How to format emails with 6 samples and templates

Whether you're applying for a job, resigning from one, asking for a favor, or saying thanks, effective emails get results. But we're all drowning in emails, instant messages, and other tech and non-tech things vying for our attention, so how can you get attention and keep it? By nailing the correct email format.

If you're worried about how to format an email, don't! There's a simple structure on how to format emails that gets results. Even if English isn't your first language, knowing the format means you can create fun and functional emails that get results. 

We'll give you the foundations of email formats that help you to take your writing to the next level and finish by showing how you can put your skills into practice. Follow this guide (or use MailMaestro's AI email assistant) and you'll always nail the correct email format.

Basic structure of an email

Writing a basic email is like building a jigsaw. First, you need an idea of the whole picture in your mind, and then you assemble the parts. Get everything in the proper order, and you'll get the result you want. 

Miss out a step or jumble up the parts, and you won't. 

Why is that? Because there's a standard email format accepted across the world. It works like this: 

A typical formal email has five parts:

1. Subject line
2. Greeting
3. Opening lines & Body
4. Closing
5. Sign-off

Why does this work? The format is a logical way of answering the questions that we all have. 

A well-structured email helps improve readability and effectiveness. Studies reveal that 47% of emails are discarded based on poor subject lines​, while Business Insider reports that 60% of professionals encounter miscommunication due to unclear emails​.

Let's take a look to see how this works:

1. Subject line: Answers the question: What is this message, and why should I care? 
2. Greeting: Answers the question: Is this for me (or have I received his by accident)?
3. Opening lines & Body: Answers the questions: Who is this from, and what are they telling me (or asking me)?
4. Closing – Answers the question: What do they want me to do?
5. Sign-off: Answers the question: How do I contact this person (and are they polite or rude)?

When you break down the email format, you can see how there's a logical exchange of information. Jumble it up and see what happens…

But before we jump into the nitty-gritty details of an email format, it's important to note that, specifically for formal emails, it's essential to use a professional email address that includes your name and company domain.

Using an unprofessional email address would result in lower credibility and mistrust from the recipient.

Now that we know what each part plays in the email format process let's look at what to include in each section.

Email subject line

The average person receives 100 emails a day, but busy business people could receive hundreds more. Add to that text, IMs, social media alerts, and phone calls (remember them), and you're seriously competing for attention.

Your subject line must be simple, clear, and compelling. And it's even better if it's short. It's advisable that to have effective subject lines, keep them typically ranging from 1 to 7 words.

Compare:

I would like to tender my resignation.

With:

I'm resigning today (Your name)

Which is better?

OK, so the second is a bit abrupt, but it conveys the message in half as many words.

It doesn't matter if you're writing an email to generate a lead, apply for a job or resign from one; always tell the person what it's about and why they should care.

Email body

Every email starts with a greeting that answers the question: Is this for me? The email greeting sets a positive tone for the conversation.

You can use Dear, Hi, Hello, or any other greeting you choose alongside the person's name and (if they have one) professional title. (To avoid upsetting or offending someone, avoid Mr, Mrs, Miss, or Ms.)

• Dear Professor (Name)

• Hi (Name)

• Hello (Name)

You can find some great examples of how to start an email in this post.

Remember that the greeting sets a positive tone for the email and should be tailored based on the relationship with the recipient.

Conversely, avoid using generic greetings like 'To Whom It May Concern'. This is one surefire way to get your recipient's interest. Always go for something more personalized.

OK, so you've grabbed their attention – now you need to answer the questions: Who is this from, and what are they telling me (or asking me)?

It's a good idea to immediately say who you are and where you work. This provides context quickly. (My name is XXX, and I'm contacting you from XXX).

Next, hit them up with the purpose of the email.

Compare:

I've had a great time working with the company, but I now feel it's time that I move on and would like to tender my resignation. Can we meet to discuss the terms of my leaving?

