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English for client communication: emails, calls, feedback
Ready-made English phrases for designers with explanations: the first email about a brief, clarifying questions, presenting work, revisions, deadlines and invoices.
- Email templates from brief to invoice
- Phrases for calls when you didn't catch everything
- How to respond to revisions politely and say “no”
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Phrases for every project stage: 5 steps
- 1
Step 1
The first email and replying to a brief
- 2
Step 2
Clarifying questions
- 3
Step 3
Calls and presenting your work
- 4
Step 4
Feedback and revisions
- 5
Step 5
Deadlines, delays and invoices
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This guide is for you if you
Just got your first international client
The brief arrived in English, and you want to reply professionally, not word for word through a translator.
Get lost on calls
You understand most of it but don't know how to ask again or defend your decision.
Find it hard to say no
The client asks for one more revision outside the agreement, and you agree because you don't know how to say otherwise.
In short
- An email to a client is formal: Dear…, the purpose in the first sentence, paragraphs of 2–3 sentences, Best regards at the end.
- Before you start, ask clarifying questions: audience, goal, constraints, what's outside the scope, the deadline.
- Present work through its goal: “The goal of this screen is…”, not “I made it blue”.
- Answer revisions with a simple structure: what changes, what doesn't and why, what happens next.
- Put deadlines and payment in writing and remind people politely, without capitals or reproach.
Phrases for every project stage: 5 steps
- 1
Step 1
The first email and replying to a brief
The British Council's LearnEnglish treats emails to customers and other companies as formal. Put a comma after the opening and closing phrases, and state the purpose right away with “I am writing to…”. A template reply to a brief:
- Dear Ms Green, — a formal greeting; if the client writes “Hi Anna” themselves, you can reply “Hi Tom,”;
- Thank you for sending the brief. — say thanks and show that you received the materials;
- I am writing to confirm that I can start on Monday, 16 November. — the purpose in the first sentence;
- Before I start, I'd like to clarify a few points. — a bridge to your questions (see step 2);
- I'm attaching a short project plan. — this is how LearnEnglish suggests mentioning an attachment;
- Best regards, Olena — a neutral formal closing, with your name on a new line.
💡 LearnEnglish suggests splitting an email into paragraphs of two or three sentences and attaching the file before you start writing, so you don't forget it. A simple email with short sentences looks more professional than a complex translation.
- 2
Step 2
Clarifying questions
Good questions save rounds of revisions. Ask them as one list in an email or on the first call:
- Who is the main audience for this product?
- What should users be able to do on this page?
- How will we know the design is successful?
- Are there any websites or apps you like, and why?
- Is anything outside the scope of this project?
- When would be convenient for you to have a call? — a phrase from the LearnEnglish lesson on making arrangements;
- Could you please let me know by Thursday? — “let me know” shows you're expecting an answer.
💡 At the end, sum up the answers in one email: “Just to confirm, we agreed that…”. That gives you a written agreement to come back to when revisions start.
Show your client email before you hit Send
In the community you can post a draft email or a reply to revisions and get advice from designers who work with international clients. It's free.
Get feedback on my emailFree. 1,504 designers are already in the community.
- 3
Step 3
Calls and presenting your work
You don't have to speak perfectly on a call. What matters is leading the conversation and not being afraid to ask again. Phrases to keep at hand:
- Let me walk you through the main screens. — a natural way to start a presentation;
- The goal of this screen is to help new users sign up quickly. — start with the goal, not the colors;
- We chose this layout because… — explain a decision through its reason;
- Sorry, could you repeat that, please? — when you didn't catch something;
- Just to make sure I understood correctly, you'd like… — check your understanding;
- I'll send you a short summary after the call. — promise a written recap, then send it.
💡 Before the call, write three sentences about each screen: the goal, the key decision, a question for the client. If you get lost, just read them.
