Business English email phrases that sound natural, not translated
Most business English email advice teaches phrases that were normal in 1995. The problem is rarely grammar — it is register: sounding stiffer, or blunter, than you mean to.
Each phrase below is marked for how formal it is, so you can match it to the relationship rather than defaulting to maximum formality with everyone.
Openings
Opening with I hope this email finds you well is not wrong, but it is so common that it now reads as filler. Getting to the point is more respectful of the reader.
- Hi Anna,Default in most companiesneutral — safe with colleagues and most clients
- Dear Ms Novak,First contact, formal industriesformal
- Thanks for getting back to me.Replying to a replyneutral
- Following up on our call yesterday —Straight to contextneutral, efficient
Making a request
English softens requests with modals and past forms. Direct imperatives read as brusque even when politeness is intended, which is a frequent source of unintended friction for speakers of languages that mark politeness elsewhere.
- Could you send me the figures by Thursday?Standard polite requestneutral
- Would you mind taking a look at this?Softer, for a favourpolite
- I'd appreciate it if you could confirm by Friday.Firm but courteousformal
- Send me the figures.Reads as an orderavoid unless very senior to the reader
Chasing without irritating
Chasing is where tone most often goes wrong. Give the reader an exit — assume the delay is circumstance rather than neglect.
- Just checking in on this — no rush if you're tied up.First chasefriendly
- Bumping this in case it got buried.Second chaseneutral, blame-free
- I need to close this out today — can you confirm either way?Final chasefirm, still not rude
Delivering bad news
English convention is to signal the bad news before delivering it, so the reader is braced. Leading with the negative reads as abrupt.
- Unfortunately, we won't be able to meet that deadline.Standardneutral
- I'm afraid there's been a delay on our side.Taking responsibilitypolite
- This isn't the outcome we hoped for, but —Before explainingneutral
Closings
Match the closing to the opening. A Dear Ms Novak opening with a Cheers closing reads as inconsistent.
- Best,Default professional closeneutral
- Kind regards,Slightly more formalformal, common in the UK and EU
- Thanks again,When they did you a favourwarm
- Yours sincerely,Formal letters onlyrare in email now
Questions
Is “Dear Sir or Madam” still acceptable?
It is not wrong, but it signals that you did not find out who you are writing to, and it is on the way out. Hello plus the team or role — Hello Recruitment team — reads better when you genuinely have no name.
How direct should I be with British versus American colleagues?
British business English hedges more: there may be a small issue often means there is a serious problem. American English tends to state the issue plainly. Neither is more polite — but reading British hedging literally is a common and costly misunderstanding.
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