useful phrases and vocabulary for writing business letters

Vocabulary for Writing Business Letters

Key phrases for english language learners.

Business English
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Writing Skills
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Business writing, whether it be letters or emails, has for most people become an almost daily practice. This sheet provides a detailed list of core vocabulary and phrases that are frequently used when writing business letters or business e-mails in English. It can be a valuable starting point for students who need to use English on an everyday basis for written business communications . If you are a teacher, you might find this specific English terminology and letter lingo useful as well.

Oftentimes, these expressions are employed in very specific trade sectors , and thus the core vocabulary sheets go a long way in helping both the instructors and the students inform their formal written expressions.

Opening / Greeting / Reply

Ending / Complimentary Close

Send / Receive / Address / Notify

Price / Payment

Goods / Items

Regarding Something or Someone

Meetings / Negotiations

Meet the Needs

Sell / Order

Other Useful Expressions

useful phrases and vocabulary for writing business letters

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Grammar & Vocab

Business letter writing phrases

Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely; Dear Sir or Dear Mr

On this page we look at important phrases for writing letters and emails, such as when to use Yours faithfully and Yours sincerely , Dear Sir , Dear Madam , and so forth.

You know how important it is to speak good English in an international working environment. If you work for a company which does business abroad, you probably read and write a lot of English, too. Writing, like speaking, is communication. When writing letters and emails we need the skills to be able to express ourselves well and with the correct level of formality.

Do you have that skill? Ask yourself these questions:

In short, you want to give a professional image when you write to your customers and business partners. To get you started, we’ve prepared some lists of standard phrases:

10 good opening lines

We need an opening line in a business letter or professional email: to make reference to previous correspondence; to say how we found the recipient’s name/address; to say why we are writing to the recipient.

10 good closing lines

We need a closing line in a business letter or email:

to make a reference to a future event; to repeat an apology; to offer help

‘Yours faithfully’ or ‘Yours sincerely’ in a business letter?

When the recipient’s name is unknown to you:

When you know the recipient’s name:

When addressing a good friend or colleague:

Dear Jack … Best wishes/Best regards

Addressing whole departments:

Dear Sirs … Yours faithfully

Related Posts

Business Vocabulary

Which words and phrases are best for business writing? While the answer to this question depends greatly on your line of business, it pays to build a professional business vocabulary. Read on for business writing do’s and don’ts, common business English vocabulary, and some examples of the best words to use to spice up your business writing.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Business Writing & Vocabulary

Today’s business world runs on information, so remember this quick ABC: Always be concise. This is one of the biggest, most important “do’s” and it is one of the primary reasons for building a solid business vocabulary. Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when writing for business, no matter what the topic.

Wonderful Words: Try These and Spice Up Your Business Vocabulary

Today’s business environment is much different from the way it was in the past, and there are quite a few business vocabulary words that are best left out of communications. Bottom line? If a buzzword or phrase looks complicated, don’t use it. Stay genuine and always use language that is plain and clear.

Here are some examples:

These are just a few of the many fantastic words you can incorporate into your business vocabulary. In the event you are looking for a new way to say something, Ginger synonym provides instant help to enrich your documents and improve your business vocabulary.

Building Your Business English Vocabulary

One of the best ways to build your business English vocabulary is to take a business writing course if you haven’t already done so. No time for school? You can increase your word power by reading more. Spend a little time each day reviewing business writing tips and re-reading correspondence that includes the type of language you would like to use.

Ginger has many resources you can use free. Take advantage of them as often as you like.

Corporate English training

30 words & expressions to enhance your business English vocabulary

What is business english vocabulary, why is business english vocabulary important, the most effective method, 1. cut corners, 2. back to the drawing board, 3. call it a day, 4. workflow, 5. touch base, 6. reach out, 7. keep me in the loop, 8. drill down into, 9. as of yet, 10. forward planning, 11. at the end of the day, 12. proactive, 13. action points, 14. actionable, 15. cut to the chase, 16. get the ball rolling, 17. stay ahead of the curve, 18. due diligence, 19. best practice, 20. upskill, 21. dynamic, 22. streamline, 24. go the extra mile, 25. expedite, 26. down the line, 27 . micromanage, 28. going forward, 30. close of play, business english vocabulary by category, discover a list of the most common business terms and expressions you will hear around the office. enhance your business english with preply business..

You’d never think it, but business English vocabulary can be absolutely lawless. A Wild West of weird terms and phrases that defy logic and ruthlessly break grammar rules.

Business jargon occupies a strange language niche. Its terms and phrases are, in one sense, slang, but are also considered formal and polite.

