In professional communication, the phrase “Please find enclosed” is a common way to indicate that you are including a document or item with your message. However, relying on the same phrase repeatedly can make your writing sound monotonous.
Mastering various alternatives not only enhances the clarity and impact of your messages but also demonstrates a strong command of the English language. This guide explores numerous ways to express the same idea, suitable for various contexts and levels of formality, thus benefiting students, professionals, and anyone looking to refine their communication skills.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of alternative phrases, their nuances, and practical examples to help you diversify your writing. By understanding the subtle differences between these phrases, you can choose the most appropriate expression for each situation, making your communication more effective and professional.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of “Please Find Enclosed”
- Structural Breakdown of Alternative Phrases
- Types and Categories of Alternatives
- Examples of Alternatives
- Usage Rules and Guidelines
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Definition of “Please Find Enclosed”
“Please find enclosed” is a polite and formal phrase used in written communication, typically in emails or letters, to indicate that a document or item is included with the message. The phrase serves as a courtesy to the recipient, informing them that they should expect to find something additional attached or included within the same package.
It’s a traditional way to draw attention to the enclosure and prompt the recipient to review it.
Classification: The phrase is classified as a conventional expression or a stock phrase in business and professional writing. It belongs to the category of phrases used to provide context and guide the recipient’s attention.
Function: The primary function of “Please find enclosed” is to inform the recipient about the presence of an attachment or enclosure. It also serves to maintain a polite and professional tone in the communication.
Contexts: This phrase is most commonly used in:
- Business correspondence
- Formal emails
- Official letters
- Legal documents
- Academic submissions
Structural Breakdown of Alternative Phrases
Understanding the structure of alternative phrases can help you choose the most appropriate option for your specific needs. Most alternatives share similar components:
- A polite introduction: This often includes words like “please,” “kindly,” or no introduction at all in more direct approaches.
- A verb indicating inclusion: Verbs such as “find,” “see,” “receive,” or more direct verbs like “enclosing,” “attaching,” or “including” are used.
- A noun referring to the document or item: This could be “document,” “report,” “file,” “invoice,” or a specific name of the item.
- Optional additional information: This might include a brief description of the document or its purpose.
For example, in the phrase “I am attaching the report,” the structure is:
- “I am” (subject and verb, polite introduction)
- “attaching” (verb indicating inclusion)
- “the report” (noun referring to the document)
By analyzing the structure, you can create variations that suit the tone and formality of your communication.
Types and Categories of Alternatives
Alternatives to “Please find enclosed” can be categorized based on their level of formality and their focus.
Formal Alternatives
These alternatives are suitable for professional and official communication, maintaining a high level of politeness and respect.
- I am pleased to enclose…
- Kindly find enclosed…
- Please receive the enclosed…
- Enclosed you will find…
- Attached please find…
Semi-Formal Alternatives
These options are appropriate for most business communications, striking a balance between professionalism and approachability.
- I have attached…
- Please see the attached…
- You will find attached…
- I’m including…
- Attached is…
Informal Alternatives
These are best used when communicating with colleagues or in less formal settings, where a more relaxed tone is acceptable.
- I’ve attached…
- Check out the attached…
- Here’s the…
- The… is attached.
Action-Oriented Alternatives
These phrases focus on the action of including the document, making them direct and efficient.
- I am attaching…
- I have included…
- Enclosing…
- Including…
Information-Focused Alternatives
These alternatives emphasize the content of the enclosed document or item.
- For your review, please find…
- As requested, I have included…
- Please find the [document name]…
- Attached is the [document name]…
Examples of Alternatives
Here are several examples categorized by their level of formality and focus, showcasing the variety of options available.
Formal Examples
These examples are best suited for official correspondence, legal documents, and communications with senior management or clients.
