How to Say Thank You in an Essay – A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction: Writing an essay is an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation, especially in situations where someone’s assistance or support has been significant. Knowing how to say thank you in an essay not only demonstrates your graciousness but also adds a personal touch to your writing. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways of expressing gratitude, providing numerous tips and examples along the way. So, let’s dive in and learn how to incorporate thankfulness effectively in your essays.

Formal Expressions of Gratitude:

1. “I am deeply grateful for…”: This statement conveys a strong sense of appreciation in a formal manner. It is ideal for situations where someone has provided extensive assistance or support that significantly impacted your work or achievements.

2. “I wish to express my sincere thanks to…”: You can use this phrase to specifically acknowledge individuals or groups who have contributed significantly to your success. It is commonly used in the conclusion or acknowledgments section of an essay.

3. “I am indebted to…”: This phrase emphasizes a sense of obligation and gratitude, particularly when someone’s guidance, mentorship, or financial support has been vital.

Informal Ways to Say Thank You:

1. “I can’t thank you enough for…”: This informal expression is perfect for situations where you want to emphasize your appreciation and acknowledge the impact of someone’s actions on your life or achievements.

2. “I owe you one!”: This casual phrase is an informal way of expressing gratitude, often used among friends or in personal essays. It carries a sense of indebtedness to the person addressed.

3. “You’ve been a lifesaver!”: This lighthearted and informal expression is suitable for situations where someone’s help or support has been crucial at a critical moment. Use this phrase to convey intense appreciation and add a touch of humor.

Tips for Expressing Thankfulness:

1. be specific:.

When expressing thanks, provide specific details about the action, support, or advice you received. Specify how it directly impacted your work or personal growth. For example:

“Your insightful feedback on my rough draft greatly enhanced the clarity and flow of my essay. I appreciate the time and effort you invested in reviewing my work.”

2. Use appropriate tone:

Tailor your tone to suit the context and audience. In formal essays, use refined language and avoid slang or casual expressions. In personal essays, you have more flexibility to adopt a conversational tone while maintaining respect and gratitude.

3. Express humility:

When saying thank you, emphasize your humility and avoid sounding boastful. Recognize that your achievements or success were made possible with the help of others and acknowledge their essential contributions.

4. Consider the essay structure:

Determine the appropriate section of your essay to express gratitude. In formal academic essays, acknowledgments are generally reserved for the conclusion, while personal essays may include expressions of thanks throughout the text.

Examples of Thank You Expressions in Essays:

In the following examples, you’ll find various ways to incorporate expressions of gratitude into your essays:

Example 1: Formal Academic Essay

“I am deeply grateful for the guidance and expertise provided by Professor Williams. His insightful suggestions and unwavering support significantly contributed to the development and improvement of this research paper. Additionally, I want to express my sincere thanks to the participants who generously shared their time and experiences for this study.”

Example 2: Personal Reflective Essay

“I can’t thank my best friend Lisa enough for always being there to listen to my thoughts and offer her unwavering support. Her encouragement and belief in my abilities have been invaluable throughout my academic journey. Lisa, you truly are a lifesaver, and I am beyond grateful to have you in my life.”

Example 3: Informal Personal Essay

“To my amazing parents, who have supported and nurtured me every step of the way, I owe you one! Your unwavering love and belief in my dreams have been the cornerstone of my success. Thank you for always being my biggest cheerleaders and guiding me toward my goals.”

Conclusion: Incorporating expressions of gratitude in your essays adds a personal touch and showcases your appreciation for assistance or support received. Whether you choose formal or informal expressions, remember to be genuine, specific, and maintain an appropriate tone. By following the tips provided and utilizing the examples shared, you can effectively convey your thankfulness and leave a lasting impression on your readers. So, express your gratitude with confidence, and watch as your essay shines with warmth and appreciation.

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How to Write the Thank You Note UPenn Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Aja Altenhof in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Picking who to write about.

