How do I write a cover letter in English?
Write a short letter in full sentences, with "I" in it. First say why you are writing: "I am writing to apply for the position of Logistics Coordinator advertised on your website." Then prove with one or two concrete achievements that you match what the role needs, and say why this company in particular interests you. Close with the attachment, your thanks and "I look forward to hearing from you" — and with a sign-off that matches your salutation.
- "I hereby apply …" is grammatical but sounds stiff and old-fashioned; "I am writing to apply for …" is the more natural opener.
- For a length of time up to now, use the present perfect with "for": "I have worked in sales for five years" — not "since five years".
- In British English, traditionally, "Dear Sir or Madam" pairs with "Yours faithfully" and "Dear Ms Weber" with "Yours sincerely"; "Kind regards" is a common, slightly less formal alternative.
B1 · Business Writing · 10 minThe English cover letter, taught brick by brick.
A structured lesson for B1 learners. Hear the first sentence of a cover letter in context, meet the arc of the letter from a tutor — opening, proof, close and sign-off — then practise the phrases in interactive drills before a final quiz. The whole arc takes about ten minutes and nothing requires a signup.
- CEFR levelB1 · Intermediate
- Time to completeAbout 10 minutes
- SkillsWriting, Grammar, Vocabulary, Business English
- FocusOpening, proof, close, sign-off
01 / 07
What an English cover letter does
Your CV lists what you have done. The cover letter — Anschreiben in German — explains why exactly that fits this one job. That is why it usually looks different: mainly full sentences rather than bullet points — a short letter in the first person, with "I" in it. A few bullets can still work, for example to highlight individual achievements. It is often no longer than a page, and when you apply by email it frequently sits in the body of the message or travels as a separate file next to your CV. A helpful frame follows a simple arc: you say why you are writing and which role you mean; you prove with one or two concrete achievements that you match what the role needs; and you close with the attachment, your thanks and a sign-off that matches your salutation. This is not a law, but it makes the letter easy to follow. Do not simply retell your CV in sentences — choose, and connect. The cover letter can take for granted whatever the CV already says; its job is the argument, not the list. The company names in this lesson's examples are invented, by the way.
02 / 07
The opening: say why you are writing
The first sentence tells the reader which job you want and where you found it. A natural pattern for this is: "I am writing to apply for the position of Logistics Coordinator advertised on your website." Instead of "advertised on your website" you can write "advertised on LinkedIn" or "advertised on Indeed" — what matters is that the reader knows at once which advert you mean. Copy the job title exactly as the advert gives it. A second sentence can show real interest: "I was excited to see a role that combines route planning with direct customer contact." Or: "I was particularly interested to read that you are opening a new site in Hamburg." The salutation comes before all of this. If you can find the name of the person responsible — in the advert, on the company website, on LinkedIn — write "Dear Ms Weber" or "Dear Mr Hall". If you cannot find a name, "Dear Sir or Madam" is the usual formal choice. "To whom it may concern" is possible too, but in a cover letter it often sounds stiff and impersonal. In British usage, the salutation traditionally also decides the sign-off — more on that in the last section.
03 / 07
"I hereby apply": grammatical, but stiff
A classic German opening is "Hiermit bewerbe ich mich als …". Carried over word for word, it becomes "I hereby apply for the position of …". That sentence is grammatically correct — but it sounds like a contract or an official form, and in a modern English cover letter it comes across as stiff and old-fashioned. You will meet "hereby" mainly in legal and official wording. "I am writing to apply for …" does the same job more naturally: it says why you are writing and sounds like a person rather than a document. "I would like to apply for the position of …" works well too. Keep the difference between stiff and wrong clear in your head. "I hereby apply" is not an error, only a question of style. Wrong would be forms such as "I am writing for apply" or "I am writing to applying": after the "to" in "I am writing to", English needs the base form of the verb, because that "to" introduces your purpose. The same care pays off across the whole letter, because a sentence can be correct and still sound translated. So read your cover letter aloud once — that makes it easier to hear which sentences still sound German.
