It’s essential to stay updated, and that’s why you’ll find yourself drafting follow-up emails frequently in the workplace. But is I just want to follow up a suitable phrase to use in professional correspondence?
In this article, we’ll show you how to write a follow-up email using this phrase and others.
10 Alternative Ways to Say “I Just Wanted to Follow Up”
Check out these 10 ways to follow up in a work email:
- Further to my previous email
- I’m just following up
- Per our last discussion
- Has there been any progress?
- Just checking in
- Can you please give me an update?
- This is just to follow up
- Where are we?
- I wanted to circle back
- Can we touch base
1. Further to My Previous Email
When someone doesn’t respond to your email, you can reiterate your question using further to my previous email.
This phrase is very formal, so it’s a safe option to go with if you’re reaching back out to a recruiter following a job application.
However, you should make sure that the surrounding message is very polite. After all, referring to a previous email that got no response may sound a touch passive-aggressive.
Have a look at the following email sample:
Dear Greg,
Further to my last email, will I be informed regarding the outcome of my application?
Thank you for any update you can give me.
Kind regards,
Joshua Fellow
2. I’m Just Following Up
Another way to say I just wanted to follow up is I’m just following up. This is just a slightly more casual variation of the original phase.
You can use this alternative as another way to reach back out if your previous email received no response. However, you can also use it to check in after an interview.
This phrase comes across as a bit friendlier than the one above. Therefore, you should only use it if you already have a good back-and-forth with the other person and you believe a less formal tone is suitable.
For instance:
Dear Jesse,
I’m just following up on my previous email.
Can I expect an update on my application fairly soon?
Kind regards,
Kendall Wreed
3. Per Our Last Discussion
Per our last discussion is a good formal way to start a follow-up email after a meeting.
This is a great phrase to use when you’re speaking to your boss or another superior at work. After all, it is brief and to the point, but it maintains a very respectful and professional tone.
In particular, you can use this phrase if you would like to provide an update regarding something you spoke about before.
Let’s see this phrase in an email example:
Dear Ms. Bolder,
Per our last discussion, I have gotten in touch with the opposing representatives as requested. They have agreed to meet at the time specified on Thursday.
Regards,
Blossom Fullman
4. Has There Been Any Progress
Has there been any progress is a great way to politely ask for an update from a colleague.
Generally, you will use this phrase to refer to a previous topic of discussion from a meeting or a previous email exchange.
This phrase is neither particularly formal nor informal. Therefore, you can use it with a colleague you aren’t particularly close with.
Check out the follow-up email example below:
Dear Brenton,
Has there been any progress on Miss Hart’s account?
Regards,
Tracey
5. Just Checking In
A different way to say I just wanted to follow up is just checking in.
You can use this phrase to politely ask for a follow-up from a colleague or a member of another company. For instance, you may be collaborating on a project.
If you have sent a previous email and gotten no response, this is a good, tentative way to prompt a reply. The inclusion of “just” implies that there is no real urgency and that you are simply hoping to hear back.
This alternative also has a rather friendly and casual tone. Thus, you can use it if you have already established a good rapport with the other party.
Check out this email example:
Hi Zane,
I’m just checking in since I haven’t heard back from you in regard to the conference.
Would your team still be interested in collaborating on the presentation?
Yours,
Hersha
6. Can You Please Give Me an Update?
You can use the phrase can you please give me an update when there is some urgency in the matter.
Therefore, this phrase may come across as a tad impatient. However, this might be necessary from time to time in a high-stakes role.
That being said, you should probably only use it with a colleague that you are equal to in terms of company rank. You don’t want to be too snippy with a superior!
Finally, let’s see a follow-up email example that includes this phrase:
Dear Max,
Can you please give me an update on the antenuptial contract?
The client is expecting a follow-up this afternoon.
Thanks,
Carrie
7. This Is Just to Follow Up
If you’re unsure how to write a follow-up after an interview, this alternative will help.
This is just to follow up is a great, simple synonym for I just wanted to follow up that you can use if you’ve got no reply to your previous emails.
The inclusion of “just” makes this phrase sound more relaxed so the recruiter doesn’t feel rushed or reprimanded for their lack of response thus far.
Moreover, this alternative is less formal than some of the others on our list. However, it’s still perfectly effective.
Have a look at the email sample below:
Dear James,
This is just to follow up with you on the email below.
In particular, I wanted to see if you have an update on my interview with the team.
Kind regards,
Josephine
8. Where Are We?
Where are we is an effective informal phrase that you can use to get an update from a colleague that you are close with.
If you have a friendly dynamic in your office, you can generally do away with all the extra email etiquette and get to the point. Therefore, where are we is a quick way to ask for an update in a fast-paced office environment.
See the follow-up email example below:
Hi Ted,
Where are we with Mr. Jedd’s trust formation?
I’m happy to help if you need an extra pair of hands.
All the best,
Sally
9. I Wanted to Circle Back
You can use I wanted to circle back when you feel that something important has been overlooked or forgotten.
For example, this is a good phrase to use if you want to follow up on a proposal to another team or company.
This phrase is idiomatic but still comes across as fairly business casual. Therefore, you can use it with a team member from another organization if you have a long-term business relationship.
Consider this example:
Dear Boipelo,
I wanted to circle back to our offer from last week.
Has your team given that proposal some further thought?
Let me know,
Akira
10. Can We Touch Base
Can we touch base is another idiomatic alternative to I just wanted to follow up that you can use in correspondence with a colleague or someone with whom you have a good working relationship.
This is another popular business casual phrase that is standard to use in a follow-up email. It comes across as fairly relaxed, so if you’re on a tight schedule, a more urgent tone would be required.
Check out the following email example:
Hi Cole,
Can we touch base regarding the shareholder presentation?
I just want to make sure there are no final touches necessary.
Cheers,
Evelyn
Is It Correct to Say “I Just Wanted to Follow Up”?
It is perfectly correct to say I just want to follow up in a professional email. In fact, this is a standard phrase used by members of all kinds of organizations to politely follow up with someone.
Therefore, you can’t go wrong using it after a meeting or if you’ve applied for a role and haven’t heard back.
Below, we’ve drafted two email examples illustrating how you can use this phrase.
First, let’s see how to write a follow-up email after no response:
Dear Conrad,
I just wanted to follow up on the application I submitted last week, Wednesday.
Has there been any decision regarding the next step of the application process?
Regards,
Julian
Next, we’ll look at how to ask for an update after a conversation or meeting has taken place:
Dear Gabrielle,
I wanted to follow up regarding our discussion on Monday.
Is there any update on the client’s budget?
Regards,
Bethany
Finally, let’s set out some of the common grammar mistakes and grammatical variations that are common in this phrase.
Mistake: Using Follow-up instead of Follow up
- Incorrect: I just wanted to follow-up.
- Correct: I just wanted to follow up.
In the context of this phrase, follow up is being used as a verb and should not be hyphenated. Hyphenating this phrase as follow-up would change it into a noun or adjective, depending on the surrounding sentence.
Therefore, it would only be correct when used as follows:
- Correct: I just wanted to send a follow-up to my last email. (noun)
- Correct: I just wanted to send a follow-up email. (adjective)
Variation: Using Want instead of Wanted
- Correct: I just wanted to follow up.
- Correct: I just want to follow up.
Want is simply the present tense form of wanted. However, you can use either one interchangeably, as it does not affect the rest of the sentence.
So, we know that I just wanted to follow up is correct. However, this phrase is very common and may come across as a tad standardized.
If you’d like to spice up your language and keep your work emails diverse, you can use one of the alternatives from our list.