  • How to Express Your Gratitude

The Tone of Your Essay

What does the part in the parentheses mean.

The University of Pennsylvania’s (UPenn) first supplemental short answer prompt asks students to respond to the following: 

“Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!). (150-200 words).”

In this article, we will discuss how to pick who to write about, the proper tone to use, and offer clarity around what the Admissions Committee suggests. For more information on UPenn’s other supplemental short answer prompts and essays and writing dos and don’ts, check out our post on how to write the UPenn supplemental essays . 

This thank-you essay is a new prompt for UPenn. The prompt does have some overlap with the Common App prompt number four , where you are asked to write about a moment of gratitude. If you are going to answer that prompt in the common app, try and write about a more abstract experience in this essay so there is no overlap. 

Choosing the person you want to write about and the words you want to say takes a lot of internal reflection. Writing about someone from your personal life either in your academic career or job experience is a great idea. Try and avoid writing about someone famous or anyone who hasn’t directly influenced your life. It’s going to be a lot more personal when it comes time for writing. Of course, if there is a historical figure that played a critical part in your development, that is a path you can go down as well.

How to Express Your Gratitude 

There are a lot of questions about how you should show your thanks in this essay. This essay has a lot of opportunities for back-door bragging because to thank someone, you have to explain the accomplishment you are thanking them for. As long as you stay as genuine as possible, you have room to share your accomplishments. This is what a college application is about anyways. 

Write the essay as if you were writing directly to the person you’ve picked. It’s okay to mention your accomplishments and experience, but if including that information would sound weird in a thank you note , then it might not be best to include it. You want your gratitude to come off as genuine and personal. You don’t actually have to send the thank you note, but write as if that is the goal. If the person who you picked ends up writing your letter of recommendation, you will already have the note ready to go.

The tone of your essay should be both personal and well-written. Even if you are close to the person you’re writing this for, it should still be academic and professional. Specificity is your biggest help, so try to avoid using generic explanations. Make sure the essay reflects your specific situation and relationship with this person. You only have 200 words, so there isn’t room to tell the full story of your relationship with this person, but you can summarize it. The essay is supposed to be about how that relationship influenced your academic development and thanking that person for it. 

Remember to stay away from inappropriate topics like romantic or sexual relationships. You don’t know who your reader is, so you want to make sure to avoid things that could be divisive. If you do choose to write about a negative experience that you grew from and thank a person who caused you harm, make sure to focus on your personal growth and path to forgiveness when writing your essay. For example, if you have been through a negative or abusive personal relationship, you could approach this by thanking the person for helping you grow; however, keep in mind that this can be a risky topic that might make your reader uncomfortable, and it can be easy to come off as condescending. You should only go this route if you’re confident that you can pull this off and put the focus on your growth.

When it comes to this essay, a lot of people express some confusion with the portion in parentheses. When UPenn suggests reflecting, they aren’t saying to reflect on the prompt. UPenn is suggesting you share the thank you essay with the person you wrote to and reflect on that conversation. This essay involves a lot of emotions and time to sort through what you would like to say. The part in the parentheses is UPenn sharing their opinion that you should share your kind words with the person.  

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How to Write a Meaningful Thank You Note

  • Christopher Littlefield

thank you in essay

Sample messages from common workplace scenarios.

Many of us fear expressing our thanks to others. We might worry that our efforts will be misinterpreted or make the person on the receiving end uncomfortable. Or we might struggle to find the right words to express how we feel. Here’s how to do it right.

  • Keep it genuine : The goal of expressing appreciation should be to let someone know how their actions have impacted you and/or others. If you have any other agenda, your message will not be authentic.
  • Share what you appreciate and why : Focus on the impact their actions had on you and explain both  what you appreciate and why . This will help the other person understand the reason you feel the way you do.
  • Send it : E-mails get lost and handwritten cards get saved. Write your message on a piece of paper, post-it note, or card and give it directly to the person. If you are at work, you can also leave it on their desk or in their “mailbox.”

