Polite Reminders and Follow-Ups: correct answers
Jump to answers ↓The art of the polite reminder
In English, being too direct when asking for an update can easily sound rude or demanding. If a coworker forgets a deadline or a friend owes you money, you need to get your answer without damaging the relationship. To do this, English speakers use "softeners." These are extra words and grammatical shifts that make a request feel less aggressive.
Instead of demanding an answer, you frame your message as a gentle check-in or a quick confirmation. This applies to workplace emails, instant messages, and even text messages with friends.
Softening your language
There are three main tools for softening a reminder: the word "just", past tense verbs, and modal verbs like "could" or "would".
Using the word "just" makes the request seem small and easy to handle. Using a past tense verb like "wanted" instead of "want" adds distance, making the statement feel less like an immediate command.
✅ I just wanted to check in on the status of my email. ❌ I want an answer about my email.
The incorrect sentence is grammatically correct, but socially, it is a disaster. It sounds like an angry manager scolding an employee, not a colleague asking for an update.
You can also use modals to ask if someone has time, rather than telling them to do something.
✅ Did you get a chance to look at the design files? ❌ Why haven't you answered my email about the design files?
Restating deadlines
When someone forgets a deadline, it is tempting to point out that you already told them. However, phrases like "As per my last email" are now widely considered passive-aggressive in modern workplaces. Instead, present the information as a quick confirmation.
✅ Just a quick reminder that the final report is due this Friday. ❌ As per my last email, the deadline is Friday.
By using "Just a quick reminder" or "Just to confirm", you give the person the benefit of the doubt. You are acting as a helpful teammate, not a strict boss.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake learners make is translating the verb "remind" directly from their native language into a simple present statement. In English, starting a sentence with "I remind you" sounds incredibly formal and often hostile.
✅ Just following up on my message from Tuesday. ❌ I remind you about the message from Tuesday.
When asking a friend for money they owe you, the same softening rules apply. Direct statements sound accusatory, so it is better to give them an easy way out by using casual language.
✅ Hey, no rush, but could you send the $20 when you get a chance? ❌ You still owe me $20.
Finally, watch out for overusing punctuation to seem friendly. Writing "Friendly reminder!! The report is due tomorrow!!!" might seem enthusiastic to a learner, but multiple exclamation points can actually make you look panicked or annoyed. Stick to a single exclamation point for a friendly greeting, and use standard periods for your reminders.
Correct answers
Question 1
The correct sentence is: Hey Sarah, I just wanted to check in on the status of the Q3 report. Could you let me know when it's ready?
just is a softener: it makes the check-in sound small and easy to answer. "I already wanted to" and "I still wanted to" don't make sense here, because nothing happened earlier. "Could you let me know when it's ready?" uses a modal verb to make the follow-up a polite request, unlike the blunt commands "Give me an update." and "I want an answer."
Question 2
Choose the best message to nudge your teammate in the team chat.
You asked a teammate to review your code two days ago, and they haven't replied.
The correct answer is Hi! Just checking in on the code review. Any update?
In team chat, a short, friendly nudge works best. "Just checking in" is soft, and "Any update?" is a clear, easy question to answer. "Hello?? Code review??" sounds impatient. "Why is the code review taking so long?" sounds like a complaint. "I remind you about the code review." is grammatical but sounds stiff and bossy; say "Just a reminder about the code review" instead.
Question 3
The correct answers are I just wanted to check in on the status of the project. and Just following up on my email from last Tuesday.
I just wanted to check in on the status of the project. uses the word "just" and the past tense verb "wanted" as softeners. This makes the request feel smaller and less demanding!
Just following up on my email from last Tuesday. is a standard, friendly phrase to return to a previous topic.
Why haven't you answered my email? is incorrect because being this direct sounds aggressive and accusatory in English.
I remind you to read my email. is incorrect because "I remind you" sounds stiff and bossy. Use "I wanted to remind you" instead.
Question 4
The correct sentence is: Hey David, I'm just following up on the message I sent on Tuesday. Did you get a chance to look at it?
"Just following up on" uses standard business phrasing and a softener ("just") to check progress politely. "Reminding you the" is grammatically incorrect (it should be "reminding you about").
"Did you get a chance to look at it?" frames the follow-up as a gentle question rather than a direct accusation like "Why haven't you answered?" or "Hello??".
Question 5
Select the most polite way to restate the deadline without sounding annoyed.
A coworker seems to have forgotten that the team presentation is due this Friday, even though you already emailed them about it on Monday.
The correct answer is Just to confirm, the deadline is Friday.
"Just to confirm" is a great way to restate a point calmly and professionally.
Passive-aggressive phrases like "As per my last email" or "Per my previous message" signal irritation to the reader, even if the words technically seem formal. "I already told you" is far too aggressive for the workplace!
Question 6
The correct answers are I was wondering if you had a chance to send the money. and Hey, no rush, but could you send the $20 when you get a chance?
I was wondering if you had a chance to send the money. is correct. Using the past tense "was wondering" creates psychological distance, making the reminder feel very polite and indirect.
Hey, no rush, but could you send the $20 when you get a chance? is correct. Framing the reminder as a gentle request with the modal verb "could" sounds friendly.
You still owe me $20. is incorrect. While factually true, stating it so directly sounds blunt and rude.
Friendly reminder!! Pay me today. is incorrect. Adding "Friendly reminder!!" often comes across as passive-aggressive or annoyed, especially with exclamation marks.
Question 7
Nobody likes being left on "read." Complete this friendly team chat message to a slow-to-reply coworker. Choose the correct word for each gap.
Hi! I am just checking in on the presentation status to see if you could give me a quick update.
Hi! I am just checking in on the presentation status to see if you could give me a quick update.
Checking in on is a standard, friendly phrase for returning to a previous topic.
Framing the follow-up with the modal verb could makes it a gentle request. Using "must" or "do" makes the message sound like a bossy demand.
Question 8
The correct sentence is: This is a reminder that invoice #142 was due on May 1. Please let us know if there are any issues.
"This is a reminder that" states the facts calmly, which suits a client. "As per my last email" and "Friendly reminder!!" are passive-aggressive phrases that signal irritation. "Please let us know if there are any issues" invites a reply and keeps the relationship friendly, while "Pay now." and "Don't forget!!!" sound like demands.
Question 9
Choose the best third follow-up.
You have emailed a client twice about a contract and still have no reply.
The correct answer is I'm following up once more on this. If now isn't a good time, just let me know when works for you.
A third follow-up stays calm and gives the reader an easy way out ("If now isn't a good time…"), so they can reply without feeling guilty. "Hello??" and "This is my third email" sound impatient. "As I have already said twice" is passive-aggressive. Too many apologies make the message weak and unclear.