Five Common Phrases That Sound Passive-Aggressive: 'Per My Last Email'

Some passive-aggressive comments are so subtle that you might not realize they can be received as passive-aggression. Below are a few widely used passive-aggressive communication examples, including ways to reword to avoid misunderstanding.

Per my last email

Use this instead: I’m following up on my previous email regarding . . .

This phrasing is effective if you’ve sent the recipient a message asking for something, but they haven’t given a timely response. The alternative statement names specifically what you’re referring to without forcing the recipient to guess.