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Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We all want to be appreciated. Whether you’ve accepted a task while your plate is already full, worked through weekends to get a project off the ground, or simply been there for a work friend when they needed your support, an acknowledgement or “thank you” can go a long way in making us feel good about the efforts we put in — and the research supports this.

  • Christopher Littlefield is an International/TEDx speaker specializing in employee appreciation and the founder of  Beyond Thank You . He has trained thousands of leaders across six continents to create cultures where people feel valued every day. He is the author of 75+ Team Building Activities for Remote Teams—Simple Ways to Build Trust, Strengthen Communication, and Laugh Together from Afar . You can follow his work through his weekly mailing  The Nudge .

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How to Write the Perfect Thank You

Category: Guides , Handwrytten Help

Today, many of us rarely take time to put pen to paper. We text our friends to make social plans and email important business information to our colleagues. However, even modern etiquette experts agree you won’t find a better way to say “thank you” than writing a card or note. Writing a thank you letter or note conveys your gratitude in a meaningful and sincere way. Professional business notes can also improve your company’s image, boost sales , and increase referrals . Don’t be daunted by the thought of penning your thank you cards and notes and starting from a blank thank you card. The following failsafe tips will help you write the perfect thank you.

Draft Your Thank You Message

Keep the message short and sweet, write your thank you message by hand, give thanks in your personal life, give thanks for notable business interactions, follow up after an interview, say thank you ‘just because’, use a personable tone, stay positive, skip the sales pitch, add a warm closing, proofread your thank-you note carefully, send your thank-you message in a timely fashion, write more thank-you notes.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” Many people apply this quote to major undertakings such as saving money for a home purchase or completing large projects at work, but planning makes sense for smaller tasks such as writing generic thank you messages too. Perfection rarely happens on the first attempt. Creating a draft thank-you note gives you a chance to refine your message until you’re completely happy with it.

Write down your thank-you message on a separate piece of paper and read through it carefully. Does it say everything you want to say? Does it convey your message in the right way? Can you find ways to improve it? Make your changes, then set it down for an hour or two. When you come back to it later, you’ll see it with fresh eyes. Read through it again and make any more adjustments you’d like. You can copy your draft to your thank-you card or stationery. Having a draft to refer to can help you reduce your chances of making mistakes.

Picture of a Business Thank You card with a marker

A thank-you message should never become an essay. Keeping your thank you note message short ensures that you get to the point without going off on unnecessary tangents. Brevity also helps you resist the urge to get too effusive with your thanks, which may make your message seem insincere.

If you struggle to keep your message short, try writing your thank-you notes on cards rather than pieces of paper. When you have only a limited space to work with, you’ll soon figure out what you need to say and what’s best left out.

We mentioned putting pen to paper in the introduction for a specific reason. Writing thank yous is best done by connecting your intention directly to paper via a pen. Typewritten thank-you notes and cards simply don’t have the same impact as handwritten ones. A handwritten thank you conveys warmth and sincerity. Your recipients know you wrote the message just for them and no one else. As handwritten correspondence becomes less frequent, receiving a handwritten note is becoming more precious and special.

If you need further convincing, consider that 64 percent of Americans prefer handwritten correspondence to electronic messages. In addition, handwritten envelopes get opened 300 percent more often than printed envelopes.

Writing handwritten notes can admittedly be a time-consuming task, especially if you’re sending many notes. If you’re short on time, consider using a handwritten letter service such as Handwrytten. Handwrytten creates personalized notes and cards for individuals and businesses that are virtually indistinguishable from messages written by hand.

Be Specific With Your Expressions of Thanks

When you’re giving thanks, you should always be specific with your expressions of thanks. Writing down what a person or company did for you, and the impact this act had on you, makes your thank-you messages more personal and impactful. It is key to make sure that the context is correct here – for example, you wouldn’t want to write a non-love related message in a wedding thank you card .

