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How & when to use similar phrases for variety and tone
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Are you wondering how best to remind a colleague of something and wondering if you should say, “Per our conversation?” Everyone worries about the wording of their business emails from time to time, but we can help you find the right thing to say! Luckily, there are plenty of ways to say “As per our conversation,” from formal to informal. In this article, we’ll go over what “Per our conversation” means and the best alternate phrases to use instead if you’re worried about being repetitive.
"Per Our Conversation" Synonyms At a Glance
- "As we discussed..." allows you to revisit a talking point from a previous conversation.
- "As mentioned earlier..." is helpful when pointing out small details of a recent discussion.
- "Last we spoke..." can be a casual way to check someone's progress.
- "After we spoke..." works best when discussing an action you took after a conversation.
- "According to..." is a helpful phrase when you want to summarize someone's words.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
Alternate Ways to Say “Per Our Conversation”
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“As we discussed…” Use this phrase when you want to revisit a talking point from your last discussion. It can be a conversational way to continue that talk and provide information you've received since then—if you did more research or have new details to share, for example. It can also be an indirect way to follow up on any action items or questions you might have. [1] X Research source
- Example : "As we discussed, I wanted to change my health insurance policy. Do you have more information on the new plan start date and what next steps I need to take?"
- Other ways to say this include:
- “As we talked about previously…”
- “As we previously touched upon…”
- “As we covered in our discussion…”
- “As previously stated…”
- Example : “As we previously touched upon, I think it would be smartest to host our event on Saturday.”
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“As mentioned…” If you want to remind a colleague or manager of something specific you said in the previous conversation, use this phrase to let them know you’ve brought this up to them before. It’s handy for pointing out smaller details or restarting conversations that have been interrupted—or even claiming credit without being too pushy about it. It. [2] X Research source
- Example : "As mentioned, I will be sending out calendar invites to the Christmas party later today."
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“Last time we spoke…” “Last time we spoke” is a slightly more casual yet polite way to bring up something mentioned in a previous conversation. It’s especially useful when you want to gently remind someone of an obligation they agreed to and check on their progress without being too confrontational or follow up on a question from the last time you spoke. [3] X Research source
- Example : "Last time we spoke, you mentioned you would be sending out calendar invites for an all-staff meeting."
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“After we spoke…” This phrase works best when you want to inform someone about events after a past conversation. You might use this phrase if you did research or thought something over and changed your mind following a discussion, for example. “After we spoke” lets you use an old conversation as a reference point before sharing a subsequent update. [4] X Research source
- Example : "After we spoke, I implemented a few of your suggestions into the presentation and would love your thoughts on the new draft.”
- Other ways to say this include:
- “Following our conversation…”
- “Based on what we talked about…”
- Example : "Following our conversation, I took your advice to heart and applied for the full-time role on the design team."
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“To clarify…” Use this phrase to either explain any information you provided in more detail or, alternatively, get more clarification for yourself and ask any questions you might have. [5] X Research source Either way, this phrase is handy because it can help you clear up misunderstandings , decipher unclear instructions, and confirm the next steps in a process (especially with a trainee or employee).
- Example : "To clarify, any designs we do for this client will need to follow the branding guide they provided."
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“According to…” You might use this phrase to summarize something said by another person (like your boss or another coworker). It can be used to make sure everyone remembers the key points of a conversation or understands what what being said; it can also be used to check and see if the information someone else gave you is still correct. [6] X Research source
- Example : "According to my conversation with the HR supervisor, the department is still looking for a summer intern."
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“As per your request…” If you’re directly tasked with working on or looking into something in a previous discussion, use this phrase before giving someone an update on your progress. It lets the other person know what, exactly, you’re talking about and what you’ve been doing; use this phrase when talking about someone else’s request, not requesting something from them. [7] X Research source
- Example : "As per your request, I looked into our end-of-year numbers, and it looks like we’re down in sales in this region."
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“Here are the next steps…” Similar to the phrase "To clarify," this phrase can help you break down a task or rehash key points from a conversation with someone. If you’re worried they don’t know what to do next or want to explain how to proceed in a training session, this can be a polite way to ensure they have the instructions they need or give large groups an idea of what to work on next. [8] X Research source
- Example : "Here are the next steps you can take after this interview: 1) Please send us three references from past employers. 2) Please let us know your preferred start date. 3) Let us know what equipment you’ll need for the job."
