plastic has been produced, according to a recent study in the journal Science Advances — 90.5 per cent of which has not been recycled . As a result, this year’s Earth Day theme— “Planet vs. Plastic”— demands a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.

Just how big of a challenge is this? What type of numbers are we talking about? Here’s some perspective:

• In 1950, the world produced just two million tons of plastic. We now produce over 450 million tons .
• Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
• P roduction is expected to double by 2050.
• More than one million plastic water bottles are sold every minute.
• Every year, about 11 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean.
• Only 9% of plastics ever produced has been recycled.
• Plastics often contain additives that can extend the life of products, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down.

Plastic is literally everywhere

An advertisement from the American Plastics Council in a 1997 edition of the New Yorker suggested that plastic wrappers and containers were the “sixth food group” that were there to keep contaminates out of our food.

Close up shot of microplastics on a hand.

In a twisted type of irony, Microplastics are now in almost everything and everywhere. Even in in much of the food we eat and water we drink! Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic (from ½ inch to microscopic) is synthetic that never disappears. As Stephen Jamieson recently explained in a Future of Supply Chain podcast, “We're ingesting a credit card size worth of plastic every single week as humans, and the real health impacts of that, we don't truly know and don't truly understand.”

What is the world doing about it?

In the Podcast, Stephen discussed the upcoming fourth session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee he is attending in Ottawa, Canada from 23rd to the 29th of April. The goal is to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, that will, as Stephen stated, “by early next year, actually ratify a new treaty at the United Nations to eliminate plastic pollution by 2040”.

What can businesses do about it?

Think about optimizing your entire supply chain for sustainability, rather than just individual functions.

For example, you may be pulling certain levers in your design processes, or manufacturing plants, only to realize that the sustainability gains in that process are offset by much a much larger negative impact on logistics or at the end of life of a product.

Perform Life Cycle Assessments on your products

A Life Cycle Assessment is a method for the compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a product throughout its life cycle (ISO standard 14040).

In simple terms, it’s a way by which you can understand the sustainability footprint of a product throughout it’s full lifecycle, from “cradle to grave.”

By enabling product footprints periodically across the entire product lifecycle, you can gain insights on the environmental impacts of your products across the entire lifecycle for disclosure and internal product and process optimization.

Design with end of life in mind

As Earthday.org says, “We need to invest in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic-free world”.

And this starts with how we design products and packaging material in the goods we manufacture and deliver. The sooner we phase out all single use plastics, the better. We need responsible design and production solutions that facilitate a product and package redesign that enables companies to engage in the circular economy and reduces waste without sacrificing quality.

Enforce compliance at each step of the product lifecycle

If you look at most companies’ website for their mission statement or purpose, sustainability is front and center. And supply chain sits right in the middle, both as a major contributor to the problem, and a major opportunity to improve.

But you can’t manage regulatory and sustainability requirements, track registrations and substance volumes, classify products, and create compliance documents, as well as package, transport, and store hazardous materials properly with accurate labeling you won’t be able to measure how you are performing.

This takes a stepwise approach to:

Record: The first step is to gather all necessary ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) data along the entire value chain. This data cannot be found easily in one single system. Currently this is a highly manual and therefore time consuming effort compounded by data quality challenges.

Report: There are more than 600 ESG frameworks/standards out there and they are being constantly developed further (Take the evolving plastics taxes across Europe for example). The requirements for companies are constantly changing. A high effort is required to keep up with the current requirements to report along the respective regulatory & voluntary frameworks.

Act: In many companies sustainability action is already happening but in many cases this this is still partly disjoint from the strategy or not yet covering all business processes

What can we as individuals do about it?

The reality is that everybody has a role to play in the “Planet vs. Plastics battle, and the sustainability of the planet in general.

Little things like using reusable bottles and straws and bringing reusable bags to the store are great first step.

You can also go to earthday.org to learn more about the battle between planet vs. plastics, and find an event near you where you can help clean up the planet.

Let’s make every day Earth Day, to protect this beautiful rock we live on for future generations.

To learn more, listen to The Future of Supply Chain Podcast – Earth vs. Planet .

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Guest Essay

I Thought the Bragg Case Against Trump Was a Legal Embarrassment. Now I Think It’s a Historic Mistake.

By Jed Handelsman Shugerman

Mr. Shugerman is a law professor at Boston University.

About a year ago, when Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, indicted former President Donald Trump, I was critical of the case and called it an embarrassment. I thought an array of legal problems would and should lead to long delays in federal courts.

After listening to Monday’s opening statement by prosecutors, I still think the district attorney has made a historic mistake. Their vague allegation about “a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election” has me more concerned than ever about their unprecedented use of state law and their persistent avoidance of specifying an election crime or a valid theory of fraud.

