Level 1 · simple request
Push back a deadline: an annotated email example
Tell Sarah about the new deadline and get her approval.
The situation
Sarah MillerYour manager
You were due to send the quarterly report on Thursday. Finance sent their numbers 3 days late. You can deliver it Monday morning.
Demanding but fair. She hates surprises and has to justify every delay to her own boss.
Goal
Tell Sarah about the new deadline and get her approval.
The winning structure
A good email for this situation includes these elements, in this order:
- A greeting with the recipient's first name.
- The new date (Monday)
- The reason for the delay
- A request for approval
- A clear ask at the end: a question or an action with a deadline.
- A short sign-off, then your name.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the new date (Monday) : « OK… but when will I actually get it? »
- Leaving out the reason for the delay : « Why the delay? I'll need to explain it upstairs. »
- Leaving out a request for approval : « Are you telling me or asking me? »
- Opening with padding ("I hope this email finds you well") instead of getting to the point.
- A vague subject line like "Question" or "Request".
Write your own version: the recipient reacts and you get a score out of 100.
The annotated example
Try it yourself first: you'll remember more. Click to show the example.
Subject : Quarterly report: delivery Monday morning
Hi Sarah,
- Greeting by first name: the reader knows it's for them.
Finance sent their numbers three days late, so I won't be able to deliver the quarterly report on Thursday.
- Includes: the reason for the delay.
Can I send it to you Monday at 10am instead? Let me know if that works.
- Includes: the new date (Monday).
- Includes: a request for approval.
- Clear ask: the reader knows what to do.
Best regards,
Alex
- Short sign-off, then the name.
Why it works : 40 words against a target of 80, 7 words per sentence on average, no filler phrases.