Just like in any other language, the closing part of an email or letter in business and professional English confirms what will happen next or what you want to happen next.

Depending on the requirements of the email you are sending, you can confirm the next contact, make a request, offer them the possibility to contact you etc... But whatever you do write, you have to make sure that the closing part is always polite (because it is the last thing they will read). This is why the vocabulary you choose is important.

In this online exercise on writing emails in English, you will learn different phrases that you can use when closing or finishing formal English emails. In addition, you'll also learn some phrases that you can use in more informal emails too.

Click here to see more of our free online exercises on writing emails/letters

Exercise:

Read the following conversation between Peter and Juan, two work colleagues, about how to write email closings in business and professional English.

From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.

Juan:'I have another question Peter, what should I write when closing an email in English?'

Peter:'Well, it depends on what you want to happen next. If for example, you've answered a question they had. I would write, I hope this answers your question. And then to be very polite you can offer them the possibility to contact you again about this, by writing, If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on my mobile. An informal way to say the same thing would be Give me a ring if you have any problems.'

Juan:'But what would I say if I was going to be on holiday or unavailable? In a formal way.'

Peter:'Then I would start with I will be out of the office on Tuesday. Then after that, If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my colleague Sally Smith on etc...'

Juan:'What would I say after that sentence and before yours sincerely?'

Peter:'If you expect to have more contact with the person, I would write I look forward to hearing from you. You would use that if you expect the contact will be by phone or email. If you are planning to meet or visit them in person, then 'I look forward to seeing you' is what you write. A more informal way to say the same is to change the tense of the verb 'look' in the sentence to the present continuous. For example, I'm looking forward to hearing from you.'

Juan:'If I want them to do something quickly. How could I write that in the closing part of an email in English?'

Peter:'If you want to be very direct and aggressive, you could use Please deal with this matter urgently. Or you can be politer by writing, I would really appreciate it if you could deal with this matter urgently.'

Juan:'And lastly, how could I write 'I'm going to contact them on Tuesday'?'

Peter:'Easy, I will contact you on Tuesday.'


Quiz:

Match the words/phrases in bold from the above text to each of the definitions/descriptions below. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.

When the answer is correct, this icon will appear next to the answer. Click on this for extra information on the word/phrase and for a translation.

1. A phrase which means you will be 'unavailable for contact' during a specific time, is

     

I will be out of the office on:
(phrase) Normally, this phrase is followed by the day or date. In Spanish: "voy a estar fuera de la oficina durante".

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2. A formal way at the end of an email to say that you will be happy to hear from the person in the future, is

     

I look forward to hearing from you:
(phrase) With formal letters, it is always written in the present simple tense, e.g. 'I look forward to'. It is always followed by a gerund, e.g. 'hearing from you' (for both voice and written contact) or 'meeting you' or seeing you'. It is written at the end of an email/letter before 'yours sincerely' etc... In Spanish: "Quedo a la espera de sus noticias".

Close

3. A slightly aggressive way to ask somebody to do something, is

     

Please deal with this matter urgently:
(phrase) Although it is a little aggressive, it is still polite. In Spanish: "Por favor, trate este asunto con urgencia o urgentemente".

Close

4. An informal way to invite the person to call you by phone if they have any issues or questions, is

     

Give me a ring if you have any problems:
(phrase) This is used with both informal and neutral emails to work colleagues or clients that you have a close relationship with. It is possible to replace 'have any problems' with 'need anything else'. In Spanish: "Hazme (Llámame) una llamada si tienes algún problema".

Close

5. To tell somebody that you will call or write to them in the future about the subject you are talking about in the email, is

     

I will contact you:
(phrase) Normally, it is followed by the time or date (tomorrow, on Friday, next week etc..). You can also say how you will contact them, e.g. 'by phone' or 'by mail'. In Spanish: "Me comunicaré/Contactaré con usted".

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6. A polite way to ask somebody to do something, is

     

I would really appreciate it if you could:
(phrase) A common and polite phrase, used in both formal and neutral emails. It is used to ask/request someone to do something. A less formal way to say the same is 'can you' or 'could you'. In Spanish: "Se lo agradecería muchísimo si pudiera".

Close

7. A formal way to tell someone that they can speak with you again in the future, is

     

If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on:
(phrase) This phrase should only be used if you want someone to contact you, or you have to offer the person the opportunity to contact you, e.g. with an important client. In Spanish: "Si desea cualquier tipo de ayuda, por favor no dude en ponerse en contacto conmigo".

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8. An informal way to say that you will be happy/excited to hear from or see somebody in the future, is

     

I'm looking forward to hearing from you:
(phrase) This phrase is very similar to 'I look forward to', but uses the present continuous structure 'I'm looking forward to'. It is followed by a gerund (e.g. seeing you) or a noun (e.g. the party). It is only to be used in informal emails and those to friends. In Spanish: "Tengo ganas de ".

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9. A formal way to tell someone if they need further help they should speak with another person in your company, is

     

Please do not hesitate to contact my colleague:
(phrase) 'Colleague' can be replaced with 'help desk', 'customer service dept' etc... With this phrase, it is normal to provide contact details (a phone number). This phrase normally follows 'If you require any further assistance,'. In Spanish: "por favor no dude en ponerse en contacto con mi compañero".

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10. A polite way to say that you expect what you have said in the email has resolved their query/worry, is

     

I hope this answers your question:
(phrase) This is very polite and should be used in formal emails when you're responding and have confirmed something. You can replace 'question' with 'query', which is basically the same. In Spanish: "Espero que esto responda a su pregunta".

Close





Practice

Now that you understand the vocabulary, practise it by writing an email yourself.