- 4
Step 4
Feedback and revisions
Nielsen Norman Group recommends closing the loop after a discussion: name the feedback, state the decision, give the reason and say what happens next. A short recap can cover what you're moving forward with, what you're still investigating and what you've decided not to pursue. Phrases:
- Thank you for the feedback. Here's what I'll change: — say thanks and list the changes;
- You mentioned the button is hard to find, so I moved it above the fold. — tie each change to a specific comment;
- I'd suggest keeping the current layout, because… — disagree politely and explain why;
- This request is outside the scope we agreed on. I'm happy to prepare an estimate for it. — for a new task beyond the agreement;
- Could you leave your comments directly in Figma? — in Figma a comment is pinned to a specific spot in the design, and you can @mention a colleague.
💡 Declining out-of-scope work isn't rude. Name the agreement, offer an option (an estimate, the next stage) and leave the decision to the client. The feedback process itself is covered in How to get feedback on your design.
Not sure how to reply to a client? Show the draft to the community → - 5
Step 5
Deadlines, delays and invoices
The most delicate emails are about time and money. Keep them short but polite: LearnEnglish warns that very short emails can sound rude, and text in capitals reads as shouting. Templates:
- The final files will be ready by Friday, 20 November. — a specific date instead of “soon”;
- Unfortunately, I need two more days to finish the mobile version. The new date is… — flag a delay early and give the new date right away;
- Could you approve the final screens by Wednesday, so I can prepare the handoff? — a request for approval with a reason;
- Please find the invoice for the first stage attached. — the standard phrase for an attached invoice;
- Just a friendly reminder that the invoice is due on Monday. — a gentle payment reminder;
- I'm happy to discuss this further if you have any questions. — a closing that offers more detail, as in the LearnEnglish example.
💡 Before sending, check the recipients (do you really need “Reply all”?), the attachments and any typos, and ask someone to reread an important email. That's advice from the LearnEnglish lesson on email etiquette.
You're not alone with these questions
We counted what people ask about most in our community. Jobs and vacancies are among the main topics, and working with international clients means working in English.
Messages by topic in Spaceberry Community, July 2024 — November 2026. Keyword search.
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Questions and answers
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How do I start an email to a client in English?
If you haven't met yet, be formal: “Dear Ms Green,” or “Dear Mr Piper,”, and if you don't know the name, “Dear Sir or Madam,”. The first sentence states the purpose: “I am writing to…”. When the client switches to “Hi Anna”, you can do the same. Close with a neutral “Best regards” or “Regards” and your name on a new line.
How do I politely decline extra revisions?
Refer to the agreement and offer an option: “This request is outside the scope we agreed on. I'm happy to prepare an estimate for it” or “We can include it in the next stage”. Don't over-apologize and don't be blunt: state the fact, give a choice and leave the decision to the client. That's exactly why the scope and the number of revision rounds are worth putting in writing before you start.
What if I didn't understand the client on a call?
Ask again: “Sorry, could you repeat that, please?” or “Could you say that more slowly?”. Check your understanding: “Just to make sure I understood correctly, you'd like…”. After the call, send a short written recap: the client can correct you if something went wrong, and you keep a record of what was agreed.
How can I practice business emails for free?
The British Council's LearnEnglish has a free English for emails section: 9 lessons for A2 and B1 learners, from greetings and arrangements to email etiquette, with interactive exercises. Write your own templates for your projects and show them to people who already work with clients. Where to start with English is covered in a [separate guide](/en/guides/english-for-designers).
Is the Spaceberry community paid?
No. Spaceberry Community is a free Telegram community supported by Spaceberry Foundation, a non-profit organization. All you need to join is a Telegram account. Inside are 1,504 designers who discuss each other's work, plus regular design games: the same brief for everyone, a deadline and a community vote. Conversations are in Ukrainian.
Confidence comes with your first emails
Join 1,504 designers who share their experience with clients. Show a draft email or a reply to revisions and get advice, and practice presenting your work in design games. The community talks in Ukrainian.
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Updated · Spaceberry Foundation
Sources:
- British Council LearnEnglish — English for emails
- British Council LearnEnglish — Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails
- British Council LearnEnglish — Unit 5: Making arrangements
- British Council LearnEnglish — Unit 6: Enquiries
- British Council LearnEnglish — Unit 7: Organising your writing
- British Council LearnEnglish — Unit 9: Email etiquette
- British Council LearnEnglish — An email about a business event
- Nielsen Norman Group — Closing the Loop: What to Do After a Design Critique Ends
- Figma Learn — Add comments to files