Free prompt templates: Copy these five practical prompts into ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Microsoft Copilot, replace the placeholders, and review the result before sending.

These templates are designed for administrative staff, customer-service teams, sales professionals, freelancers, and small-business owners who regularly handle commercial email.

For the full method behind these prompts, read How to Write Professional Emails with AI.

Before you use these prompts

Replace sensitive information with placeholders. Do not paste personal data, contract values, confidential company information, login details, or unpublished project information into an AI service unless your organization has approved that workflow.

  • [Client Name]
  • [Project Name]
  • [Amount]
  • [Deadline]
  • [Internal System]
  • [Vendor Name]

Template 1: Request a quotation

Use this when you want to ask a supplier or service provider for pricing without sounding as though you have already committed to purchase.

I want to ask a supplier for a quotation for [service / product].

Draft a professional English email with a subject line.

Context:
We are considering [brief description of the requirement] and want to know whether the supplier can provide the relevant service.

Include:
1. A request for a quotation
2. A request for the service scope or product details
3. The charging method and earliest start date
4. An invitation for the supplier to request any additional information needed

Use a formal, polite, and clear tone. Keep the email concise.
Do not sound pushy, imply that we have decided to purchase, or make any commitment.
The recipient is [supplier / vendor / consultant].

Example replacements: website maintenance service, outsourced IT support, accounting services, monthly support plan, or software consultancy.

Template 2: Follow up for missing information

Use this when a client, colleague, or supplier has not yet provided the information required for the next stage of work.

I need to remind [client / colleague / supplier] to provide outstanding information so we can continue [project / task / application].

We are waiting for: [information required]
Reason it is needed: [reason]
Requested date: [date]
Possible effect of delay: [realistic impact]
Submission method: [method]

Write a professional English email with a subject line.
The tone should be polite, clear, and gently firm—not impatient.

The email should:
1. Confirm any information already received
2. List the outstanding items clearly
3. Explain why the information is needed
4. Ask when it can be provided
5. Explain the real impact of delay without sounding threatening
6. Invite questions

Do not invent facts, commitments, or deadlines.

Template 3: Reply to a customer complaint

Use this when a customer reports a service, system, delivery, or quality problem. The reply should show empathy without making an unsupported promise or admitting unnecessary liability.

A customer has reported the following issue: [problem description].

Write a professional English email response with a subject line.

The email should:
1. Thank the customer for notifying us
2. Acknowledge the inconvenience and apologize for the experience
3. State that the issue has been passed to the appropriate team for review
4. Give the next confirmed update time, if available
5. Say that we will share further information as soon as it is confirmed

Use a professional, polite, and empathetic tone.
Do not blame the customer, admit legal liability, guarantee an immediate fix, promise resolution today, or use unnecessary technical language.

Template 4: Decline an out-of-scope request

Use this when a client asks for an additional feature, service, or revision that is outside the original agreement or quotation.

A client has requested [additional feature / service / revision], but it is outside the agreed project scope.

Original scope: [original scope]
Why the new request requires additional work: [reason]
Available option: [separate quotation / revised timeline / phase two]

Write a professional English email with a subject line.
Use a polite, respectful, and firm tone.

The email should:
1. Thank the client for the request
2. Acknowledge its possible value
3. Explain that it is outside the current agreement or scope
4. State that it requires a separate assessment, quotation, or schedule adjustment
5. Ask whether the client would like us to prepare the next option

Do not simply say “no,” blame the client, or promise free additional work.

Template 5: Notify someone of a delay

Use this when a project, delivery, report, or task needs more time because of testing, missing information, internal review, or another confirmed reason.

A project needs additional time because of [confirmed reason]. The current estimate is a delay of [time].

Write a professional English email to [client / colleague / supplier] with a subject line.
Use a calm, honest, and solution-focused tone.

Include:
1. The current progress
2. A brief explanation of why more time is needed
3. The best current estimate of the additional time required
4. What the team is doing now
5. When the next update will be provided
6. An apology for the inconvenience

Do not blame the recipient, include unnecessary technical detail, make the project sound out of control, or promise an uncertain completion date.

How to improve the first AI draft

The first output is rarely the final version. Use one of these follow-up instructions:

  • Shorten this email while keeping every important point.
  • Make the tone more natural and less mechanical, while remaining professional.
  • Make this more direct and concise without sounding rude.
  • Provide a more formal version for a corporate client.
  • Return both an English and Traditional Chinese version.
  • Flag any sentence that creates a promise, deadline, discount, or legal commitment.

Basic review checklist

Before sending, check:

  • Recipient and company names
  • Dates, times, amounts, and deadlines
  • Tone and level of formality
  • Any information the AI added without being asked
  • Promises or commitments that were not approved
  • Confidential company or client information
  • Whether the message is too long
  • Whether the recipient can clearly see the next step
  • Whether every mentioned attachment is included

AI can help produce and improve a draft, but you remain responsible for the facts, tone, commitments, and decision to send it.

You can also browse the English Prompt Library for task-specific prompts with examples and usage notes.