You should write your thank-you notes to acknowledge receiving gifts when you can’t verbally thank someone in person. This situation often occurs when someone sends you a Christmas present through the mail or you receive several gifts you open later, after a wedding or large milestone birthday, for example. Your thank-you card for these occasions will mention the exact gift you received and why you appreciate it.

You should also write a thank-you note when you receive an important card through the mail. People often send cards to convey their sympathy after the loss of a loved one, their congratulations on an engagement or birth of a child, to wish someone luck at a new job, and several other reasons. Returning the favor with a thank-you card demonstrates that you are grateful for the person thinking of you and wishing you well.

Sending thank-you cards and notes is also a valuable way to express gratitude in the professional world. You should send your thanks when people help you professionally. A written thank you after someone takes time to interview you for a position, mentor you, discuss a business proposition, or invest in your company can help strengthen your professional relationships.

Businesses should also send thank-you notes when they have meaningful interactions with other companies and individuals. Writing a thank you when customers refer other people to your business or buy your products or services is a great gesture of goodwill. When customers feel valued, they’ll be more likely to make purchases and refer others in the future. Thanking your employees for a job well-done boosts productivity and morale. Don’t forget about sending business thank you cards when your suppliers or contractors go the extra mile.

A very important part of any job interview is sending a quick follow-up to the hiring manager or person with which you interviewed.  This is especially important for sales positions. Be sure to express your interest in the position and acknowledge you understand the hiring process might take some.  If you send the note right after the interview, the speed of “snail mail” delivers the note a few days later, which is a great way to remind the company of your interest.

Sometimes the most impactful thank-you messages come seemingly out of the blue. You can’t find a bad time to send a thank you to a friend who has been there to support you for many years. Similarly, businesses can recognize the loyalty of their long-term customers, employees, suppliers, contractors, and investors with an unexpected thank-you note.

thank you in essay

As discussed above, writing a thank-you message forges a more personal connection with your recipient compared to sending an email or text. However, take the wrong tone and you’ll undermine that connection.

Keep your tone personable and approachable. If you write in a formal way, you’ll create distance between yourself and your recipient. Forget the formalities, even if you’re writing on behalf of a business or writing to a professional contact. Instead, consider how you’d express yourself if your recipient was present and having a conversation with you. Use everyday words and phrases rather than ones you think might sound impressive.

Remember to be sincere. Even if you keep your tongue in cheek during your conversations, humor can be lost in the text. Unless you know your recipient well, skip the jokes and write straight from the heart. Don’t overdo it, as gushing can seem disingenuous, but write with honest gratitude.

Sometimes gestures fall flat. You know you should thank people for what they’ve done for you, but maybe something wasn’t quite right. Perhaps you received a gift in the wrong size, or the item was wrong altogether. Maybe an employee worked overtime, but you didn’t get the result you were after. A thank-you message isn’t the right medium for expressing what went wrong. Instead, focus on what you appreciated about the gesture.

For what it’s worth, the right time to mention what you didn’t like about the gesture may not ever exist. Maintaining good relationships is often better. Criticize people for the effort they put in, and they’ll be less likely to put themselves out for you in the future.

A thank-you message has one goal: Express your gratitude. Resist the urge to turn your note into a sales pitch. This action can be difficult when you’re writing thank-you notes for professional purposes. So much correspondence in this space is about selling, but don’t give in to temptation.

After a job interview, your thank-you note should simply thank your interviewer for taking the time to meet you. You shouldn’t spend time trying to convince someone that you’re the best candidate. You already had your opportunity during your interview. Similarly, you shouldn’t try selling your products when you’re thanking customers for their loyalty or referrals. If they decide to buy from you because the thank-you note made them feel positively toward your organization, that’s great. But it’s not the goal at this time.

When your thank-you note has a heavy sales pitch, it undermines your original intent and makes your message seem insincere. Save the sales pitches for interviews and marketing materials; they don’t belong in thank-you notes or cards.

