Is it correct to use this expression in an email: "Attached you may find ..."?

Question

Is it grammatical to use the expression "Attached you may find ..." in an email? For example:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Attached you may find the documents you requested.

...

If this is proper, should there be a comma just after "Attached"?

Attached, you may find the documents you requested.

Besides Comma after introductory phrases, see When to use commas in a sentence that starts with finally, additionally, etc? and When do we need to put a comma after "so"? and Comma after intuitively at the beginning of a sentence and In what cases should I use a comma after "please"?. — James Waldby - jwpat7, Mar 30 '12 at 18:10
@jwpat7: Hi. I think you misunderstood the point of my question. This is not a duplicate because the "comma part" is just a side-question. My main question is about grammaticality of "Attached you may find ..." expression. — Mehper C. Palavuzlar, Apr 01 '12 at 21:32

JLG · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-30T16:12:05.600

5

Using the word may makes it sound like ...or you may not.

I would say:

Attached please find the documents you requested.

edited Mar 30 '12 at 16:12

answered Mar 30 '12 at 12:12

JLG

23,238

7

The use of may here is not confusing; it is a formal way to suggest what the purpose of the documents is. Check here, definition n.6. The use of a comma isn't mandatory, either. – Irene Mar 30 '12 at 12:17
3

@Irene, understood. However, I receive so many e-mails in which the sender forgot to include the attachment that the OP's sentence made "or may not" immediately jump to mind. I still prefer my suggestion. – JLG Mar 30 '12 at 12:22
@Irene: I think the linked definition is misleading, if not actually incorrect. In the example, the sense of "purpose" arises from the word "so", not the word "may" (which as JLG says, can only imply "possibility"). In OP's context, may is a formal choice implying some degree of deferential hesitancy, along the lines of may it please you to find, or you will be able to find. I agree with JLG that it's dated, potentially confusing, and decidedly anomalous in a modern context like an email. – FumbleFingers Mar 30 '12 at 13:12
When I first read the sentence I took "may" as simply being a polite softener, so it doesn't sound like you're demanding that the person read the document. Like, "You may want to read this" is a suggestion, while "Read this" is an order. But on second reading I can see that it could be taken as "the document might or might not be here, please look and see if you can find it". It probably is better to use an alternative softener, like "please find", etc. – Jay Mar 30 '12 at 13:52
Plus the recipient requested the document ("...you requested."), so of course he's going to read it. – JLG Mar 30 '12 at 14:07
4

It's a bit odd that we use this somewhat formal idiom for attachments when so much of email is informal. Why don't we just say the documents you requested are attached? – Wayne Johnston Apr 01 '12 at 00:24

Daniel · Answer 2 · 2012-03-30T12:34:11.457

3

I have used

Attached please find the documents you requested.

I don't tend to use commas where they're not required, though. It's pretty much a matter of style, as is the usage of you may instead of please.

edited Mar 30 '12 at 12:34

answered Mar 30 '12 at 12:28

Daniel

57,547

What about this: attached you can find – B Faley Mar 30 '12 at 16:32

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 30 '12 at 13:49

Yes, this is common and acceptable. I do not put a comma after "attached" in such a sentence. I don't think there's any grammatical reason to put a comma.

I often write something more like, "I have prepared the report you requested, attached." This is technically grammatically wrong. I guess it's really an abbreviated version of "I have prepared the report you requested and have attached it to this email" or some such. But it's done quite often and is widely accepted.

score -3 · Answer 4 · edited Sep 25 '12 at 13:59

-3

Your requirement, as attachment.

edited Sep 25 '12 at 13:59

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Sep 25 '12 at 13:43

Sethu.TV

1

2

That doesn't really sound like idiomatic English. – Matt E. Эллен Sep 25 '12 at 13:56

Is it correct to use this expression in an email: "Attached you may find ..."?

4 Answers4