How to Write an Email in English: Useful Phrases and Templates

You click New Message, type the email address of a foreign client and... suddenly, you freeze. You ask yourself: Does this phrase sound too blunt? Am I making a social blunder?

You spend the next 20 minutes translating Polish sentences in your head word-for-word. The result? An email that sounds unnatural, stiff, or in the worst-case scenario – plain rude.

Business English doesn't require you to have perfect command of every complex grammar tense or C2-level vocabulary. It requires knowing the proven structures that native speakers actually use. In this article, you will learn how to write an email in English that sounds professional, dynamic, and natural.

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[!TIP] Want to write professional emails in just 2 minutes? Download our free English Email Toolkit (PDF) featuring 50 ready-to-use templates for any business scenario and AI prompts that write emails for you in seconds.

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How to Write an Email in English and Why Literal Translations are a Trap

Polish communication is often quite direct, and we express politeness through tone of voice, intonation, or subtle gestures. However, when writing an email, these cues disappear. In English business communication, a lack of appropriate "softening" phrases makes a simple request sound like a harsh command.

Here is a comparison of common translation mistakes (so-called "Polglish") that we make in emails:

What you want to say	Literal (and too direct) translation	Natural business equivalent	Why does it matter?
Chcę, żebyś wysłał mi ten raport.	I want you to send me this report.	Could you please send me this report?	In English, "I want you to..." sounds like a command from an authoritarian boss. Use a polite question instead.
Z góry dziękuję za odpowiedź.	Thank you in advance for your reply.	I look forward to hearing from you.	"Thank you in advance" pushes the recipient into a corner and can be perceived as passive-aggressive.
Piszę w nawiązaniu do...	I am writing in connection to...	I am writing with regard to...	The phrase "in connection to" is incorrect in this context. Use "with regard to" or "regarding".
Zadzwonię do niego jutro.	I will call to him tomorrow.	I will call him tomorrow.	The verb "call" does not use the preposition "to" (unlike the Polish "dzwonić DO").
Na obrazku widać...	On the picture you can see...	In the picture you can see...	In English, we say "IN the picture" (inside the frame), not "on".
To zależy od budżetu.	It depends from the budget.	It depends on the budget.	A classic literal translation error. The English verb "depend" always takes "on", never "from".

A classic example is the phrase "thank you in advance". While standard in Polish business communication ("z góry dziękuję"), it can sound demanding to a native English speaker. It implies that you assume they will fulfill your request, leaving them no room to refuse. A much safer and more elegant alternative is: "I would appreciate your help with this".

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Email in English: Key Phrases You Need to Know (Top 15)

Instead of searching in a panic for email phrases every time you hit send, memorize these 15 key expressions categorized by email sections.

1. Starting the email

Forget the outdated and stiff Dear Sir/Madam (unless writing a formal letter to a court or government office). In daily business communication, use these greetings:

• Hi John, (The most universal and safe greeting).
• Hi Team, (Ideal for group messages).
• Dear Ms. Davis, (More formal, when contacting someone for the first time).

2. Stating your purpose

Get straight to the point. Nobody has time for fluff in business.

• I am writing to update you on...
• Just a quick follow-up on...
• I am reaching out regarding...

3. Requests and questions (Softening your language)

English speakers love diplomacy. Instead of commands, use questions and conditional sentences.

• Would you mind checking this? (Important: after would you mind, we always use a verb ending in -ing).
• Could you please provide more details?
• I would appreciate your feedback on this.

4. Informing about attachments

Let the recipient know you have attached files so they don't miss them.

• Please find attached the report.
• I have attached the updated files.
• You will find the details in the attachment below.

5. Closing and signing off

Leave a good impression and state the next step.

• Let me know if you have any questions.
• Best regards, (Universal, professional, and safe).
• Kind regards, (Slightly more formal).

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Ready-to-Use Templates: Business English in Action

We have prepared three of the most commonly used email templates in the workplace. You can copy them in full, fill in your details, and send them immediately.

Template 1: Scheduling a meeting

Here is a ready-to-use template to help you set a meeting time. It includes natural phrasing for availability:

Subject: Proposed times for our project kickoff

Hi Mark,

I hope you are having a productive week.

I would like to schedule a quick meeting to discuss the project kickoff.
Could you please let me know your availability for this Thursday?
Alternatively, we could meet on Friday morning.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Polish translation of the template:

• Temat: Proponowane terminy rozpoczęcia projektu
• Treść: Cześć Mark, mam nadzieję, że masz udany tydzień. Chciałbym zaplanować krótkie spotkanie, aby omówić start projektu. Czy mógłbyś dać mi znać, jak stoisz z czasem w ten czwartek? Alternatywnie możemy spotkać się w piątek rano. Czekam na Twoją odpowiedź. Pozdrawiam serdecznie, [Twoje Imię].

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Template 2: Sending files for approval

Use this template when you need a swift review of documents before an important meeting:

Subject: Project presentation for review

Hi Sarah,

Please find attached the draft of our quarterly presentation.
I have updated the slides with the latest metrics.

I would appreciate it if you could review the numbers before tomorrow's meeting.
Let me know if you need any adjustments.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]

Polish translation of the template:

• Temat: Prezentacja projektu do recenzji
• Treść: Cześć Sarah, w załączniku przesyłam wersję roboczą naszej prezentacji kwartalnej. Zaktualizowałem slajdy o najnowsze wskaźniki. Byłbym wdzięczny, gdybyś mogła przejrzeć te dane przed jutrzejszym spotkaniem. Daj mi znać, jeśli potrzebujesz jakichś poprawek. Pozdrawiam ciepło, [Twoje Imię].

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Template 3: Chasing a response

When a deadline is approaching and someone is taking long to reply. This template is firm yet fully professional and polite:

Subject: Follow-up: Feedback on the marketing budget

Hi David,

I hope this email finds you well.

I am following up on my previous message regarding the marketing budget proposal.
We need to finalize the plan by Friday, so your feedback is very important to us.

Could you please let me know when you will be able to review it?

Thanks for your help with this.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Polish translation of the template:

• Temat: Przypomnienie: Opinia o budżecie marketingowym
• Treść: Cześć David, mam nadzieję, że u Ciebie wszystko w porządku. Nawiązuję do mojej poprzedniej wiadomości w sprawie propozycji budżetu marketingowego. Musimy sfinalizować ten plan do piątku, więc Twoja opinia jest dla nas niezwykle ważna. Czy mógłbyś dać mi znać, kiedy dasz radę go przejrzeć? Dzięki za pomoc w tej sprawie. Pozdrawiam, [Twoje Imię].

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[!IMPORTANT]

🎁 Free PDF Download: English Email Toolkit (Phrases + Templates)

Stop wasting time on tedious translations and struggling with language barriers. Download our handy PDF cheat sheet, which you can save to your desktop and keep nearby during your workday.

What is inside?

• 50 ready-to-use email templates for any business scenario (from rate negotiations to polite declines and reporting bugs).
• A list of 30 key phrasal verbs to make your emails sound 100% natural, not bookish.
• Proven ChatGPT prompts to turn your rough Polish notes into flawless, professional English emails in 5 seconds.

>> GET YOUR FREE PDF TOOLKIT << (Simply enter your email address in the form below, and we will send the file straight to your inbox)