Take a look below at 30 strange — yet very common — business English expressions and idioms that will help you navigate the distinct language of the corporate world.

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Business English vocabulary consists of words and phrases that are typically used in corporate environments in which English is the lingua franca.

Some specific contexts that often require this terminology are business emails, meetings, proposals, business English negotiations, newsletters, presentations, reports, calls, conferences, etc.

The most common words in business English can be used across different industries (e.g., trade, finance, technology, insurance) and among coworkers from different departments. Yet this type of English also includes specialized vocabulary for distinct professions.

For example, you’ll likely hear the term “multitasking” in many corporate settings but only need to know what “responsive design” means if you’re a software engineer

For obvious reasons, developing a professional English vocabulary is critical to success for anyone working in an English-speaking company or country.

However, it can also benefit business people from all over the world, as English is widely considered the global language of business .

In short, corporate English training and business English courses enable you to politely, persuasively, and authentically communicate with English-speaking colleagues, clients, managers, associates, etc.

Moreover, you’ll be able to compete for jobs at an international level, stay on top of current business trends shared in English publications and networking events, perform any job task requiring English proficiency, and increase your job security as an English-speaking asset.

Clearly, acquiring an advanced business English vocabulary, and acquiring business English certifications, has the potential to take any professional’s career to new heights.

How to improve your business English vocabulary?

There are many strategies that you can use to enhance your knowledge of business English terms and expressions. Here are some tactics that can help get you started:

However, the most efficient means to learn business English vocabulary quickly and effectively is to sign up for corporate English training and work 1-on-1 with an experienced tutor.

These language experts can craft a customized learning plan for you that can involve some or all of the instructional approaches listed above, thereby engaging your interests and expediting your progress in the process.

And the proof is in the pudding. Take it from Marc, a businessman who used Preply’s English classes to advance his professional career in New York: “For my new job, I needed to be able to bring more nuance to my conversations. Now, I’m calmer when I take part in large meetings with other managers who come from the UK.”

It’s no surprise that personalized learning makes all the difference as you take on the challenge of learning business English terms and phrases.

30 Business English words and phrases

You have probably already seen or heard many of the words and idioms below used in business meetings, emails , and chats around the coffee machine.

These idioms and phrases will be useful to anyone learning English for work. But use them sparingly: everyone loves to hate the overuse of corporate-speak!

“The new filing system won’t work if we cut corners .”

“To cut corners” is to complete a task in a fast and careless way. It means to do something without paying attention to details, thereby making mistakes or causing new problems.

“The client hated your proposal, so we’ll have to go back to the drawing board .”

“He’s going back to the drawing board on this one.”

To go “back to the drawing board” means to start again from the beginning with completely new ideas. The phrase makes you think of a blackboard being wiped clean. It is most often used when an idea or project is rejected.

It sounds quite friendly when you use it to say that you’re scrapping your own idea. However, asking someone else to “go back to the drawing board” on a project can come off a bit strong!

“Right team, we’ve made plenty of progress, I think it’s time to call it a day !”

“The trial hasn’t worked, I’m afraid we’re going to have to call it a day .”

To “call it a day” means to quit working on a project, assignment, or task for the rest of the day because you have reached a good stopping point. It can be negative or positive, depending on the context.

Taken literally, it is a phrase stating that the working day is officially over; as in, that was a whole day of work, and I now declare that day finished!

“I am having some workflow issues and won’t be able to help you until next week.”

“How is your workflow at the moment?”

This extremely ungrammatical business phrase has become very common in offices. “Workflow,” unsurprisingly, refers to the pace and sequence of tasks that an employee is expected to complete.

When someone says that they have “workflow issues,” they often mean that they are overworked. It places the blame on the “flow” of incoming tasks (i.e., communication within the workplace) rather than the work itself, which is quite smart, and a good way of explaining a missed deadline!

In rare cases, the term “workflow issues” also describes not having enough work. Most companies actually use project management software to manage their workflows and projects to not have workflow issues.

“How is your workflow?” is a way of asking a colleague whether they have too much work to do, or whether they feel underused. People can be reluctant to answer or ask a direct question about how busy they are at their job, so this is a polite way to talk about the problem.

“If you could just touch base with Ritesh after the meeting, that would be great.”

To “touch base” with someone is to talk to them, whether digitally or in person, and usually briefly. It typically describes keeping someone up-to-date with developments on something you are both working on.

This is an expression that business jargon has adapted from the world of sports. In baseball, players touch a base with their feet in order to be “safe.”

“Don’t hesitate to reach out to Helen if you have any questions.”

