How to write professional emails in English

Summary

In this video lesson, Alex explains how to write professional emails in English, focusing on phrases used for greetings, introducing topics, and making requests. He covers various levels of formality, from addressing colleagues to more official communication. Alex shares useful phrases like 'Hello', 'This is to inform you', and 'Thanks for your help', offering examples for each. The video is designed for individuals working in corporate environments or English-speaking settings. Alex encourages viewers to test their knowledge through quizzes and invites them to interact via comments while humorously mentioning cake in the staff room.

Takeaways

• 📧 The video teaches how to write professional emails in English, useful for corporate jobs or English-speaking environments.
• 👋 'Hello' is the most formal greeting, 'Hi' is neutral, and 'Hey' is informal, so use 'Hey' only with people you're familiar with.
• 📝 Use 'This is to inform you' for formal notifications and 'Just to let you know' for informal internal communication.
• 📢 When introducing good or bad news, you can say 'Good news!' or 'Bad news.' Adding excitement or seriousness based on context.
• 📚 To follow up on a previous discussion, you can use phrases like 'As discussed,' 'To follow up on,' or 'Regarding.'
• ❓ When making a request, use 'I'd like to know if/when/how' or 'Could you confirm if/when/how,' depending on the formality needed.
• 💡 Use 'Thanks for the info,' 'Thanks for the update,' or 'Thanks for looking into this' to show appreciation in an email.
• ⌛ Phrases like 'I'll get back to you as soon as I can' or 'I'll keep you posted' are good ways to close an email politely.
• 🙏 Use 'Thanks,' 'Regards,' or 'All the best' to close internal company emails, while 'Sincerely' is best for formal or official communication.
• 💻 The speaker emphasizes the flexibility of using these phrases in different parts of an email, depending on the context and tone.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The video script focuses on how to write a business or professional email in English, covering different phrases and expressions to use in various email situations.

Who is the target audience for this lesson?

The lesson is aimed at individuals who are new to a corporate job or those working in an English-speaking environment where emails are frequently used.

What are some common email greetings mentioned in the video?

Common email greetings mentioned are 'Hello,' 'Hi,' and 'Hey.' 'Hello' is the most formal, 'Hi' is neutral, and 'Hey' is very informal, used only with people you know well.

How can you inform someone of new information in a business email?

You can use phrases like 'This is to inform you that...' for formal emails or 'Just to let you know...' for more informal communication.

What is meant by 'following up' in email communication?

Following up refers to referencing a previous conversation or email. Phrases like 'As discussed' or 'To follow up on our meeting...' can be used to reintroduce a previously discussed topic.

How should you phrase a request in a professional email?

You can phrase a request using phrases like 'I'd like to know if/when/how,' 'Could you let me know...,' or 'Could you confirm...'. These expressions vary in formality depending on the situation.

What are some ways to say 'thank you' in an email?

Some ways to say 'thank you' include: 'Thanks for getting back to me,' 'Thanks for the info,' 'Thanks for the heads up,' 'Thanks for the update,' or 'Thanks for your help.'

How can you end a professional email politely?

You can end an email with phrases like 'I'll get back to you as soon as I can,' 'I'll let you know,' 'I'll keep you posted,' or 'Please let me know.' These expressions are polite and encourage continued communication.

When should you use 'Sincerely' to close an email?

'Sincerely' is typically used in more formal, official contexts, such as government documents, bank correspondence, or formal complaint letters. For internal company emails, 'Thanks' or 'Regards' are more commonly used.

What is a 'heads up' in the context of email communication?

A 'heads up' is an informal way of thanking someone for providing a warning or update about something in advance, such as an upcoming job position or important information.

Outlines

00:00

🎂 Introduction to Business Email Writing and Free Cake Announcement

The speaker, Alex, begins by casually mentioning free cake in the staff room before introducing the main topic: writing professional emails in English. This lesson is useful for those starting a corporate job or working in an English-speaking environment. Alex emphasizes the relevance of email in professional settings and shares phrases he has used in his career. These phrases can be used for internal communication or with external partners, such as vendors. He explains how to start an email with varying degrees of formality, from 'Hello' to 'Hey', and highlights the importance of tailoring greetings to the level of familiarity and formality of the recipient.

05:05

📜 Introducing a New Topic or Following Up in Emails

This section discusses how to introduce new topics or provide updates in emails. Alex shares phrases like 'This is to inform you that...' for formal announcements, and 'Just to let you know...' for more informal updates. He also explains using exclamations for news like 'Good news!' or 'Bad news.' To follow up on previous conversations, Alex suggests using phrases like 'As we discussed...' or 'To follow up on our meeting...'. He also introduces humorous examples, making light of certain situations, such as workplace habits. The section covers ways to continue a conversation or provide updates on previously discussed matters.

