How to write an email in English at work? A comprehensive guide with phrases and ready-made templates

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Your employee spends 20 minutes on a single email to a foreign business partner. They copy and paste sentences from Google Translate, make corrections, delete them, and start all over again. The result? The email gets sent, but it sounds far from professional — and everyone knows it, including the recipient. This is not a minor issue. Email correspondence is one of the most common channels of business communication in an international environment — and at the same time one of the areas where employees’ language shortcomings are most visible to external partners. Every email is a showcase for the company. Every clumsily written email sends a signal to the recipient: this company may be difficult to work with. This article is primarily aimed at HR professionals, L&D managers and managers who are wondering how to improve their teams’ email skills — as well as any employee who wants to write emails in English confidently and professionally. Here you will find the structure of an effective business email, ready-made phrases for every situation and specific templates that can be implemented straight away.

Why writing emails in English is a separate skill

Speaking English and writing in English are two different skills — and many employees are surprised to discover that whilst they manage quite well in conversation, they suddenly draw a blank when faced with a keyboard. There are several reasons for this.

Firstly, written business English follows different rules to spoken English. It is more formal, more concise and requires a level of precision that can be avoided in conversation through paraphrasing or gestures. Secondly, an email remains — it can be read several times, forwarded, or quoted. Employees sense this, and this lack of anonymity generates additional stress.

Thirdly, Polish employees tend to translate Polish sentence structures literally into English. The result is sentences that are grammatically correct but sound unnatural or even rude — because business English has its own set phrases, and failing to use them is interpreted as a lack of professionalism or coldness.

This is precisely why training in writing emails in English is not a luxury for large corporations — it is a skill that has a real impact on the quality of business relationships and the company’s external image.

The structure of a business email in English

Before we move on to ready-made phrases, it is worth understanding what makes up a well-written email in English. Every professional business email follows the same structure — whether it is a brief reply to an enquiry or a detailed commercial proposal.

Subject line
Salutation
Opening line
Main body
Closing line
Sign-off
Signature

Each of these elements has its own rules and typical phrases. I will discuss them in turn.

Step 1: The subject line — the first thing the recipient sees

The subject line of an email determines whether the message will be opened and when. In a business environment, inboxes are overflowing — an email with a vague subject line will end up at the bottom of the queue or be ignored.

A good email subject line in English is: specific, concise (no more than 6–8 words), informative and — if necessary — indicates urgency.

Ready-made examples of email subject lines in English:

General:

Meeting request — [subject] — [date]
Follow-up: [previous conversation topic]
Action required: [what exactly]
Quick question about [subject]
Update on [project/subject]

Offers and inquiries:

Proposal for [project/service]
Request for quotation — [product/service]
Partnership opportunity — [company]

Urgent:

Urgent: [subject] — response needed by [date]
Time-sensitive: [subject]

What to avoid in the subject line: general phrases (“Hello”, “Important”, “Question” without context), very long sentences, and subjects written in capital letters — in an English business environment, this is read as shouting.

Step 2: Greeting — how to start an email in English

This is where Polish people make one of the most common mistakes: they are either too formal (writing ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ to someone they know), or too informal (writing ‘Hey!’ to a business partner they are just getting to know). Business English is — particularly in an international context — less formal than Polish, but it has its limits.

Ready-made greetings for emails in English:

Formal — to a person you do not know or to an institution:

Dear Mr/Ms [last name],
Dear Sir or Madam, (only if you really don’t know the name)
To Whom It May Concern, (to an institution, in formal matters)

Standard business — most frequently used:

Dear [first name],
Hello [first name],
Hi [first name], (to people you have already corresponded with)

To a group:

Dear all,
Dear team,
Hello everyone,

Important rule: if you are writing to an Anglo-Saxon for the first time and you know their name — use it. “Dear John” instead of “Dear Mr Smith” is the norm in Anglo-Saxon culture, not a lack of respect. “Dear Sir/Madam” sounds archaic and creates distance.

Step 3: The opening sentence — before you get to the point

A business email in English almost always begins with a brief introductory sentence before the writer gets to the point. This is part of building a relationship — omitting it makes the email sound brusque and impersonal. At the same time, this sentence should be short: one, or at most two, sentences.

Ready-made opening phrases for emails in English:

Reference to previous contact:

Thank you for your email.
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.
Following up on our conversation last week…
As discussed during our meeting on [date]…
I hope this email finds you well.

First contact:

I am writing to you regarding…
I am reaching out to introduce myself — my name is [name] and I work as [position] at [company].
I came across your company through [source] and would like to…
My name is [name] and I am contacting you on behalf of [company].

