We are writing in connection with

Grammatically, it is quite a heavy-lifter, so you usually put it right at the start of your first paragraph. The structure is almost always: We are writing in connection with + [Noun/Topic]. For example, We are writing in connection with your recent application. You do not need a fancy lead-in. It is the lead-in! Just make sure the thing that follows the with is a clear noun phrase. If you are writing as an individual, you can change it to I am writing in connection with, but in many business settings, We is used to represent the whole company or team. It is like being part of a cool secret society, but the secret is just that you work in an office. Use it after a formal greeting like Dear Mr. Smith or Dear Hiring Manager for maximum effect.

This phrase lives at the top of the formality mountain. If English formality were a video game, this would be an end-game boss level. It is firmly in the formal to very_formal category. You will see it in legal letters, official bank notices, and HR emails about your paycheck. It is the opposite of "Hey, just checking in!" If you use this with your best friend to ask about pizza, they might think you have been hacked by a robot—or that you are about to sue them for the $5 they owe you. In a professional setting, however, it is the safest bet you can make. It shows you know the "rules" of business English. It is like wearing a tie to a wedding; you can't really go wrong with it.

You will find this everywhere in the "grown-up" world. Think about that Netflix email telling you the price is going up—they might start with We are writing in connection with your membership plan. Or if you apply for a visa, the embassy might send a letter saying, We are writing in connection with your visa application reference #12345. It is also very common in customer service. If you complain about a cold burger on a delivery app, their formal response might be, We are writing in connection with your order from Tuesday. It turns a messy situation into a structured, professional one. It is basically the "calm down, we are handling this" phrase of the business world.

Use it when the stakes are medium to high. Job applications? Perfect. Insurance claims? Absolutely. Responding to a legal notice? You better believe it. It is also great when you are following up on a conversation that happened a while ago. It helps refresh the reader's memory without you having to say, "Remember when we talked three weeks ago?" Instead, you say, I am writing in connection with our meeting on the 4th of October. It makes you look like you have an incredible memory (even if you just checked your calendar). Use it whenever you want to set a serious, professional tone from the very first second. It is the linguistic equivalent of a firm handshake.

Do not use this in a WhatsApp group. Just don't. I am writing in connection with the party tonight sounds like you are the fun-police. Avoid it in casual Slack channels unless you are being intentionally funny or ironic. Also, do not use it if you are just "saying hi" or "touching base" without a specific topic. If there is no specific "thing" to be in connection with, the phrase falls apart. If you use it too much in a single email, you will sound like a legal textbook. One use at the beginning is plenty! If you use it to break up with someone, expect a very confused (and possibly legalistic) response. There are some things even formal English can't fix.

The most common trip-up is using the wrong preposition. People often say in connection to or with connection in. Remember: it is always in at the start and with at the end. Another mistake is being too wordy. ✗ We are writing you this email in connection with the matter of → ✓ We are writing in connection with. Keep it lean! Another one is using it when you don't actually have a connection yet. If you are cold-emailing someone for the first time, I am writing in connection with your company sounds a bit like you are a private investigator. In that case, I am writing to express interest in is often a better, slightly softer choice. Don't let the phrase do all the work; make sure the topic follows it clearly!

If you find yourself using this phrase in every single email, you might want to switch it up to avoid sounding like a broken record. Regarding is a shorter, slightly less formal cousin. With reference to is even more formal—it’s like the tuxedo of phrases. Following up on is great for a second or third email in a chain. In relation to is another solid choice that works well in technical or legal contexts. You might also see I am writing to you about, which is the friendly, neighborhood version. It is good to have a few of these in your back pocket so you don't sound like an AI (even though you are reading this on an AI-powered platform!).

Is it too formal for an email to a colleague? Yes, usually. Stick to About or Regarding unless it's a very serious HR matter. Can I use it for a complaint? Yes, it's actually perfect for that because it makes your complaint sound more "official." Is I am writing better than We are writing? Use I if you are just one person, use We if you represent a company. Is it okay to use it in a subject line? Usually, it's too long for a subject line. Just use Regarding: [Topic] there instead. Does it work in British and American English? Yes, it is perfectly understood and used in both. It is a true international business superstar.