Start with a clear subject line that describes what the email is about

Your subject line is the first thing someone sees, and it determines whether they read the email now or skim it later. Write something specific about the content, not "Hello" or "Question" or "Important." If you are asking about a job opening, write "Question about the Marketing Manager role posted Tuesday" instead of "Job inquiry." If you are following up on a previous conversation, write "Follow-up: Budget approval for Q2 project" instead of "Re: Budget."

Keep the subject line under ten words when you can. Most people read email on phones, where long subject lines get cut off. A reader should understand the topic in the first five to seven words, even if the rest disappears.

Key Takeaways

  • Use a subject line that describes the actual content, not a generic greeting, so the reader knows what to expect.
  • Start with a greeting and end with a closing and your name, even in short emails — it takes three seconds and sets a professional tone.
  • Break your message into short paragraphs of two to four sentences each, with a blank line between them, so it does not look like a wall of text.
  • Use a standard font like Arial or Calibri in black text on a white background, and avoid colored text, bold, italics, and ALL CAPS except for emphasis on a single word or short phrase.
  • Left-align all text and keep line length reasonable — very long lines are hard to read on any screen.

Open with a greeting and close with your name

Start with "Hi [Name]," or "Hello [Name]," or "Dear [Name]," depending on how formal the relationship is. If you do not know the person's name, "Hello" or "Hi there" works. Do not skip the greeting and jump straight into your message — it makes the email feel abrupt and impersonal, even if the content is friendly.

End with a closing like "Thanks," "Best," "Sincerely," or "Regards," followed by your full name on the next line. This takes five seconds and signals that you are treating the email as a real communication, not a text message. If you work for an organization, include your title and contact information below your name so the reader can reach you if they need to.

Break your message into short paragraphs with blank lines between them

A paragraph should be two to four sentences. When you finish a thought, press Enter twice to create a blank line, then start the next paragraph. This breaks up the visual space and makes the email much easier to scan. A reader should be able to glance at your email and understand the structure in three seconds.

If your message has multiple points or questions, consider numbering them: "I have three questions about the proposal: 1) When is the important date? 2) Who should I send the final version to? 3) Should I include the budget breakdown?" This format makes it clear how many things you are asking about and makes it easier for the reader to answer each one.

Use a standard font in black text on a white background

Stick with fonts that come built into email programs: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. These fonts display the same way on every device and every email program. Fancy fonts, script fonts, or decorative fonts often break or look different on the reader's screen, and they make the email harder to read.

Use black text on a white or light gray background. Colored text, especially light colors on light backgrounds, is hard to read. If you want to emphasize a single word or short phrase, use bold or italics, but do not color the text or use ALL CAPS for whole sentences — it looks like you are shouting. Set your font size to 11 or 12 points; anything smaller is hard to read on a phone, and anything larger looks unprofessional.

Align text to the left and keep lines a reasonable length

Left-align all your text. Center alignment and right alignment are harder to read and look unprofessional in email. Most email programs do this by default, so you usually do not have to change anything.

If you are composing in a program that lets you set line length, aim for 60 to 70 characters per line — roughly the width of a paperback book. Very long lines force the reader's eyes to travel across the whole screen, which is tiring. If your email program does not let you control this, do not worry; most email programs wrap text automatically based on the reader's screen size.

Use lists and spacing to organize information

If you have a series of items, use a bulleted or numbered list instead of writing them in a paragraph. Compare these two:

Paragraph version: "Please bring your driver's license, a recent utility bill, proof of income, and a signed lease to the appointment."

List version:

  • Driver's license
  • Recent utility bill
  • Proof of income
  • Signed lease

The list version takes up more space but is much faster to read and harder to forget. Use a numbered list when the order matters (steps in a process, priorities, important date) and a bulleted list when the order does not matter (items to bring, options to choose from, points to remember).

Avoid attachments unless they are necessary, and name them clearly

If you can paste the information into the email body, do that instead of attaching a file. Attachments slow down email and sometimes get caught in spam filters. If you do need to attach something, give the file a clear name that describes what it is: "2024_Tax_Return.pdf" instead of "Document1.pdf" or "Final_FINAL_v3.docx."

Keep file names short and use underscores or hyphens instead of spaces — some older email systems do not handle spaces well. If you are sending multiple files, mention them in the email body so the reader knows what to expect: "I have attached the budget spreadsheet and the project timeline."

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use HTML formatting or plain text?

Plain text is safest. HTML formatting (colors, fonts, images) sometimes breaks when the email moves between different programs or devices. If you need to use formatting, keep it straightforward: bold for emphasis, bullet points for lists, and blank lines between paragraphs. Test the email on your phone before you send it.

Is it okay to use emoji in professional emails?

Avoid emoji in formal emails to people you do not know well. In casual emails to colleagues you work with regularly, a single emoji at the end of a sentence is usually fine — it softens the tone. Never use emoji in the subject line or in the opening paragraph. If you are unsure about the relationship, leave them out.

What should I do if my email is very long?

If your email is more than one screen long, consider breaking it into sections with subheadings or sending multiple shorter emails instead. A very long email is hard to read and straightforward to misunderstand. If the information is complex, ask yourself whether a phone call or a meeting would be faster and clearer.

How do I format a reply to someone else's email?

Keep the original message at the bottom for reference, but trim it to only the parts you are responding to. Put your reply above the original message, not below it. If the original email has multiple questions, answer each one in order so the reader can follow your response easily.

Should I use a signature block?

Yes, if you work for an organization. A signature block should include your name, title, organization, phone number, and email address. Most email programs let you set up an automatic signature that appears at the bottom of every email you send. Keep it to four or five lines — longer signatures waste space and look cluttered.