The following table provides formal alternatives to “Please find enclosed,” illustrating their usage in professional contexts. Each example demonstrates how to maintain a polite and respectful tone while conveying the necessary information about the enclosed document.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence | Context |
|---|---|---|
| I am pleased to enclose | I am pleased to enclose the contract for your review and signature. | Legal document submission |
| Kindly find enclosed | Kindly find enclosed the annual report for your perusal. | Corporate report distribution |
| Please receive the enclosed | Please receive the enclosed documents pertaining to the upcoming audit. | Audit preparation |
| Enclosed you will find | Enclosed you will find the detailed project proposal for your consideration. | Project proposal submission |
| Attached please find | Attached please find the minutes from the last board meeting. | Board meeting communication |
| I am honored to submit | I am honored to submit the final research paper, enclosed herein. | Academic submission |
| With this letter, I enclose | With this letter, I enclose the necessary forms for your application. | Application process |
| Herewith, please find | Herewith, please find the amended agreement for your records. | Legal agreement update |
| I respectfully submit | I respectfully submit the requested financial statements, enclosed for your review. | Financial reporting |
| Enclosed, please accept | Enclosed, please accept the updated policy document for your reference. | Policy update |
| I am delighted to include | I am delighted to include the supplementary materials, enclosed for your convenience. | Supplementary materials |
| Please be advised that enclosed is | Please be advised that enclosed is the confidential report regarding the investigation. | Confidential report |
| I hereby submit | I hereby submit the completed application form, enclosed for your processing. | Application submission |
| Enclosed for your consideration | Enclosed for your consideration is the proposal for the new marketing campaign. | Marketing proposal |
| Please note the enclosed | Please note the enclosed addendum to the original contract. | Contract addendum |
| I am submitting herewith | I am submitting herewith the required documentation for your approval. | Documentation submission |
| Enclosed is provided | Enclosed is provided a detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred. | Expense report |
| I am formally presenting | I am formally presenting the audit findings, enclosed for your review. | Audit report |
| Please find attached hereto | Please find attached hereto the legal affidavit as requested. | Legal affidavit |
| I am transmitting herewith | I am transmitting herewith the finalized budget for the fiscal year. | Budget submission |
| Enclosed, you will kindly find | Enclosed, you will kindly find the shipment manifest for your verification. | Shipment verification |
| I am enclosing for your perusal | I am enclosing for your perusal the draft of the partnership agreement. | Partnership agreement |
| Please accept as enclosed | Please accept as enclosed the signed consent form for the research study. | Research study consent |
| I am enclosing herewith | I am enclosing herewith the notarized documents for your records. | Notarized documents |
| Enclosed for your attention is | Enclosed for your attention is the urgent memorandum regarding the policy change. | Policy change communication |
| I am submitting for your review | I am submitting for your review the performance evaluation report, enclosed herein. | Performance evaluation |
| Enclosed for your reference is | Enclosed for your reference is the user manual for the new software. | Software user manual |
Semi-formal Examples
These alternatives are suitable for everyday business communications, internal memos, and emails to colleagues.
This table illustrates semi-formal alternatives to “Please find enclosed,” which are suitable for most business communications. These examples balance professionalism with a more approachable tone, making them ideal for emails to colleagues, clients, and partners.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence | Context |
|---|---|---|
| I have attached | I have attached the presentation slides for tomorrow’s meeting. | Meeting preparation |
| Please see the attached | Please see the attached invoice for your payment processing. | Invoice submission |
| You will find attached | You will find attached the updated project timeline. | Project management |
| I’m including | I’m including the revised budget proposal in this email. | Budget revision |
| Attached is | Attached is the agenda for our upcoming team meeting. | Team meeting communication |
| I’ve included | I’ve included the customer feedback report for your review. | Customer feedback analysis |
| You’ll find | You’ll find the necessary documents attached to this email. | Document sharing |
| Here is | Here is the information you requested earlier today. | Information request |
| I am sending you | I am sending you the marketing plan for the next quarter. | Marketing plan submission |
| With this email, I’m sending | With this email, I’m sending the contract for your review. | Contract review |
| As an attachment | As an attachment, you’ll find the meeting minutes. | Meeting minutes distribution |
| I’m sharing | I’m sharing the presentation I gave at the conference. | Presentation sharing |
| Find attached | Find attached the spreadsheet with the sales data. | Sales data distribution |
| Attached, you’ll find | Attached, you’ll find the report on the latest market trends. | Market trends report |
| I’m also sending | I’m also sending the supporting documents for the application. | Application support |
| I’m adding | I’m adding the updated version of the document. | Document update |
| This email contains | This email contains the required consent forms as attachments. | Consent forms |
| Please find | Please find the updated price list attached. | Price list |
| Included with this message is | Included with this message is the project scope document. | Project scope |
| This message includes | This message includes the quarterly performance report attached. | Performance report |
| I’ve sent along | I’ve sent along the detailed analysis of the survey results. | Survey analysis |
| Along with this email | Along with this email, I’m attaching the proposal for the new campaign. | Campaign proposal |
| I’m providing | I’m providing the technical specifications document as an attachment. | Technical specifications |
| With this communication | With this communication, I’m attaching the revised budget. | Revised Budget |
| Also attached is | Also attached is the document outlining the project milestones. | Project milestones |
| I am adding as an attachment | I am adding as an attachment the updated contract terms. | Updated terms |
| I am submitting with this email | I am submitting with this email the required expense report. | Expense submission |
Action-oriented Examples
These examples are direct and focus on the action of attaching or including a document. They are suitable when you want to be concise and clear.
