Writing Professional Emails

HOW TO WRITE A PROFESSIONAL EMAIL

Infographic and scheme with main parts of a formal email.

You can use it as a quick guide or as a checklist.

Email Structure Overview

A professional email usually includes the following parts:

• Subject
• Greeting
• Opening
• Body
• Closing
• Sign-off

STEP-BY-STEP guide

1. Subject

• Purpose: To clearly show the reason for your email.
• What to include: A short and specific description of the main message.
• Tone: Clear and professional.
• Example: Request for information about the training course

2. Greeting

• Purpose: To address the recipient politely and professionally.
• What to include: A formal or neutral greeting, depending on how well you know the recipient.
• Tone: Polite and respectful.
• Example: Dear Ms Smith,

3. Opening

• Purpose: To introduce the reason for writing.
• What to include: A clear and direct opening sentence.
• Tone: Professional and neutral.
• Example: I am writing to enquire about your services.

4. Body

• Purpose: To explain your message in a clear and organised way.
• What to include: The main information, organised into short and clear paragraphs.
• Tone: Professional, clear and concise.
• Example: I would like to confirm the details of our meeting scheduled for next week.

5. Closing

• Purpose: To signal the end of the message and indicate the next step.
• What to include: A polite closing sentence.
• Tone: Polite and professional.
• Example: I look forward to your reply.

6. Sign-off

• Purpose: To close the email appropriately.
• What to include: A standard professional closing formula.
• Tone: Professional and courteous.
• Example: Kind regards,

PROFESSIONAL EMAIL STYLE

• Be clear and concise
• Use a polite but professional tone
• Organise your ideas logically
• Use standard professional expressions
• Avoid informal language

Final Check

Before you send your email, check that:

• All parts of the email are included
• The tone is professional and polite
• The message is clear and easy to understand