With:

I'm resigning from my job today. I've had a great time working here, but I've accepted another job and am moving on. Let's chat about the details. 

Take note that the body of the email should contain the main message and must be organized logically, making it easy to read. Always ask yourself if it's something you would read.

Grab their attention with a greeting, explain who you are, and then get to the point.

Email signature

So, you've grabbed your reader's attention, and they've got this far – that's great! The last part of the perfect email is a professional email sign-off. 

A closing phrase should summarize the email's intent and express gratitude, creating a positive impression, so you can ensure you'll stay on your recipient's mind longer.

Traditionally, you'd use yours faithfully or sincerely, but things are a bit more relaxed nowadays. So long as you're polite, feel free to use thanks, kind regards, cheers, or anything else that suits the subject matter.

Bonus point: when you've just got off from a meeting, ending your email with professional meeting recap emails helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

If you need some more advice, you can check out our in-depth guide on how to professionally end an email here.

General email best practices

We’ll get into the details on how to write great formal emails below, but before we do, here are some general email best practices everyone should know. 

1. Understand your audience

To write effective emails, you need to know whom you're writing to, which is why understanding your audience is key.

Think about who they are and the questions they will ask and answer them. The email format approach outlined above is a great place to start, so use it to your advantage. 

For example, if you're writing to do cold emails, then it's essential to remember that cold emails are used for initiating professional relationships, exploring collaboration opportunities, or generating interest in a product or service.

So ask yourself if the email you're writing resonates with the audience you're writing for.

Understanding whom you are writing to will dictate everything in your emails, from the subject line to the sign-off.

2. Get the tone right

We communicate in different ways when addressing our boss or friends. We instinctively think about what we're saying, picking the right tone of voice for the situation. 

When writing emails, you'll need to nail the format – but you'll also have to get the tone of voice right. 

When writing to people in positions of power or authority (a teacher, professor, boss etc.), be formal.

If writing to a friend or someone you already know, then you can afford to be a little more informal. 

When writing to a partner or personal friend, do what you want!

If you're not sure, then maintaining a neutral and upbeat tone is the safest while still the most essential way to proper email etiquette.

Getting the right tone of voice takes some practice. 

3. Keep it short and clear

Our time is in demand and we're all dealing with distractions, so take a shortcut and get straight to the point. 

Tell the reader who you are and what you want, and spell out what they need to do. If you're writing to inform them of something, explain that upfront. 

Leverage the subject lines to your advantage. Remember that this is the first thing your recipient sees, so providing a quick summary of the email's content would save both you and their time.

Pro-tip: using bullet points can enhance email readability. If you're writing an inevitable long email with tons of information, you can break down important notes by itemizing them or by putting them in bullet points.

If you need them to do something, add a clear call to action with steps to follow. If it's urgent, add a deadline. And if it's really urgent, tell them when you'll follow up with them. 

4. Proofread before sending

Proofreading your email is a pro tip that too many people fail to follow. We know it isn't easy to proofread everything – particularly if English isn't your first language. So let technology perform the task for you!

Advanced tools like MailMaestro ensure your grammar is always on point. In addition, they automatically scan your emails to identify any errors (including formatting) and fix them.

The results are emails that follow the format and are grammatically correct, with no punctuation, or proofing errors - and with a correct email format. 

Writers, editors, and leaders across the world use these programs to help them write better. (Want to know a secret? We used tech too when writing this guide.)

5. Know the right email format

Are you sending a personal cold email or a mass newsletter? The format and the tools you should use are different for most types of emails (check out MailMaestro for personalized outreach and choose the best bulk email sender for newsletters, etc.)

We've provided some email format basics above, but it's critical to understand the nuances between basic email formats and how to utilize them to your advantage.

To make it easier for you to nail your next email, we compiled a list of 6 example email formats below.

Need help writing emails with proper format? Try MailMaestro for free!