The following table presents action-oriented alternatives to “Please find enclosed,” emphasizing the act of including or attaching a document. These phrases are straightforward and efficient, suitable for emails where clarity and directness are prioritized.
| Alternative Phrase | Example Sentence | Context |
|---|---|---|
| I am attaching | I am attaching the signed agreement for your records. | Legal agreement |
| I have included | I have included all relevant documents in this email. | Document submission |
| Enclosing | Enclosing the financial statements as requested. | Financial reporting |
| Including | Including the revised proposal for your consideration. | Proposal revision |
| Attaching | Attaching the meeting agenda for your review. | Meeting agenda |
| I’m sending | I’m sending the report along with this email. | Report submission |
| I’ve sent | I’ve sent the updated contract terms as an attachment. | Contract terms |
| Adding | Adding the supplementary materials to this message. | Supplementary materials |
| Submitting | Submitting the required documentation with this email. | Required documentation |
| Providing | Providing the detailed analysis as an attachment. | Detailed analysis |
| Sharing | Sharing the presentation slides from the conference. | Presentation slides |
| Transmitting | Transmitting the finalized budget for your approval. | Finalized budget |
| Forwarding | Forwarding the customer feedback report for your review. | Customer feedback |
| Sending over | Sending over the expense report for reimbursement. | Expense report |
| Including herewith | Including herewith the signed affidavit for your records. | Signed affidavit |
| Attaching hereto | Attaching hereto the addendum to the original contract. | Contract addendum |
| I am enclosing herewith | I am enclosing herewith the notarized documents for your attention. | Notarized documents |
| I am adding as an attachment | I am adding as an attachment the updated price list. | Updated price list |
| I am submitting with this email | I am submitting with this email the completed application form. | Application form |
| I’ve sent along | I’ve sent along the detailed breakdown of the expenses incurred. | Expense breakdown |
| I’m providing as an attachment | I’m providing as an attachment the technical specifications for the new project. | Technical specifications |
| I’m sending you as an attachment | I’m sending you as an attachment the user manual for the software. | Software manual |
| I’m attaching for your convenience | I’m attaching for your convenience the summary of the key findings. | Key findings |
| I’m submitting for your review | I’m submitting for your review the performance evaluation report. | Performance report review |
| I’m enclosing for your perusal | I’m enclosing for your perusal the draft of the partnership agreement. | Partnership agreement draft |
| I’m including for your reference | I’m including for your reference the updated policy document. | Policy document |
Usage Rules and Guidelines
When choosing an alternative to “Please find enclosed,” consider the following rules and guidelines:
- Formality: Select a phrase that matches the formality of the communication. Formal phrases are suitable for official documents and communications with superiors or clients. Semi-formal phrases are appropriate for most business emails. Informal phrases are best for internal communications with colleagues.
- Clarity: Ensure the phrase clearly indicates that a document or item is included. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the document or item being attached.
- Conciseness: Choose a phrase that is concise and to the point. Avoid overly wordy or convoluted expressions.
- Context: Consider the context of the communication. If you are responding to a specific request, use phrases like “As requested, I have included…” If you are providing information for review, use phrases like “For your review, please find…”
- Audience: Tailor your language to your audience. Consider their expectations and preferences when choosing a phrase.
- Consistency: Maintain consistency in your writing style. Use the same type of phrase throughout your communication.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using alternatives to “Please find enclosed”:
- Using overly formal language in informal settings: This can make you sound stiff or pretentious.
- Using informal language in formal settings: This can be disrespectful or unprofessional.
- Being ambiguous about the attachment: Always specify what you are attaching.
- Using incorrect grammar: Ensure your phrase is grammatically correct.
- Being repetitive: Vary your language to avoid sounding monotonous.
