In the days before email, Paul McCartney famously sang, “PS I love you” on The Beatles’ 1963 album, Please Please Me. But what does PS mean and how do we use it in modern communication?
Adding a “PS” or postscript to an email is a handy way to convey an additional point after you’ve signed off But how you format and use your PS can impact professionalism Follow this guide to ensure you’re using email postscripts effectively,
The “PS” has long been a staple of traditional letter writing. It allows the sender to append one last thought at the end without having to rewrite the entire message This same technique can be applied to email, especially in business contexts
However, there are right and wrong ways to utilize PS in emails Get it wrong, and you may appear unprofessional, disorganized, or confusing To avoid missteps, let’s look at some tips for using postscripts properly in your digital correspondence
Where Should You Place Your Email PS?
First, you need to position your postscript appropriately within the structure of your email. Here are two key placement tips:
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After your signature: Never put your PS above your name sign-off. It belongs after you’ve formally signed off with your name, title, company etc.
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Leave a line break: Skip a line after your signature before adding “PS”. This separates it visually from the body of your email.
By following this structure, your recipient will understand the PS contains supplementary content and not part of your main message.
Formatting Your Email Postscript
Once you’ve determined positioning, it’s time to format your postscript. Try the following formatting best practices:
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Use the full “PS”: Spell out “Postscript” rather than just writing “PS”. This avoids confusion.
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Add a colon: Follow “Postscript” with a colon like “Postscript:”. This punctuates it as a new section.
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Single space: There’s no need to double space; a single space after the colon improves scannability.
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Use sentence case: Capitalize just the first word rather than the whole “PS:”. Sentence case enhances readability.
Adhering to these formatting conventions signals to readers that your postscript is intentional content and not an afterthought.
Limit Your Postscript Length
Brevity is key when adding a PS to an email. Follow these length guidelines:
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1-2 sentences max: Get straight to the point—your postscript shouldn’t be more than a short 1-2 sentence fragment.
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Single secondary point: Keep your PS focused on just one new piece of info or request.
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80 words or less: Anything longer than 3-4 lines of text (80 words max) is too extensive for a postscript.
By keeping it tight and focused, your email PS will be more impactful and less likely to be skipped over.
Mind Your Professional Etiquette
Business email postscripts may be casual in length but still require polished etiquette:
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Avoid overuse: Don’t lean on postscripts in every email or they’ll lose impact. Use them selectively.
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Don’t repeat yourself: If it’s important information, it belongs in the main text. PS is for secondary thoughts.
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Stay professional: Keep the language and tone of your postscript formal, even if brief.
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Proofread carefully: Double check for typos and clarity. A sloppy PS looks unprofessional.
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Add next steps if needed: Ask for confirmation or action to make your PS productive.
Following email etiquette preserves your reputation even in quick postscripts.
Use Case Examples
To employ postscripts proficiently, it helps to see some examples in action:
1. Requesting Follow Up
Regards,
[Your name]
Postscript: Could you please confirm receipt of this email whenever convenient? I want to ensure you have the info you need.
2. Providing Additional Context
Thank you again for your time on the phone this morning. It was great connecting. As discussed, I’ve attached the signed documents for your review.
Best regards,
[Your name]
3. Adding a Supplemental Request
I hope you are well. Per our discussion, please find the draft press release attached. Feel free to provide any feedback or edits you may have.
Regards,
[Your name]
Postscript: By the way, could you also send me the latest sales deck when you have a chance? I’d like to reference some of the data points.
Use Good Judgement
As with all business correspondence, your good judgement is the best guide when utilizing postscripts in emails:
- Don’t overuse them in long threads where they’ll get lost.
- Avoid adding anything confidential or sensitive.
- Make sure your PS aligns with email etiquette standards.
- Err on the side of brevity and professionalism.
When in doubt, read your email without the PS to evaluate if it stands alone. This safeguard will ensure your postscripts provide value.
Adding postscripts to your emails can be an effective way to make a supplemental point or request after formally signing off. However, proper formatting and brevity are essential. With good judgement, you can use PS as a professional tool to convey key afterthoughts and next steps. Just be sure to follow best practices so they augment—not detract from—your email correspondence.
PS meaning: What does PS mean in letters?
PS is an abbreviation for “post script” used for additional information at the end of a letter or message that doesn’t relate to the main topic. For example, you might write an email to your friend and then add a line after your signature that reads, “PS – I’m having a party this weekend and want you to come.” PS comes from the Latin phrase postscriptum, which means “written after.”
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In the days of handwritten and typed letters, we often found ourselves remembering something we wanted to include only after we’d signed off. That’s where a PS came in handy. It’s also often used for effect to add a clever or funny afterthought. It can be added for emphasis, or even as an argumentative “So there!” It’s a tool still used in direct and email marketing, which we’ll talk about in a moment.
The P.S. is the most charming part of a letter. It’s the wink you give as you walk away.
—Shaun Usher, author of Letters of Note, for The Wall Street Journal
How to punctuate and format PS
Should PS be capitalized? How is it abbreviated; with (P.S.) or without (PS) periods? Should you use any trailing punctuation? Surprisingly, there are no hard and fast answers to these questions.
The Cambridge Dictionary suggests that PS is the proper format in British English.
PS Don’t forget to let the cat in before you go to bed.
The Cambridge Dictionary also says that P.S. (with periods after each letter) is the American English format. Indeed, you’ll often find it abbreviated as such in the US. But The Chicago Manual of Style favors PS, without the periods.
The verdict? Usage varies, and PS doesn’t factor into most style guides. The safest bet is to capitalize the P and S (use periods after each letter if that’s your preference), and leave out any trailing punctuation.
PS once saved us from having to edit or rewrite an entire letter just to include an important afterthought. But email allows us to go back and edit before sending. Technically, we could avoid the use of PS altogether in electronic communication. But should we?
Not really. PS is still useful for effect, and it’s a great way to get a specific point noticed. Although the Internet has made us a culture of skimmers rather than people who read things like email word-for-word, we tend to notice what’s at the beginning and end of a text.
Here’s a tip: People wonder—does the PS come before or after the signature? Since a postscript is an addition that comes after a letter is completed, it should always follow the signature.
Including a PS has long been a direct mail marketing strategy. Statistics once showed that as many as 79 percent of people who opened a direct mail letter would read the PS first. Although times have changed, email marketers still swear by it as a way to reiterate a call to action, create FOMO, provide some sort of bonus information or offer, or even share a testimonial.
Email Etiquette: Post script in Emails
Should I include a PS in my email?
Decide when and how you want to use a PS before including one in your email. Choosing whether a postscript message should be included in the message you’re sending is required for this. Although there are numerous ways to use a PS, it usually indicates a lighthearted tone.
What does Ps mean in e-mails?
P.S. in e-mails is used exactly the same as P.S. in normal letters. It is short for the Latin post scriptum, i.e. written after the main script. As such, it is written at the bottom (end) of the main script (main e-mail in this case), and generally contains information which is trivial, or tangental to what was just said. For example,
How do you use a PS in an email?
For example, if you’re composing an email to your manager that includes several questions, your PS might refer to the most important question to emphasize its importance. You can also use your PS to briefly summarize your email, which may reduce the need for follow-up messages from recipients.
How important are PS in email?
The importance of using Ps correctly in email cannot be overstated. They can make all the difference between a well-written and professional message and one that appears careless and unprofessional. Proper use of Ps will help to ensure that your messages are clear, concise, and respectful.