MailMaestro can help you draft any professional emails in propert format in a matter of seconds. One of our standout features is the Improve existing email option. You can input your draft and MailMaestro's AI email assistant will refine it, making it more professional, concise, and compelling. Try it out below:

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Common mistakes in email writing

Avoiding common email mistakes is crucial for clear, professional communication. Here are a few key errors to watch out for:

• Vague or unclear subject lines: 69% of recipients mark emails as spam based on poor subject lines.
• Overly long emails: Long messages often lead to missed key points.
• Lack of proofreading: Typos and errors can undermine your professionalism.
• No clear call-to-action: Not stating the next step can create confusion.

Diana Booher, author of "Communicate Like a Leader," reinforces the need for clarity, noting that “concise communication boosts productivity and prevents misunderstandings.”

6 common email format examples

As we check out some email format examples, it's about to get real. Each email format example focuses on a specific audience, action, or outcome. You can see how we've used the email format outlined above and personalized it. 

Writing emails in a professional format has a ton of advantages. For example, networking follow-up emails reinforce connections made in person.

Nailing how to write good referral introduction emails can highlight mutual connections and the reason for being referred, saving time for everyone.

Or, writing thank you emails to express gratitude can also strengthen professional relationships with your clients, and you'd want to further impress them with your professional email writing.

You can cut and paste these examples, but we recommend using them to understand the email format and develop your email style. Innovate, don't imitate!

1. Proper email format

OK, let's start with a basic example of the proper email format. This example of proper email formatting follows what most people consider a correct email format. Typically, it's started with a formal greeting that shows respect and acknowledgment to the recipient.

So, it's a little basic (and a little boring), but if you want a correctly formatted email, this is a great place to start. 

Here's an example of a proper format for an email.

2. Business email format

The business email format is the basis of relationships across the world. But, in reality, there's no set business email format. An email from a marketing company will be different to a legal firm, for example. Here's a simple email requesting a product sample.

You face a choice when how to format a business email about how you want to communicate. Use this example of a format for business email as the basis of your own experiments.

3. Professional email format

This example of a professional email follows the format and is about asking for leave from your boss. Regardless of how close you are to your boss, including a polite closing phrase to wrap up a professional email is still a must.

Here is one example where following the professional email format will help you get what you want (your holiday!).

You can use this format for professional emails whenever you need to communicate with someone in power. It's polite, clear, and concise – as all great emails are.

4. Formal email format

Formal emails are required when communicating with someone politely and professionally. You can use this standard email format for making a request, demand, or complaint. You'll find that the formal email format is pretty adaptable (and we've made it as easy as possible to adapt and amend it), so use it when you need to. 

5. Resignation email format

Telling your boss that you want to leave can be tricky, but not if you use our resignation email format. Of course, there's no best resignation email format. Still, this standard approach answers all your manager's questions and sketches out a plan for your departure. 

6. Thank you email format

Saying thanks just got easier with this thank you email format response. If you're saying thanks for something, you'll want to make it personal, so use this thank you email format template as a basis for your own heartfelt messages. 

Conclusion

Follow-up emails are essential for maintaining engagement and sustaining conversations, and at this point, you should have a good grasp of how to format an email, but perfecting it takes practice.

If you find an email approach you like, then use it! And use technology like MailMaestro to help improve your email writing, particularly if you're writing professional emails. 

Don't get too bogged down in following a format but focus on making your messages as simple as possible. Over time, you'll develop your own email structures and formatting styles that work for you. When you do, be sure to share them!

FAQ

1. How long should an email be?
Keep your email concise, ideally no longer than 150-200 words. This ensures clarity and that key points aren’t missed.

2. What is the best time to send an email?
According to Hubspot, emails sent between 8 AM and 10 AM have the highest open rates.

3. Can I use AI to write my email?
Yes, you can use tools like MailMaestro to write high-quality, personalized emails faster.

4. Should I proofread my email before sending?
Always! Typos and errors can make you appear unprofessional and cause miscommunication.