Mastering various ways to say “I will be in touch” enhances your communication skills, making you sound more professional, considerate, and adaptable in different contexts. This article provides an in-depth exploration of numerous alternatives, covering formal, informal, and situation-specific expressions.
Understanding these nuances is crucial for effective communication in both professional and personal settings. This guide is beneficial for English language learners, professionals seeking to refine their communication skills, and anyone who wants to add variety and precision to their language.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition and Explanation
- Structural Breakdown
- Types and Categories
- Examples
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Definition and Explanation
The phrase “I will be in touch” is a common expression used to indicate that the speaker intends to contact the listener again in the future. It’s a versatile phrase that can be used in various contexts, from formal business communications to informal conversations with friends.
However, its vagueness can sometimes be a drawback. Therefore, understanding and employing alternative expressions allows for more clarity, specificity, and appropriateness in different situations.
The function of this phrase and its alternatives is primarily to assure the recipient that communication will continue. It can also serve to manage expectations regarding the timing or nature of the follow-up.
The specific meaning of “I will be in touch” depends heavily on the context and the relationship between the speaker and the listener. Alternatives offer a way to tailor this assurance more precisely.
Structural Breakdown
The basic structure of “I will be in touch” follows a standard subject-verb-complement pattern. “I” is the subject, “will be” is the future tense of the verb “to be,” and “in touch” is a prepositional phrase acting as a complement.
The phrase is simple and direct, which contributes to its widespread use. Understanding this basic structure helps in recognizing and constructing alternative phrases.
Many alternative phrases use similar structures, often replacing the prepositional phrase “in touch” with more specific verbs or phrases that indicate the method or timing of future communication. These variations can include specifying the mode of communication (e.g., “I will email you”) or providing a timeframe (e.g., “I will call you next week”).
The key is to replace the generic “in touch” with something more concrete and informative.
Types and Categories
Here’s a breakdown of different categories of alternatives to “I will be in touch,” each suited for different contexts and levels of formality:
Formal Alternatives
These phrases are appropriate for professional settings, official correspondence, and situations where maintaining a respectful distance is important. They often convey a sense of seriousness and commitment.
Informal Alternatives
These are suitable for casual conversations with friends, family, and close colleagues. They tend to be more relaxed and friendly.
Business-Oriented Alternatives
Specifically designed for business communications, these phrases often include details about the next steps or the purpose of the follow-up.
Personal Alternatives
Used in personal communications, these alternatives emphasize the personal connection and the desire to maintain contact.
Time-Specific Alternatives
These phrases provide a clear timeframe for the next communication, setting expectations and ensuring clarity.
Action-Oriented Alternatives
These alternatives focus on the specific action that will be taken, rather than just the general idea of being in touch.
Examples
The following tables provide examples of each category, demonstrating how to use these alternatives in different contexts.
Formal Examples
These examples are suitable for formal business letters, official emails, and interactions with superiors or clients. They convey respect and professionalism.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I will contact you shortly. | Following our meeting, I will contact you shortly to discuss the next steps. |
| I shall be in contact soon. | I shall be in contact soon to provide you with the necessary documentation. |
| We will be in communication regarding this matter. | We will be in communication regarding this matter until it is resolved. |
| I will follow up with you promptly. | I will follow up with you promptly to ensure that you have all the information you need. |
| Please expect to hear from me in the near future. | Please expect to hear from me in the near future with updates on the project. |
| I will reach out to you at your earliest convenience. | I will reach out to you at your earliest convenience to schedule a follow-up meeting. |
| I will revert to you with an update. | I will revert to you with an update on the progress of the investigation. |
| Further correspondence will be forthcoming. | Further correspondence will be forthcoming regarding the terms of the agreement. |
| I will update you on the situation as soon as possible. | I will update you on the situation as soon as possible once I have more information. |
| You will be notified of any developments. | You will be notified of any developments as they occur. |
| I will keep you informed. | I will keep you informed of any changes to the schedule. |
| We will update you on our progress. | We will update you on our progress regularly. |
| I will provide you with an update. | I will provide you with an update by the end of the week. |
| I will inform you of any changes. | I will inform you of any changes to the policy. |
| We will ensure you are kept abreast of the situation. | We will ensure you are kept abreast of the situation as it unfolds. |
| I will be sure to let you know. | I will be sure to let you know when a decision has been made. |
| I will be certain to update you. | I will be certain to update you on the status of your application. |
