A cover letter is often the first piece of English writing a recruiter reads about you, and for non-native speakers it can feel more intimidating than the CV itself. Unlike a CV, which lists facts, a cover letter must read naturally, sound confident, and connect your background directly to the job you want. This guide breaks the letter into four clear paragraphs, gives you ready-to-use phrases for each one, and shows a complete example you can adapt.
1. The Four-Paragraph Structure
Most successful English cover letters follow the same underlying shape, regardless of industry:
- Opening: Which role you are applying for and where you saw it.
- Body 1 — Fit: Your most relevant experience and skills, matched to the job description.
- Body 2 — Motivation: Why this specific company, not just "a job."
- Closing: A confident call to action and thanks.
2. Opening Paragraph Phrases
Avoid the overused "I am writing to apply for the position of..." — it is grammatically correct but sounds mechanical. Try a more direct, confident opening instead.
Instead of: I am writing to apply for the position of Marketing Assistant which I saw advertised on your website.
Try: I was excited to see the Marketing Assistant role advertised on LinkedIn, as it combines exactly the content strategy and analytics experience I have built over the past three years.
3. Body Paragraph 1 — Demonstrating Fit
This paragraph should not simply repeat your CV. Instead, pick two or three requirements from the job posting and explain, in a sentence or two each, how your experience matches them concretely.
| Useful phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| In my current role, I have... | In my current role, I have managed a portfolio of twelve client accounts. |
| I have a proven track record of... | I have a proven track record of delivering projects ahead of schedule. |
| This experience has equipped me to... | This experience has equipped me to lead cross-functional teams confidently. |
| I am particularly proud of... | I am particularly proud of redesigning our onboarding process, which cut new-hire ramp-up time significantly. |
4. Body Paragraph 2 — Showing Genuine Motivation
Hiring managers can immediately spot a generic letter that could be sent to any company. Mention something specific: a product, a value, a recent project, or the company's reputation in a field you care about.
I have long admired [Company]'s commitment to sustainable packaging, and I would welcome the chance to bring my supply-chain background to a team that is actively solving that problem rather than simply talking about it.
Writing "I am a hard-working and dynamic person who is passionate about..." is a cliché that recruiters read dozens of times a day. Replace vague personality claims with specific, evidenced achievements instead.
5. Closing Paragraph and Sign-Off
End with a brief, confident closing — thank the reader, express enthusiasm for an interview, and sign off appropriately for the register.
| Context | Correct sign-off |
|---|---|
| You used the person's name (British English) | Yours sincerely, |
| You addressed it generically, e.g. "Dear Hiring Manager" (British English) | Yours faithfully, |
| American English, either case | Sincerely, / Best regards, |
6. Full Example Letter
Dear Ms. Alvarez,
I was excited to see the Customer Success Manager role advertised on your careers page, as it matches closely with the client-retention work I have led for the past four years.
In my current position at Northgate Software, I manage a portfolio of 40 enterprise accounts and have reduced customer churn by restructuring our onboarding calls and quarterly check-ins. This experience has equipped me to build long-term relationships with technical and non-technical stakeholders alike.
I have followed [Company]'s product updates closely over the last year and particularly admire your recent shift toward proactive, data-driven customer support — an approach I have been advocating for in my current team.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could support your customer success goals. Thank you for considering my application.
Yours sincerely,
Jordan Kim
7. Practise the Grammar of Formal Writing
Cover letters rely heavily on formal register, correct verb tenses (present perfect for ongoing achievements, past simple for completed projects), and precise word choice. To review these areas, see our guides on formal language and business emails, and practise with LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise.
Exercise — Choose the More Professional Phrase
For each pair, choose the phrase better suited to a formal cover letter.
- a) I'm super passionate about this job. b) I am genuinely enthusiastic about this opportunity.
- a) I did a lot of stuff with data. b) I have extensive experience analysing quarterly sales data.
- a) Hope to hear from you soon! b) I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my application further.
For related career vocabulary, see Jobs Vocabulary, and for interview preparation see English for Job Interviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a cover letter be?
A cover letter should normally fit on a single page — around 250 to 400 words, or three to four short paragraphs. Recruiters often spend less than a minute reading it, so brevity and clarity matter more than length.
What is the correct structure for an English cover letter?
A standard structure has four parts: an opening paragraph stating the role and where you saw it, a second paragraph on relevant experience and skills, a third paragraph explaining why you want this specific company, and a closing paragraph with a call to action and thanks.
How should I start a cover letter if I don't know the hiring manager's name?
Use "Dear Hiring Manager," or "Dear [Company Name] Recruitment Team," as a professional alternative to "To whom it may concern," which now sounds outdated in most industries. Always try to find a name on LinkedIn or the job posting first.
What is the difference between a CV/resume and a cover letter?
A CV or resume is a factual list of your education, experience, and skills. A cover letter is a narrative document that explains, in your own words, why you are a strong fit for a specific role and company, connecting your background directly to the job description.
Should a cover letter be formal or can it be conversational?
Most cover letters should be professional and moderately formal, but not stiff or robotic. Modern hiring practice favours a confident, clear, and personable tone over dense formal English full of set phrases like "I am writing to apply for the position of."
How do I end a cover letter professionally?
Close with a brief thank-you, a statement of enthusiasm for the next step (such as an interview), and a formal sign-off: "Yours sincerely," if you used the person's name, or "Yours faithfully," if you addressed it generically (British English), or simply "Best regards," in American English.
What common mistakes do non-native speakers make in cover letters?
Common mistakes include overly literal translation of phrases from the writer's first language, excessive formality that sounds unnatural, repeating the CV word-for-word instead of adding context, and generic letters that never mention the specific company or role.
Should I mention my salary expectations in a cover letter?
Only if the job posting explicitly asks for salary expectations. If it does, include a brief, flexible range in the final paragraph or as a postscript, rather than making it a central part of the letter.
Can I use contractions like "I'm" or "don't" in a cover letter?
Light use of contractions is acceptable in modern, less formal industries (startups, creative fields), but many traditional sectors (law, finance, government) still prefer the full forms "I am" and "do not" throughout formal correspondence.
How do I tailor the same cover letter for different job applications?
Keep the overall structure the same, but rewrite the middle paragraph each time to match the specific skills and requirements listed in that job posting, and always personalise the company name and one detail about why you want to work there specifically.