What’s the meaning of “just checking in”?

Just checking in is a standard phrase used to start an email (or other message) that’s intended to ask someone for a response or follow-up action in a friendly, informal way. However, it’s a cliché opening that can come across as passive-aggressive, so we recommend avoiding it in favor of a more direct opening like “We previously discussed …”

In a more personal context, you might encounter “just checking in” as part of a longer phrase such as “I’m just checking in to see how you’re doing”. In this case, it’s not asking the other person to do anything but rather asking about their well-being (emotional or physical) in a friendly way.

Frequently asked questions: Effective communication

Is it ‘looking forward in hearing from you’ or ‘looking forward to hearing from you’?: ‘Looking forward in hearing from you’ is an incorrect version of the phrase looking forward to hearing from you. The phrasal verb ‘looking forward to’ always needs the preposition ‘to’, not ‘in’.

I am looking forward in hearing from you.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.
What are some synonyms for ‘looking forward to hearing from you’?: Some synonyms and near synonyms for the expression looking forward to hearing from you include:

Eagerly awaiting your response

Hoping to hear from you soon

It would be great to hear back from you

Thanks in advance for your reply
Is it ‘looking forward to hear from you’ or ‘looking forward to hearing from you’?: People sometimes mistakenly write ‘looking forward to hear from you’, but this is incorrect. The correct phrase is looking forward to hearing from you.

The phrasal verb ‘look forward to’ is always followed by a direct object, the thing you’re looking forward to. As the direct object has to be a noun phrase, it should be the gerund ‘hearing’, not the verb ‘hear’.

I’m looking forward to hear from you soon.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Should I write ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Yours faithfully’?: Traditionally, the sign-off Yours sincerely is used in an email message or letter when you are writing to someone you have interacted with before, not a complete stranger.

Yours faithfully is used instead when you are writing to someone you have had no previous correspondence with, especially if you greeted them as ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.
What does “earliest convenience” mean?: “Earliest convenience” is part of the phrase at your earliest convenience, meaning “as soon as you can”.

It’s typically used to end an email in a formal context by asking the recipient to do something when it’s convenient for them to do so.
What does “ASAP” mean?: ASAP is an abbreviation of the phrase “as soon as possible”.

It’s typically used to indicate a sense of urgency in highly informal contexts (e.g., “Let me know ASAP if you need me to drive you to the airport”).

“ASAP” should be avoided in more formal correspondence. Instead, use an alternative like at your earliest convenience.

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Types of editing	Available at Scribbr?
Proofreading Correction of superficial mistakes, such as typos, misspellings, punctuation errors and consistency errors.	Yes! This is the “proofreading” in Scribbr’s standard service. It can only be selected in combination with editing.
Copy editing Focus on grammar, syntax, style, tone and the conventions of the field. The editor also considers the internal logic of the text and flags any obvious contradictions.	Yes! This is the “editing” in Scribbr’s standard service. It can only be selected in combination with proofreading.
Line editing Focus on language, style, concision and choices. The editor helps you strengthen your story, polish your sentences and ensure that your use of language drives home your ideas.	Yes! Select the Structure Check and Clarity Check to receive a comprehensive edit equivalent to a line edit.
Developmental editing (i.e. content editing, substantive editing) This is the first step of the editing process and applies to very early drafts. The editor helps you structure your ideas, decide what story to tell and find direction for your writing.	No. This kind of editing involves heavy rewriting and restructuring. Our editors cannot help with this.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the meaning of “just checking in”?

Frequently asked questions: Effective communication

Questions?

Ask our team

Frequently asked questions

How does the sample edit work?