Professional Email Writing Course: Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: Subject lines and clear structure

Busy people scan their inbox. In a few seconds they decide whether to open your email, and whether to act on it. A clear subject line and a clear first paragraph help your message get read and answered.

Subject lines

A good subject line is short and specific. It tells the reader what the email is about and, if possible, what they need to do. Write it last, when you know exactly what your message says.

• Keep it under about 50 characters (6 to 8 words). Some phones show only 33 to 44 characters.
• Use an action word when you need something: "Please approve", "Confirm", "Reply by".
• Add the date when there is a deadline.
• Don't start a sentence in the subject line and finish it in the body.
• If a reply thread moves to a new topic, update the subject line.

Put the main point first

State your purpose in the first one or two sentences. Say why you are writing and what you need. Don't make the reader search for the request or the deadline at the bottom of the email.

For routine messages (requests, orders, simple replies) and for good news, use the direct approach:

1. Main idea: the purpose or request, right away.
2. Details: what the reader needs to know to act.
3. Goodwill close: a short, polite last line, such as thanks or an offer to help.

Keep it short and easy to scan

• Aim for one screen: about 25 lines or 250 words at most. Many emails can be 150 words or less.
• Keep sentences short. Canada.ca's plain-language guidance says the best length is under 15 to 20 words, with one idea per sentence.
• Keep paragraphs short: one main idea and about three sentences.
• Use a numbered list for steps or actions, and bullets for items in no special order.
• Stick to one topic. If you have several unrelated topics, send separate emails with clear subject lines.
• Use bold only for a few key words, such as a date. If you emphasize everything, nothing stands out.

Quiz tematico 1: Subject lines and clear structure

Lesson 2: Greetings, closings and professional tone

Greetings

Match the greeting to the reader and to how formal the situation is. "Dear" is the standard formal greeting in English. "Hello" and "Hi" are less formal and common in email.

Don't guess a person's gender from their first name. If you don't know which courtesy title (Mr., Ms., Mx.) someone uses, write their full name with no title. Mx. is a gender-neutral courtesy title, as in "Dear Mx. White".

Avoid "To Whom It May Concern". It is impersonal and often seen as outdated. Also avoid "Dear Sir or Madam", which leaves out people with a non-binary gender identity. Try to find the person's name first. If you can't, use their job title.

Closings and signature

"Sincerely" works for most formal messages. "Regards", "Best regards" and "Warm regards" are friendlier closes for people you know. Capitalize only the first word ("Best regards", not "Best Regards") and put a comma after the close.

Under your name, add a short signature block: job title, organization and phone number. Keep it simple, with few images and no script (cursive) fonts.

A professional tone

• Say please and thank you where they fit.
• Avoid slang, texting forms ("u", "pls", "thx"), emoji and strings of exclamation marks.
• Don't write words in ALL CAPS. Readers may see it as shouting.
• Use the active voice: "We will mail the cheque on Friday", not "The cheque will be mailed".
• Where you can, tell people what they can do, not only what they can't.
• Contractions (don't, we'll) are fine in everyday email but may be too casual in a very formal message.
• Skip long, insincere small talk. One friendly line is enough.

Plain words

Write out an abbreviation the first time you use it, with the short form in parentheses: "personal protective equipment (PPE)". After that, you can use the short form.

Quiz tematico 2: Greetings, closings and professional tone

Lesson 3: Requests, follow-ups and replies

Make requests precise

A vague request gets a vague answer, or no answer. Say exactly what you need, who should do it and by when.

• Put the request and the deadline near the top. Don't bury the date at the end.
• Use polite question forms: "Could you please…?", "Would you…?"
• Give a short reason. People are more likely to act when they know why it matters.
• If you ask several questions, number them so the reader can answer each one.
• In a longer email, group the follow-up actions together at the end in a numbered list, with names and dates.

Following up

People miss emails. If you get no reply by your deadline, send a follow-up. Wait a fair amount of time first; how long depends on how urgent the matter is.

• Reply in the same thread, so the reader can see your first message and any files.
• Stay polite. Don't blame: "You ignored my email" makes people defensive.
• Restate the request and give a new deadline in one or two sentences.
• Make it easy: attach the file again or offer a quick call.
• If it is urgent and you still hear nothing, phone or speak to the person.

Example: "I'm following up on my email of March 3 about the April schedule. Could you send me your availability by Friday? I've attached the schedule again."

Replying

• First ask: do I need to reply, and who needs my reply?
• Answer every question the sender asked, in the same order.
• If you need time to find an answer, send a short note now that says when you will reply.
• If an email makes you angry, wait. Give yourself up to 24 hours before you answer.

Quiz tematico 3: Requests, follow-ups and replies

Lesson 4: Apologies, complaints and bad news

Apologies

A good apology is short and sincere. It does four things:

1. Says sorry clearly and names the mistake.
2. Takes responsibility. You can explain briefly, but don't make excuses.
3. Says what you have done, or will do, to fix the problem.
4. If it helps, says how you will stop it from happening again.

