13 Useful Phrases On How To Write Polite Emails And Hide Your Anger

Communication via email has become a crucial part of a daily working routine since it was developed in 1971. Even if you thought emails were dead at any point in your life, the pandemic proved us wrong. And by the end of 2023, the number of worldwide email users is expected to grow to more than 4.3 billion. So, skills in how to write a formal email always will be handy. 

Millennials and gen Z got used to informal texting on social media with all the emojis and GIFs, so it seems rocket science for them to write a proper formal email. It may appear even more challenging if you are mad at your recipient but still need to communicate politely. But you can always gain new writing skills in English to fix your issue with formal email communication. 

Dear learner,

We prepared a detailed article on how to make a formal email. Here you can find general tips for writing a formal email, a structure of a standard formal email, some email examples, and ways to hide your anger and write what you really want to say, in other words, more politely. 

We would like to see your progress in writing formal emails soon. 

Writing A Formal Email: How Do You Professionally Say

There is a brilliant girl on TikTok who cracked a code of corporate language. The such thing probably exists only in English-speaking countries where specific polite communication at work is essential. Her name is Laura, and she makes videos about surviving in the corporate world. Our favorite tiktoks on her page are those that start with "How do you professionally say." On top of everything she posts, Laura gives perfect examples of how to write polite emails and hide your anger. Here are some you can use in your formal emails. 

Respectfully, I don't need your input as I'm capable of doing my job. – Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am confident in my expertise pertaining to this matter. I will be sure to reach out in the future if I require your input. 

How do you have no budget for pay increases, but all the new hires are making more than us? – I understand it is not a priority to reevaluate internal salaries to ensure they align with current market rates. However, I have been informed there is a discrepancy between the salaries being offered to new employees compared to those who have been with the company for a while. I would like to understand if/when an internal salary review will be performed. 

Let's stop wasting time; tell me what I need to do. – Can you share what action items are required for me so I can get started on this?

I have never received training on this. So How do you expect me to do it properly? – I am eager to understand how to correctly complete this task and am requesting training on the tools and processes involved. 

I am not accepting this meeting because it's a waste of my time. I am declining this invitation as I do not feel my participation in this discussion is required. 

I'm not working for free. – Our current work agreement reflects a 40-hour work week. I understand there will be weeks where this number will fluctuate, but those circumstances are exceptions as opposed to the rule. If the expectation is that I work over 40 hours per week, then I would be happy to review my contract and compensation to reflect this change better. 

How many times do I need to tell you this? – I encourage you to write down this information to refer back to in the future instead of relying on me to communicate it again. 

I can't keep doing the job of 4 people, so hire someone. – Do you have a timeline for when we are planning to hire someone to assist with my workload? The number of responsibilities I have absorbed is not sustainable long term, and I would benefit from some additional support. 

While I'm on vacation, don't try to contact me. Pretend I don't exist. – While I am off, I will not be reachable, so please do not expect a response. However, I have __ as a contact point while I am out of the office. 

It's not urgent just because you want it to be. – I understand this is a priority for you, and I will get to it when I am able to, as I am currently working on more pressing items.  

I'm not answering you until you learn how to spell my name correctly. – Please note that my name is Laura, and I would appreciate you spelling it correctly when addressing me. 

I don't care. – I am not passionate about this and will defer to your judgment here. 

How To Write A Formal Email From Scratch

Writing a formal email may seem like a piece of a difficult task that nobody trained you for. Only when people start their careers in international companies do they realize how many emails they have to write every day and that one email can lead to a big success or a massive failure in the future. That is why you should follow the next tips on how to write a formal email. 

Set the right tone

Nowadays, people talk a lot about brands' tone of voice on their social media and communication in general. The tone of voice may seem like a minor detail, but it is a crucial part of how you represent yourself. So, your formal emails must reflect the right tone for you to be perceived correctly. 

There are no facial expressions, the pace and pitch of your speech in formal emails. But you still have to give a person who reads your email a good impression of yourself and the topic you pitch to them. What is the best way to do that? Select words and combine them carefully. 

Don't use slang, be respectful, polite, and sincere; keep your emotions to yourself and prioritize your information. Click here to read more on how to strike the right tone in an email. 

Don't make jokes

Writing a formal email is different than texting your buddy on socials. So, please, keep jokes aside. Some people might not be ready for your hilarious punchlines or sarcasm. So, there is no place for humor in formal emails. 

Use sentence case

Capitalizing the first letter of the first word in a sentence after salutations is an absolute must for any formal email. Always use a sentence case to show your professionalism in writing emails. 

Skip the exclamation points

For some reason using exclamation points in emails can be considered yelling or a demand. That is why using them in formal emails isn't recommended. There is only one place for an exclamation point in your formal email. It would be best if you used it only to express excitement. And one is totally enough!!!!