| I will endeavor to keep you informed. | I will endeavor to keep you informed of any delays. |
| I will make it a point to update you. | I will make it a point to update you on the project’s milestones. |
| You will be kept in the loop. | You will be kept in the loop regarding any important developments. |
| I will communicate with you further. | I will communicate with you further about the details of the proposal. |
| I will correspond with you soon. | I will correspond with you soon via email. |
| We will maintain contact. | We will maintain contact throughout the duration of the project. |
| I will communicate further details. | I will communicate further details after the meeting. |
Informal Examples
These examples are perfect for casual conversations with friends and family. They are more relaxed and convey a sense of warmth and familiarity.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I’ll hit you up later. | I’ll hit you up later to see if you’re free. |
| I’ll catch up with you soon. | I’ll catch up with you soon for coffee. |
| Talk to you later! | It was great chatting, talk to you later! |
| I’ll give you a shout. | I’ll give you a shout when I’m in town. |
| I’ll buzz you. | I’ll buzz you when I’m on my way. |
| I’ll holler at you. | I’ll holler at you tomorrow. |
| I’ll be in touch! | Thanks for everything, I’ll be in touch! |
| Let’s keep in touch. | It was great seeing you, let’s keep in touch. |
| I’ll ping you. | I’ll ping you on WhatsApp. |
| I’ll drop you a line. | I’ll drop you a line when I have a moment. |
| I’ll get back to you. | I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. |
| I’ll be seeing you. | Okay, I’ll be seeing you around. |
| I’ll reach out. | I’ll reach out when I’m free. |
| I’ll get ahold of you. | I’ll get ahold of you next week. |
| We’ll connect soon. | We’ll connect soon for that brainstorming session. |
| I’ll circle back. | I’ll circle back with more details. |
| I’ll be around. | I’ll be around if you need anything. |
| I’ll keep you posted. | I’ll keep you posted on the developments. |
| I’ll keep you in the loop. | I’ll keep you in the loop about the party planning. |
| I’ll keep you up to date. | I’ll keep you up to date on the renovations. |
| I’ll be in contact. | I’ll be in contact regarding the weekend plans. |
| I’ll text you. | I’ll text you later tonight. |
| I’ll message you. | I’ll message you on Facebook. |
| I’ll call you. | I’ll call you tomorrow morning. |
Business-Oriented Examples
These alternatives are tailored for professional communications. They are clear, concise, and focus on the next steps or the purpose of the follow-up.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I will send you a proposal by Friday. | Following our discussion, I will send you a proposal by Friday. |
| I will schedule a follow-up meeting next week. | I will schedule a follow-up meeting next week to discuss the details further. |
| I will send you the contract for review. | After finalizing the terms, I will send you the contract for review. |
| I will get back to you with an estimate. | I will get back to you with an estimate within 24 hours. |
| I’ll follow up with more information. | I’ll follow up with more information after consulting with my team. |
| I’ll email you the details. | I’ll email you the details by the end of the day. |
| I’ll call you to discuss this further. | I’ll call you to discuss this further tomorrow afternoon. |
| I will provide an update on our progress next week. | I will provide an update on our progress next week during our check-in. |
| I will touch base with you soon. | I will touch base with you soon to discuss the project timeline. |
| I will reach out to schedule a call. | I will reach out to schedule a call to go over the specifics. |
| I will provide you with a report by the end of the month. | I will provide you with a report by the end of the month summarizing our findings. |
| I will keep you updated on the timeline. | I will keep you updated on the timeline as the project progresses. |
| I’ll send over the documents. | I’ll send over the documents by tomorrow morning. |
| I’ll forward you the email. | I’ll forward you the email with the contact information. |
| I’ll send a reminder. | I’ll send a reminder a day before the meeting. |
| I’ll share the information. | I’ll share the information as soon as it’s available. |
| I’ll send you a message. | I’ll send you a message with the details. |
| I’ll call you to discuss. | I’ll call you to discuss the next steps. |
| I’ll schedule a meeting. | I’ll schedule a meeting for next week. |
| I’ll coordinate the details. | I’ll coordinate the details with the team. |
| We’ll be in touch regarding the next steps. | We’ll be in touch regarding the next steps in the hiring process. |
| I will get in contact with you about the results. | I will get in contact with you about the results of the survey. |
| I’ll be in contact to discuss. | I’ll be in contact to discuss the details of the partnership. |
| We will be in contact via email. | We will be in contact via email for quick updates. |
Personal Examples
These are perfect for maintaining personal relationships. They show care and a genuine desire to stay connected.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I’ll call you soon to catch up. | I’ll call you soon to catch up and hear all your news. |
| Let’s plan to get together next month. | Let’s plan to get together next month for dinner. |
| I’ll text you later this week. | I’ll text you later this week to see how you’re doing. |
| I’ll message you on Facebook. | I’ll message you on Facebook to share some photos. |
| I’ll drop by sometime next week. | I’ll drop by sometime next week to say hello. |
| I’ll reach out to make plans. | I’ll reach out to make plans for the weekend. |
| I’ll be thinking of you. | I’ll be thinking of you and will be in touch soon. |
| I’ll be sure to connect with you. | I’ll be sure to connect with you when I’m free. |