To recap: Mr. Trump is accused in the case of falsifying business records. Those are misdemeanor charges. To elevate it to a criminal case, Mr. Bragg and his team have pointed to potential violations of federal election law and state tax fraud. They also cite state election law, but state statutory definitions of “public office” seem to limit those statutes to state and local races.

Both the misdemeanor and felony charges require that the defendant made the false record with “intent to defraud.” A year ago, I wondered how entirely internal business records (the daily ledger, pay stubs and invoices) could be the basis of any fraud if they are not shared with anyone outside the business. I suggested that the real fraud was Mr. Trump’s filing an (allegedly) false report to the Federal Election Commission, and that only federal prosecutors had jurisdiction over that filing.

A recent conversation with Jeffrey Cohen, a friend, Boston College law professor and former prosecutor, made me think that the case could turn out to be more legitimate than I had originally thought. The reason has to do with those allegedly falsified business records: Most of them were entered in early 2017, generally before Mr. Trump filed his Federal Election Commission report that summer. Mr. Trump may have foreseen an investigation into his campaign, leading to its financial records. He may have falsely recorded these internal records before the F.E.C. filing as consciously part of the same fraud: to create a consistent paper trail and to hide intent to violate federal election laws, or defraud the F.E.C.

In short: It’s not the crime; it’s the cover-up.

Looking at the case in this way might address concerns about state jurisdiction. In this scenario, Mr. Trump arguably intended to deceive state investigators, too. State investigators could find these inconsistencies and alert federal agencies. Prosecutors could argue that New York State agencies have an interest in detecting conspiracies to defraud federal entities; they might also have a plausible answer to significant questions about whether New York State has jurisdiction or whether this stretch of a state business filing law is pre-empted by federal law.

However, this explanation is a novel interpretation with many significant legal problems. And none of the Manhattan district attorney’s filings or today’s opening statement even hint at this approach.

Instead of a theory of defrauding state regulators, Mr. Bragg has adopted a weak theory of “election interference,” and Justice Juan Merchan described the case , in his summary of it during jury selection, as an allegation of falsifying business records “to conceal an agreement with others to unlawfully influence the 2016 election.”

As a reality check: It is legal for a candidate to pay for a nondisclosure agreement. Hush money is unseemly, but it is legal. The election law scholar Richard Hasen rightly observed , “Calling it election interference actually cheapens the term and undermines the deadly serious charges in the real election interference cases.”

In Monday’s opening argument, the prosecutor Matthew Colangelo still evaded specifics about what was illegal about influencing an election, but then he claimed , “It was election fraud, pure and simple.” None of the relevant state or federal statutes refer to filing violations as fraud. Calling it “election fraud” is a legal and strategic mistake, exaggerating the case and setting up the jury with high expectations that the prosecutors cannot meet.

The most accurate description of this criminal case is a federal campaign finance filing violation. Without a federal violation (which the state election statute is tethered to), Mr. Bragg cannot upgrade the misdemeanor counts into felonies. Moreover, it is unclear how this case would even fulfill the misdemeanor requirement of “intent to defraud” without the federal crime.

In stretching jurisdiction and trying a federal crime in state court, the Manhattan district attorney is now pushing untested legal interpretations and applications. I see three red flags raising concerns about selective prosecution upon appeal.

First, I could find no previous case of any state prosecutor relying on the Federal Election Campaign Act either as a direct crime or a predicate crime. Whether state prosecutors have avoided doing so as a matter of law, norms or lack of expertise, this novel attempt is a sign of overreach.

Second, Mr. Trump’s lawyers argued that the New York statute requires that the predicate (underlying) crime must also be a New York crime, not a crime in another jurisdiction. The district attorney responded with judicial precedents only about other criminal statutes, not the statute in this case. In the end, the prosecutors could not cite a single judicial interpretation of this particular statute supporting their use of the statute (a plea deal and a single jury instruction do not count).

Third, no New York precedent has allowed an interpretation of defrauding the general public. Legal experts have noted that such a broad “election interference” theory is unprecedented, and a conviction based on it may not survive a state appeal.

Mr. Trump’s legal team also undercut itself for its decisions in the past year: His lawyers essentially put all of their eggs in the meritless basket of seeking to move the trial to federal court, instead of seeking a federal injunction to stop the trial entirely. If they had raised the issues of selective or vindictive prosecution and a mix of jurisdictional, pre-emption and constitutional claims, they could have delayed the trial past Election Day, even if they lost at each federal stage.

