Emailing- Starters and Endings

Match the email phrase starters and endings

Try to think of three endings for each starter below. Sometimes one option is to put nothing after the part that is given, in which case you can just write a dash (“–“)

Opening greeting

Dear +

 

 

 

Opening line

Thanks/ Thank you +

 

 

 

I’m writing (to you) +

 

 

 

Closing line

I look forward to/ (I’m) looking forward to +

 

 

 

Thanks/ Thank you +

 

 

 

If you require any further information/ you have any (more) questions/ need any more info/ anything isn’t clear +

 

 

 

(I) hope +

 

 

 

Closing greeting

Yours +

 

 

 

Best +

Match these cards to the sentence stems above. Some don’t match with the phrases you have seen so far. (You will use them later in a different way, so just ignore them for now).

about…./ in order to…/ to…/ because…/ in connection with…/ regarding…/ concerning…

again/ in advance/ - / for your patience/ for your understanding

are you/ was your weekend/ ‘s it going/ ‘s life/ are things/ have you been

attached/ below/ enclosed

first name/ everyone/ guys/ -

for your quick reply/ for your email about…/ for meeting me yesterday/ for using our…

hearing from you/ hearing from you soon/ your reply/ seeing you again

later/ then/ on Monday/ next week

meet you last week/ see you again yesterday/ hear from you

Mr + family name/ Ms + family name/ Dr + family name/ Sir or Madam/ first name/ all

please do not hesitate to contact me/ let me know/ please get in touch/ just drop me a line

regards/ wishes/ -

sincerely/ faithfully/ -

tell me…/ let me know…/ give me some information about…/ help me with…

that is okay/ that is acceptable with you/ we have the chance to meet again soon

you (and your family) are well/ you had a good weekend/ the weather has improved there

 

Try to think of starters for the other cards above which you haven’t matched yet.

Match the other cards to the starters below.

Opening greeting

Hi +

 

 

 

Opening line

How + ?

 

 

 

(I) hope +

 

 

 

It was so nice to +

 

 

 

Main body of the email

Could you/ Could you possibly/ I would be grateful if you could + ?

 

 

 

Please find the information +

 

 

 

Closing line

See you +

 

 

 

Check as a class or with the suggested answers.

Suggested answers

Opening greeting

Dear +

Mr + family name/ Ms + family name/ Dr + family name/ Sir or Madam/ first name/ all

 

Opening line

Thanks/ Thank you +

for your quick reply/ for your email about…/ for meeting me yesterday/ for using our…

 

I’m writing (to you) +

about…./ in order to…/ to…/ because…/ in connection with…/ regarding…/ concerning…

 

Closing line

I look forward to/ (I’m) looking forward to +

hearing from you/ hearing from you soon/ your reply/ seeing you again

 

Thanks/ Thank you +

again/ in advance/ - / for your patience/ for your understanding

 

If you require any further information/ you have any (more) questions/ need any more info/ anything isn’t clear +

please do not hesitate to contact me/ let me know/ please get in touch/ just drop me a line

 

(I) hope +

that is okay/ that is acceptable with you/ we have the chance to meet again soon

 

Closing greeting

Yours +

sincerely/ faithfully/ -

 

Best +

regards/ wishes/ -

Opening greeting

Hi +

first name/ everyone/ guys/ -

 

Opening line

How + ?

are you/ was your weekend/ ‘s it going/ ‘s life/ are things/ have you been

 

(I) hope +

you (and your family) are well/ you had a good weekend/ the weather has improved there

 

It was so nice to +

meet you last week/ see you again yesterday/ hear from you

 

Main body of the email

Could you/ Could you possibly/ I would be grateful if you could + ?

tell me…/ let me know…/ give me some information about…/ help me with…

 

Please find the information +

attached/ below/ enclosed

 

Closing line

See you +

later/ then/ on Monday/ next week

 

Test each other on the phrases above:

• Read the endings in one section above until your partner remembers the beginning
• Read out a beginning and help your partner come up with all the endings
• Take turns adding phrases to emails, using different whole phrases from above each time (writing it down or just orally). If anyone can’t continue the email you are working on with one of the phrases above, the other person gets a point.
• Do the same, but only using the list of sentence starters to help you. You can reuse the starters, but must finish them in a different way each time.
• Test each other on differences in meaning and formality of the phrases above.