Formal emails can be tricky to word correctly. You should remain polite and make sure you’re using words in appropriate ways. This article will explore some good ways you can say “I have not heard from you” in formal writing.
The preferred alternatives are “not heard from you in quite some time,” “it’s been a while,” and “not heard from you lately.” These are great if you’re looking to be formal and polite to the recipient. You should introduce your emails with one of these when it’s been a while.
Not Heard From You In Quite Some Time
“Not heard from you in quite some time” is one of the best formal alternatives you can use. It works well because it shows that you haven’t heard from someone for a while, even if you really wanted to.
“Quite some time” is a good formal phrase to use here. It shows that you’ve been thinking about their response for a while.
- Dear Mr. Parker,
- I have not heard from you in quite some time. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about our deal.
- Kind regards,
- Tom Jones
- Hey Pete
- I have not heard from you in quite some time. I’m glad to hear that you’re doing much better now.
- All the best,
- Tilly
- Dear Sarah
- I have not heard from you in quite some time. Is there anything in particular that you’d like to discuss with me?
- Best wishes,
- George
It’s Been A While
“It’s been a while” is a simpler phrase you can use. It works really well in formal English (and informal situations). It’s very common for native speakers to use this phrase when they haven’t spoken to someone for a long time.
It’s a good one to use in an email format because it’s so familiar. Nearly every native speaker will know what you’re talking about if you use this phrase.
- Dear Billy,
- It’s been a while. I’m so glad you thought about me and sent me this email today. How are you?
- Best wishes,
- Amy
- Dear Mr. Stark,
- It’s been a while. Of course, I’m still trying to work on the best ways for us to do all of this effectively.
- Kind regards,
- Tom
- Hey Peter,
- It’s been a while. Is there any way that I might be able to pick your brain a bit about this stuff?
- All the best,
- Sue
Not Heard From You Lately
“Not heard from you lately” is a good choice for formal emails. “Lately” is used as the modifier here, as it shows that there has been a decent amount of time since the last time you were able to email someone.
“Lately” is a little more informal than other choices (like “quite some time”). You can still get away with it, but you should be wary that some people don’t like this language in business emails.
- Hey June,
- I have not heard from you lately. I am so glad to hear that you’re in a much better place now, though.
- All the best,
- Paul
- Dear Tammy,
- I have not heard from you lately. I hope you’re doing okay. I’d love to catch up soon.
- Kind regards,
- Phillip
- Dear Pablo,
- I have not heard from you lately. Could you potentially come into the office later this week to talk to me?
- Best wishes,
- Martin
It’s Nice To Connect Again
“It’s nice to connect again” is a good one to use when someone has emailed you about something. Generally, this phrase works best in an email when someone else has started the conversation, and you are replying.
It’s a great one to say that you enjoy “connecting” with someone. In terms of business English, this means you like to get to know the things they’re up to, as it might help you figure out some things on your end.
- Hey Mrs. Bucket,
- It’s nice to connect again. It feels like it’s been far too long since we last had this conversation.
- All the best,
- Sharon
- Dear Abigail,
- It’s nice to connect again. I couldn’t believe it when I saw your name come up in my inbox.
- Best wishes,
- Ben
- Dear Melissa,
- It’s nice to connect again. Is there anything specific that you’d like to run through with me?
- Kind regards,
- Jessica
I’m Glad You Emailed Me
“I’m glad you emailed me” is a great alternative you can use. It works because it shows that you’re “glad,” meaning you like that someone has emailed you.
Also, using “email” in the first sentence of an “email” is a good choice for formal writing. It’s not necessary since the recipient will already know that they’ve emailed you, but it is a good one to use if you’re not sure how else to write it.
- Dear Judas,
- I’m glad you emailed me. I was beginning to worry that you’d forgotten about our conversation.
- Best wishes,
- Greg
- Dear Abe,
- I’m glad you emailed me. I’ve been sitting on these issues for a while. It’s nice to see that someone is taking my side.
- Kind regards,
- Donald
- Hey Bradley,
- I’m glad you emailed me. Would you like to discuss anything in particular before we get down to business?
- All the best,
- Ryan
It’s Been Some Time Since Your Last Email
“It’s been some time since your last email” is a great phrase you can use. It’s good to set up a reminder. For example, if you spoke to someone a few months ago and expected a reply, you might use this phrase.
It basically acts as a way to remind someone that they forgot to reply to you. You could use it to say that you needed to hear back from someone sooner, but you’re glad they finally got around to messaging you.
- Dear Vlad,
- It’s been some time since your last email. Did you forget to reply to what I said last time?
- Best wishes,
- Mr. Paulson
- Dear sir,
- It’s been some time since your last email. Could you tell me about your trip away?
- Kind regards,
- Mrs. Walters
- Hey Miss Catford,
- It’s been some time since your last email. I would love a chance to sample some of your new items.
- All the best,
- Mr. O’Connor
It’s Been A While Since We Spoke
“It’s been a while since we spoke” is a great choice for formal emails. It shows that you’ve acknowledged how long it’s been since you last emailed someone.
If you used to speak much more frequently, this phrase is a good one to include. It shows that you remember the conversations you used to have, and you might want to get back to that stage with the person.
- Hey Dean,
- It’s been a while since we spoke. I know things have been tricky for you, but are they getting better?
- All the best,
- Lewis
- Dear Joe,
- It’s been a while since we spoke. I think you should know about a few things that have gone wrong lately.
- Best wishes,
- Thomas
- Dear Nicola,
- It’s been a while since we spoke. I would love to talk to you more. Let me know when you are free for a meeting!
- Kind regards,
- Nathan
I Can’t Remember The Last Time We Spoke
“I can’t remember the last time we spoke” is another good synonym. This indicates that it’s been so long since you spoke to the other person that you’ve forgotten what was said or why you might have spoken to them.
This is slightly less formal than some of the other options. It still works well in many formal situations, but you need to make sure that the person you’re emailing won’t mind you being more informal.
Obviously, that can be tricky to figure out if you haven’t spoken for a while.
- Dear Stuart,
- I can’t remember the last time we spoke. It feels like it’s been years, though I know that can’t be right.
- Best wishes,
- Michael
- Hey Evangeline,
- I can’t remember the last time we spoke. I’m glad that you reached out to talk to me today.
- All the best,
- Miss Flour
- Dear Mr. Mould,
- I can’t remember the last time we spoke. I’ve missed emailing you, and I’d like to continue doing so.
- Kind regards,
- Suzanna
Long Time No See
“Long time no see” is an informal synonym you can use. It does work in emails (you could also replace “see” with “speak”). However, you can’t always use it if you’re trying to be as formal as possible.
Many people would think you’re being cheeky or rude saying something like this. It’s best to avoid using it unless you know for a fact that the recipient won’t mind that you’re saying it in this way.
- Hey Pete,
- Long time no see. I’m glad to hear that you’re doing a lot better now.
- All the best,
- George
- Dear Marcus,
- Long time no see! I’m glad you finally decided to pop up and have a conversation with me.
- Best wishes,
- Steve
- Dear Amy,
- Long time no see! I can’t believe you had to go through all of those things alone! That sucks.
- Kind regards,
- Sally