Remember about cultural differences

How to make a formal email readable for any person? Mind cultural differences. It is a crucial detail that will help you to build the best communication. Knowing specifics and nuances of the recipient's culture is your key to success. So, don't neglect familiarizing yourself with cultural differences when writing a formal email. 

Use standard fonts

It should be obvious, but we still will underline it - use the standard font for your formal emails. The best ones are Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, Courier, and Times New Roman. The color of the font is always black. If you need to highlight something, use bold type. The right size is either 10-point or 12-point. 

Double-check the recipient's name

Spelling names in English may be a real pain for both non-natives and natives. So, always double-check the recipient's name before sending an email. Do not shorten their name and stick to the version they provide in the signature. Nothing is more annoying than reading your name spelled wrong in the email. Would you do business with someone who called you Alisa when your name is Alina? Exactly. 

How To Format A Formal Email

A formal email has a pretty specific structure to follow. Once you get familiar with it and practice it a couple of times, you will be a pro at writing formal emails. So, a formal email consists of the subject line, salutations, introduction, body, and closing. Let's consider all parts one by one. 

Subject line

The subject line for an email is as much important as the title of a book or article. The main difference is that the subject line can't be too creative. Instead, it should be clear, short, and precise to grab attention to your email. 

The subject line has to describe your email in just a couple of words. Otherwise, you risk that it won't be read at all. However, you may want to use a trick from email marketing to make a complete stranger read a very important email for you. For example, if you apply for the role of Marketing Manager at Netflix, the subject line of your application email can be "New Marketing Manager CEE." It will make your potential boss think that it's a suggestion email from the recruiter or that the person for the role was already hired, and that's how they introduce themselves. 

Salutations

Salutations or greetings are one of the most vital things in your email. It sets up the mood for the whole letter. Because for instance, if you misspell your recipient's name, it will make them turn against you. They might think you are careless and not attentive enough. 

The win-win salutation for any formal email is "Dear." It can be completed with the first name of a person you are messaging to, "recruiter," if you don't know the name of a worker, Ms./Mrs./Mr. <Last name>, "colleagues" for group email, etc. Also, you can use "To whom it may concern" if you write to the general email address and have no idea who may read it. The Ms./Mrs./Mr. <Last name> salutation can be tricky if you don't know what pronounces the person uses. In that case, use something listed before in order not to be "misgendering."

According to the Perkbox Insights survey, the top 5 best greetings for work emails include "Hi," "Good morning/afternoon," "Hello," "Dear," and "Happy Friday!" On the other hand, emails without any greetings can't stand 53% of the responders. 

Introduction

When writing a formal email, do not neglect to introduce yourself if you haven't contacted the person before. You can write something like: "My name is John Smith. I am a PR manager at Megamall." Also, it won't do any harm if you introduce yourself to a person you've previously communicated with to remind them who you are. It might put them in a good mood if the last communication was beneficial for them. 

Another essential thing in a formal email is an opening line. It is used when you know the person you are writing to. The most common opening line in a formal email is "I hope you are doing well," which, through the years, became a cliché. So, we won't recommend using it. Instead, you can write "I hope you are having a wonderful day" or “Further to our earlier exchange….”

Body

When all the necessary formality is written, you can finally get to the point of your formal letter. So how do you write a formal email?

Writing a formal email, stick to the rule "One topic for one email." Of course, you can have several work tasks to be discussed with the same colleague. But it won't be effective to discuss all of them in one email. 

We have an excellent tip for you if you don't know how to make a formal email easy to read. Use the Pyramid Principle, which states to start with the main point in the first paragraph and move to the details in the next paragraphs. It will help the recipient to understand your email's topic immediately and build effective communication from the very beginning.  

The body of a formal email should be brief and clear, maximum of one laptop screen length. If you have a lot of information on a subject, it is more convenient to attach it to an email as a document or a link. In that case, the person you are writing to won't get concerned about the quantity of information to get acquainted with. 

And last but not least, keep your email structured. In that way, it will be easier to read. Always break the body of the email into short logical paragraphs. If needed, add a list with bullet points. 

Closing

As with every real-life conversation or a Zoom call, a formal email must have a closing. You have to let your readers know that you have ended your thought. But you can't just say "thank you, goodbye." A formal email has to have a specific ending which consists of three parts – sign-off, your name, and signature. Let's look at all the parts closely. 

1. Sign-off‍

Sign-off is a specific word or phrase in an email that signals about the ending of your email. The best examples are "Sincerely," "Kind regards," "Respectfully," "Best wishes," and "With best wishes." They are formal enough and don't have hidden double meanings like "Looking forward to hearing from you," which may be considered a passive-aggressive demand. 