10:08

💼 Making Requests and Asking Questions in Emails

Alex provides several ways to ask questions and make requests in emails. He explains how to politely ask for information using phrases like 'I'd like to know...' or 'Could you let me know...'. For more formal requests, 'Could you confirm...' is suggested. He highlights how to ask for updates, such as 'Do you have any update on...' and introduces the concept of asking for a 'quote' or 'estimate' when dealing with external companies. This section emphasizes the importance of clarity and professionalism when asking for information or updates in business communication.

15:09

🙏 Expressing Gratitude and Closing Professional Emails

In this part, Alex covers how to thank someone for their response or help. Common phrases include 'Thanks for getting back to me,' 'Thanks for the info,' and 'Thanks for the heads up.' He points out that the level of formality should match the relationship with the recipient, with casual options for colleagues and more formal phrases for superiors. The section also discusses how to close an email, using phrases like 'I'll get back to you as soon as I can' and 'I'll keep you posted,' which assure the recipient that further information will be provided. Alex ends by discussing the appropriateness of different sign-offs, such as 'Thanks,' 'Regards,' and 'Sincerely,' noting that 'Sincerely' is best reserved for very formal or official communications.

Keywords

💡Greeting

A greeting is how you begin an email or conversation, setting the tone for the rest of the communication. In the video, the presenter discusses different levels of formality with greetings such as 'Hello,' 'Hi,' and 'Hey,' emphasizing that 'Hello' is more formal, 'Hi' is neutral, and 'Hey' should only be used with colleagues you're familiar with. This helps learners understand how to start a professional email based on the relationship they have with the recipient.

💡Formal vs. Informal Language

The difference between formal and informal language is crucial in business communication. The video stresses when to use formal phrases like 'This is to inform you that' versus more informal ones like 'Just to let you know.' Formal language is appropriate for addressing superiors or external partners, while informal language works for casual internal communications. Understanding this distinction ensures that the writer conveys professionalism or friendliness based on the context.

💡Follow-up

A follow-up is a message sent to revisit a previous conversation or meeting. The video explains phrases such as 'As discussed' or 'To follow up on,' which can be used to reference past discussions in a professional way. This is useful in maintaining clarity and continuity in ongoing projects or email threads, helping colleagues stay updated on prior points.

💡Requesting Information

Requesting information is a common purpose of business emails. The video offers various ways to ask for information, such as 'Could you confirm' or 'Could you let me know if.' These phrases are essential in professional communication to obtain necessary details or clarify uncertainties without sounding too demanding or impolite.

💡Providing Updates

Providing updates refers to keeping colleagues or partners informed about the latest developments. In the video, expressions like 'I'll keep you posted' or 'Please keep me posted' are discussed as useful phrases for ensuring ongoing communication. These are essential for collaboration, where timely updates can keep projects on track.

💡Thank You Phrases

Thank you phrases express appreciation and are essential for maintaining professional relationships. The video highlights phrases like 'Thanks for getting back to me,' 'Thanks for the heads up,' and 'Thanks for your help,' showing learners how to appropriately express gratitude in business emails. Using these phrases helps foster goodwill and acknowledges the efforts of others.

💡Introduction of New Topics

Introducing new topics in emails helps to organize communication. The video suggests formal options like 'This is to inform you that' for more official updates, and casual options like 'Just to let you know' for less formal settings. This helps writers manage the flow of information in emails, ensuring clarity when moving from one topic to another.

💡Closing Phrases

Closing phrases are used to wrap up an email and signal the end of communication. The video offers phrases such as 'I'll get back to you' and 'Please let me know,' which provide clear instructions or requests before ending the email. These are crucial for maintaining professionalism and ensuring that the recipient knows what action to take next.

💡Internal Emails

Internal emails refer to communication between employees within the same company. The video emphasizes the importance of using appropriate language, such as informal phrases like 'Hey' or 'Just to let you know,' when emailing colleagues. Understanding how to communicate effectively internally helps maintain a positive work environment and ensures efficient collaboration.

💡External Emails

External emails are communications with individuals or organizations outside of your company. In the video, more formal phrases such as 'This is to inform you that' or 'Could you confirm' are recommended for these scenarios to maintain professionalism. These phrases ensure that business relationships are handled with the appropriate level of formality.

Highlights

Introduction to writing business or professional emails in English.

Phrases for internal emails or communicating with external companies, such as vendors.