Make sure the way you sign off your thank-you message leaves a good lasting impression. Your sign-off should be warm and personable. “Warmest thanks” and “With gratitude” are safe choices. If you’re especially close to your recipient, you may use “With love” , “Lots of love”, or “Love and thanks”. If you’re writing within a religious context, “God bless you” or “Blessings” may seem appropriate.

Remember to avoid formal sign-offs. While “Regards” and “Yours sincerely” are appropriate ways to close a business letter, they’ll seem cold and impersonal on a thank-you note. Luckily, we’ve got a perfect article for you: check out 10 Ways to Sign Off a Thank-You Card .

Errors of any type detract from your thank-you note, making it seem like you’ve written it in a rush or without care. Read through your thank-you note carefully before you send it and look for any spelling mistakes or grammatical problems. If you detect any mistakes, start again. While correction fluid can hide your mistakes, it can’t hide that you made them in the first place. Starting fresh is the best way to make a good impression with your thank-you note.

If you’re prone to making mistakes, take your time. Going slowly and thinking carefully about each word you write should help reduce your errors. Write your thank-you notes in a quiet place, free from distractions. Once your attention is diverted from your thank-you note, making mistakes becomes much easier. Remember that copying a draft rather than trying to compose your thank-you note on the fly is another great tactic for reducing errors.

When you’re giving thanks for a specific gesture or act, timeliness is everything. The more time passes, the less sincere your thank-you note will seem. Your recipient may even forget what you’re thanking them for in the first place.

Etiquette experts recommend writing and sending a thank-you note within a day or two of receiving a gift. This time frame is a good guideline for any type of thank you. Your thank-you card or note could be in transit for a few days, or longer if it’s traveling overseas, so sending your thank-you message early is essential for minimizing delays.

People understand that sometimes circumstances prevent you from sending thank-you messages as early as you’d like. For example, a honeymoon can delay a bride and groom sending all their thank-you notes for their wedding gifts. Everyone expects new parents to take some time adjusting to life with a baby. However, if your thank-you message is delayed, you should still endeavor to send it as early as possible, ideally within six weeks of the event or the moment for which you’re giving thanks.

If the time has gotten away from you, remember that sending a late thank-you note is better than failing to say thanks at all. Write your thank-you note and make sure to add a brief apology for the delay in expressing your gratitude. Send your note as soon as you can and resolve to prioritize writing and posting your next thank-you message sooner to ensure you don’t make delaying your thanks a habit.

You can find more occasions to be thankful for throughout your life.

As with anything you do, you’ll get better at writing thank-you notes with more practice. Don’t wait for the big, momentous occasions. You can find more occasions to be thankful for throughout your life . Get into the habit of writing thank-you cards regularly and you’ll notice you’ll feel more confident about composing them.

Creating handwritten thank-you notes and cards is still the best way to express genuine gratitude for gifts your receive or thoughtful acts of kindness. When someone does something nice for you personally or professionally, the tips presented above can help you write the perfect thank you.

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A thank-you message

A thank-you message

Learn how to write a thank-you message to a colleague.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Grouping_MjMxMTU=

From : Paco To : Maria Subject : Thanks

I hope you're well.

I'm just writing to say thanks for your help on the project last month. We really appreciate you stepping in to support us. I know you had to put in extra hours to catch up on your own work, so thank you very much.  

Your expertise was vital for this project and we couldn't have finished it successfully without you. You really helped us and we hope to work with you again on future projects.

I'll be in touch again soon about possible future collaborations. I look forward to working with you more closely this year.

All the best,

  • Start with a friendly comment: I hope you're well.
  • It's usually best to use an informal style with colleagues: Hi Maria, … Thanks for your help.
  • Keep it short.
  • Mention the good work they did and the positive effect of it: Your expertise was vital for this project. We couldn't have finished it successfully without your help.
  • End with a positive comment about future collaboration: I hope to work with you more closely in future. I look forward to working with you again.

