Improve your business English writing with this study of the most important grammatical structures, tenses and phrases for writing emails for business. The slides look at phrases and grammar for these functions: Opening Small Talk (informal emails) Referring to Previous Contact Purpose Statements Making Requests Referring to Attachments Promising Action Closing Small Talk (informal emails) Positive Closing Statements www.mybusinessenglish.com

1. The Grammar of Business Emails
Presented by www.mybusinessenglish.com
Tools for Successful Business
Communication in English
Presented by www.mybusinessenglish.com

2. Outline
• Opening Small Talk (informal emails)
• Referring to Previous Contact
• Purpose Statements
• Making Requests
• Referring to Attachments
• Promising Action
• Closing Small Talk (informal emails)
• Positive Closing Statements

3. Opening Small Talk
informal style
• How was the meeting?
• How are you?
• How are you doing/going?
• How’s it going?
past simple to ask
about the past
present simple to ask
about the reader’s
well-being
present continuous
used in informal style
to ask about the
reader’s well-being

4. Referring to Previous Contact
formal style
• Further to our conversation of 10 May,...
• With reference to your letter of 24 January,...
• Thank you for your letter of 24 January.
• It was a pleasure to have met you at the conference last week.
prepositional
phrases + comma
usually followed by
the purpose (see
next slide)
past simple for referring to
past (finished) events
Thank you is a positive and
clear way of referring to
previous contact.
It is short for I thank you for...

5. Purpose Statements
• I am writing to +V
• I would like to +V
• Just a short email to +V
• I was wondering if you + past
Purpose statements show why you are writing.
to + infinitive (to + verb) is often used to state purpose
present continuous describing
action in progress
would like to puts focus on
your wishes/wants
Just a short email shortened from
present simple statement of fact -
This is a short email...
In informal emails, just makes the
purpose of the email sound smaller
and less work for the reader.
...for a request or enquiry
email.
The past tense was makes
the purpose/request more
distant, tentative and polite.

6. Requests
• Could you please +V?
• I would be grateful if you could/would +V?
• I was wondering if you could/would +V
• Please +V (imperative)
Requests often use the
modal verbs could and
would because they
sound more polite than
can and will.
The past form was
wondering also makes
the request more polite.
(Using the past tense in a
request creates time distance
which makes the request more
tentative and diplomatic, which
makes it more polite.)
Warning!
The imperative (main verb with no subject) sounds more
like an order or instruction. Please makes it more polite, but
do not use it by itself (in an email with only one request):
use it in a series of requests, and use it with the smallest
request.

7. Referring to Attachments
• I have attached...
• Please find attached...
• Attached you will find...
Present perfect simple
have/has +V3
past action with present
effect
Imperative (main verb)
Here, combined with please
the often order-like
imperative is polite as you
are informing, not requesting.
Future tense for a statement
of future fact with attached
(adj) at the start of the
sentence for emphasis.

8. Promising Action
• I will +V
• Will do.
will + verb
Will + verb is used to say what you will
do after this email
Will do.
Will do is used to reply quickly to
request emails in informal style.
Hi Craig
Could you send me the
December balance sheet
please?
Regards
Harriet
Hi Harriet
Will do.
Regards
Craig

9. Closing Small Talk
Positive future statements - informal style
• Good luck with the presentation.
• Enjoy your day off. Ellipsis
Here we are generally leaving
out (omitting) the subject I and
verbs such as hope and wish.
I wish you good luck...
I hope you have good luck...
I hope you enjoy...

10. Positive Closing Statements
• I look forward to hearing from you.
• I am looking forward to seeing you.
Present continuous sounds warmer and
more friendly.
Use the contraction I’m looking... in
informal and some neutral styles.
Present simple sounds more
formal Warning!
Common
Error
I look forward to
hear from you.
Use theV+ing or
a noun after
I look forward to...

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