in everyday English
thank you
Thank you for all your help. | I’m writing to say thank you on behalf of everyone at
Rockford Productions Inc. for your support and encouragement during the past year. | I just
wanted to send a big thank-you from all of us for making last weekend so enjoyable.
Be careful about spelling.
Thank
you is usually spelt as two words, but the noun thank-you is spelt
with a hyphen.
Don’t say ‘I thank you’. Just say thank
you, or I just wanted to say thank you.
thanks
in everyday spoken English, people usually say thanks rather than thank you:
Thanks again for a lovely evening. | Many thanks for all your hard work. | You did a great
job. Thanks a lot!
I can’t thank you enough
used when you are very pleased because someone has been very helpful or generous:
I can’t thank you enough for everything you did on my wedding day!
it is good/nice/kind of you also that’s kind of
you
used when thanking someone for doing or saying something:
It was good of you to come all this way. | It’s nice of you to say those things.
| ‘I’ve brought you some more coffee.’ ‘That’s very kind of
you.’
in more formal English
I appreciate
used when thanking someone, especially when they have been very helpful to you:
I really appreciate all your comments and suggestions. | We appreciate everything you’ve
done for us.
I am most grateful/deeply grateful
used when thanking someone in a formal way:
I am deeply grateful to my colleague, Helen Jones, for her guidance and encouragement. | We
are most grateful to all those who have lent works to the exhibition.
I would like to express my appreciation/gratitude
used when thanking someone in a very formal way, especially in a formal speech:
I would like to express my appreciation to the French government for hosting this meeting and
for their kind hospitality.
replying when someone says thank you
don’t mention it/you’re welcome/my pleasure
used when replying to someone who has just thanked you:
‘Thanks for letting us use your office.’ ‘Don’t mention it!’
| ‘Thank you for all your advice.’ ‘You’re welcome!’ | ‘Thank
you for showing us around the college.’ ‘My pleasure.’
that’s all right/anytime/no problem
these sound more informal than don’t mention it etc and are very common in everyday spoken
English:
‘Thanks for showing me around the city.’ ‘That’s all right!’
| ‘You’ve been really helpful!’ ‘Anytime!’