When was the last time you thanked a colleague for something?

Language level

I try to be always grateful people for anything that they do for me.

  • Log in or register to post comments

Hello Merida,

I hope you and your family are well.

I just was thinking about the last week and I want to say thanks for all your help with the kids, I aprreciate it. Take care Maria and Paulo is not easy work, but you did it really great.

Yesterday they asked me about when you are going to come back! I am so happy and grateful for your love with kids, so If you are interested in work with us more often, please let me know.

The best wishes and we hope see you soon,

Hi roshan, I'm just writing to say thank you for being a very comfortable roommate for me. Every day, you make sure that I'm okay. You have been a very good brother and not just a roommate for the past 5 years. It is not easy to maintain good terms with the same roommate who annoys you so much. As a roommate, I didn't participate in any cooking, cleaning, or washing for most of the time, but you took care of the house with love. You are the best brother who has amazing qualities.

I'm by your side at any stage of your life. I'd like to see from a great height. I'm sure you'll..

Is everything going well these days?

I'm just writing to say thanks for your help with last semester. Without your help, I'm 100 percent sure I would have failed the exam. All of your study materials saved me. I really appreciate your help and kindness,men.

Let's meet and hang out before the new semester starts.

Just phone me when you are available.

I know you are busy with a part-time job. All the expenses and treats are on me.

Waiting for your phone call.

When was the last time you thanked a colleague for something? three months ago, I encountered a problem in my program and as much as I searched or tried to solve it, It didn't work. because I believe that When something is hard, It means I don't understand the base of the problem well. As a result, I stopped struggling and sent a message to my colleague and explained my question. He answered me right off the bat!! God knows, How many hours I would have to spend to solve it. If I didn't get help. I really appreciated him for his help so fast! Fortunately, I was at the right place and at the right time.

Hello Paco. I hope you're doing well. I'm writing this message just to say thank you for helped me lasth month. I really apreciatte the cbolaboration of us, and the development of this company was very successful and that wouldn't be possible without your help. You carried out a hardly task. In the future I hope we can work together again, It'll be amazing. My best wishes.

I hope you are well.

By this mail I want to thank you for all your support during the first months in my new job. I joined our company with little experience and you were always on my side to give me helpful tips. As a result of your constant assistance I soon became familiar with the requirements of my job and how to cope with them.

As you have left our department there is little chance to work together with you in the near future. However, I hopefully will meet you occasionally and we will have a chat.

Yours Dieter

From: Natacha to: David Subject: Thanks

Hello, I hope you're well. i am writing to you for say thanks for sharing your knowledge and company. And I hope we can see each other again soon. Bye.

Form: Abdullah To: Abdulrahman Subject: Thanks Hi Abdulrahman, I hope you are well. I'm writing to thank you for your work on my project. We are grateful for your advice, you have a lot of experience in the project field. I'm looking to work with you again. All of the best. Abdullah

From: Maria To: Emily

Hello Emily! How are you? I hope you are well. I´m just writing to say thank you! You helped me a lot yesterday! If weren´t for you, i wouldn´t have passed in the test! Have a nice weekend! See you on monday!

All of best. Maria

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How to write a thank you speech

With example speeches and a printable planner

By:  Susan Dugdale  | Last modified: 04-22-2022

A thank you speech or appreciation speech prepared and given with sincerity means a lot to those you acknowledge.

Dive right in. There's all the assistance you need on this page to write an excellent speech of thanks.

What you'll find on this page

  • the types of occasions it could be good to have a thank you speech ready to give
  • best practice and content suggestions to guide you step by step through writing a short thank you speech
  • a sample thank you speech for an award (and a link to an example thank you speech for a 18th birthday party)
  • a printable thank you speech planner to download
  • links to thank you quotations you may like to use
  • notes covering rehearsal and delivery   

thank you in essay

'No man is an island'

When we achieve, we usually do so because others have helped. Your speech of appreciation is the gift or acknowledgment you give in return for what was given you.