Avoid non-apologies such as "Sorry if anyone was upset" or "Mistakes were made". They don't name the mistake or accept responsibility, so they sound like you are avoiding blame. One clear apology is enough.

Complaints

Give the business that provided the product or service the first chance to fix the problem. If that doesn't work, write to someone higher up, such as the general manager or owner. Be firm, businesslike and polite. Anger and exaggeration can hurt your chances of getting the problem solved.

• A subject line that names the problem, such as "Damaged order 48213: replacement requested".
• The facts: what you bought, when and where, and any order, model or account number.
• What went wrong, and anything you have already done to fix it.
• The result you want: a refund, repair, replacement or exchange.
• A reasonable time to reply (for example, 10 working days).
• Copies of receipts and warranties. Keep the originals, and keep a copy of your email.

Bad news

Routine messages and good news use the direct approach. For bad news, such as refusing a request or an unwelcome announcement, use the indirect approach:

1. Neutral opening: a plain statement of fact, not the bad news yet.
2. Explanation: give the reasons, step by step.
3. Bad news: state it clearly, right after the reasons.
4. Goodwill close: offer an alternative if you can, and end on a friendly note.

The reader must still understand the decision. Don't hide it so well that they miss it, and don't give false hope.

Some messages should not be sent by email at all. If you must give serious bad news, or you expect a strong negative reaction, think about a phone call or a meeting. You can confirm the details in writing afterward.

Quiz tematico 4: Apologies, complaints and bad news

Lesson 5: Replying to customers

A simple pattern

1. Thank and acknowledge: "Thank you for contacting us about your order."
2. Answer: answer every question, in the order the customer asked.
3. Next steps: what happens next, who does it and when.
4. Close: invite more questions and give your contact details.

Use the customer's name. Write to them as "you", and call your organization "we". Use plain words. A customer won't know what "WO closed, QA passed, ready for PU" means; write "Your laptop is repaired. You can pick it up after 2 pm today."

Upset customers

• Read the whole message twice. Find the real problem and what the customer wants.
• Acknowledge the facts and the feeling: "I understand how frustrating it is to wait two weeks for a refund."
• Don't argue. Don't blame the customer or another department.
• If your organization made a mistake, apologize for it clearly.
• Give a specific fix and a date.
• If a message has insults or threats, stay calm, don't answer in the same tone, and follow your workplace policy. Ask a supervisor for help if you need it.

Promises and timelines

"We'll look into it" is vague. "I've asked our warehouse to ship a new one. You'll get a tracking number by email by Wednesday, March 11" is specific. Promise only what you can deliver, because a broken promise makes the customer more upset. If you don't know the answer yet, say that you are finding out and when you will reply.

Privacy in replies

Before you send account details, check that you are writing to the right person at the right address. Include only the personal information the customer needs. Never ask customers to send passwords by email.

Quiz tematico 5: Replying to customers

Lesson 6: Recipients, attachments and privacy

To, CC and BCC

Use BCC (or a bulk email tool that sends each person their own copy) when you email many people outside your organization who don't know each other, such as customers. If you put their addresses in To or CC, every person can see everyone's email address. That can be a privacy breach.

This happens in real life. In one case reviewed by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, a federal department emailed 636 people using the To field instead of BCC, and the commissioner found the complaint well-founded. In another case, a service provider put nearly 300 customers' addresses in the CC field.

Be careful when you use BCC to copy someone quietly. If that person clicks Reply all, everyone will see their reply and know they were copied.

Reply all and forwarding

• Use Reply all only when everyone on the list needs your reply. A quick "Thanks" usually goes to the sender only.
• When you add someone to a thread, say why: "I'm adding Lee, who handles payroll."
• Before you forward a thread, read all of it. Earlier messages may contain information the new reader should not see.
• Ask the writer's permission before you forward a message that contains personal information.
• Assume that anyone could end up reading your email.

Attachments and links

• Attach only what is essential, and say in the email what the file is and why it matters: "The attached schedule shows your April shifts."
• Check that the file is really attached before you click Send.
• Give files clear names, such as "2026-04-shift-schedule.pdf", not "scan001.pdf".
• If the document is already on a shared drive, send a link instead of a copy.

Personal information and security

Under Canada's private-sector privacy law (PIPEDA), personal information is any information about an identifiable person. Examples include age, ID numbers, income, medical records, opinions, evaluations and disciplinary actions. Send it only to people who need it, send only what they need, and follow your workplace's rules, such as using a secure portal.

Watch for phishing emails. Warning signs include attachments you didn't ask for, odd file names or types (such as .exe), links to login pages, requests for personal or banking information, urgent or threatening language, a wrong sender address and unusual spelling errors. Don't click or reply. Report it the way your workplace asks, and don't forward it to coworkers. If a request looks like it comes from someone you know, check with them using contact details you already have.

Marketing emails have extra rules. Under Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL), a commercial electronic message needs consent, identification information and an unsubscribe mechanism. Unsubscribe requests must be processed without delay, and no later than 10 business days.

Quiz tematico 6: Recipients, attachments and privacy