To “reach out” is to get in contact with someone, usually a person who you do not know well. It is very common, but can seem like a very strange use of the word “reach,” which implies physical stretching!

Need something to chat about when you are casually “reaching out” to someone? Check out our guide to the 10 most common small talk topics for work .

“Keep Stuart in the loop when discussing the merger, please.”

“Keep me in the loop on decisions about the targets for the next quarter.”

To “keep me/you/her/him/them in the loop” means to keep someone involved and updated about developments in a project or situation. It comes from “looping” someone into an email chain — that is, cc’ing them into the digital conversation. Check out our guide to writing emails in English for more on this.

In addition, you can “keep someone in the loop” by informing them of what happens in meetings, and alerting them when decisions are made.

“I think we can drill down into this further when we meet with the Product team.”

To “drill down into” something is to explore it in more depth.

“As of yet , we have no plans to hire a Social Media Manager.”

This is very commonly seen in emails, and means “at the moment.” This is another time when business jargon defies English grammar rules, yet still comes across as formal!

“I think we need a degree of forward planning on this issue.”

Many business terms make basic concepts sound complicated to come across a little more impressive, and this is one of them. “Forward planning” just means “planning,” since all planning is done for activities that will take place in the future.

Feeling inspired to learn more terms that you could use in a meeting? Check out our article on 63 phrases to take your business presentation to the next level .

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“ At the end of the day , we did the best we could in a difficult situation.”

Despite the reference to the ending of the day, this phrase has nothing to do with time or with going home after work. It means “when everything is taken into consideration” and is used to signify that a speaker is giving their concluding statement on a matter. It can be exchanged for the word “ultimately,”

“At the end of the day” is often heard in business English but is also quite informal.

“I would really appreciate it if you could be proactive in attracting new clients, George.”

This word is not solely used in corporate speak, but it is overused in an office setting. To be “proactive” is to take the initiative on something — which usually means embarking on a new task yourself, without waiting for your colleagues or boss to prompt you. It might also mean taking the first step in contacting someone you are going to work with.

“I came out of the meeting with three action points . One – email Facilities about the printer…”

“As an action point , I will listen to some training podcasts.”

“Action points” are, as you might guess, proposals for specific actions to be taken. This phrase is often heard towards the end of a meeting, or written at the end of a long email.

It is not grammatical, but it is useful since it indicates that you intend to translate ideas from a discussion into practical steps.

“I love your idea about painting the fence, but I don’t think it’s actionable at the moment.”

To describe something as “actionable” means that it is possible to get it done.

“Let’s cut to the chase : are you going to finish the report on time, or not?”

To “cut to the chase” means to “get to the point without wasting time.” It was first used in the movie industry to mean “skip to the car chase” — the most interesting and action-packed part!

It is quite an informal and lesser-used business idiom, but a useful term to be aware of.

“Hopefully, we can get the ball rolling on the new pitch next week.”

To “get the ball rolling” means to get started on something or to begin making meaningful progress.

“We need to stay ahead of the curve , otherwise our competitors will wipe us out.”

Something — like a product or company — that is “ahead of the curve” is more advanced than others of its kind. “The curve” refers to a line on an imaginary graph that shows the growth of a trend. For instance, Instagram was “ahead of the curve” in anticipating how much people would enjoy sharing pictures of their lunch.

To “stay ahead of the curve” is to maintain any advantage you have gained over the competition. It is also sometimes used more generally to describe the need to work hard to avoid losing progress.

“We’ve done our due diligence in researching the candidates and none of the other contractors seem more qualified.”

Until very recently, “due diligence” was a term only used in a legal context. It used to describe the action that is considered reasonable for people to take to stay safe and on the correct side of the law.

In business jargon, “due diligence” refers to the necessary research behind a good decision. If you have done your “due diligence,” you have given an issue the attention it deserves and weighed alternatives to the action you intend to take.

“The CEO decided that organized desks are best practice .”

“I completed the article following all the SEO best practices .”

A “best practice” is a method accepted to be the most effective way of doing something. It can be industry-wide or specific to a company. Many businesses encourage employees to follow a set of “best practices” described in a company handbook — that is, the rules, procedures, and techniques to use in day-to-day operations.

“We chose to upskill a junior employee rather than hire someone senior straight away.”

This business term is another formal yet ungrammatical replacement for an existing word: to train. To some, “upskilling” sounds more youthful than “training.” Regardless, both terms mean to teach employees additional competencies or skills needed to do their jobs.

English for the office

“We launched a dynamic new website in February.”

