The most common phrasal verbs for business emails include 'follow up,' 'set up,' 'draw up,' 'look into,' and 'deal with.' Using them correctly helps you communicate clearly and professionally, ensuring your messages are concise and well-understood in a corporate setting. Mastering these verb phrases is a key step towards fluency in business English.
Writing effective emails is a critical skill in today's global workplace. While you might know the basic vocabulary, incorporating phrasal verbs can make your communication sound more natural and efficient. However, using the wrong one can make you sound unprofessional or create confusion. This guide will walk you through the most common phrasal verbs for business emails, providing clear examples to help you use them with confidence and precision.
Why Should You Use Common Phrasal Verbs for Business Emails?
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of modern professional communication. While some learners worry they sound too informal, many are standard in corporate environments. Using them correctly shows a high level of English fluency and understanding of workplace culture.
Here’s why they are so important:
- Conciseness: A phrasal verb can often replace a longer, more complicated phrase. For example, 'look into' is much quicker to write and read than 'investigate the details of'.
- Natural Tone: Native speakers use phrasal verbs constantly. Integrating them into your vocabulary helps you sound less like a textbook and more like a fluent colleague.
- Clarity: In many cases, a phrasal verb is the most precise and universally understood term for a specific action in a business context, such as 'pushing back' a meeting.
What Are the Most Common Phrasal Verbs for Business Emails and How Do You Use Them?
Here is a practical list of essential phrasal verbs for your professional toolkit. Each one includes its meaning and a real-world email example.
- Follow up (on something)
- Meaning: To take further action related to something that was discussed or done previously.
- Example: "Hi team, I’m writing to follow up on our discussion from Monday's meeting. Please send me your feedback by EOD."
- Set up (something)
- Meaning: To arrange or organize an event, meeting, or system.
- Example: "Could you please set up a call for us with the marketing department for next week?"
- Look into (something)
- Meaning: To investigate or examine a problem or situation.
- Example: "Thank you for flagging this issue. I will look into it immediately and get back to you with an update."
- Draw up (something)
- Meaning: To prepare and write a formal document like a contract, proposal, or plan.
- Example: "Our legal team will draw up the contract and send it over for your review by Friday."
- Deal with (something)
- Meaning: To handle or take the necessary action to manage a task or problem.
- Example: "Sarah from the accounts department will deal with all incoming invoices from now on."
- Bring forward (something)
- Meaning: To move a meeting or deadline to an earlier time or date.
- Example: "Due to a change in the project timeline, we need to bring forward the deadline to this Wednesday."
- Push back (something)
- Meaning: The opposite of 'bring forward'; to delay or move a meeting to a later time or date.
- Example: "I have a conflict in my schedule. Can we push back our 10 AM meeting to 2 PM?"
- Go over (something)
- Meaning: To review, check, or discuss something in detail.
- Example: "Before we submit the report, let’s go over the final figures one more time."
- Fill in (someone)
- Meaning: To provide someone with information they missed or don't have.
- Example: "Mark was out of office last week. Could someone fill him in on the project updates?"
- Get back to (someone)
- Meaning: To reply or contact someone later.
- Example: "I don't have that information right now, but I will find out and get back to you this afternoon."
How Can You Avoid Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs?
Using phrasal verbs effectively requires understanding context and tone. Here are two key areas to watch out for.
Mind the Formality
Not all phrasal verbs are suitable for professional writing. Some are strictly informal and should be reserved for conversations with friends. For example, instead of saying "I'll figure out the problem," a more formal alternative is "I will resolve the issue." Always consider your relationship with the recipient.
Separable vs. Inseparable Verbs
Some phrasal verbs can be separated by an object, while others cannot. For example, you can say "We will draw the plan up" (separated) or "We will draw up the plan" (together). However, you can only say "I will look into the matter." You cannot say, "I will look the matter into." When in doubt, it's often safer to keep the phrasal verb together.
Conclusion
Learning to correctly use the most common phrasal verbs for business emails is a powerful way to enhance your professional communication skills. By incorporating phrases like 'follow up', 'look into', and 'set up' into your writing, you will not only sound more fluent but also communicate your message more effectively. Start by practicing one or two at a time, and soon they will become a natural part of your business English vocabulary.
Frequently Asked Questions about Business English Phrasal Verbs
Q1: Are phrasal verbs considered formal enough for business emails? Yes, many phrasal verbs are standard in corporate communication and are considered perfectly formal. Verbs like 'follow up,' 'set up,' 'go over,' and 'deal with' are used daily in professional settings worldwide. The key is to choose the right phrasal verbs and avoid overly casual ones.
Q2: How can I remember new phrasal verbs? To remember new phrasal verbs, try to learn them in context. Instead of just memorizing a list, write your own example sentences related to your job. Group them by topic (e.g., phrasal verbs for meetings, for projects) and practice using one or two new ones in your emails each week.
Q3: What's the difference between 'follow up' and 'catch up'? 'Follow up' is a professional term meaning to take further action on a previous discussion or task. 'Catch up' is more informal and means to share recent news with someone you haven't spoken to in a while. You would 'follow up' on an action point from a meeting but 'catch up' with a colleague after a vacation.
Q4: Can I use 'get back to you' in a formal email? Yes, 'get back to you' is widely accepted as a professional and polite way to say you will reply later. It's a standard phrase in business emails when you need time to find information before you can give a complete answer.
Q5: Is there a list of informal phrasal verbs to avoid at work? While not an exhaustive list, you should generally avoid phrasal verbs that sound too casual or conversational in formal writing. Examples include 'hang out' (socialize), 'chill out' (relax), 'mess up' (make a mistake), and 'give up' (quit). It's better to use more formal single-word verbs like 'socialize,' 'relax,' 'err,' and 'resign.'