In a concise business email body, what should the first sentence do?

• A. Provide a long background.
• B. State the purpose in the first sentence.
• C. Ask a question unrelated to purpose.
• D. Summarize the entire email in one sentence.

Answer: (B)

In a concise business email, open with a clear statement of your purpose. The first sentence should tell the reader why you’re writing and what you need from them, so they understand the goal right away and can decide how to respond. This direct start keeps the message efficient and helps the recipient know what actions, if any, are required. Filling the opening line with background information slows the reader down and obscures the main point. Asking a question that isn’t tied to the purpose distracts from the main objective. Trying to summarize the entire email in one sentence sounds awkward and isn’t necessary—the purpose should come first, with essential context and details following in subsequent lines, then the requested action or next steps.