| I’ll make sure to reach out. | I’ll make sure to reach out to see how things are going. |
| I’ll give you a ring. | I’ll give you a ring to chat. |
| I’ll see you soon. | I’ll see you soon at the party. |
| I’ll visit you soon. | I’ll visit you soon when I have some time. |
| I’ll come by. | I’ll come by to drop off the book. |
| I’ll pop in. | I’ll pop in for a quick hello. |
| I’ll get in touch to finalize plans. | I’ll get in touch to finalize plans for the trip. |
| I’ll make sure to say hello. | I’ll make sure to say hello next time I’m in town. |
| I’ll be sure to say hi. | I’ll be sure to say hi when I see you. |
| I’ll be in touch for a catch up. | I’ll be in touch for a catch-up about everything. |
| I’ll be in touch for a chat. | I’ll be in touch for a chat about the latest news. |
| I’ll be in touch to discuss. | I’ll be in touch to discuss our summer plans. |
| I’ll be in contact for dinner. | I’ll be in contact for dinner next week. |
| I’ll be in contact about the party. | I’ll be in contact about the party details soon. |
| I’ll be in touch to make plans. | I’ll be in touch to make plans for the weekend. |
| I’ll be in touch to arrange. | I’ll be in touch to arrange a visit. |
Time-Specific Examples
These phrases provide a clear timeline for the next communication, reducing ambiguity and setting clear expectations.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I will call you tomorrow. | I will call you tomorrow to discuss the proposal. |
| I will email you by the end of the week. | I will email you by the end of the week with the updated report. |
| I will reach out to you next Monday. | I will reach out to you next Monday to schedule a meeting. |
| I will contact you within 24 hours. | I will contact you within 24 hours with a response to your inquiry. |
| I will update you next week. | I will update you next week on the project’s progress. |
| I will follow up with you on Friday. | I will follow up with you on Friday to see if you have any questions. |
| I’ll get back to you by Tuesday. | I’ll get back to you by Tuesday with a decision. |
| I’ll be in touch within the next few days. | I’ll be in touch within the next few days to finalize the details. |
| I’ll contact you early next week. | I’ll contact you early next week to discuss the next steps. |
| I’ll get back to you soon. | I’ll get back to you soon with an answer. |
| I’ll be in touch shortly. | I’ll be in touch shortly to confirm the details. |
| I’ll call you tomorrow morning. | I’ll call you tomorrow morning to discuss the project. |
| I’ll message you tonight. | I’ll message you tonight to see if you’re free. |
| I’ll email you this afternoon. | I’ll email you this afternoon with the information. |
| I’ll follow up next week. | I’ll follow up next week to check on the progress. |
| I’ll be in touch in a few days. | I’ll be in touch in a few days to finalize the plans. |
| I’ll be in touch at the end of the week. | I’ll be in touch at the end of the week to provide an update. |
| I’ll be in touch by next month at the latest. | I’ll be in touch by next month at the latest to discuss the next phase. |
| I’ll be in touch in a few weeks. | I’ll be in touch in a few weeks when I have more information. |
| I’ll be in contact within the hour. | I’ll be in contact within the hour to confirm the booking. |
| I’ll be in contact later today. | I’ll be in contact later today to share some exciting news. |
| I’ll be in contact tomorrow afternoon. | I’ll be in contact tomorrow afternoon to finalize the details. |
| I’ll be in contact next month. | I’ll be in contact next month to schedule a catch-up. |
| I’ll be in contact this week. | I’ll be in contact this week to arrange a time to meet. |
Action-Oriented Examples
These alternatives emphasize the specific action that will be taken, providing more clarity and direction.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| I will send you the report. | I will send you the report as soon as it’s finalized. |
| I will call you to discuss the details. | I will call you to discuss the details of the contract. |
| I will email you the agenda. | I will email you the agenda for the meeting tomorrow. |
| I will forward you the information. | I will forward you the information as soon as I receive it. |
| I will share the document with you. | I will share the document with you via Google Drive. |
| I will send over the presentation. | I will send over the presentation for your review. |
| I will provide you with the necessary documents. | I will provide you with the necessary documents by the end of the day. |
| I will prepare a summary for you. | I will prepare a summary for you of the key findings. |
| I will draft a proposal. | I will draft a proposal based on our conversation. |
| I’ll send the file. | I’ll send the file right away. |
| I’ll give you a call. | I’ll give you a call to discuss it further. |
| I’ll shoot you an email. | I’ll shoot you an email with the details. |
| I’ll send you a text. | I’ll send you a text to confirm. |
| I’ll arrange a meeting. | I’ll arrange a meeting for next week. |
| I’ll book a call. | I’ll book a call to chat more. |
| I’ll write the report. | I’ll write the report and send it over. |
| I’ll send you the link. | I’ll send you the link to the article. |
| I’ll email the details. | I’ll email the details after the meeting. |
| I’ll text the address. | I’ll text the address before I leave. |
| I’ll call to confirm. | I’ll call to confirm our appointment. |
| I’ll send the contract. | I’ll send the contract for review. |
| I’ll forward the email. | I’ll forward the email to you immediately. |
| I’ll arrange the details. | I’ll arrange the details for the event. |
| I’ll book the tickets. | I’ll book the tickets for the concert. |
Usage Rules
The choice of which alternative to use depends on several factors, including the context, the relationship with the recipient, and the desired level of formality. For professional settings, opt for formal and business-oriented alternatives.
