How to say it in English at work
The messages people find hardest to write at work, each with a natural English example, the phrases to use and a free tool to rewrite your own draft.
- How to ask for a deadline extension in EnglishA good extension request is short and specific: why it is late, the new date you can commit to, and what you will deliver in the meantime.
- How to say you will be late in EnglishPeople only need two things when you are late: how late you will be, and whether they should wait. Everything else is optional.
- How to disagree politely in English at workPolite disagreement in English has a pattern: show you understood the idea, say what worries you, and offer a next step instead of a flat no.
- How to follow up in English without sounding pushyA good follow-up assumes the message got buried, restates what you need and by when, and makes replying easy.
- How to ask for help at work in EnglishPeople help faster when the request shows what you already tried and asks for something specific, like 15 minutes or a second pair of eyes.
- How to admit a mistake at work in EnglishThe best message about a mistake is short: what happened, what you have already done to fix it, and what you will do differently.
- How to call in sick in EnglishA sick-day message only needs three things: that you are not working today, whether you are reachable, and who can cover anything urgent.
- How to ask for a raise in EnglishIn writing, the goal is not to negotiate but to get the meeting, with two or three concrete results that make the conversation easy to start.
- How to decline a meeting politely in EnglishDeclining a meeting is easier to accept when you say why, ask for the notes, and offer another way to contribute.
- How to ask someone to repeat in EnglishAsking someone to repeat is normal, even between native speakers. The trick is to say which part you missed and, when it helps, ask for it in writing.
- How to remind a client about an unpaid invoice in EnglishA good payment reminder is polite and specific: which invoice, when it was due, and a direct question about when it will be paid.
- How to tell your team you are leaving in EnglishA farewell message should say when you leave, thank people specifically, and tell them how the work will be handed over.
- How to ask for feedback in EnglishThe more specific the question, the more useful the feedback. Name the part you are unsure about instead of asking "any feedback?".
- How to say you have too much work in EnglishSaying you are at capacity works best when you list what you are on and ask your manager to choose, instead of just saying no.
- How to reschedule a meeting in EnglishRescheduling is easy to accept when you propose a specific new time and let the other person pick another one if it does not work.