7 Business English Email Mistakes That Make You Sound Unprofessional
By Anthony Whelan · 13 October 2026 · 5 min read
A good business email is clear, polite and easy to act on. The grammar may be perfect and the message can still land badly because of tone or vague wording. These are seven mistakes I see regularly from professionals who are otherwise very fluent.
1. Being too direct with requests
“I want” and plain commands sound blunt in English, especially to a client or a senior colleague. Softening a request is not weakness; it is the normal professional style.
Instead ofI want the report today.
SayCould you send me the report today, please?
Instead ofSend me the contract.
SayI would be grateful if you could send me the contract.
2. Using “ASAP” instead of a real deadline
“As soon as possible” means different things to different people, so it often creates delays or stress. Give a day and a time, and a reason if you can.
Instead ofPlease reply ASAP.
SayCould you reply by Thursday at 3 pm? We need to confirm the order that afternoon.
3. Saying “look forward to hear”
In the phrase look forward to, the word to is a preposition, so it is followed by a noun or the -ing form of a verb, not the base verb.
Instead ofI look forward to hear from you.
SayI look forward to hearing from you.
4. Writing “revert back”
Revert already means to go back, so “revert back” repeats itself, and in most workplaces it sounds old-fashioned or confusing. “Get back to you” is the natural phrase.
Instead ofI will revert back to you tomorrow.
SayI will get back to you tomorrow.
5. Using phrases that sound unnatural, like “do the needful”
Some phrases are common in particular regions but can confuse international readers. If you are not sure a phrase is widely understood, say plainly what you need.
Instead ofKindly do the needful.
SayCould you please update the invoice and send it back to me?
6. Writing vague subject lines
People decide whether to open an email, and when, from the subject line. Put the topic and the action in it so the reader knows what is needed before they open it.
Instead ofQuestion
SayQuestion about invoice 1043: payment date
Instead ofHello
SayMeeting on Tuesday: can we move it to 11 am?
7. Sounding impatient when following up
“I am waiting for your answer” can read as a complaint. A polite follow-up reminds the reader of the request and makes it easy to respond.
Instead ofI am waiting for your answer.
SayI am following up on my email from Monday. Could you let me know by Friday whether this works for you?
Before you send an important email, read it once as if you were the reader: is it clear what you need, by when, and does the tone feel respectful? If you would like feedback on your own emails, that is one of the things we work on in Business English lessons.