I've spent years reviewing business emails from talented professionals who happen to write in their second (or third) language, and there's one mistake that shows up more than any other: over-hedging.

Here's what I mean. Compare these two lines:

"I just wanted to maybe ask if it would perhaps be possible to get some feedback when you have time, no rush at all."

vs.

"Could you share feedback by Friday?"

The first one is what happens when someone is worried about sounding rude or too direct in English. The problem is it does the opposite of what they intend — it reads as unsure, and unsure reads as less competent, even when the person behind it is completely capable.

Three quick fixes that make an immediate difference:

1. Cut the qualifiers. Words like "just," "maybe," "perhaps," "I think," and "sort of" are doing nothing for you. Delete them and read the sentence again — it almost always gets stronger, not ruder.

1. Ask for what you need directly, then soften with tone, not hedging. "Could you share feedback by Friday?" is direct but still polite because of "could you." You don't need five extra qualifiers stacked on top.

1. End emails with a clear next step, not an open-ended apology. Swap "Sorry to bother you again" for "Let me know if Friday works, otherwise I'll follow up next week."

Directness in business English isn't rudeness — it's clarity. The people who read your emails are busy, and a clear, confident message respects their time more than a cautious one does.

If this is useful, I go much deeper into email structure, tone, and real templates inside my course. Happy to answer questions here too if anyone wants a specific sentence rewritten.