Correct vs. Incorrect Examples:
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| “Yo, check it, the report’s attached.” | “I have attached the report.” | The first example is too informal for professional communication. |
| “Enclosed is.” | “Enclosed is the document.” | The first example is grammatically incomplete. |
| “Please find.” | “Please find the attached invoice.” | The first example lacks clarity about what is being enclosed. |
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Choose the most appropriate alternative to “Please find enclosed” for each scenario.
The following practice exercises are designed to test your ability to choose the most appropriate alternative to “Please find enclosed” for various scenarios. Each question presents a context, and you must select the best phrase to use in that situation.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. You are sending a contract to a client for review. Which phrase is most appropriate? | I am attaching the contract for your review. |
| 2. You are sending an internal memo to your team. Which phrase is suitable? | I’ve included the updated project timeline. |
| 3. You are responding to a request for information from your manager. Which phrase is best? | As requested, I have included the data. |
| 4. You are submitting a legal document to the court. Which phrase is most formal? | I am pleased to enclose the affidavit. |
| 5. You are sending a quick email to a colleague about a document. Which phrase is acceptable? | Here’s the document you asked for. |
| 6. You are sending the minutes of a meeting to attendees. What should you write? | Attached are the minutes from the meeting. |
| 7. You are submitting your expense report for reimbursement. Which phrase is suitable? | I am submitting the expense report. |
| 8. You need to send over the analysis from a survey. What would you write? | I’ve sent along the detailed analysis of the survey results. |
| 9. You are providing the technical specifications for a new project. What would you write? | I’m providing the technical specifications document as an attachment. |
| 10. You are sending an addendum to a contract. Which phrase would you use? | Attaching hereto the addendum to the original contract. |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, consider these more complex aspects:
- Nuances of formality: Explore subtle differences in formality between seemingly similar phrases.
- Cultural considerations: Understand how cultural norms may influence the choice of phrase in international business communications.
- Combining phrases: Learn how to combine different phrases to create more complex and nuanced expressions.
- Using conditional sentences: Employ conditional sentences to indicate the purpose or context of the enclosure (e.g., “If you require further information, please see the attached document.”).
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about alternatives to “Please find enclosed”:
- Is “Please find enclosed” outdated?
While “Please find enclosed” is a traditional phrase, it is not necessarily outdated. However, using a variety of alternatives can make your writing more engaging and professional. It is still perfectly acceptable in formal contexts.
- Which alternative is the most formal?
Phrases like “I am pleased to enclose,” “Kindly find enclosed,” and “Enclosed you will find” are among the most formal alternatives.
- Can I use “Attached” as a standalone phrase?
While “Attached” can be used as a shorthand, it is generally better to use a complete sentence for clarity and politeness, such as “Attached is the document” or “Please see the attached document.”
- How can I avoid being repetitive when sending multiple emails with attachments?
Vary your language by using different alternatives for each email. You can also add additional information about the attachment to provide context and avoid sounding monotonous. For example, “Following up on our conversation, I’ve attached the revised proposal.”
- Is it necessary to always mention the attachment in the email body?
Yes, it is generally good practice to mention the attachment in the email body. This ensures that the recipient is aware of the attachment and its purpose. It also helps to provide context and guide the recipient’s attention.
- What if I am sending multiple attachments?
When sending multiple attachments, be specific. For example: “I am attaching three documents: the contract, the invoice, and the project proposal.” You can also list them individually for clarity.
- Can I use these alternatives in a formal letter?
Yes, these alternatives are suitable for formal letters as well as emails. Choose the phrase that best matches the tone and formality of the letter.
- What is the difference between “enclosed” and “attached”?
“Enclosed” typically refers to documents physically included with a letter or package, while “attached” refers to digital files included with an email. However, in modern usage, “enclosed” is often used interchangeably with “attached” in digital communications, although it is technically more accurate to use “attached” for email attachments.
Conclusion
Mastering alternatives to “Please find enclosed” is essential for effective and professional communication. By understanding the nuances of different phrases and their appropriate contexts, you can enhance the clarity and impact of your messages.
Whether you are writing a formal letter, a business email, or an internal memo, choosing the right alternative can make a significant difference in how your message is received.
Remember to consider the formality, clarity, and context of your communication when selecting an alternative. Practice using these phrases in your writing to become more comfortable and confident in your communication skills.
By diversifying your language, you can create more engaging and professional messages that leave a lasting impression.