When is a thank you speech appropriate?

Any time is good to say thank you! However, a more formal speech of thanks could fit any of these occasions.

  • for coming to my graduation, farewell, birthday, or retirement party
  • for the promotion
  • for the award
  • for coming to our wedding and your gifts, our engagement party, our 50th wedding anniversary
  • for coming to the opening of my new business...

Be prepared! Best practice guidelines

Generally the decision to leap to your feet and give a thank you speech is not spontaneous. You will likely have some forewarning and time to consider exactly what you want to say and who you want to mention.

Deciding on the content

Cover these three content areas and you'll be fine.

  • WHO are you thanking? Note their names in ranking order- the most important first.
  • WHAT are you thanking them for? Be specific rather than general. Naming what you are grateful for gives your thanks more meaning.
  • WHAT did their gift of time, expertise, encouragement, money... mean to you? Again, be specific. This is your chance to publicly give credit where it's due, to compliment, to praise. Take it.

Writing your speech

When you've sorted out who you wish to mention and what for, you are ready to begin writing.

Like any other form of speech you need 3 parts:- an opening, the body or middle where you put all your acknowledgments, and a conclusion.

1. Introduction/opening

In your introduction or opening give the reason for the occasion and why it is you're going to thank everyone. What you say, and how you say it, will set the tone for the remainder of the speech.

Depending on the number of people on your 'thank you/appreciation' list and the amount of time you have, consider including a small story about the lead-up making this event possible. A well-chosen personal anecdote will always go down well because it lets those listening share your experience more deeply.

Check out this page on story telling in speeches for more information.

In the body of your speech, start at the top of your list of people to thank and work your way through it. Take care to give the most important people the most time.

For those whom you want to mention but don't have enough time to make individual acknowledgments consider grouping them according to function.

Example: "To Alex, Mary, Judy and Sam, thank you for making me remember to laugh. You helped me keep my sanity and perspective when the going was tough."

3. Conclusion

In the conclusion, summarize your main points and finish.

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Sample thank you speech for receiving an award 

Here's a short sample thank you speech for you to see how it could be done. There are many ways covering the required content. This is one.

The person giving this speech is thanking an organization for giving him an award. 

It is 374 words long. When spoken it will take approximately 2 minutes + to deliver. That's about the right length. It's brief and covers everything needed.

As you read it through imagine hearing it out loud. 

Speech text

"Who's considered the incredible power of thank you?  Those two words express gratitude, humility, understanding, as well as acknowledgement.

I am here with you: my family, many of my friends and colleagues because I need to say all of that, and then some more.

Thank you for coming to share my being given the Fred Smith Award for Community Service. It's very humbling.

There's a phrase I'm sure you know: it takes a village to raise a child. In this case it's not a child that's been raised but awareness and a long needed community resource -  the  Parksville Community Literacy Center.  The village behind it and me, is you.

In particular thank you to my wife Marlene who has always understood and shared my conviction that communities are healthiest when its resources are equally shared, and that the ability to read underpins long term social and economic well being.

I know the hours I spent after work helping to establish our new Center tested her, especially when I was home late, again.

Remarkably she continues to support, and love me.  For that I will always be grateful.

Mary Hill, Catherine Beech and Matthew Fall from the Fred Smith Foundation – thank you for sharing the vision of an integrated community and for being so incredibly supportive. You understood what we were trying to achieve and helped make it possible. Your generous gifts of time, expertise and funds are deeply appreciated.

This award may have my name on it, but in truth it belongs to everybody who has worked to make the center a reality. Have you got a spare day or two? If I called out all those people we'd be here for quite some time! Instead, I'll simply say thank you. You know who you are.

