How to End a Professional Email in English
A good work email needs a clear ending.
Before your goodbye, check that your last sentence says what the reader needs to know. Then add a goodbye word or phrase and your name.
I will send the updated schedule on Friday.
Best regards,
Mina
An email with no goodbye can sound less polite. A clear ending also helps the reader know that your message is finished.
What goes at the end of a professional email?
A work email often ends with three parts:
- A final sentence. Ask what you need, say what you will do next, or say thank you.
- A goodbye word or phrase. This is also called a sign-off. “Thanks” and “Best regards” are two common examples.
- Your name. Write your name after the goodbye.
You do not need a long or difficult final sentence. Choose one that matches the reason for your email.
Sometimes there is no next step. Then you do not need an extra sentence. Finish your message, then write your goodbye and your name.
Put a comma after your goodbye. Write your name on the next line. Only the first word has a capital letter: Best regards, not Best Regards.
Which goodbye should I use?
Best regards – a safe choice for many work emails.
Thanks – good when you ask for something or when someone helps you.
Kind regards – also polite and common.
If you need the reader to do something
Say clearly what you need.
If a date is important, include the date too.
Could you please send the updated schedule by Thursday?
Thanks,
Mina
The reader can see what to send and when to send it.
“Thanks” is a simple, polite way to end this kind of request.
A goodbye cannot fix an unclear request. For example:
Please send it soon.
The reader may ask:
What should I send?
When do you need it?
Make the request clear before you add your goodbye.
If you are sending an update
Tell the reader what will happen next.
I will send the final numbers on Friday.
Best regards,
Mina
Now the reader knows when to expect the next information.
If you need an answer
Ask clearly for the answer you need.
Please let me know if Tuesday at 10 a.m. works for you.
Best regards,
Mina
This is clearer than writing only:
I look forward to your reply.
The first example tells the reader exactly what you need to know.
You can still write “I look forward to your reply.” Just ask clearly for the answer you need first.
If you are thanking someone
Say what you are thanking the person for.
Thank you for sending the report. I have the information I need.
Best regards,
Mina
If your last sentence says “Thank you,” use “Best regards” as your goodbye.
This avoids saying thank you twice.
Check your email ending before you send
Before you send your email, ask yourself:
- Does my final sentence match why I am writing?
- Did I clearly say what I need the reader to do?
- Did I add a goodbye word or phrase?
- Is my name after the goodbye?
Your final sentence can tell the reader what to do or what will happen next.
More help with work emails
In Business English for Work, Email Problem 21 is “No Hello or Goodbye.”
For more help with common work email problems, visit Business English for Emails.
Learn More About Business English for Work
Business English for Work has 90 short lessons for email, meeting, and presentation problems. Choose the problem you need and learn what to say or write.