Greetings based on formality levels: 'Hello' is more formal, 'Hi' is neutral, and 'Hey' is informal.

'This is to inform you that...' is useful for official announcements, like promotions.

'Just to let you know...' is an informal way to provide information to colleagues.

Good and bad news formats: Use exclamations for excitement and tone setting in email communication.

'As discussed...' and 'To follow up on...' are used to refer back to previous conversations.

Use 'Regarding' or 'In regards to...' for referencing topics in professional emails.

Multiple ways to ask for information, such as 'I'd like to know...' or 'Could you confirm...'.

Thanking someone: 'Thanks for getting back to me,' 'Thanks for the heads up,' and 'Thanks for following up.'

Closing an email: 'I'll get back to you as soon as I can' or 'Please let me know.'

Appropriate ways to close: 'Thanks,' 'Regards,' or 'Sincerely' depending on formality.

'Keep me posted' and 'I'll let you know' for ongoing communication or status updates.

End your emails politely with closing statements and appropriate signature phrases.

Emphasis on adjusting tone and formality based on the relationship and context of the email.

Transcripts

Oh, there's free cake in the staff room?

Thanks for letting me know.

See you there.

Yeah, free cake.

All right.

Hey, everyone.

I'm Alex.

Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on writing a business or professional email

in English.

Now, this is useful for those of you who are just starting a corporate job, or if you are

looking to work in an English environment where emails are constant.

So, I use my email every day.

I can tell you 100% that I have used all of these at one point or another in my emailing

career, we'll say.

So, I've sent thousands of emails, and I've used all of these.

So, these are phrases that you can use in internal emails between yourself and your

colleagues, or between yourself and someone who works with your company.

So, maybe you know someone who is selling, you know, technology to your company, like

printers or computers; maybe there's someone who supplies paper for your company and you

have to interact with them, so you can use these phrases and expressions with them.

All right?

So, first we'll start with the greeting.

We have: "Hello", "Hi", "Hey, Steve".

Steve - these are all for Steve.

So, you notice...

If you're wondering: "Why didn't you put 'Dear'?

Why didn't you put 'To whom it may concern'?"

You could still use those.

I guess it depends on your own personal comfort with formality.

Having worked, like, you know, in Canada and exchanging emails with people in the United

States, most people are comfortable with a "Hello" or a "Hi".

Only use a "Hey" for someone you know.

So, these are in level of formality.

Of these three, "Hello" would be the most formal; "Hi" would be very neutral; and "Hey"

is a very familiar, very informal, so only use this with people you know well or that

you have a good professional relationship with.

Next...

All right, so one thing you might do in an email is to introduce a new topic or to inform

someone of something; maybe not just one person, maybe a group of people, maybe a whole department.

So, for example: "This is to inform you that..."

Very general.

So, maybe someone has received a promotion in your company.

This is something you might see from your boss; or if you are a boss or a manager,

you might send this to your team.

"This is to inform you that", you know...

Let's say Rosa; you have an employee named Rosa.

"This is to inform you that Rosa has been promoted to the position of..."

Okay?

So you're giving information to your team.

This one: "Just to let you know"...

Now, this is very informal.

So, only send this to people you know well, people within your company, maybe a friend

in the company.

So: "Just to let you know" is a much more informal, casual way that you can use in an email,

instead of: "This is to inform you that..."

Okay?

So, for example: "Hey.

Just to let you know, I'm not here on Friday.

Please see me if you need anything from me before Friday."

Okay?

Also, you're introducing a topic, or informing your company, or someone of something, so:

"Hey, Steve.

Good news!", "Hey, Steve.

Bad news.", "Hey, Steve.

I've got good news.", "I've got bad news."

Now, you notice, here, I used an exclamation after "Good news", you know, it's a good idea

to make it seem exciting, so: "Good news!

You know, I just got promoted."

Okay?

Or: "Good news!

I'm getting a raise."

Okay?

Something like this.

"Bad news.

We're not getting pizza for free today.", "Bad news.

I can't make lunch, sorry."

Okay?

"I can't make lunch."

It doesn't mean you're creating lunch, you're making lunch; it means: "I can't go to lunch

with you."

Okay?

So, you have: "This is to inform you that...", "Just to let you know...", "Good news!", "Bad news.",

"I've got good news.", "I've got bad news."

Okay?

Next, if you are following up on a previous discussion, a previous email...

Now, "following up" means you had a conversation about a topic before, maybe in person, maybe

in email, maybe by carrier pigeon-I don't know-and you want to follow up on that email.

A carrier pigeon is a bird who brings a letter.

So, you can say: "Hey, Steve.