The word “dynamic” is not exclusive to corporate speak, but it is over-used in professional settings. It is often heard as a more office-friendly way of saying “exciting,” “interesting,” or “new.”

“We need to streamline the archiving process; it’s taking far too long to organize our filest.”

To “streamline” is to simplify and expedite a process by eliminating unnecessary work. Beware if someone talks of “streamlining” your team: the word is sometimes used to hint that non-essential employees will soon lose their jobs.

“I think we need to align with the customer service department on this issue.”

Businesses with high staff numbers often talk about “alignment” between teams. This means ensuring that different departments are working towards the same goals, and not accidentally working against each other or doing similar tasks without sharing what they have learned.

If your boss says you “need to align” on something, that usually means a meeting is coming up soon to get everyone on the same page.

“We always go the extra mile for our customers.”

To “go the extra mile” is to put more effort into a task in order to gain a result which is even better than what was expected or necessary. If someone says you “went the extra mile” on a project, they are praising your work ethic and/or the work you produced!

“Can you ask Basil to expedite the payment process for this, please?”

The word “expedite” is a little old-fashioned for standard conversation, but it is commonly heard in business English. It is a formal way of saying to “speed up.”

“They won’t make a difference now, but we will benefit from positive reviews down the line .”

“Down the line” is a friendly expression for “at some point in the future.” It generally refers to an action that will occur in a few months or years’ time, but this time frame is vague.

A nything that is promised “down the line” will almost certainly happen. That said, it is a useful phrase for making promises you aren’t sure you can keep or referring to results you are not confident in!

“Olga is a good boss because she doesn’t micromanage her team.”

This is a negative word employees might use to discuss the behavior of controlling bosses. To “micromanage” someone means, literally, to manage them on a micro level.

In other words, to watch the details of their work too closely instead of giving them the chance to take responsibility for the work themselves. If your boss stands behind your desk and edits your emails, you might feel that they are “micromanaging” you.

“We need to find out if increasing the budget will be sustainable going forward .”

“ Going forward , I want you to work on your time management.”

The phrase “going forward” is extremely common in business English, especially in emails. It is a more formal way to say “from now onwards.”

It refers to an action that will start now and continue into the immediate future indefinitely.

“We need to let Simon go ; he has been very late almost every day this month.”

“Due to budget cuts, half of the Video Team has been let go .”

“Let go” is a gentle way of saying employees are being fired or made redundant. It is more commonly heard than “fired” since it is considered much more polite.

The word “let” sounds like it could refer to someone leaving their job willingly, but this is not the case: “let go” is never used to talk about someone who has left a company by choice. If there are rumors that employees might be “let go” at your workplace, here’s our handy guide on how to message recruiters on Linkedin .

“We’re going to need the report by close of play Wednesday.”

This is one of the many English idioms which was stolen from the world of sports. In cricket, “close of play” refers to the end of a day’s matches. In the office, it refers to the end of the working day.

As you might guess, it is often heard in countries where cricket is played, such as the UK and Australia, but rarely used in the US.

If you already have a handle on general business English terms or you want to prepare for an English-speaking role in a specific industry or context, then check out these Preply articles designed for a diverse array of professionals:

preply business

Business English jargon can be frustrating to learn. It often involves making simple words and expressions more complicated for the sake of formality — and even native speakers get annoyed by this!

On the other hand, business terms can provide professional ways to talk about sensitive issues, ensure that an email is especially polite when it needs to be, or help you communicate about situations unique to the office.

So, if learning business English vocabulary is what it takes to level up your career, then why not try out Preply’s corporate language training program?

Engaging in these 1-on-1 classes with expert tutors can enable you to not only master the idioms listed above but tackle hundreds of other professional words that will boost your confidence in the workplace and beyond.

Content Writer at Preply. Miranda is from Thanet, UK, but currently lives in Barcelona, where she's working on her muy mal Spanish. She loves going to galleries and writes about that too in her spare time.

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Useful Phrases and Vocabulary for Writing Letters in English

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Below is the list of useful phrases and vocabulary for writing letters in English in a formal and informal way.

Useful Phrases for Writing Letters

Writing a formal letter.

Enclosures and attachment

Writing Business Letter

If writing a business letter in English takes you much longer than in your own language, here are a few guidelines that you may find helpful.

Plan before you write.

Write as you would speak in a business conversation. The tone should be friendly and polite.

To avoid any confusion, write the month instead of using numbers (e.g. January 15th, 2011, or 15 January 2011)

Be concise and clear.

The easier it is to read a letter, the better.