04 / 07
Proving it: one achievement, one need
The middle of the letter links what you have done to what the advert asks for. Read the advert and mark the requirements it stresses most. Then pick one or two concrete achievements from your CV that answer them, and tell them in full sentences: "In my current role at Nordhafen Logistics, I plan delivery routes for a fleet of 40 vans. Last year I redesigned two routes and reduced delivery times." On your CV that was a bullet without "I"; in the cover letter it gets a subject and a context. Watch the small word after "role": for the employer, English uses "at" or "with" — "in my role at Nordhafen". German "bei Nordhafen" easily turns into "by Nordhafen", and that does not work. Next, build the bridge to the new job: "This experience has given me a good feel for where delays start and how to prevent them." Then say what you want to contribute: "I would welcome the opportunity to bring that experience to your team in Hamburg." Add a line on why this company in particular — something specific you have read about them, such as a new site, a product or a market: "Your move into same-day delivery is exactly the kind of challenge I am looking for." General praise such as "your great company" tells the reader little; a specific reference shows that you have really looked at the company.
05 / 07
"Seit fünf Jahren": for, since and the present perfect
As soon as you describe how long you have been doing something, a trap opens. "Ich arbeite seit fünf Jahren im Vertrieb" often comes out as "I work in sales since five years" when German speakers write in English. Two things in that sentence do not work in English. For something that started in the past and is still going on, English uses the present perfect, and a length of time takes "for", not "since". The correct version is: "I have worked in sales for five years." "I have been working in sales for five years" fits as well if you want to stress the ongoing activity. You need "since" for a starting point: "I have worked at Nordhafen Logistics since 2021", "since March", "since my apprenticeship". As a rule of thumb: "for" plus a period (for five years, for six months), "since" plus a point in time (since 2021, since January). "During five years" does not help either — "during" needs a particular period ("during my apprenticeship") and does not say how long something has lasted. In a cover letter, this sentence often opens the proof part. So it is worth getting it right — it is one of the first sentences your reader sees from you.
06 / 07
The close: attachment, availability, thanks
The close is short and practical. Mention the attachment: "I have attached my CV" is direct and modern, and "Please find attached my CV" is a slightly more formal fixed phrase — both are in everyday use. Word-for-word versions of "Anbei finden Sie …" or "In der Anlage finden Sie …", such as "In the attachment you find my CV", sound translated. Offer the next step: "I would be happy to discuss the role in more detail." If it helps, give your notice period or your earliest start date: "My notice period is three months" or "I could start on 1 March". Then thank the reader: "Thank you for considering my application." After "for", the -ing form follows here, just as in the last line before the sign-off: "I look forward to hearing from you." In "look forward to", the "to" is a preposition, which is why the -ing form follows; "I look forward to hear from you" is a typical error. You can check this yourself: a noun fits after "look forward to" as well ("I look forward to your reply") — a sign that "to" is a preposition there. "I would welcome the opportunity to join your team" is different: no noun fits after that "to", and the base form follows.
07 / 07
The sign-off: what "Mit freundlichen Grüßen" becomes
There is no single English translation of "Mit freundlichen Grüßen"; there is a choice, and in British usage it traditionally depends on your salutation. In British English, a letter that opens without a name, with "Dear Sir or Madam", closes with "Yours faithfully"; a letter that opens with a name, such as "Dear Ms Weber", closes with "Yours sincerely". American English does not usually draw this line; there you will mostly see "Sincerely" or "Sincerely yours". Alongside these, "Kind regards" and "Best regards" are common, slightly less formal closings, especially when you apply by email. What matters is that your salutation and sign-off belong together and that you stay with one variety, British or American, throughout the letter. Your full name goes on a new line below the sign-off. "With friendly greetings" will be understood, but it tells the reader that the letter was translated word for word — exactly the impression a cover letter should avoid. If you are unsure which variety the company expects, take your cue from the job advert: a UK office, British spellings such as "organise" or a British contact person all point to the British form.