Formal Email Writing - How to Structure an Email

Email Structure - Subject

• Short, specific, informative, attention-grabbing
• Six to ten words, 30-40 characters
• Best to include topic, project name, deadline
• Add No reply necessary, Action Required, or Urgent
• No links
• No typos
• No all upper case
• No all lower case
• Avoid nudity, profanity, and inappropriate content
• Add NSFW (Not Safe For Work)

Email Structure - Greeting

Go formal if:

• you don't know the recipient
• they are older than you
• they are a higher rank than you
• you are not sure

Use salutation or title + last name, never the first name

• Dear Mr. Williams / Hello, Dr. Williams / Greetings, Mr. Williams
• Women – use title, Mrs., Miss, or Ms.
• Women – if unsure, use Ms.
• Group – Dear Club Members
• Group – Hello Everyone or Good Day Team (less formal)
• Try to get a person's name or at least their title
• Avoid Dear Sir or Madam, To Whom It May Concern, Dear Sirs
• Use Dear Hiring Manager, To the HR Department
• Use a comma after the greeting: Dear Prof. Davis,
• Use a colon after the greeting in a very formal or first communication (US)
• Separate actual greetings with a comma:
• Hello, Mr. Davis / Good Morning, Dr. Davis / Greetings, Prof. Davis
• No comma after adjectives: Dear Mr. Jones
• Capitalize titles, names, the first letter, all nouns: Good Morning, Dr. Davis

Email Structure - Body Introduction

If the first email, introduce yourself and tell them why you are emailing them:

• Allow me to introduce myself...
• This is in reference to...

If you've met before, remind them of who you are or how they know you:

• It was a pleasure meeting you last week at the conference...

You can refer to any previous communications:

• Regarding our discussion about...
• With / In regard to your question about...
• Further to our conversation on Monday...
• I apologize for the delay in replying
• My apologies for the delay
• Be polite and friendly – don't be cold
• I hope you are well
• It was a pleasure to... see you last week, see you again, meet you, talk to you

You can thank them:

• Thank you for... your email, your message, your time, letting us know about,
• taking the time to write to us
• State the purpose of your email – start with the ending:
• I would like to... let you know, remind you, ask you about...

Email Structure - Body Introduction (informal)

In an informal email, you can also:

• thank them
• tell them your reason for writing
• apologize for the delay

You may open with more personal questions:

• How's it going?
• How are the kids?
• How's everything?
• How was your vacation?

Informal ways to state your purpose:

• Just sending you an email
• Just writing
• Just to remind you

You can also say:

• I'm sorry I haven't written to you for so long / for ages
• I've some great news
• This is just a quick note to let you know
• It was great to hear from you

Email Structure - Body Main Text

• Get to your point quickly
• Make your point first and elaborate later
• Keep it simple and short
• Separate emails for large of different subjects
• Bullet points for a list of short topics
• Use dashes or bullets (alt-8 or option-8)
• Use paragraphs (enter or return) after each topic or a group of thoughts
• Be specific – ask questions you need to be answered
• Check your email for clarity before you send it out

Read here for the Complete Course of Formal Email Writing

1. Punctuation general rules for formal email writing
2. Email Grammer for formal email writing
3. Email Vocabulary 
4. Structure of the formal email
5. Email etiquettes

When replying to a longer email:

• Don't give a short response
• Thank them with a couple of sentences
• If you're busy, tell them you will reply later
• Create a summary paragraph
• List or repeat the main points, questions, promises, or requests

Email Structure - Attachments

• Ask if it's OK to send an attachment
• Ask if this is your first attachment to this person
• Ask if the attachment is large (over 10MB)
• Gmail can handle up to 25MB
• Use a download link for very large attachments
• Consider the file format
• Almost everyone can use PDF and ZIP

Phrases when sending attachments:

• Please find attached
• Attached you will find
• Attached please find
• I have attached...
• Don't forget to attach the file!

Email Structure - Closing and Signature

Finish your email positively and with the future in mind:

• I look forward... to your reply, to hearing from you, to meeting you

Repeat any expectations, plans or promises made:

• I would appreciate your prompt reply / Please let me know what you've decided
• I will meet you there on... / I will give you a call as soon as...

Formal closing statements:

• Sincerely, Sincerely yours (US), Yours sincerely (UK) [*1]
• Respectfully, Respectfully yours
• Regards, With regards, Kind regards, Best regards (US)
• Yours truly (US), Yours faithfully (UK) [*2]
• Best wishes, Warm wishes
• With appreciation, Cordially
• Good day, Thank you, Many thanks
• [*1] When you know the recipient – slightly less formal
• [*2] When you don't know the name of the recipient; goes well with Dear Sir

Signature:

• Name, title, company, street address, different ways to contact you
• The best length for a signature is 4-6 lines
• Some information can be combined on one line
• Add http:// before the website URL to make it clickable
• Don't include every possible way to contact you

Email Structure - Closing and Signature (informal)

Informal closing:

• Hope to see you there (tomorrow) / Can't wait to see you again

Send greetings to family and friends:

• Please say hi to Jenny / Give my regards to your mom

Promise to write back:

• I'll write again soon, I promise

Ask for a reply:

• Please let me know if that sounds like a plan
• Formal sounding statements that can be used informally:
• Yours, Sincerely, Regards, Kind Regards, Best wishes, Looking forward to
• hearing from you

Informal closing statements:

• All the best, Have a great day, Have a nice weekend, Enjoy your weekend
• That's all for now, Later, Take care, Cheers, Write soon
• Love, Lots of love, Hugs, XoXo
• See you later, See you then, See you when I get there
• Thanks, Thanks so much
• OK, bye