The Problem With “Per My Last Email”
“Per my last email” usually means “I already told you this.” Even when you intend it as a neutral reference, it can sound like a reprimand. A better follow-up briefly restates the relevant information, says what you need, and gives the recipient a clear next step. You can be direct without making the other person feel scolded.
Picture the scene: You sent a question on Monday. By Thursday, the answer has not arrived, the deadline is getting closer, and your inbox has become a place you visit only to be disappointed. You type, “Per my last email…” and hover over Send.
The frustration is understandable. The phrase is risky because it draws attention to the recipient’s failure to respond rather than the task you’re trying to move forward. Maybe they missed your message. Maybe they’re waiting on someone else. Maybe your original question was buried halfway down a long thread. You don’t have to solve that mystery to write a useful follow-up.
Replace the Reminder With a Request
The easiest fix is to stop thinking, How do I remind them that I asked? and start thinking, What do they need to know to answer me now?
A practical follow-up has three parts:
- Context: Name the project, question, or decision.
- Action: Say exactly what you need from the recipient.
- Timing: Include a deadline if one matters, preferably with a brief reason.
For example:
Hi Sam, I’m finalizing the event schedule and need to confirm whether you’re available for the Thursday session. Could you let me know by 2 p.m. Wednesday? That will give me time to send the agenda.
No accusation. No elaborate apology. Sam can see what’s needed and why.
This approach also works when your first message contained the answer. Instead of “Per my last email, the meeting is at 10,” try: “The meeting is at 10 a.m. in Room 4. I’ve added the details below so they’re easy to find.” Repeating one useful detail is often faster than making someone hunt for it.
What to Say Instead, Depending on the Situation
There’s no single magic replacement for “per my last email.” Choose a sentence that matches what you’re actually trying to do.
When you’re waiting for a reply
“I’m following up on the draft I sent Tuesday. Could you confirm whether you’re happy for me to share it with the team?”
This acknowledges the earlier email without turning it into evidence against the reader. The specific question is the important part; “following up” alone doesn’t tell them what to do.
When they ask something you already answered
“The revised file includes the updated figures on page 3. I’ve attached it again here for convenience.”
You may be tempted to write, “As I said before.” You may even be right. But putting the answer within reach moves the conversation along.
If their question is ambiguous, ask for the missing detail rather than guessing what they failed to notice: “Do you mean the figures in the draft or the final report?” For more ways to do that gracefully, see our guide to asking for clarification without sounding abrupt.
When a deadline is approaching
“Could you approve the layout by noon Thursday? The printer needs the final file that afternoon.”
A real deadline is more helpful than a vague nudge. It gives the recipient a way to prioritize your request. If you need a quick answer, our guide to communicating urgency without saying “ASAP” has more examples.
When you need to correct a misunderstanding
“I may not have explained the distinction clearly: Friday is the deadline for comments, not the publication date. Publication is scheduled for the following week.”
You don’t have to pretend the original message was wrong. But a brief clarification is more productive than “Please reread my email.” It also gives anyone else on the thread an accurate answer in one place.
Make the Email Easy to Answer
Sometimes the problem isn’t the opening phrase. It’s that the request takes detective work.
Compare these two messages:
“Just checking in to see if you had any thoughts on the options we discussed.”
“Could you choose the blue or green cover by Friday? If neither works, tell me what you’d like changed.”
The second version gives the reader a decision, a deadline, and a way to respond if the choices don’t work. A good follow-up does some of the organizing for its recipient. Grammarly’s guide to follow-up emails likewise recommends giving context and making one clear request rather than sending a generic reminder.
The subject line can help, too. “Following up again” describes your activity; “Cover choice needed by Friday” describes their next step. Purdue University’s email etiquette guidance recommends meaningful subject lines and short, direct paragraphs. If you’re replying in an existing thread, put the new request near the top instead of assuming the reader will piece it together from the messages below.
That doesn’t mean every email needs to be a miniature project plan. Usually, a couple of concise sentences will do. Leading with the point can feel surprisingly courteous when it saves someone time.
Be Polite Without Disappearing Into Soft Language
Avoiding passive-aggression doesn’t mean making your request so gentle that nobody can find it.
Consider: “Sorry to bother you again, but I was just wondering if perhaps you might have had a chance to look at the document?” The sentence is polite in spirit, but it never quite lands. If you need a decision, ask for one:
“Could you review the document and send any changes by Thursday afternoon?”
You can add warmth without sacrificing clarity: “Thanks for taking a look” or “Let me know if you need anything from me to make the call.” The difference is that courtesy supports the request rather than hiding it.
Be just as careful with invented urgency. “I need this immediately” is a poor substitute for a deadline you haven’t explained. If there is a consequence to waiting, say what it is: “If I don’t hear back by Friday, I’ll need to move the order to next week.” That gives the recipient useful information, not a threat.
When Another Email Isn’t the Answer
A follow-up can’t fix every stalled conversation. If the question is complicated, the stakes are high, or the thread has grown into a thicket of replies, a short call or conversation may be simpler. You can ask, “Would ten minutes today be easier than another round of emails?” Career advice published by PPAI also suggests switching to a call when a quick discussion would resolve the issue more easily.
Afterward, send a brief written recap if the decision or deadline needs to be recorded:
“Thanks for talking this through. I’ll send the revised version on Thursday, and you’ll confirm the final choice by Friday.”
And if someone repeatedly misses important requests? You’re allowed to be firmer. State the outstanding action, the agreed deadline, and what happens next. Clear accountability does not require a sharp tone—or a creative way to say “I told you so.”
The Send-Before-You-Send Test
Before sending a follow-up, read it once from the recipient’s point of view. Can they tell what you’re asking? Is any deadline clear? Have you included the detail they would otherwise have to search for? And does the email focus on moving forward rather than proving you were right?
If so, send it. Your message doesn’t need to be dazzling. It needs to make the next step unmistakable.
“Per my last email” looks backward. A useful follow-up points everyone toward what happens next.