At Remitly, we support your career development. In today’s digital world, so much of your professional life is carried out through emails. In the UK, emails are the backbone of business communication. In fact, over 64 million email users send billions of messages each day. With such a volume of words being exchanged in the digital world, how can you ensure that your emails stand out and clearly communicate your message?
We’ll answer the question of how to write an email by addressing common concerns about professional correspondence in the UK. Many people—especially newcomers to the UK, those who speak English as a second language, or those new to the workforce—feel uncertain about proper email etiquette and structure. Mastering email writing can boost your career prospects, improve relationships, and reduce misunderstandings.
In this guide, we’ll cover email structure, tone, common phrases, and UK-specific conventions to help you write clear, professional emails with confidence.
The anatomy of a professional email
Emails are the backbone of business communication, whether you’re an employee or a freelancer. How you write them is a reflection of who you are as a person and as a professional. In a world where AI-generated writing is becoming normalised, penning a professional email from scratch can help you stand out, whether it’s for a job application, cold opening, or communication within your established role.
Just like paper letters, emails have a few key elements. Each serves a specific purpose in effective communication. Making sure to include each of these elements is the starting point for a great professional email.
- Subject line
The subject line is what your recipient will see first. It provides a glimpse into the purpose of the email message. Subject lines should balance being concise and including any and all key information.
- Greeting
The greeting in your email serves to set the tone and address the recipient of your email. The greeting should include both a salutation and the recipient’s name. If you are sending an email to someone specific you can use ‘Dear [NAME]’, ‘Hello [NAME]’, or ‘Hi [Name]’. If you’re sending an email to a generic or non-personal address you can use ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ in place of the name, or ‘To Whom It May Concern’.
- Body
The body of your email is the main part of your message. In concise, direct, and polite language, communicate your ideas or questions. When necessary, use formatting supports like bullet points, numbered lists, or tables. You can also insert relevant images that help facilitate understanding.
- Closing
The closing of your email should contain all of the key information that the recipient needs to remember. This might mean reviewing key dates or deadlines, specific and actionable requests, or pressing questions.
- Signature
To sign off at the end of your email, include a greeting and your personal information. You can use ‘Kind regards’ or ‘Best regards’ in formal emails. ‘Regards’, ‘Best’, or ‘All the best’ are appropriate for slightly less formal emails or for follow-up emails. Below your greeting, include your full name as well as any key details, like your phone number or preferred pronouns.
- Attachments
If you reference any documents in the body of your email or if any materials are needed for your recipient to answer your questions or to complete action steps, include these documents as attachments.
Getting the tone right
Now that you know what to include in your business email, it’s time to turn to style. Finessing the tone of a professional email can often be tricky. This is especially true if you’ve just started a new job, have recently moved to a new country, or are writing emails in your second language.
It’s important to match the tone of your emails to your relationship with the recipient. If you are emailing someone for the first time, your email should be more formal. If you are communicating with someone who is on the same professional level as you or someone with whom you’ve exchanged emails previously, you can be slightly more informal. Remember, it’s always better to be more formal than too familiar. So, when in doubt, write formally.
Formal vs informal language choices
If you’re writing to someone new or who is senior to you, it’s a good idea to write a formal email. Do this by opening with ‘Dear’ or ‘Hello’ instead of less formal options like ‘Hi’. You might also opt to address your recipient as Mr or Ms followed by their surname. If you know that the person to whom you’re writing is a doctor or holds some other official position, you can use their specific honorific title.
In more informal emails, you can refer to your recipient by their first name and use greetings like ‘Hi’ or ‘Good morning/afternoon’.
British politeness and the email
British culture overall is very polite, and this trickles into emailing culture as well. It’s a good idea to start emails with a softening and personable phrase, even if you’re communicating strictly for business purposes. Try starting an email with the phrase, ‘I hope this email finds you well’.
Continue with a polite tone throughout your email by using indirect, soft language. If you’re making a request, use phrases such as ‘Could you please…?’ and ‘Would you mind…?’ Suggestions can be gently made using a phrase like ‘Maybe we could…’. If you’re looking to make a correction, a phrase like ‘It looks like there’s been a mistake’ and ‘Perhaps there was a misunderstanding’ will be better received than directly stating, ‘You’re wrong’.
Essential email phrases
If you’ve got a case of writer’s block when writing an email, consider using some of the phrases below to deal with common email situations.
Opening lines
- I hope this email finds you well.
- I hope you’ve had a great weekend.
- Thank you so much for your work on this so far.
- I hope you’re having a great week.
Making requests
- I’m writing in hopes that you might be able to help me.
- I’m wondering if I could ask for your help with…
- Do you have time in your schedule to…?