The time and effort you've given ensures that the Parksville people who want it will have access to effective literacy programs and resources. That is a priceless gift.  As Nobel Peace Prize winner former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan said “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”

Thank you for the award and thank you on behalf of all those who will cross that bridge to a brighter future." 

thank you in essay

Here's another example. This one is a thank you speech for a birthday . The speaker is thanking his parents and guests for the celebration in honor of his 18th birthday. 

Thanks but NO thanks!

What I really need is a Thanksgiving Speech!

Image: - a string of autumn leaves. Text: Thanksgiving - a time to say thanks for life, family, friends and food, in a speech.

And it's here. Choose a theme. Complete the template. And give your Thanksgiving Speech with confidence.

Get a printable thank you speech planner

Regardless of whether you are preparing a thank you speech for the guests who came to your wedding, engagement, retirement, farewell, graduation or birthday party, the steps are the same.

This printable planner will guide you through the four needed. Each one is fully explained with an example.

Completing it will make writing your speech so much easier.

Either click the link or the image below to: download a printable thank you speech planner .

Banner: Download a printable thank you speech planner

Use a quotation to help show your gratitude

Image: blue forgetmenots. Text: Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. GB Stern

Before you finalize the content, check out these 'thank you quotations' .

They offer different ways of expressing your gratitude. You could find just what you need to spark your creativity and provide the thread/theme to unite your speech. It can be so much more than a long string of thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you ...

Tips to help you get your thank you speech right

Rehearsal, practice and feedback.

Image: Black and white photo of a young man standing on a stage. Text: About rehearsing a speech.

Many people make the assumption that once they've got the words of their speech sorted, they're set to go.

That's not true! Practice completes the process.

Giving yourself several  rehearsals, firstly by yourself and then in front of  friends or family, will help enormously. Click the link for detailed information about  how to rehearse effectively .

For the condensed and shortened version covering good rehearsal practice follow the points below.

1. Content check

Before investing too much time and energy into rehearsing your speech say it through in front of a few trusted friends or colleagues.  It is much, much easier to change text prior to practicing it than after you've begun working with it. Ask them to listen:

  • to make sure you've included everyone you should, in the right order and thanked them for the right things.
  • for tone. Does the vocabulary fit the occasion? Are the stories right? Is the speech positive? Is it inclusive?

Edit as needed, and then have your test audience listen again. 

Getting the timing right is an essential part of making it a success. Go on too long and people stop listening. Be too brief and there's a danger you've missed things out.

The only way to find out how long your speech is, is to time yourself as you say it out loud at a normal speaking rate. If it's too long, look for areas you can cut. Maybe you need to group a few  more people together or perhaps you need to shorten some of the specific examples about why it is you're thanking someone.  If it's too short, add more detail.  Repeat until you get the length right.

If you'd like to check the number of words you have in your speech against how many minutes it will take to say them go to: how many words per minute are there in a speech .

3. Use cue cards

If you're at all worried about forgetting things, losing your place or muddling what you want to say, use cue cards. They'll take the anxiety away.

Write the main points of your thank you speech on cue cards. Good notes will keep you on track while ensuring you cover everything you want to like, for instance, the name of every person you want to thank and why.

(Click the link if you don't know about using or how to make cue cards . Cue cards are preferable to reading your speech.

However sometimes you just have to read because...for all sorts of reasons. If that's you, do it well. Find out how to read a speech effectively .)

thank you in essay

*About  The Speech Builder  - this is an app that "builds" personalized speeches.  If you're needing a speech to say thank you for an award of any sort; academic, sporting, civic, or artistic,  the speech builder can help.

thank you in essay

Are you sweating over a business thank you speech?

One thanking your colleagues for a job well done?

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thank you in essay

Home / Essay Samples / Life / Thank You

Thank You Essay Examples

Gratitude and appreciation: an example of thank you letter.

Here's an example of a thank you essay. Dear Sam, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your kindness and support. Your generosity has touched my heart and has made a significant impact on my life. When I was going...

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