Polished Business Email Asking When to Expect a Reply — Guidance for a 13-year-old

Below is a corrected, polite business email you can send, plus short options for asking when to expect an answer and a simple step-by-step explanation of the changes.

Polished email (suggested)

Subject: Request for estimated response time — [brief topic or reference]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for your reply.

Could you please let us know when we can expect a response to our query about [brief topic or reference]? This matter is very important to us, and having an estimated time will help us plan accordingly.

Thank you for your help. We appreciate your attention and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your role or organization, if applicable]
[Contact information]

Optional ways to ask for a timeframe

• Polite and general: "Could you please let us know when we can expect a response?"
• Asking for a short deadline: "If possible, could you provide an update within 48 hours?"
• Clear date: "We would appreciate an update by [date] so we can plan next steps."
• Business days: "Could you please respond within 3 business days?" (Business days = weekdays, not counting weekends or holidays.)

Step-by-step explanation (simple)

1. Added a subject line so the recipient knows what the email is about immediately.
2. Kept the greeting short and polite: "Dear [Name]" and "Thank you for your reply."
3. Changed the sentence to sound clearer and more polite: instead of "Could you give at least some idea of when to expect the answer to our query?" we use "Could you please let us know when we can expect a response to our query about [topic]?" This uses "please" and "let us know," which sound polite and direct.
4. Replaced "This issue is of great importance to us. We hope you understand." with one sentence that explains why you need the date: "This matter is very important to us, and having an estimated time will help us plan accordingly." That sounds less demanding and explains the reason.
5. Closed politely with a thank you and your name so the recipient knows who sent it and how to contact you.

Quick tips

• Be clear in the subject line (mention the topic or a reference number if you have one).
• Use polite words like "please" and "thank you."
• If you need a reply fast, give a specific deadline (48 hours, 3 business days, or a calendar date).
• Keep it short—people are more likely to read and respond to short, clear emails.

If you want, paste the original full email and I can correct it directly and suggest the best wording for your situation.