- I would love it if you could possibly…
- Would it be at all possible to…
Responding and following up
- Thank you so much for your prompt response.
- It’s so great to hear from you about…
- Thanks for all of your hard work on this.
- I wanted to reach out about…
- I wanted to circle back with you regarding…
- I’m seeing your email and I need a bit of time to give you an in-depth response.
Introductions
- I’m writing to you today to…
- My name is [NAME], and I’m reaching out regarding…
- I received your contact information from [NAME] and wanted to reach out about…
- Please allow me to introduce myself.
Common email mistakes to avoid
Receiving a well-written professional email can make work feel easier. On the other hand, when an email is filled with mistakes, it can confuse or delay work. Here are a few common issues to avoid when writing a business email.
- Unclear subject lines
Subject lines should give recipients a preview of what the email’s body contains. They should also be optimised to be searchable. Here’s an example of a weak and strong subject line for someone who is making a request.
| NO | I was wondering if you could help me… |
| YES | Translation Request: English to Spanish 2,000 Words |
- Overly long messages
Emails should contain all the necessary information, but they should still be as short as possible. This ensures that your email is digestible and easily understood. When viewing the email on a computer, if you have to scroll to read the full body, the email might be too long. Always keep the main point clear at the top and and bottom of the email, and try not to include unnecessary information.
- Inappropriate tone or formatting
Keep your tone friendly and professional. If you’re not sure what sort of tone to use in an email, lean towards more formal. Ensure that your email remains professional by using correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalisation.
- Incorrect or missing attachments
Nothing is as annoying as an email that says it has an attachment but doesn’t. If you’re referencing documents in your email, be sure to include them before pressing send.
Email etiquette for different situations
How you write an email will differ depending on the context. Here are some common professional situations and how your email writing might shift in response to them.
Workplace emails
When you’re writing internal emails to coworkers who are at your same professional level and whom you know, your emails can be a little more informal. For example, you could refer to your coworker by their first name. If you’re writing to clients, keep a more professional and formal tone.
Follow any guidelines that your workplace has for appropriate times of day to send emails. If you’re working outside of any specified or accepted times, you can always schedule your email to send at a time that is appropriate.
Job applications and professional networking
If you’re writing an email that might impact your career opportunities, you’ll want to be formal. In these cases, you can also follow a standardised process. For example, if you submit a job application in a portal, follow up with a Human Resources representative or supervisor by email if possible.
If you’ve done an in-person interview or meeting, always thank the individuals you’ve met with via email the same day or within 24 hours.
Quick reference: email templates
Here are a few templates that can serve as starting points for common email situations.
- Introduction
Dear [NAME],
I hope this email finds you well. My name is [NAME] and I received your contact information from [NAME]. I wanted to reach out and introduce myself in hopes that we might be able to [PURPOSE].
Should you need to reach me, you can do so here via email, via phone at [NUMBER], or you can find me on LinkedIn [LINK].
Kind Regards,
[NAME]
- Meeting request
Dear [NAME],
I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend. I am very excited to be working with you on [TASK]. Would it be possible for us to meet in person to discuss our strategy in person?
For your convenience, I’m providing these dates and times as initial options:
- DATE @ TIME
- DATE @ TIME
- DATE @ TIME
If none of these work for you, please let me know what your availability is. I look forward
to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
[NAME]
- Thank-you
Hello [NAME],
I wanted to express my gratitude for your time and attention during our meeting earlier today. I’m excited about what we discussed and look forward to continuing to collaborate with you in the future.
If there’s any additional information you need from me, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best Wishes,
[NAME]
- Apology
Hello [NAME],
I hope you’re having a great week so far. Unfortunately, I have to apologise for [ACTION]. Despite this, I wanted to make sure that I communicated with you as clearly as possible. Is there anything that I can do to rectify the situation?
Kind Regards,
[NAME]
Start writing better emails today
Effective email writing prioritises clarity, politeness, and purpose. Practice penning your own emails with low-stakes communications before shifting to more important emails. Like any writing task, churning out great emails is a skill that will develop over time and improve with consistent application. Start writing great emails today—and don’t forget to proofread before you hit send!
FAQs
What is an acceptable response time for business emails in the UK?
It’s considered a best practice to respond to emails within 24 hours or one working day. However, responding within 48 hours is still acceptable and would generally not be considered a ‘late’ response. It’s also best to send emails during standard working hours, typically between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Do British employers expect me to check my email outside of working hours?
There are some legal regulations in the UK that limit the amount of time that employees can work on average per week. As a result, answering emails outside of official working hours is often not necessary or expected. Check with your contract and employer about expectations around communication outside of designated working hours.
What is the most common email service in the UK?
By and large, the most popular email service in the UK is Gmail, operated by Google. Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple Mail are also popular email services.