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Business English Podcast · Emails & Follow-up · Episode 01

Dictating a Friendly Email to Confirm Tomorrow's Meeting

Composing a short, friendly confirmation email out loud: subject line, greeting, key message, sign-off — sentence by sentence.

B1 · Dialogue · 3 Min. · free

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Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published

Confirming Tomorrow's Meeting by Email

SceneJust before the end of the day: Paul still has to confirm tomorrow's meeting with the British customer Mr Hughes. He dictates the email out loud — and his colleague Anna helps him polish every sentence.
0:00 / 3 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test
Paul — Sales employee, mechanical engineeringAnna — Colleague with years of experience abroad

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Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

Key phrases

subject line
the title line of an email
A good subject line says everything at a glance.
I am writing to confirm
standard opening formula for confirmation emails
I am writing to confirm our appointment on Friday.
at a glance
immediately, with one look
The dashboard shows all orders at a glance.
delivery schedule
the plan showing when goods will be delivered
We need to discuss the delivery schedule for autumn.
visitor parking space
a parking spot reserved for guests
A visitor parking space is reserved at the main entrance.
by tomorrow morning
no later than tomorrow morning — deadline word
Please send the documents by tomorrow morning.
We look forward to seeing you
warm, professional closing before a meeting
We look forward to seeing you at the trade fair.
Kind regards
standard friendly-professional email sign-off
Kind regards, Sarah Miller.

Language notes

In this episode a sales employee and his colleague dictate a friendly confirmation email: subject, greeting, key message, practical details, closing. You learn the building blocks of a professional English email (level B1) — and why German "bis" is sometimes "by" and sometimes "until".

The five building blocks of a confirmation email

Paul's email follows the classic structure: a subject line that says everything at a glance ("Confirmation: Meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, 10 a.m."), a warm greeting ("Dear Mr Hughes, I hope you are well"), the standard formula "I am writing to confirm …", useful details (agenda, parking) and a warm closing ("We look forward to seeing you"). You can reuse this order word for word in any confirmation — only the date, place and details change.

Friendly means concrete

What makes the email "friendly"? Not exclamation marks or phrases, but thought-ahead details: the reserved visitor parking space, the building, the agenda. Anna comments on exactly that: "he'll appreciate the parking detail". In English-language business correspondence, warmth comes from service orientation — the recipient should be able to arrive tomorrow without a single follow-up question. A second building block is the personal opener "I hope you are well", which almost always fits with existing customers.

Translation trap: bis ≠ until

To English ears, Paul's sentence "send us the list until tomorrow morning" sounds as if Mr Hughes should keep sending the list continuously until the morning. German "bis" covers two completely different English words: "by" for deadlines (a one-off action no later than time X: "Please reply by Friday") and "until" for duration (a state continues up to X: "I am out of office until Friday"). The test: does it happen once? Then "by". Does it continue? Then "until".

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B1 (CEFR). The dialogue uses clear everyday business English; all eight key phrases are explained bilingually.

How do I confirm a meeting by email in English?

With five building blocks: a clear subject line ("Confirmation: Meeting tomorrow, 10 a.m."), a greeting with a personal opener ("Dear Mr …, I hope you are well"), the confirmation formula ("I am writing to confirm …"), practical details (place, agenda, parking) and a warm closing ("We look forward to seeing you. Kind regards").

When is German "bis" "by" and when "until" in English?

"By" for deadlines: a one-off action no later than a point in time ("Please send it by Friday"). "Until" for duration: a state continues up to a point in time ("The office is closed until Monday"). "Send it until Friday" is the most common German email mistake.

Is there a transcript to read along?

Yes, the full transcript with German support notes is on this page — listen first, then take the test, then read along.

Where can I practise writing English emails live?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services (englisch-lehrer.com/online): live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, including email training with corrections, for companies and individuals across Germany — book a free consultation directly on the page.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

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