Quick Answer
The most common Indian English mistakes in office emails are state verbs in the -ing form ("I am having two brothers"), extra words ("revert back", "discuss about", "cope up with"), "since" used for a length of time ("since two years") and Indian phrases that readers abroad do not understand ("do the needful", "prepone", "out of station"). The 25 examples below show the wrong and the correct version of each. To check your own text, use the free grammar checker with Indian English selected.
Indian English is a real, rich variety of English, used by more than a hundred million people. Many of the phrases below are perfectly clear to a colleague in Bengaluru or Delhi. The trouble starts when the same email goes to a client in London, Dubai or New York: "Kindly revert back and do the needful" leaves them unsure what you want. This guide lists 25 common mistakes, the correct version and the reason, so your emails read clearly to anyone.
Why these mistakes matter
Most of these are not "bad English". They come from translating Hindi and other Indian languages word for word, or from phrases that stayed in Indian offices after they disappeared elsewhere. Inside India they work. With international clients, investors and recruiters they cause three problems:
- Confusion. "Revert" and "doubt" mean something different outside India.
- Vagueness. "Do the needful" does not say what action you expect or by when.
- A first impression. In a CV, a cover letter or a sales email, small grammar slips can make the reader take you less seriously.
Verb mistakes
| # | Avoid | Write instead | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I am having two brothers. | I have two brothers. | "Have" for owning or family is a state, and state verbs do not take -ing. "I am having lunch" is fine because it is an action. |
| 2 | I am knowing him for years. | I have known him for years. | "Know" is a state verb, and a situation that started in the past and continues needs the present perfect. |
| 3 | Kindly revert back by today. | Please reply by today. | Outside India "revert" means "go back to an earlier state", and "back" repeats the idea. |
| 4 | We will discuss about the budget. | We will discuss the budget. | "Discuss" already means "talk about", so it takes no preposition. |
| 5 | It is hard to cope up with the workload. | It is hard to cope with the workload. | The verb is "cope with". "Up" is extra. |
| 6 | I will return back the laptop on Monday. | I will return the laptop on Monday. | "Return" already means "give back". |
| 7 | Can you repeat again? | Can you repeat that? | "Repeat" means "say again". "Repeat again" means a third time. |
| 8 | Please explain me the process. | Please explain the process to me. | "Explain" needs "to" before the person. |
| 9 | I ordered for a pizza. | I ordered a pizza. | You "order" something directly. "Order for" is only used when ordering on behalf of someone. |
Time and tense mistakes
| # | Avoid | Write instead | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | I called you today morning. | I called you this morning. | Standard English says "this morning", "this evening". |
| 11 | I could not sleep yesterday night. | I could not sleep last night. | Standard English says "last night", but "yesterday morning" and "yesterday evening" are fine. |
| 12 | I am working here since 2020. | I have been working here since 2020. | An action that started in the past and is still going on needs the present perfect continuous. |
| 13 | I am learning Python since two years. | I have been learning Python for two years. | "Since" goes with a point in time (since 2024). "For" goes with a length of time (for two years). |
| 14 | I have two years experience in sales. | I have two years of experience in sales. | Add "of", or use the possessive "two years' experience". |
Phrases that confuse readers outside India
| # | Avoid | Write instead | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Please do the needful. | Please approve the invoice by Friday. | Not a grammar error, but vague and old-fashioned. Say exactly what you need and by when. |
| 16 | Can we prepone the meeting? | Can we bring the meeting forward? | "Prepone" is understood in India but unknown to many readers abroad. |
| 17 | I passed out of college in 2022. | I graduated in 2022. | Outside India "passed out" means "fainted". |
| 18 | I am out of station this week. | I am travelling this week. | "Out of station" is a colonial-era Indian phrase. "Out of town" or "travelling" is clearer. |
| 19 | What is your good name? | May I know your name? | A literal translation of "aapka shubh naam". It sounds odd in English. |
| 20 | Myself Rohit, from the sales team. | I am Rohit, from the sales team. | "Myself" is not used to introduce yourself. Use "I am" or "My name is". |
Words used differently in Indian English
| # | Avoid | Write instead | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | The updation of records is pending. | Updating the records is pending. | "Updation" is not standard English. Use "update" or "updating". |
| 22 | I have a doubt about the invoice. | I have a question about the invoice. | In Indian English "doubt" often means "question". Elsewhere it means you do not believe something. |
| 23 | Please off the lights. | Please switch off the lights. | "Off" is not a verb. Use "switch off" or "turn off". |
| 24 | Kindly adjust for the delay. | Thank you for your patience with the delay. | "Adjust" in this sense is a translation of "adjust kar lo" and is unclear in English. |
| 25 | Customers can avail the offer till Sunday. | Customers can use the offer until Sunday. | "Avail" needs "of" ("avail of the offer") in Indian usage and "avail yourself of" elsewhere. "Use" or "get" is simpler. |
You do not need to remove every Indian phrase. "Kindly", "lakh" and "crore" are normal in Indian business writing. Change them when the reader is outside India or when the phrase is unclear.
Before and after: a real email
Before
Dear Sir, myself Rohit from accounts team. I am having a doubt regarding invoice INV-1043. Kindly revert back by today evening and do the needful so we can do the updation of records. Also can we prepone tomorrow's meeting as I am out of station from Friday.
After
Dear Mr Shah, I am Rohit from the accounts team. I have a question about invoice INV-1043: the GST amount does not match our purchase order. Could you reply by this evening with the corrected amount, so we can update our records? Also, could we move tomorrow's meeting earlier? I am travelling from Friday.
The second version says who is writing, what the problem is, what action is needed and by when. That is the real fix: not just grammar, but saying exactly what you mean.
British or American spelling?
Indian English traditionally follows British spelling: colour, centre, programme, organise, cheque, travelling. Government and most Indian companies use it. American spelling (color, center, program, organize, check, traveling) is fine for a US client or a US product. What matters is consistency: do not mix "colour" and "color" in one document.
Check your text for free
Remembering 25 rules is hard. The free grammar checker catches most of them for you, with no signup:
- Paste your email, CV or message (up to 2,000 characters).
- Choose Indian English. It keeps British spelling and Indian terms such as lakh, crore and rupees.
- Tick "Explain each change" to see what was fixed and why, so you learn the rule.
- Read the result before you send it. AI can make mistakes, especially with names and technical terms.
Add Grammar Checking to Your App
Building an HR tool, a CRM or a learning app for Indian users? The Grammar Fix API corrects text in the English you choose, including Indian English, and can explain each change.
View Grammar Fix API →Key Takeaways
- Do not use state verbs such as have, know and own in the -ing form.
- Drop the extra words: revert back, discuss about, cope up with, return back.
- Use since with a point in time and for with a length of time.
- Replace do the needful, prepone and out of station with clear words for readers abroad.
- Indian English uses British spelling; stay consistent within one document.
- Say exactly what you need and by when; that fixes more than grammar.
Related guides
Need help with the reply itself? See How to Reply to Any Email: 15 Templates. Answering customer reviews in Hindi? Read How to Reply to Google Reviews in Hindi and Hinglish.
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