LIFE018 · Writing a Formal Email: Structure, Register, and the Rules That Matter

📧 Writing a Formal Email: Structure That Works

Level: B2  |  Time: 5 min  |  Focus: Writing skill — formal register and structure

📖 From Sourov’s world: I once reconstructed a career from fifteen years of sent emails. Every important conversation I ever had professionally — every request, every objection, every result — was in an email. A well-written formal email is a document. It exists. It proves things. Learn to write one well.

🔑 Formal Email Structure

🚫 Informal → Formal

Informal	Formal
Hi / Hey	Dear Mr Smith / Dear Sir or Madam
I want to ask about…	I am writing to enquire about…
Can you send me…?	I would be grateful if you could send…
Thanks!	Thank you for your time and assistance.
See you / Bye	I look forward to hearing from you. / Yours sincerely,

✏️ Quick Activity

Rewrite this informal email opening as formal English:

“Hi! I’m looking for info about your English courses. Can you tell me how much they cost and when they start? Thanks!”

👀 Model Answer

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to enquire about your English courses. Could you please provide information regarding fees and start dates? I look forward to your response. Yours faithfully, [Name]

⭐ Takeaway: “Sincerely” when you know the name. “Faithfully” when you don’t. One rule. Every examiner in the world checks this. Get it right every time.