As we discussed,..." or "As discussed,..."

You can obviously add to this: "As discussed yesterday,...", "As discussed at the meeting,...",

"As discussed this morning, please remove your shoes when you enter"-I don't know-

"my office"?

It's a strange thing, maybe.

I don't know, it depends where you are in the world, perhaps.

So, next, instead of saying: "As discussed,..." you can also say: "To follow up on our meeting,...",

"To follow up on our discussion,..."

This is the same thing.

You know, "As we discussed,..." or "To follow up,...", "To give an update on the information

we discussed,..."

You can say, you know: "please come to work on time".

Okay?

Or: "don't leave your lunch in the fridge for five days."

Other people use the fridge, Steve.

So, next: "Regarding", or "In regards to..."

Now, you can use either one of these.

Okay?

So, it just depends how you feel in the moment.

So, you know, let's see...

What else has Steve done lately?

Regarding...

Hmm.

Sure.

"Regarding the quality of your deodorant, please change it soon; everyone can notice.

Everyone notices."

Okay?

So: "in regards to", maybe Steve wears strong cologne or strong deodorant and it smells

very strong, so, you know, you're just having fun with Steve in an email.

Okay.

"As far as _______ goes,..."

So, this is similar to saying: "Regarding/In regards to", but you put the topic here.

So, if you are sending an email about your company budget: "As far as the budget goes,

please be careful with your spending."

Okay?

"As far as, you know, this weekend's tour goes, it's going to begin at 11 o'clock."

Okay?

Same here: "On the topic of _______", and you follow up.

Okay?

Next, if you want to ask for something, if you want to request something - many, many,

many, many options.

All right?

So: "I'd like to know if/when/how/who", okay?

Any question you can think of.

"I'd like to know when the meeting ends.", "I'd like to know if I should bring anything."

Okay?

Next, instead of saying: "I'd like to know", you can also just say: "Hey.

Could you let me know if/when/how", etc.

Maybe you're collecting money because it's Rosa's birthday, you know, in the department,

and you could say: "Hey.

Could you let me know how much money I should contribute?"

You know, for Rosa's present or for Rosa's gift card, or whatever.

All right?

Next, a little more serious: "Could you confirm", right?

"Could you, like, 100% let me know (confirm) if/when/how", etc.

So, this is probably a more serious topic; although you could use it to be funny, because

it's a more formal expression.

You know: "Could you confirm how much money I should give or how much money I should contribute?",

"Could you confirm if we're getting paid today?"

You know, just I want to make sure we're getting paid.

Next: "Do you know if/when/how", etc.

Okay?

So: "Do you know...?"

Okay?

So: "Do you know when...?

When the money will be in my account?"

Okay?

"Do you know if the printer needs more ink?"

Okay?

"Do you have any details/any update on a topic?"

Okay?

So, if you're ordering promotional material for your company from another company, and

you've been waiting for a long time, maybe one week, two weeks, which is a long time

in most businesses, so: "Hey.

Do you have any update on the promotional material?

Do you have any details or any new details on the promotional material?"

And another way to say this...

Right?

"Hey.

Could you give me an update?

Could you give me a quote or an estimate?"

So, a "quote" is if you are in charge of, you know, dealing with some of the upper-end

parts in your company where you're dealing with other companies, and you want to know:

"Hey.

How much money does it cost for you to print this promotional material for us?"

Or: "How much money does it cost for five new computers?

Could you give me a quote?"

Basically...

Usually a PDF or, you know, maybe some companies send a physical paper with the breakdown of

everything.

"Could you let me know how much it costs?"

"Could you give me an estimate?"

Okay?

This means an idea of how much money things are going to cost.

All right, so, so far we've said: "Hey, Steve", we've introduced a topic, maybe we have followed

up on a previous discussion, we've asked some things, requested some things.

And, well, let's see what's next.

Stay tuned.

Come on.

Okay, so next we have saying: "Thanks".

So, you can write: "Hey.

Thanks for getting back to me."

So, you sent an email, they sent an email back and they answered a question for you,

and you want to send another email...

This is, like, the third email in the chain, so you would say: "Hey.

Thanks for getting back to me."

This means: "Thanks for writing back.

Thanks for answering my question."

Okay?

And then you can use one of the other phrases: "Regarding this question,..."

Right?

Okay.

"Thanks for the info".

"Thanks for the information", if you want to be more formal.

Again, if you are in a company where you know the people well: "Thanks for the info" is

pretty casual, pretty informal; only really use it with people you know well.

"...the information", if it's, like, the owner of the company - probably "...the information"

is better.