2. Your name

‍Always put your full name at the end of your email, even if you introduced yourself in the beginning or a recipient knows you well. It helps people to identify a person they are communicating with for further updates. Don't sign with a short version of your name to sound more professional. 

3. Signature‍

Include your current position, company name, and contact information (email, phone number, LinkedIn, and a professional website) to let your readers know how they can reach you. You can create a professionally designed closing for your emails using a special tool. Check settings to add it to your every email. 

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How To Compose A Formal Email: 5 Examples To Use

Even after getting tips and learning to format a formal email, you still need examples of different formal emails. In addition, they will help you to understand what exactly you can write for varied purposes of formal emails. So, we prepared five examples of formal emails you can use with slight changes. 

Formal application email example

Hi Netflix Team,

My name is Andrzej Nowak, and I am a Marketing Specialist from Warsaw. I was genuinely excited to learn that Netflix opened an office in Poland. So, I would like to offer myself as someone who would greatly benefit the company in the position of Marketing Manager CEE at Netflix.

Describe your experience with examples from previous workplaces.

I would be thrilled to get an interview with the Netflix team, learn more about your internal culture and show how my experience can contribute to even more amazing initiatives at Netflix. 

Sincerely,

Andrzej Nowak 

Marketing Specialist

anowak@gmail.com

Formal resignation email example

Hi Aliah,

I am writing to notify you that I am resigning from my role as a Social Media Lead. My last working day will be May 4th. Thank you for everything I have learned at the company. Working in the team gave me a valuable experience for my future career path. 

I am planning to close all my current tasks for a smoother handover. I would appreciate it if you could discuss my resignation in more detail. 

Best regards,

Clair Watson

Social Media Lead, BBL Software

cwatson@bbl.com

Formal complaint email example

Dear Pringles,

My name is Jack Dawson. I am contacting you to complain about my experience with your product as a customer on January 23rd. I bought a pack of your chips to enjoy my first day off in a month. But when I opened it there was no food. 

I have been an advocate of your brand for ten years and was oppressed that you let me down and ruined my day. I expected a high-standard product and received nothing. 

I would like to request back the money I spent on the pack of chips and receive financial compensation for moral damages. 

Yours faithfully, 

Jack Dawson

Formal recommendation email example

To whom it may concern,

My name is Olena Petryk, and I am a Publicity Manager at B&H Film Distribution, an official representative of Sony Pictures Studio in Ukraine. 

I am writing this letter to recommend Kateryna Petrenko as a Marketing Manager for Netflix. I have known Kateryna for the last four years, and we have frequently collaborated on different projects during this time. 

Kateryna possesses solid writing, communication, and management skills. She is a bright, dedicated, and passionate worker. Her enthusiasm for her job is apparent in everything she does. Kateryna has a positive attitude that makes her a pleasure to work with. She is also well-organized and keeps track of the details necessary to coordinate projects. 

I highly recommend Kateryna for any job she is considering at Sony Pictures Entertainment. I believe she will be a great addition to your company. 

If you have any questions about Kateryna, please, feel free to contact me at opetryk@b&h.com. 

Sincerely,

Olena Petryk

Publicity Manager, B&H Film Distribution

opetryk@b&h.com

Formal invitation email example

Dear colleagues,

This is Loraine Johnson, an Event Manager at Scalers. I am happy to invite you to our annual team-building event that will take place on June 1st at Maimi Club Resort. The event starts at 10 am and will last till midnight.

All company members can take +1 to this event. So, please, make sure to RSVP before May 15th. Also, do not forget to take your swimming wear and sunscreen with you. 

Regards,

Loraine Johnson 

Event Manager, Scalers

ljohnson@scalers.com

How Can Promova Help Me To Write A Formal Email?

Promova is the best platform to learn how to write a formal email. We offer you various activities and learning options to become a pro at writing formal emails. 

First, you can benefit from the Business English course on the app. There you will find dozens of useful vocabulary for business communication, a short manual reminder on how to properly write a formal email, five email etiquette tips, and examples of formal emails. Also, you can work on your grammar with short video lessons on the app and learn how to compose a formal email with fun vocabulary from the Office sitcom.

Secondly, you can take lessons with our certified native-level English tutors to learn how to write a formal email. Depending on your long-term goals, you can work either with English Writing Tutor or Business English Tutor. Both of them will do the maximum for your success. We guarantee you will learn how to write formal professional emails within several lessons. 

Conclusion

Writing a formal email in English is challenging but possible. Knowing how to format a formal email and the basic rules of composing it will make your e-communication much easier. That is why in this article, we gave you everything you need to know on how to write a polite email and hide your anger. But only practice makes perfect. So, push yourself to write a formal email once in a while and keep it in your drafts to follow your progress. 

Sincerely, Promova.