Another reason a federal crime has wound up in state court is that President Biden’s Justice Department bent over backward not to reopen this valid case or appoint a special counsel. Mr. Trump has tried to blame Mr. Biden for this prosecution as the real “election interference.” The Biden administration’s extra restraint belies this allegation and deserves more credit.

Eight years after the alleged crime itself, it is reasonable to ask if this is more about Manhattan politics than New York law. This case should serve as a cautionary tale about broader prosecutorial abuses in America — and promote bipartisan reforms of our partisan prosecutorial system.

Nevertheless, prosecutors should have some latitude to develop their case during trial, and maybe they will be more careful and precise about the underlying crime, fraud and the jurisdictional questions. Mr. Trump has received sufficient notice of the charges, and he can raise his arguments on appeal. One important principle of “ our Federalism ,” in the Supreme Court’s terms, is abstention , that federal courts should generally allow state trials to proceed first and wait to hear challenges later.

This case is still an embarrassment, in terms of prosecutorial ethics and apparent selectivity. Nevertheless, each side should have its day in court. If convicted, Mr. Trump can fight many other days — and perhaps win — in appellate courts. But if Monday’s opening is a preview of exaggerated allegations, imprecise legal theories and persistently unaddressed problems, the prosecutors might not win a conviction at all.

Jed Handelsman Shugerman (@jedshug) is a law professor at Boston University.

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NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns with blast at new CEO

David Folkenflik

Uri Berliner resigned from NPR on Wednesday saying he could not work under the new CEO Katherine Maher. He cautioned that he did not support calls to defund NPR. Uri Berliner hide caption

Uri Berliner resigned from NPR on Wednesday saying he could not work under the new CEO Katherine Maher. He cautioned that he did not support calls to defund NPR.

NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner resigned this morning, citing the response of the network's chief executive to his outside essay accusing NPR of losing the public's trust.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in an email to CEO Katherine Maher. "I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

NPR and Maher declined to comment on his resignation.

The Free Press, an online site embraced by journalists who believe that the mainstream media has become too liberal, published Berliner's piece last Tuesday. In it, he argued that NPR's coverage has increasingly reflected a rigid progressive ideology. And he argued that the network's quest for greater diversity in its workforce — a priority under prior chief executive John Lansing – has not been accompanied by a diversity of viewpoints presented in NPR shows, podcasts or online coverage.

Later that same day, NPR pushed back against Berliner's critique.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff . "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

Yet Berliner's commentary has been embraced by conservative and partisan Republican critics of the network, including former President Donald Trump and the activist Christopher Rufo.

Rufo is posting a parade of old social media posts from Maher, who took over NPR last month. In two examples, she called Trump a racist and also seemed to minimize the effects of rioting in 2020. Rufo is using those to rally public pressure for Maher's ouster, as he did for former Harvard University President Claudine Gay .

Others have used the moment to call for the elimination of federal funding for NPR – less than one percent of its roughly $300 million annual budget – and local public radio stations, which derive more of their funding from the government.

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

Berliner reiterated in his resignation letter that he does not support such calls.

In a brief interview, he condemned a statement Maher issued Friday in which she suggested that he had questioned "whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity." She called that "profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning."

Berliner subsequently exchanged emails with Maher, but she did not address those comments.

"It's been building up," Berliner said of his decision to resign, "and it became clear it was on today."

For publishing his essay in The Free Press and appearing on its podcast, NPR had suspended Berliner for five days without pay. Its formal rebuke noted he had done work outside NPR without its permission, as is required, and shared proprietary information.

(Disclosure: Like Berliner, I am part of NPR's Business Desk. He has edited many of my past stories. But he did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Earlier in the day, Berliner forwarded to NPR editors and other colleagues a note saying he had "never questioned" their integrity and had been trying to raise these issues within the newsroom for more than seven years.

What followed was an email he had sent to newsroom leaders after Trump's 2016 win. He wrote then: "Primarily for the sake of our journalism, we can't align ourselves with a tribe. So we don't exist in a cocoon that blinds us to the views and experience of tens of millions of our fellow citizens."

Berliner's critique has inspired anger and dismay within the network. Some colleagues said they could no longer trust him after he chose to publicize such concerns rather than pursue them as part of ongoing newsroom debates, as is customary. Many signed a letter to Maher and Edith Chapin, NPR's chief news executive. They asked for clarity on, among other things, how Berliner's essay and the resulting public controversy would affect news coverage.

Yet some colleagues privately said Berliner's critique carried some truth. Chapin also announced monthly reviews of the network's coverage for fairness and diversity - including diversity of viewpoint.

She said in a text message earlier this week that that initiative had been discussed long before Berliner's essay, but "Now seemed [the] time to deliver if we were going to do it."

She added, "Healthy discussion is something we need more of."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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