"Thanks for the heads up."

So, this is a little more informal as well.

So, "Thanks for the heads up" is usually: Thanks for the warning, thanks for the update.

So, for example, if someone sends you an email and they say: "Hey.

There's going to be a new position opening next week.

Why don't you, you know, update your resume and get ready?

Because I think you would be good for this job."

So, you could say: "Oh, there's going to be a new position opening in the company.

Thanks for the heads up."

Right?

"Thanks for the warning", so I know before other people.

So, think of "heads up", oh, you can...

You can see the information that's in the future.

Okay?

All right.

"Thanks for the update.", "Thanks for the email."

Very general.

"Hey.

Thanks for following up on..." or "Thanks for following up with..."

Thanks for, basically, you know, keeping up to date or getting new information from this

person or on this topic.

So: "Hey.

Thanks for following up with the accounting department.", "Thanks for following up on

our contract."

Okay?

"...our contract discussion", something like that.

"Thanks for your help.", "Thanks for your help with" something.

"Hey.

Thanks for looking into this, into that."

If you look into something, it means you, you know...

You research it, you take a deeper look.

So, if a colleague asks you to look into something, they're asking you to get the details of a

situation or get the details of something.

And if they look into something and they send you the information, say: "Hey.

I got the information.

The cost of this is $224."

It's like: "Oh, $224.

Thanks for looking into this.

This cost changes everything."

Okay?

So, many ways to say thanks; many things to be thankful for.

And finally, closing your email; the ending, you can say: "All right.

I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

So, this is if someone has asked you for something, has made a request, and, you know, you send

them some information, you respond, and you can just end with: "Okay.

I'll get back to you."

Or, if you want to, you know, be extra polite and say: "Hey.

I'm going to do this": "I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

This is very similar to: "I'll let you know as soon as I can."

Okay?

So, this one, very, very common.

Okay?

"I will let you know.

When I know"-okay?-"I'll let you know".

"I'll keep you posted."

This means: If I have new information, I will send the information to you.

Okay?

"I will give you an update when I know something."

Okay?

And then next, here, you're asking for, you know...

You've asked a question and you want a response, so you end it with: "Please let me know" or

just: "Let me know".

Add a "please" if you want to be extra polite.

"Please keep me posted".

"I'll keep you posted.", "Keep me posted."

Keep me updated.

If there's any new information, tell me.

Okay?

Send me an email if there's any new information on the topic we have discussed.

And, you know, there's a lot of talk about: How should you end your email?

What's too formal?

What's not formal enough?

Do people still use "Sincerely"?

I really only use "Sincerely" on, like, government documents, things that are official from the

bank.

If you, you know, have a complaint letter to a landlord where you're renting, you know,

your apartment: "Sincerely" works for those official situations.

In most internal company emails, I usually end mine with: "Thanks".

You could say: "Regards", you could say: "All the best".

So: "Thanks" works for internal, "Thanks" works for somebody you're working with outside

the company.

"Sincerely" I would just keep it to more official, official, official situations where you're

dealing with government, or banks, or bigger companies.

Okay?

All right.

Whew, that's it, guys.

So, to test your understanding of this material, as always, you can check out the quiz on www.engvid.com.

And what I want to see from you guys is in the comments write me an email.

Use, like, as many of these phrases as you can, and just send a sample email to me in

the comments that I can read, and, you know, I can...

I can see how you guys are doing.

All this stuff that I gave you today, except for the ending, it doesn't have to go in this

order.

Okay?

Like, you might just start an email, saying: "Hey, Steve.

Hey, Rosa.

Thanks for getting back to me."

This could be the first thing; it doesn't have to be the introductory part that I did

in the previous board.

It depends what the email is about, of course, and what you want to stress.

All right?

So, write me in the comments, and do the quiz, which I already said.

And then after you do the quiz, after you, you know, check the comments and all that

stuff, go to YouTube, tell your friends.

Say: "Hey.

I like this video by Alex.

Subscribe to his channel.

Hey.

Who's this person?

Huh?

Adam?

Yeah?

Ronnie?

Okay?

Emma, yeah, I like these people.

I like these people.

Yeah, they have lots of good information over here."

So, subscribe to them, check us all out on engVid, and check me out on Facebook, check

me out on Twitter...

I'm talking way too much and promoting too much, so one more thing: If you want to support

what we do, check out the "Support" link on engVid, and you can donate and help us do

this for a long, long, long, long time.

All right?

So, thank you very much.

Til next time, thanks for clicking.

And I'm going to go have that cake.

Cake.

Cake.

Cake.

Cake.

Cake.

Cake.