Remember this word order principle :

Who – Does – What – How – Where – When

(Subject – Verb – Object – Manner – Place – Time)

Avoid old-fashioned words

Although they are used in legal documents and contracts, words like ‘herewith’, ‘hereby’, ‘herein’, ‘aforementioned’, etc are rarely used in letters . The following style of sentence is preferable: “You will find more information on our products in the enclosed brochure.”

Writing Letter about Employment

Here are a few Useful Phrases for letter about Employment.

The standard opening for formal correspondence is Dear.

Dear Sir or Madam

Useful phrases:

If you know the name of the person use: Yours sincerely

If you don’t know the name of the person use: Y ours faithfully

Useful Phrases for Personal and Social Correspondence

Here are a few Useful Phrases for Personal and Social Correspondence.

The standard opening for personal correspondence is Dear but variations include:

Closures : For acquaintances and formal situations

Closures : Affectionate variations for close friends and family

If you know the name of the person use:

Yours sincerely

If you don’t know the name of the person use:

Yours faithfully

The Writing Process

Questions to consider while growing your writing:

I. Pre-writing: Time to think

– What do I want to say? – How do I want to say it? – Who will read my writing? – Who can I talk to about my ideas? – Where will I record my ideas?

II. Drafting: Time to write it down

– Are my thoughts organized? – Which ideas do I want to develop? – In what order do I want to say them? – Who can read this and offer suggestions?

III. Revising: Time to improve my writing

– Have I read what I’ve written? – Are my details clear? – Should I add or take out parts? – Have I used the best ideas and words? – Is my writing in a logical order? – What suggestions have others given me?

IV. Editing: Time to make things correct.

– Have I used complete sentences? – Are my spelling, capitalization and punctuation correct? – Have I marked corrections that I need? – Has someone checked my work? – Do I have a corrected copy that I can publish?

V. Publishing: Time to share my writing

– How should I publish this writing? – Should I illustrate and display it? – Should I make it into a book? – Should I read it out loud?

Useful Phrases for Writing Letters | Image

Here is the list of common phrases for writing letters in English with ESL image.

Phrases and Vocabulary for Writing Letters

Wednesday 10th of August 2022

well done, these are very useful sentence for letter writing

Monday 20th of December 2021

this is useful for all kinds of letter

Monday 18th of January 2021

Great Blog! Thanks for all the tips :)

Monday 11th of January 2021

Wednesday 11th of November 2020

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Vocabulary and Phrases Useful for Writing Business Letters
This sheet provides a detailed list of core vocabulary and phrases that are frequently used when writing business letters or business e-mails in English. It can be a valuable starting point for students who need to use English on an everyday basis for written business communications .
Business letter writing phrases – Speakspeak
How to use “nevertheless” in formal writing; More useful phrases for business emails and letters; Business vocabulary exercise: prepositions in business emails; How to use “as” in formal writing; When to pronounce the letter ‘c’ as /s/ or /k/ Business vocabulary exercise: correspondence verbs (attach, reply, forward, enclose) ex. 2
Business Vocabulary | Words to Use in Business Writing
Read on for business writing do’s and don’ts, common business English vocabulary, and some examples of the best words to use to spice up your business writing. The Do’s and Don’ts of Business Writing & Vocabulary. Today’s business world runs on information, so remember this quick ABC: Always be concise.
Useful phrases and vocabulary for writing business letters.
Ending business letters Sincerely, } Yours sincerely,} for all customers / clients Sincerely yours,} Yours faithfully, in more formal letters Regards, for those you already know and/or with whom you have a working relationship
Business English Vocabulary: 30 Terms to Enhance Your ...
28. Going forward. “We need to find out if increasing the budget will be sustainable going forward.”. “Going forward, I want you to work on your time management.”. The phrase “going forward” is extremely common in business English, especially in emails. It is a more formal way to say “from now onwards.”.
Useful Phrases and Vocabulary for Writing Letters in English
Useful phrases: Thank you for your letter [inviting, offering, confirming] I am very grateful to you for [letting me know, offering, writing] It was so kind of you to [write, invite, send] Many thanks for [sending, inviting, enclosing] I am writing to tell you that. I am delighted to announce that.
Business letters useful phrases and vocabulary, page 1|Learn ...
Business English - useful phrases and vocabulary for writing business letters - for learners of English, page 1.
100 Email Phrases To Improve Business Communication
Here are seven phrases for using your opening lines to imply that your email is a reply or response: "Thank you for your email regarding…. ". "Thank you for getting back to me so quickly". "In response to your request for…. ". "As per your request…. ". "Thanks so much for your feedback on….