A job application. A request to your manager. A complaint to a hotel. Very often, your English is judged first by an email — and most people read emails in a few seconds.
The good news: professional emails follow a simple structure, and they reuse the same polite phrases again and again. Learn the structure and a few phrases, and you can write a confident email at almost any level.
The 5-part structure
- Subject line — short and specific: “Request for a day off on Friday 14 June”.
- Greeting — “Dear Ms Ahmadi,” (formal) or “Hi Sara,” (friendly colleague).
- Purpose — say why you are writing in the first sentence.
- Details — the information the reader needs, in short paragraphs.
- Action and closing — say what you want to happen next, then sign off.
Useful phrases
Starting
- I am writing to ask about…
- I am writing regarding…
- Thank you for your email about…
Asking politely
- Could you please…?
- Would it be possible to…?
- I would be grateful if you could…
Apologising
- I apologise for the delay in replying.
- I am sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Closing
- Please let me know if you have any questions.
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- Best regards, / Kind regards,
Template 1 — Asking for something
Subject: Request for a day off on Friday
Dear Mr Karimi,
I am writing to ask if I could take a day off this Friday, 14 June, for a family event.
I have finished the monthly report, and Ali has kindly agreed to cover my calls.
Please let me know if this is possible.
Kind regards,
Maryam
Template 2 — Following up
Subject: Following up: job application – Marketing Assistant
Dear Hiring Team,
I hope you are well. I am writing to follow up on my application for the Marketing Assistant position, which I sent on 2 May.
I am still very interested in the role and would be happy to provide any further information.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
Omar
Template 3 — Apologising
Subject: Apologies for the late delivery
Dear Ms Rahimi,
I apologise for the delay with your order. Due to a problem with our supplier, it will arrive on Thursday instead of Monday.
To thank you for your patience, we have added free delivery to your next order.
Kind regards,
Customer Service Team
Common mistakes: writing the whole email in one long paragraph; starting with “I want…” (try “I would like…”); forgetting a clear action (“Could you confirm by Wednesday?”).
Get instant feedback on your email
Write your email, then let an AI coach check it before you send it. AMUORA’s Writing Coach gives you a score, your CEFR level, every mistake with a simple explanation — and a more professional version you can learn from. There are ready-made email tasks too: asking for a day off, complaining to a hotel, applying for a job.
Free daily check — see your level and a better version in seconds.