When you need this

"Reply" goes to the person who wrote. "Reply all" goes to everyone on the email, including the people on the "cc" line. That line is short for "carbon copy," from the days of paper letters, and it's for people who should see the message but don't need to act on it. People say "cc" out loud as a verb ("Can you cc me?"), but "copy me on it" means the same thing and you'll hear both.

Reply all is where people get into trouble. Forty people don't need your "Thanks," and a joke meant for one colleague reads very differently in front of a client. Before you answer, look at who's on the email. When you do reply to everyone, a short reason helps: "Replying all so everyone has the new time."

Phrases

answer only the person who wrote

answer everyone on the email

checking who will see your answer

add someone so they see it without needing to act

asking to be included on future messages

remove a person from your reply

answer one person outside the group conversation

all the emails in one conversation

explaining why you've included everyone

bringing a new person into the conversation

apologizing for sending to everyone by mistake

a short thanks to the whole group, sent once

a short reply to confirm you've read something

Say it out loud

Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.

Practice · 3 min

Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.