Formal Email Structure
Subject, greeting, purpose, details, closing.
Examples
- Dear Mr Lee, I am writing to enquire about...
Key rules
- A formal email has a clear subject line, a formal greeting, a purpose statement, the key details and a polite closing
- Use Dear Mr Lee or Dear Ms Patel
- Close with Yours sincerely (named) or Yours faithfully (unnamed)
Common mistakes
- Hey Mr Lee, → Dear Mr Lee,
- Thanks, bye! → Yours sincerely, (followed by your full name)
Use cases
- Writing to a manager or teacher
- Contacting a company for information
- Replying to an official enquiry
💡 Tip: Put the main request in the first two sentences so the reader does not need to search for it.