How to Start an Email | 10 Greetings & Opening Lines

Emails are a key communication tool in academic as well as professional contexts. Starting emails with an appropriate greeting and opening line is crucial to setting the right tone and making a good impression on the recipient.

There are a variety of greetings and openings that you can use. Consider the relationship you have with the recipient to ensure that you choose appropriate options for the context.

5 strong greetings (salutations)

The greeting (also known as a salutation) you use is a relatively simple choice. The following options are common choices for different contexts and levels of formality.

1. Dear [Full Name],

You can greet the recipient by their full name if this is the first time you are contacting them. This isn’t the best option if you already know the recipient as it may seem rather stiff.

If you use the recipient’s first and last name, use the more formal greeting Dear rather than less formal greeting like “Hello” or “Hi” to keep a consistent tone.

2. Dear [Title and Last Name],

You can also greet someone in a formal manner by using a title and their last name. This option is suitable when communicating with someone you are contacting for the first time. It is also a respectful way to address someone in a higher position than you, such as a professor or a superior at work.

The use of titles is sometimes a bit dated in English, so this option is most appropriate when you want to emphasize your respect for the recipient.

3. Dear [Team, Department, or Job Title],

If you are contacting someone whose name you don’t know, a group of people, or a department or organization, you have a few options you can use besides an individual name. If you are contacting one person, you can use their job title. If contacting more than one person, use the name of the team, department, or organization.

It is always preferable to address someone by their name, so do your homework to try to find the name of the person you need to contact. If that isn’t possible, one of these alternatives can be an appropriate substitute.

4. Hi [First Name],

Workplace emails are often relatively informal in tone, particularly when communicating with colleagues of the same level and people you’ve interacted with before.

When you are familiar with the person you’re writing to, beginning an email with “Hi” or “Hello” followed by their first name is generally fine. For a little more formality, you can use “Dear” and their first name.

That said, these less formal modes of address are not always appropriate. When applying for a job or writing to someone you’ve never interacted with, opt for a more formal greeting.

5. Hello,

If you communicate with someone regularly, you can greet them with “Hi” or “Hello” for a quick and easy solution before diving into the purpose of your message.

It is better not to use “Hello” or “Hi” when communicating with people you don’t know or when a certain level of formality should be maintained. Additionally, if you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, a more neutral option like “Dear” and a job title is preferable.

5 good opening lines

Opening lines are a nice way of breaking the ice, expressing respect for the recipient, asking about their well-being, or addressing what you need. The right opening line depends on the relationship you have with the recipient and the purpose of the email.

1. I’m reaching out …

I’m reaching out is a suitable way to dive straight into what you need in a polite manner. You can tell the recipient why you are contacting them without wasting time.

This opening line is appropriate when you are initially contacting someone or want to pick up on a previous conversation. If you have already been writing to the recipient regarding the topic of the email, then this opening doesn’t make sense.

2. How are you?

To strike a friendly tone, you can open your email by asking how the recipient is doing, how their week is going, or anything that is specific to their interests or life. “How are you?” on its own can suffice, but you can personalize it further by adding another sentence.

Reserve this opening for someone whom you’ve had contact with previously. It is not suitable when contacting someone for the first time.

3. Thanks for …

If you are answering a message someone has sent to you, you can thank them for their message and/or any information or action they have provided.

This opening is only suitable when someone has taken the time to do something for you.

4. I hope you …

For a friendly opening, you can wish the recipient well. The expressions “Hope you’re doing well” and “I hope this email finds you well” are both commonly used, but you can opt for something more personalized and specific for greater authenticity.

5. We met at …

If you are reaching out to someone you’ve interacted with before but don’t know well, you can open your email with “We met at” and the context of your first meeting to jog the recipient’s memory.

If you want to refer to a mutual connection you have with the recipient, be sure to ask the person’s permission before using their name.

How not to start an email

To make a good impression, there are a few common mistakes to avoid when starting an email.

Overly impersonal greeting

Some greetings come across as overly stiff and dated, including “Dear Sir or Madam” and “To Whom It May Concern.” These greetings suggest that you didn’t take the time to find the name of the person you’re writing to or other more specific information like a job title. If you cannot find the person’s name, address them by their job title or the name of the department.

No greeting at all

Omitting the greeting entirely is almost always inappropriate in professional contexts. While the greeting might be skipped in personal emails with someone you have a close relationship with, professional emails should always include a greeting (e.g., Dear Mr. Tariz”).

Redundant opening

Try to avoid opening lines that do not add any value to the message, such as announcements of what you will do in the email.

• Allow me to introduce myself. My name is …
• I know you’re busy, but I wondered if you might have time to assist me. I was wondering if …
• Would it be possible to ask you for a favor? I wanted to ask if you …

Frequently asked questions about how to start an email

How do you start a professional email?

Professional emails should open with a greeting and the title and name of the recipient (e.g., “Dear Dr. Livingstone”). It is polite to also include an introductory line such as “I hope this email finds you well” before presenting the purpose of the email.

Less formal emails might include a more casual opening line, such as “I hope you are doing well.”

What’s the difference between “Miss” and “Ms.”?

“Miss” is a title used for a young unmarried woman or girl (e.g, “Miss Muffet”). It is not used for a married woman. “Miss” is often considered dated, so it is preferable to use “Ms.”

“Mrs.” is a title used for a married woman.

“Ms.” is a title for woman who is married or whose marital status is unknown, for an older unmarried woman, or for situations where marital status is not emphasized. It can be used both for married and unmarried women in the same way that “Mr.” is used for unmarried and married men. Nowadays, “Ms.” is the most common way to address a woman, as it is unrelated to marital status.

What is a synonym for “I hope this email finds you well”?

“I hope this email finds you well” is an opening line to politely begin an email before you present the email’s purpose or make a request. Related phrases and synonyms include:

• I hope you are doing well.
• I hope you are having a good week.
• It is a pleasure to hear from you again.

How do I start an email to a professor?

When starting an email to a professor, it is best to take a more formal approach to avoid making a poor impression. In the greeting, use “Dear” followed by a title and the professor’s last name (e.g., “Dear Professor/Dr. Willow,”).

You can follow the greeting with a number of opening lines before diving into the purpose of your message, such as:

• I hope this email finds you well
• I hope you’re having a good/productive week
• I hope you’re well

You can also use “I’m reaching out …” if you prefer to come straight to the point.

You can adapt the tone of your emails according to the professor’s response. For example, if they greet you with “Hi/Hello” in their reply, you can adopt the same style.

However, continue to use their title (unless they explicitly give you permission to address them otherwise), and avoid using overly informal language like slang or “Cheers.”