Responding to an inquiry:

Thank you for your interest in [product/service].
I am happy to provide you with the information you requested.
Further to your enquiry of [date]…

Step 4: Main content — how to write clearly and to the point

The middle section of an email is its heart. This is where employees most often write too much, too convolutedly or — paradoxically — not precisely enough. A business email in English should be concise: one paragraph, one idea. If the email covers several points, use numbering or bullet points.

Ready-made phrases for the main body of an email in English:

Stating the reason for the email:

I am writing to enquire about…
I would like to inform you that…
I am contacting you to discuss…
The purpose of this email is to…
I wanted to bring to your attention…

Making a request:

Could you please…?
I would appreciate it if you could…
Would it be possible to…?
I would be grateful if you could send me…
Please could you let me know…?

Providing information:

Please find attached…
I am pleased to inform you that…
I would like to update you on…
As agreed, I am sending you…
I wanted to let you know that…

Apologising and explaining:

I apologise for the delay in responding.
I am sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Please accept my apologies for…
Unfortunately, I am unable to…
I regret to inform you that…

Confirming arrangements:

Just to confirm our conversation…
As agreed, we will…
To summarise what we discussed…
I can confirm that…

Setting deadlines and next steps:

I will send you the document by [date].
Could we schedule a call for [date/time]?
I will follow up with you by the end of the week.
Please let me know if this works for you.

Step 5: Closing sentence and farewell

The closing of an email is the second element that Poles often overlook or neglect. Yet a well-written closing sentence clarifies expectations, signals the next step and ensures the interaction ends on a positive note.

Ready-made closing phrases for emails in English:

Awaiting a response:

I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to your reply.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Feel free to reach out if you need any further information.
I would appreciate your response at your earliest convenience.

Next steps:

I look forward to working with you on this.
Please let me know if you would like to discuss this further.
I will be in touch shortly with more details.

Closing — sign-off:

Situation	Phrase
Formal, first contact	Yours sincerely, / Yours faithfully,
Standard business	Kind regards, / Best regards,
Informal, known person	Best, / Many thanks, / Thanks,
Warm, but professional	Warm regards, / With kind regards,

What to avoid: “Yours truly” sounds archaic, “Cheers” is very informal (only to people you know well), and “Regards” without any adjective is sometimes perceived as cold.

Ready-made email templates in English — ready to use straight away

Theory is important, but employees need practical guidance. Below are four complete email templates in English that can be adapted to most business situations.

Template 1: First contact / Introducing yourself

Subject: Introduction — [Your full name], [company] Dear [first name], My name is [first name] and I am [job title] at [company]. I am reaching out because [reason for contact — e.g. we work with companies in the [industry] sector and I believe there may be an opportunity for us to collaborate]. [Brief description of the company or context — 2–3 sentences] I would love to schedule a brief call to explore whether there is a potential fit. Would you be available for a 20-minute conversation in the coming weeks? I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, [First name and surname] [Job title] | [Company] [Telephone] | [Email]

Template 2: Response to a request for quotation

Subject: Re: Request for quotation — [product/service] Dear [first name], Thank you for reaching out and for your interest in [product/service]. Please find attached our proposal, which includes [brief description of contents — e.g. a detailed breakdown of our services, pricing, and timeline]. To summarise the key points: – [Point 1] – [Point 2] – [Point 3] Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss the proposal in more detail. I am happy to schedule a call at a time that suits you. I look forward to hearing from you. Best regards, [First name and surname]

Template 3: Follow-up after the meeting

Subject: Follow-up — [meeting topic] — [date] Dear [first name], Thank you for taking the time to meet with us on [date]. It was great to discuss [topic] and learn more about [company/project]. As agreed during our conversation, I am sending you [e.g. the summary of key points / the proposal / the documents we discussed]. Our next steps are: 1. [Step 1 — who, what, when] 2. [Step 2 — who, what, when] Please let me know if I have missed anything or if you have any questions. Looking forward to working together. Kind regards, [First name and surname]

Template 4: Apology for the delay

Subject: Apology for the delay — [subject] Dear [name], I apologise for the delayed response — I should have got back to you sooner. [A brief explanation, if applicable — e.g. We have been dealing with an unusually high volume of requests this month.] To answer your question: [answer to the question / solution to the problem] Again, I am sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need anything further. Best regards, [First name and surname]

The most common mistakes Poles make in emails written in English

Working with many companies and their employees allows us to identify mistakes that are repeated regardless of the industry and level of English proficiency. Here are the ones worth eliminating first.