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“As promised…” If you committed to doing a task in your last conversation with someone, use this phrase to give them an update or tell them that you completed the promised task. “As promised” shows the other person that you didn’t forget about them or their request and went out of your way to fulfill your promise—which they’ll likely appreciate. [9] X Research source
- Example : "As promised, here is the book you asked about borrowing!"
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“As agreed…” Though it sounds similar to “As promised,” you can use “As agreed” to remind a colleague or manager about an agreement you previously made. Maybe the other person forgot they agreed to something, they’re acting against that agreement, or you simply want to ensure they remember it. Either way, it’s a direct way to clear up a misunderstanding or emphasize a decision. [10] X Research source
- Example : "As agreed, I said I would work on the report for sales made in the US while you worked on the report for our international regions."
- You could alternatively say something like, “In agreement with our previous discussion,” if you want to sound more formal.
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“Did you have a chance to…?” Sometimes, a direct approach is most effective! “Did you have a chance to…?” is similar to “As agreed.” It’s a simple yet not too confrontational way to ask someone if they took whatever action they said they would in a previous conversation—or at least get an update on their progress. [11] X Research source
- Example : “Did you have a chance to file those documents? I remember you were aiming to have it done by this morning.”
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“I wanted to follow up on what you were saying…” This phase is a little wordy and less direct, but it’s also more conversational and informal. Use this phrase to bring up a talking point someone else might’ve said to you or a group; it can also be a nice way to show someone you were interested in what they had to say and want to ask more about it. [12] X Research source
- Example : "I wanted to follow up on what you were saying in your company presentation today!"
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“Do you still want to…?” “Do you still want to” is a more direct statement that not only reminds someone what you talked about previously but also what your ultimate goal is. So, if you’re wondering whether a colleague or manager still wants to do something a certain way based on a conversation you had, this is an easy way to check in (and spur them to action). [13] X Research source
- Example : “Do you still want to send those new guidelines tomorrow? I know you had mentioned it earlier.”
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“Pursuant to our conversation…” This phrase is much more formal than most of the previous ones and mainly used in legal correspondence. It can be used to let someone know that you’re acting according to your last discussion (since “pursuant” means acting “in accordance with” or carrying out something). So, “Pursuant to” is used when an action follows as the result of a conversation. [14] X Research source
- Example : "Pursuant to our conversation, I put together this report with the requested layout."
- Only use this if formalities are needed with clients or, at times, managers; in everyday exchanges with coworkers, a more casual phrase is usually better.
- Other ways to say this include:
- “In accordance with our discussion…”
- “In line with our previous dialogue…”
- “In keeping with our earlier exchange…”
- “Consistent with our earlier chat…”
- Example : “In keeping with our previous talk, I prepared prototypes for the meeting tomorrow.”
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“As per the contract…” This is another formal phrase best used when you need to be firm about a contractual obligation made in the past. For example, you might say this if a freelancer missed the deadline to deliver their finished work—or, conversely, if an employer breached their contract with you somehow. In serious cases, you can use it to reference direct points made in the contract. [15] X Research source
- Example : "As per the contract, I was only paid to provide ten designs a month."
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References
- ↑ https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-per-my-last-email-alternatives/
- ↑ https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-per-my-last-email-alternatives/
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/as-per-our-conversation/
- ↑ https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/08/reinventing-the-phrase-as-per-our-conversation.html
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/clarify
- ↑ https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/08/reinventing-the-phrase-as-per-our-conversation.html
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/as-per-our-conversation/
- ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/better-ways-to-follow-up-than-per-my-last-email
- ↑ https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/08/reinventing-the-phrase-as-per-our-conversation.html
- ↑ https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/08/reinventing-the-phrase-as-per-our-conversation.html
- ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/better-ways-to-follow-up-than-per-my-last-email
- ↑ https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-per-my-last-email-alternatives/
- ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/better-ways-to-follow-up-than-per-my-last-email
- ↑ https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2021/08/reinventing-the-phrase-as-per-our-conversation.html
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/as-per-our-conversation/
- ↑ https://languagetool.org/insights/post/word-choice-per-my-last-email-alternatives/
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/as-per-our-conversation/
- ↑ https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/as-per-our-conversation/
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