for the B1 Cambridge test (PET) or the General Training IELTS test

Formal emails are the ones that people write to people they don’t know well. The language used in this type of emails is more formal and polite.

informal email	formal email
friends family members people we know well	people we don’t know bosses or managers doctors, teachers and professors

Formal emails have a standard format, so they must include the following parts:

1. Greetings

We say hi to the other person. Depending on the kind of relationship we have with the person we are writing to, we can use the following greetings:

• Dear Mr./Mrs./ Ms. + Last name,

For example: Dear Mr. Smith,

• Dear Sir/ Madam,

If you don’t know the name and last name of the recipient

• To whom it may concern

This is a more generic formulaic expression.

2. Introduction

In this part we must indicate briefly and clearly the reason for writing. It should be consistent with the subject of the email. We can use the following introductory phrases:

• I’m writing with regards to … (email subject)
• I’m writing to … (ask, inform, request, send, confirm, etc)
• I’m writing in reference to … (email subject, e.g. a job post, an advertisement, a website, etc)

3. Body

There are no formulaic expressions or conventional formulas for the body of the text because the information that we share in the body of the email varies according to what you need to communicate.

There is one general rule for this part: it should be divided into short paragraphs.

4. Closing paragraph

There are various ways to end your email. The most common formulaic expressions are the following:

• I look forward to hearing from you soon / at your earliest convenient time.
• Thank you in advance.
• Thank you for your attention.
• If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
• For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
• Please let me know if you have any questions.

5. Goodbye

Here you can find a list with the most common phrases to end a formal email:

• Sincerely,
• Kind regards,
• Best regards,
• Yours faithfully, (only if you began your email with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’)
• Yours sincerely, (only if began your email with ‘Dear Mr./Mrs./ Ms. + Last name)
• Regards,

6. Signature

We write our full name (name + last name)

Now that you know which parts should be included in a formal email, let’s see an example:

Pro tips for writing formal emails

• Use the standard format that English speakers use to write formal emails.
• Use formulaic expressions.
• DO NOT use contractions (I’m, I’ve, I’d, don’t, can’t, won’t, etc.).
• Use formal words and indirect questions (e.g. I was wondering if …/ I would be grateful if you …)
• Don’t forget to START your email by saying why are you writing or what you are

Time to practice

The best way to improve your writing is to practice. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Remember that practice makes progress.