9 Better Alternatives to “I Am Writing to Inform You”

“I am writing to inform you” is a fairly common introduction for letters and emails. It’s slowly losing popularity, though, considering that most people don’t like to start with “I am writing” (that should be obvious). This article will explore some good alternatives to use.

The preferred alternatives are “I would like to inform you,” “I’m just letting you know,” or “be direct.” These work well in both formal and informal emails, depending on the tone you’re looking for. They also don’t use the overused “I am writing” trend.

I Would Like To Inform You

“I would like to inform you” is a great choice. It’s formal and polite and uses “I would like” to introduce a more friendly relationship to the email. It helps you to show them that there is information that could be relevant to them, and it might be worth listening to you.

“Inform you” can be kept. That wasn’t the issue in the original phrase. Only “I am writing” needs to be removed. “I would like to” is just a more polite way of showing that you have something you would like to share with somebody.

• Dear sir,
• I would like to inform you that I will not be able to come to work again for the next few weeks.
• I’m very sorry for any inconvenience,
• Jack

• Dear Mr. Smith,
• I would like to inform you that there have been plenty of measures put in place to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
• All the best,
• Jon

I’m Just Letting You Know

“I’m just letting you know” can work in formal emails, but most people prefer to use it informally or when writing to people they are very familiar with. “Letting you know” is the informal replacement of “to inform you.”

Also, any time you include “just” in an email, you have to accept that it comes with some informal tones. It is a conversational word that adds a bit of uncertainty to what you might be saying.

• Dear Karen,
• I’m just letting you know that Dan has already handed in his report. I think it’s a good idea for you to take a look into it ASAP.
• Kind regards,
• Peter

• Dear Suzanna,
• I’m just letting you know that I have considered your offer. I do not believe this opportunity is right for me at the moment.
• All the best,
• Tom

Be Direct

Being direct completely negates the need for an “I am writing” statement. Rather than explaining what the purpose of the email is with a redundant phrase, you might be better off just getting straight to the point with no fluff.

This is a very effective way of writing formal emails. It shows that you are confident and direct. If you’re a superior, it will show that you want your subordinates to listen to you. If you’re a subordinate, it shows that you want your superiors to respect you.

Either way, being direct and avoiding an introductory redundancy is one of the best things you can do in an email. “I would like to” and “I am writing to” can be effective, but being direct is always your best bet if you want to impress.

• Dear Mr. Harper
• You should make sure that you have all the correct paperwork at the ready. We do not have time to waste when the CEO gets here.
• Kind regards,
• Mrs. Harriet

• Dear Paul,
• You should come down to the meeting room immediately to help set up for tonight’s event. We need all hands on deck with this one.
• Thank you,
• Mr. Harrow

This Is To Let You Know

“This is to let you know” is a simple way of introducing most formal emails. “This is” replaces the redundant “I am writing.” It’s still a fairly redundant phrase, and most people will try and avoid using it. But, if you’re struggling, it’s a good choice.

“This is” is unnecessary in most written emails. The implication is that you’re saying “this email is,” which is already made clear.

After all, you’re sending an email that contains information of some kind. People already know what “this is,” they just want to know the point behind it.

• Dear Mr. Prowler,
• This is to let you know that I will be working my one month’s notice effective immediately. I appreciate the opportunity you’ve given me.
• See you later,
• Hannah

• Dear sir,
• This is to let you know that they have already filed an official complaint about this. I’m not sure what you want to do going forward.
• Let me know,
• Mr. Tree

This Is To Inform You

“This is to inform you” is a good choice for most cases. “This is” is still used here, though. It isn’t the best phrase to use, but it does work well if you would prefer to go against using the common “I am writing to.”

“This is” might still be a redundant phrase, but it is usually more effective than “I am writing to.”

Also, it’s a good way of introducing the email. Some people have a hard time coming up with the first line, and “this is” can take the pressure off of trying to come up with something enticing.

• Dear sir,
• This is to inform you that I have already taken a look into these issues. They should all be remedied by the time you come in tomorrow.
• Thanks,
• Sam

• Dear Abbie,
• This is to inform you that I will only be working for three hours tomorrow because of a personal matter.
• I hope you can accommodate this for me,
• Pauline

I Write To Tell You

“I write to tell you” is an interesting choice. “I write” is a more direct and formal way of saying “I am writing.” Some people use it when they are speaking to people that they respect or who work underneath them.

“I write” shows your intention. While it’s still a very redundant phrase, it’s more powerful than “I am writing.” It comes across as more confident, and a lot of people are going to be more interested in whatever you might have to say in your email.

• Dear sir,
• I write to tell you that you should be able to see the system requirements now. Hopefully, that’s all you need to know.
• My best,
• Roger

• Dear Mr. Parker,
• I write to tell you that there are still some issues that need to be gone over. You must make sure you come in to fix some of these.
• Best regards,
• Mrs. Gearhead

You Should Know

“You should know” makes the email clear from the start. It shows that there is important information to “know.” The recipient will then be able to interpret the rest of the email however they see fit.

Usually, “you should know” sets up information that is vital to the recipient. They might not know about it, but they would really benefit from learning more about what you might have to tell them.

• Dear Allan,
• You should know that some of your employees have expressed concern about the changes made to the rules over the last few days.
• Kind regards,
• Craig

• Dear Mr. Tomlinson,
• You should know that I’ve done everything in my power to try and stop this from happening. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
• I hope we can work this out,
• Sara

If You Haven’t Heard Already

“If you haven’t heard already” is a good choice for most emails. It allows you to set up a conversation with someone that doesn’t assume they already know about the contents.

“If you haven’t heard” allows you to establish some information. They may have already been told about these things, but you don’t know for certain.

You don’t want to take their knowledge for granted, which is why you use this phrase. It’s a bit less confident than some of the other formal options, but it can still work well if you’re talking to someone who you believe might be able to help with the information you provide.

• Dear Michael,
• If you haven’t heard already, I think it’s a good time for you to explain the issues to the team. I think they’re ready to hear about them.
• Best wishes,
• Jules

• Dear Evie,
• If you haven’t heard already, there should be a couple of crates coming later on today. Please make sure they’re tended to.
• Thank you,
• Harry

It Would Help If You Knew

“It would help if you knew” is the last good way of showing that you have information in your formal email. It shows that there might be something that the recipient doesn’t know yet. “It would help if” shows that it’s quite important information.

The information could relate to anything. “It would help if” usually gives the recipient a chance to decide how vital or important the information is. What they choose to do after they’ve read through the email is entirely up to them.

• Dear ma’am,
• It would help if you knew the things they were saying about you in the office. I don’t believe they have any grounds to say stuff like this.
• All the best,
• Gregory

• Dear Mrs. Sandwich,
• It would help if you knew more about the situation. I think you’ll benefit from being a bit more hands-on in the future.
• Yours sincerely,
• Fred Walker