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