In personal settings, informal and personal alternatives are more appropriate. Time-specific and action-oriented phrases are useful when you want to be clear about the next steps and timeline.
Consider the tone of your message. If you want to convey urgency, use phrases like “I will contact you shortly” or “I will get back to you as soon as possible.” If you want to convey a sense of collaboration, use phrases like “Let’s plan to get together” or “I’ll reach out to make plans.” Always ensure that the chosen phrase aligns with the overall message and the relationship with the recipient.
Common Mistakes
One common mistake is using overly formal language in informal settings, which can sound stiff or unnatural. Conversely, using overly informal language in professional settings can be perceived as unprofessional.
Another mistake is being too vague, which can lead to misunderstandings or unmet expectations. Always strive for clarity and appropriateness in your communication.
For instance, saying “I’ll hit you up later” to your boss would be inappropriate. Similarly, saying “I shall be in contact soon” to a close friend might sound overly formal.
Choose your words carefully to ensure that your message is well-received and understood.
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| I’ll holler at you, Mr. Smith. | I will follow up with you shortly, Mr. Smith. | Using informal language with a superior is inappropriate. |
| I shall be in contact, mate. | I’ll call you later, mate. | Using formal language with a friend can sound awkward. |
| I’ll be in touch sometime. | I will call you next week to discuss the details. | Being too vague can lead to confusion. |
| I’ll ping you, sir. | I will email you shortly, sir. | Informal slang is inappropriate in professional settings. |
| Let’s keep in touch, ma’am. | I will follow up with you soon, ma’am. | Too casual for formal communication. |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these exercises. Choose the most appropriate alternative to “I will be in touch” for each scenario.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| You are writing a formal email to a potential client. | I will follow up with you shortly to discuss the details further. |
| You are talking to a close friend. | I’ll call you later to catch up. |
| You are leaving a message for a colleague. | I will email you the report by the end of the day. |
| You are speaking to your manager about a project update. | I will provide an update on our progress next week. |
| You are talking to a family member about visiting. | Let’s plan to get together next month. |
| You are writing a follow-up email after a job interview. | Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. |
| You are texting a friend to make plans. | I’ll text you later this week to see what you’re up to. |
| You are speaking to a customer about a service inquiry. | I will contact you within 24 hours with a response to your inquiry. |
| You are concluding a business meeting. | I will send you a proposal by Friday. |
| You are talking to a new acquaintance. | Let’s keep in touch. |
Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences using a more appropriate alternative to “I will be in touch”:
| Original Sentence | Rewritten Sentence |
|---|---|
| I will be in touch to discuss the project. | I will call you tomorrow to discuss the project details. |
| I will be in touch regarding the meeting. | I will email you the agenda for the meeting. |
| I will be in touch soon. | I will get back to you by the end of the week. |
| I will be in touch for a catch-up. | I’ll call you later to catch up on everything. |
| I will be in touch about the details. | I will send you the details in an email. |
| I will be in touch to arrange a visit. | Let’s plan a visit next month. |
| I’ll be in touch. | I’ll text you later. |
| I’ll be in touch shortly. | I’ll get back to you soon. |
| I will be in touch for updates. | I will update you next week. |
| I will be in touch to say hi. | I’ll call you to say hi! |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, consider exploring the nuances of regional variations in language. For example, certain phrases might be more common in British English than in American English, or vice versa.
Also, pay attention to the subtext of your communication. Sometimes, what you don’t say is just as important as what you do say.
The tone and context can significantly impact the meaning of your message.
Another advanced topic is mastering the art of indirect communication. Instead of directly saying “I will be in touch,” you can imply it through your actions or other statements.
For instance, you could say, “