Overly formal greetings to people you know. “Dear Mr Johnson” to John, whom you talk to on Slack every day, sounds weird and creates distance. “Hi John” or “Dear John” is appropriate.

Literal translation of Polish pleasantries. “I kindly ask you” is a literal translation of “uprzejmie proszę” — it sounds awkward in English. Simply put: “Could you please…?”

Skipping the opening sentence. Jumping straight to the point without any introduction is perceived as impolite. One sentence is enough: “Thank you for your email” or “I hope you are doing well.”

Overusing the word “please”. Poles often write “Please find attached please…” — a double please in one sentence is a mistake. Use it once, at the beginning of the request.

“Yours faithfully” to a person whose name you know. This formula is reserved exclusively for emails starting with “Dear Sir or Madam”. If you have used the recipient’s name, you sign off the email with “Yours sincerely” or “Kind regards”.

Emails that are too long. Anglo-Saxons are used to concise written communication. An email that would be normal in Polish culture might seem chaotic in English. The rule: one email, one topic, maximum three paragraphs.

How HR can improve the team’s email skills

Knowing the rules for writing emails in English is one thing — but putting this into daily practice across the whole team requires a systematic approach. Here are a few tried-and-tested solutions.

Audit of sample emails. Ask employees to anonymously share a few emails they have sent to overseas partners. A trainer with business experience can analyse them and highlight recurring errors — this is the starting point for creating a training programme tailored to real needs.

A dedicated module on email writing. A good language school for businesses should offer a module devoted exclusively to email correspondence — with exercises based on real-life situations from the relevant industry. The sales department writes one type of email, HR another, and the legal department yet another.

A library of internal templates. It is worth creating — together with a teacher or a native speaker — a set of approved email templates in English, tailored to the most common situations within the company. This reduces the time spent on writing and eliminates errors among those at lower proficiency levels.

Regular practice using real-life material. The best training courses in writing emails in English are based on real messages — employees bring their own emails, analyse them with the trainer and rewrite them. This approach yields significantly better results

FAQ — frequently asked questions about writing emails in English

How should I start a formal email in English if I don’t know the recipient’s name?

Use ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ or ‘To Whom It May Concern’ — both are acceptable when writing to an organisation or department without a specific contact person. However, if you can find out the recipient’s name in any way, do so. A personalised greeting always makes a better impression.

What is the difference between ‘Kind regards’ and ‘Best regards’?

In business practice, the two phrases are virtually interchangeable — they both serve as a professional, warm way to end an email. ‘Kind regards’ is slightly warmer and more personal, whilst ‘Best regards’ is more neutral. Both are a safe choice in the vast majority of business situations.

Is it acceptable to write emails in English using the first-person singular, or is it better to use ‘we’?

It depends on the context. If you are writing on behalf of the company, use ‘we’. If you are expressing a personal opinion or writing on your own behalf as an employee, use ‘I’. Mixing the two forms in a single email is a mistake.

How do you write an email in English with an attachment?

Standard phrases include: ‘Please find attached…’ or ‘I am attaching… for your reference.’ Always let the recipient know exactly what is in the attachment and why you are sending it — do not leave the attachment without an explanation.

How can I politely decline a request in an email without offending the recipient?

The classic Anglo-Saxon formula is: acknowledge or thank the sender for the proposal, briefly explain the reason for the refusal, and suggest an alternative if possible. For example: “Thank you for thinking of us for this project. Unfortunately, we are fully committed until [date] and would not be able to take on additional work at this time. I would be happy to revisit this in [month] — would that work for you?”

How to write emails in English to native speakers — do I need to be grammatically perfect?

No. Native speakers are used to corresponding with people from all over the world and understand that English is not your first language. What matters most is clarity of expression, correct structure and a professional tone. Minor grammatical errors are not a problem — disorganised communication and a lack of respect for the recipient’s time are.

Summary — Email skills as part of a company’s language strategy

Writing emails in English is one of those skills that, in a business context, goes unnoticed when done well — and is very noticeable when done poorly. Employees who write in English efficiently and professionally save time for themselves and their business partners, build the company’s image as a reliable partner, and avoid misunderstandings arising from imprecise communication.

If writing emails in English is a source of stress or errors in your company — this is a sign that it is worth investing in dedicated training. At Worldwide School, we design language programmes based on your team’s actual needs — including modules dedicated to email correspondence, negotiations, presentations and telephone conversations in English.