Practice
N.B. in an email or letter: meaning and use
You have finished an email, but one small detail still matters. N.B. is a short label that can introduce that detail. In many everyday emails, Note: or a full sentence will be easier for the reader to understand.
Recognize N.B. as a note that calls attention to an extra point, and choose a direct alternative when it is clearer for an email reader.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
N.B. /ˌen ˈbiː/
The short answer
Use N.B. to introduce an additional point that the reader should notice. In a routine email, Note: or a direct sentence is often the clearer choice.
N.B.: The meeting room has changed to Room 204.
Why it works: The label draws attention to an important update after the main message.
5 more examples
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N.B.: Please bring your building pass to the reception desk.
The writer adds a practical detail that the visitor should notice.
Not this:
Please bringyour building pass to the reception desk. What changes: This direct instruction is clearer when the pass is necessary to enter the building. -
N.B.: The file link will stop working on Friday.
The note gives an extra deadline-related detail after the main email message.
Not this:Download the file
before Fridaybecause the link will stop working. What changes: The deadline is part of the instruction, so putting it in the main sentence makes the action clear. -
N.B.: Visitors should use the side entrance after 6 p.m.
The label introduces a condition that may be useful after the main directions.
Not this:
After 6 p.m., visitors should use the side entrance. What changes: This wording is better when the time condition is central to the instruction. -
N.B.: I will be away from email next Monday.
The writer adds a useful availability detail near the end of the message.
Not this:I will be away from email next Monday, so please
contact Minafor urgent questions. What changes: A direct sentence is stronger when the reader needs to take a different action. -
N.B.: The attached schedule uses local time.
The note helps the reader interpret an attachment correctly.
Not this:
All timesin the attached schedule are local time. What changes: This version states the fact plainly and works well in a practical email.
Read the full guide
First, ask whether your reader needs a short attention label at all. If the point affects the action they must take, state it clearly. N.B. can work, but a familiar label such as Note: usually needs less interpretation.
Understand the label
N.B. points to information that deserves attention. It is often used after the main message, before a short reminder, condition, or detail. The label does not explain the point by itself. The sentence after it must still be clear.
N.B.: The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m., not 10:00 a.m.
Note: The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m., not 10:00 a.m. Both labels introduce an important detail.
What should follow N.B.?
A short, clear piece of information that the reader should notice.
Choose a clear email style
In an everyday email, your reader may understand Note: faster than N.B. A plain sentence may be even better when the detail changes what the reader should do. Choose the form that makes the next action easy to find.
Note: Please reply by Thursday so we can confirm the table booking.
Please reply by Thursday so we can confirm the table booking. The instruction is direct and does not need a label.
Which version should you use for a deadline that the reader must follow?
Put the deadline in a direct sentence. This keeps the required action visible.
Put the note in the right place
An N.B. note usually comes after the information it supports. Do not place it alone in an email subject line. Keep the note close to the message so the reader can see why it matters.
The office will close at 4 p.m. on December 24. N.B.: Phone support will also be unavailable that afternoon.
The office and phone support will be unavailable after 4 p.m. on December 24. This combines two essential facts in one direct message.
Should N.B. replace an informative email subject line?
No. Use a subject line that names the email topic, then add an N.B. note only if a related detail needs attention.
Follow the document's punctuation style
You may see N.B. with periods or NB without them. Both forms appear in English writing. A workplace, publisher, or class may have a preferred style. Once you choose a form for a document, keep it consistent.
N.B.: The price does not include delivery.
NB: The price does not include delivery. The message is the same; only the punctuation style changes.
Do the periods in N.B. change the meaning of the note?
No. They show a punctuation style. Follow the style your document or organization uses.
Keep important instructions visible
A note works best for an added detail. If someone must pay, reply, bring something, or change a plan, write that instruction in the main message. Clear placement matters more than a formal abbreviation.
Please send the signed form by May 8. N.B.: A photo of the signed page is acceptable.
The deadline appears in the main instruction, while the note adds a helpful option.
Which detail is suitable for an N.B. note: the main deadline or an extra submission option?
The extra submission option. Keep the main deadline in the main instruction.
Before you go
Remember this
N.B. means that the reader should notice an extra point. Put it directly before the note. Use the punctuation style that fits the document, and choose Note: or a direct sentence when that will be easier for the reader.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "N.B. in an email or letter: meaning and use"
What does N.B. mean in an email?
N.B. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase nota bene. It introduces a point that the writer wants the reader to notice. In an email, it often appears before a reminder, condition, or added detail that relates to the main message. The note should still explain the point clearly.
N.B.: Please bring your building pass to the reception desk.
Should I use N.B. or Note: in an email?
Choose the form your reader will understand most easily. Note: is familiar in many routine emails and is a good choice when you want a plain attention label. N.B. can suit a formal-looking letter or a document that already uses it. If the detail is essential, write a direct sentence instead of relying on either label.
Please bring your building pass to the reception desk.
Does N.B. need periods between the letters?
Both N.B. and NB appear in English writing. The two forms have the same purpose. Check whether your workplace, course, publisher, or document has a style preference, then use that style consistently. The punctuation does not make an unclear note clearer, so make sure the sentence after the label gives the needed information.
N.B.: The file link will stop working on Friday.
Where should N.B. go in a letter?
Put N.B. immediately before the added point it introduces. It often comes after the main message, where the reader can connect it to the earlier information. Keep it close to the topic it affects. Do not use N.B. as the subject line or as a substitute for explaining an important instruction in the body of the letter.
Download the file before Friday because the link will stop working.
Is N.B. too formal for a text message?
It can feel formal or unusual in a casual text message because many readers expect short, direct language there. A sentence such as Please remember the address has changed is usually clearer. Use N.B. only when you know the reader understands it and the tone of the message makes the abbreviation feel natural.
N.B.: Visitors should use the side entrance after 6 p.m.