What’s the polite way to say “Let me answer your questions”?
I’m replying a client e-mail, and I don’t know how to say some sentence in the polite way. Please give me some advice, thank you in advance!
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Hi,
I suppose the “tone” of your email is more important rather than focusing on a single sentence. But usually, to be formal is (almost) equivalent of being polite. Normally I would just any of the following variations:
“Regarding to your…”
“In response to your…”
“With regards to your…”
and insert any of: questions, concerns or queries (MSword/dictionary.com theasaurus will be your best friend) which you think is most appropriate for the situation.
Leaderofrogue
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Although sometimes considered poor substitutes for ‘about’ or ‘concerning’, the phrases ‘as regards’, ‘in regard to’, and ‘with regard to’ are standard and occur in all varieties of spoken and written English, especially in business writing: ‘As regards your letter of January 19 …’. ‘In regards to’ and ‘with regards to’ are widely rejected as errors.
‘Regarding to’ is also very wrong.
With regard to your original question, Catherine, all of this seems to be irrelevant. There is nothing at all wrong with ‘Let me answer your questions’ in a business email.
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Leaderofrogue and Mister Micawber, thank you all for your kind answers!
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No, two of Leaderofrogue’s suggested phrases are wrong. Don’t use them.
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Yes, thanks Mister Micawber, any time you say (by that I mean spoken & written) “Regarding to…” will always be wrong; regard in itself implies a topic addressed to the reader so you don’t say regarding to “anything” — lesson to learn here is to always proofread what you write.
I should also add that I agree with Mister Micawber about you using “let me answer your questions”, indeed it possible sounds slightly less sophisticated to what you may have heard elsewhere but there is definitely nothing wrong in using it. But I am not sure how “with regards to…” is wrong or rejected? As I have said, I use it myself as well so it’d be great if you could explain it a little further, Mister Micawber or someone else?
Thanks,
Leaderofrogue
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Please refer to my quote on usage from the American Heritage Dictionary (also quoted above):
[i]Usage note:
Although sometimes considered poor substitutes for ‘about’ or ‘concerning’, the phrases ‘as regards’, ‘in regard to’, and ‘with regard to’ are standard and occur in all varieties of spoken and written English, especially in business writing: ‘As regards your letter of January 19.’ … ‘In regards to’ and ‘with regards to’ are widely rejected as errors.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009. [/i]
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I think I have found the answer to my question:
"The use of the plural regards in the phrases in regards to and with regards to is incorrect. Since each phrase shows its speaker regarding just one issue, the regard is singular: in regard to and with regard to.
e.g. I am calling in regard to your memo."
I found it from this site: http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/
There are a few other grammar-related explanations, so it may be helpful to have a browse through.
Leaderofrogue
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