What Is Email Fomat and How to Format an Email Properly & Professionally?

Never written an email before? We're taking you all way back to basics in our email school article. We're going to explore the email format, looking at each section to explain how they work together to build a message with meaning.

If you're sat there wondering: "Why should I bother to learn how to write emails correctly?" You don't have to. However, the formal email format s pretty much universal across the world. It's the way to get things done!

For those who want to learn about how to format an email, read on!

What is the proper email format?

Every great email (and even the rubbish ones) is made up of 4 parts. These 4 parts work together, coming together like a beautiful puzzle to create the perfect message.

Miss one of them out (the greeting, for example), and the reader could be confused or even a little offended.

The 4 parts of every email include:

1. Email subject line
2. Emai greeting
3. Email body copy
4. Email sign-off/next steps

Click open "new message" and enter an email address in the "To" box, and we're ready to build our formal English email using the universally accepted email format.

Email subject line

The subject line is where building your formal email starts. Create a bad subject line, and it's also where it could end, too.

Subject lines should provide a clear snapshot of what your email is without the person even having to open it.

There's no consensus, but the best – and most effective – subject lines are short (5 - 7 words).

This is simply because most of us read and review emails on our mobile phones, which will clip subject lines at a certain length.

Writing subject lines is an art form, and we're limited in terms of space here, but here are some subject line options to show you how it works:

• Meeting request – (inert dates)
• (Your name) – Interview confirmation
• Apologies for missing our appointment
• Confirmation of attendance – (Event details)
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The subject line plays a crucial role in setting up the context of your email, so get it right, and you're off to a great start.

Email greeting

Hopefully, the person who received your email has clicked open and is now about to read it. You should always begin with a personalized greeting that uses the person's name.

We recommend choosing one of the following:

• "Hi (person's name)
• "Hello (person's name)

Why not use "Dear"? Because email etiquette has changed. While there is still a place for formal greetings (such as responding to an RSVP request), they're not commonly used at work anymore. You can also file away "Dear Sir/Madam" in the same place (in the bin).

Learn more about email etiquette tips.

Email body copy

The body copy is the core of your messages.

Its length is dictated by what you want to say and the level of detail you're going into. Emails can be as short as a single sentence:

"I can confirm that I have received your meeting request and that I can attend."

However, when writing an email application, you'll want to provide a great deal more information, outlining the role you're applying for and your key skills.

Here are some of the key things to remember when writing formal email body copy:

• Sum everything up in the first one or two sentences (if you can).
• Use the subsequent paragraphs to add more detail.
• Keep things brisk and brief, don't overload people with information.
• Avoid long passages of text and break paragraphs into manageable chunks.
• Feel free to use bullet points and other ways to break up the text.
• Don't forget your contact details.

Email sign off/next steps

If you've followed our instructions above, you've built a great email body copy. If your email is for information only (like confirming attendance at a meeting), you can now click send.

However, if you expect them to do something (reply to you, send document, confirm attendance, etc.), then include a call-to-action (CTA). CTAs are short statements that spell out what you want someone to do. Like this:

"Can you confirm that you've received my application and that I've provided everything that you have asked for?"

If you're proposing a course of action, something we call setting out the next steps, always spell that out at the end of your email.

"The next steps of the process include interviews, which will take place on (insert date)."

You'll want to include an ending (for inspiration, check our guide on how to end formal emails), as well as your name, email signature, and contact details.

This is the process of writing formal emails!

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5 formal email format examples

Still not ready to write your own formal emails quite yet? It's not a problem! Here are 5 formal email format examples written by pros for your viewing pleasure. These cover some of the situations you might experience, but you'll still need to edit, update, and amend them to fit.

Don't cut and paste, but use them as inspiration.

Do I have to use the professional email format?

No! You can do whatever you want. You also jump off the sidewall and walk in the road or attempt to open the passenger door in the middle of a flight.

The professional email format is universally accepted as the done thing. What's great about the formal email format is that it makes it easier to write emails. You don't need to be funny, creative, or find inspiration from anywhere – just stick to the rules.

You'll also find that the professional email format goes across the world. While English is the international language of business, the formal format is used by people writing in all languages.

We hope this blog has shown you how easy it is to write formal messages in the right email format. If you still need a little more support, check out 5 pro tips from the email experts at HIX.AI.

5 pro tips for how to format an email

1. Create a template - If you're worried about missing anything, then create a template. You can use Word, Google Docs, or any other productivity software to create your own template. Then, when you need to write emails, you can work through the format. By the end, there's your final, formal email, 100% formatted correctly.
2. Make it impersonal – OK, so you need to start with the person's name, but after that, you don't need to do too much. Avoid big thank yous or long apologies, this is business, and these people aren't your friends. If they are, then don't send them formal emails.
3. Write in the active voice – Too many business emails stick to the passive voice. This wastes space and time saying and can actually lower your chances of getting the outcome you want. "I'm applying for the role of (job name)" is much more assertive than "I saw a role advertised, and I was considering submitting an application." Which person would you rather interview and employ?
4. Be bold (it's business, after all) – Nobody respects someone who doesn't say what they want. The same principle applies to your emails. Be confident, bold, and clear with what you want. The formal format provides the ideal structure for making your demands clear. Being forthright doesn't mean being rude.
5. Use HIX.AI Email Writer – Professionals are successful because they find the optimal way to complete every task. Spending too long writing formal emails? Let HIX.AI AI email generator do it for you. This professional and powerful AI writing program can create 100% accurate and effective emails in seconds.

Conclusion

Formal emails can flummox even the most adept writer and consummate professional. But strip away the language, and you're left with a simple and easy email format to follow. Start with the subject line, and build your messages from there. Use an active voice, express your demands, and be bold in business. That's the secret to writing successful formal emails.