At high school, you’ll need to email your teachers often — whether to ask questions, request feedback, or clarify instructions. Learning good email etiquette early helps you:

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• get clear answers faster
   

• build positive relationships with teachers
   

• show that you can communicate respectfully and effectively
   

 
Subject Line
Your subject line should be clear, relevant, and professional.
In one short line, explain what your email is about. If it relates to a specific subject or class, include that too.

✅ Good examples

• Question about English Standard homework

• Request for meeting to discuss exam feedback
   

❌ Poor examples

• Need your help

• Question 1 problem
   

 Greeting
Start your email with a polite greeting such as “Dear” or “Hello”, followed by your teacher’s title and last name.
Use their formal title (Mr, Ms, Dr, etc.) unless they’ve said otherwise. You can check how they sign off in their own emails or look up their name on your school website or staff directory if you’re unsure.

✅ Good examples

• Dear Dr Williams

• Hello Mrs Williams,
   

❌ Poor examples

• Hey Anna,

• Hi I need help
   

 Body of the Email
Keep your message polite, clear, and concise.
Avoid using text message shortcuts (like btw or tmrw) and long, unstructured paragraphs.

1. Start with a short, polite introduction (e.g. “I hope you’re well.”)
    

2. Briefly explain who you are if needed (e.g. “I’m in your Year 10 English class.”)
    

3. State your question or request clearly, and mention what you’ve already done to find the answer.
    

4. Use short paragraphs or bullet points to make your message easy to read.
    

✅ Good example
I hope you’re well.
I’m in your English Advanced 02 class and had a question about this week’s task.
I’ve read through the instructions on Moodle and checked the course outline, but I’m still unsure whether we choose our own topic or if it will be assigned.
Could you please clarify this for me?

❌ Poor example
Should I pick my own topic or will it be assigned?
 
Sign-Off
End with a short thank-you and your name.
If you’re writing about a class, include your class name or subject code.
You can also create an automatic signature that appears at the end of all your emails.

✅ Good example
Thank you for your help.
Kind regards,
Helena Tang
Year 10 English

❌ Poor example
Thanks,
Helena