How to Answer Questions over Email Professionally

Reply promptly to the email. When you receive the e-mail, do not wait for days or weeks to respond to it. This might be upsetting to the sender, and be unprofessional, especially in a workplace setting. If you do not know the answer to a question, you can ask someone else who might know the answer. For instance, if someone asks you if school supplies are required or just for donation, write back with something like this: "I do not know if school supplies are required, but I have asked our supervisor about this, and will follow up with you as soon as possible."

Know how to politely ask for clarification. If you do not understand what the sender is asking, you can ask him or her to clarify. You can try writing a polite and professional note like this: "I am sorry, but I do not understand what you are asking. Would you please elaborate?" The sender is likely to respond with elaboration of his/her question, so that you can answer it.

Use proper spelling and grammar. This goes without saying. Many people on the Internet use improper grammar, which is very unprofessional, especially in an e-mail to someone. If you're not a good speller, try using an online spell check resource so that your spelling is correct. You should also read up on how to use proper English punctuation.

Include the original question that the sender asked. Try to reshape this question into an answer instead of replying to an e-mail. This is especially important if the sender is asking a closed-ended question (such as a yes/no question, or a multiple-option question in which you would need to answer with a certain option). For instance, if the sender asked you "Does school start next Tuesday?" do not just reply with "Yes". Reply with "Yes, school starts next Tuesday".

• In face-to-face conversation, people usually answer closed-ended questions with one word, but e-mail is different. It can be confusing to the sender when you reply to a closed-ended question with one word, since the sender will have to scroll down to find his or her original question.