Do you want to know how to politely say “you didn’t answer my question”?
You might worry that the original phrase is a bit rude or flippant.
Luckily, you have other options! And it’s time to explore some of those.
This article will teach you how to professionally say “you didn’t answer my question.”
Is It Professional to Say “You Didn’t Answer My Question”?
It is not professional to say “you didn’t answer my question.”
The phrase itself is informal and quite impolite.
In fact, it’s rude to say in an email. You should absolutely avoid using something like this in most professional cases because it will never make you look good.
Nevertheless, you could use it in more casual contexts.
So, it’s worth reviewing this text message sample to learn a bit more:
I’m afraid you didn’t answer my question here. I’d like to circle back to it if you have the time!
Pros
- It’s a great way to remind someone about a question you asked.
- It’s direct and honest.
Cons
- It’s quite rude.
- It’s a good way to get on someone’s bad side.
So, you might not want to use “you didn’t answer my question” in formal writing. But that’s okay! There are plenty of other options available that will sound much better in your emails.
Keep reading to learn how to say “you didn’t answer my question” in an email. We’ve gathered a helpful list of alternatives to show you what works better.
What to Say Instead of “You Didn’t Answer My Question”
- My initial inquiry remains unaddressed
- I would appreciate a response to my previous question
- I notice my question hasn’t been directly answered
- The response provided did not address my question
- I’m still seeking a direct reply to my original question
- Would you mind answering my first question?
- My question remains unanswered
- It seems my query may have been overlooked
- I was hoping for a more direct response to my question
1. My Initial Inquiry Remains Unaddressed
We recommend starting with “my initial inquiry remains unaddressed.”
This is a formal way to say “you didn’t answer my question.” For the most part, it allows you to be respectful and direct when trying to get an answer out of someone.
But when does this work best?
It’s most suitable when contacting a company directly. If you’d like to raise a complaint or query with them, this phrase will ensure they respond, even if they avoid your question initially.
Here’s a helpful email example to give you a better idea of what might work:
To Whom It May Concern,
My initial inquiry remains unaddressed, so I’d like an answer to that, please.
Let me know as soon as you have something that I can use.
Thank you so much,
Ben Branch
2. I Would Appreciate a Response to My Previous Question
You can also use “I would appreciate a response to my previous question” in your emails.
It’s honest and clear, showing someone that you need an answer, and they haven’t provided one.
You might want to use this when replying to an employee.
If you’ve already asked a question, but they have glanced it over, you may need to remind them.
Of course, it could be an innocent mistake. It’s always best to give them the benefit of the doubt.
This phrase does exactly that, making sure you remain polite when asking someone for an answer.
This email example will give you more information if you still need it:
Dear Hillary,
I would appreciate a response to my previous question.
Please look back at my previous email when you have a moment and tell me your thoughts.
Best,
Sandra Sours
3. I Notice My Question Hasn’t Been Directly Answered
You can write “I notice my question hasn’t been directly answered.” It’s a professional way to say “you didn’t answer my question” that keeps things polite and direct.
It lets the recipient know immediately that you expect to hear a response soon.
It’s formal and bossy, but it doesn’t sound so bossy that it’ll scare the recipient.
So, you can use this when responding to a business partner. It’s an excellent way to get their attention and let them know that they’ve missed a question you have already asked.
Check out the following sample email if you’d like more help with it:
Dear Ms. Carter,
I notice my question hasn’t been directly answered.
I’d certainly appreciate it if you could go back and address this.
All the best,
Jonathan Wood
4. The Response Provided Did Not Address My Question
If you’re still wondering what to say when someone doesn’t answer your question, you’ve found a good one here!
You can use “the response provided did not address my question.”
After all, this is formal and clear. It shows that you acknowledge someone’s response to your email, but you’re not happy that they’ve chosen to avoid answering a specific question.
It works well when quizzing an employee. If they’ve recently done something bad, it could be good to use this to ask them about it, especially if they avoided answering.
Here’s a helpful sample email to give you a better idea:
Dear Alice,
The response provided did not address my question.
Please look back at my previous email and answer it properly.
Thank you,
Barry Wide
5. I’m Still Seeking a Direct Reply to My Original Question
Next, you might want to try “I’m still seeking a direct reply to my original question.”
After all, it’s another way to say “you didn’t answer my question” that keeps things formal and sincere.
For the most part, it lets the recipient know you’re looking for a different answer to what they provided.
It’s direct and respectful, suggesting that you’re happy to give them another chance to provide you with the answer you’re looking for.
You can also review this sample email to learn a bit more about it:
Dear Doris,
I’m still seeking a direct reply to my original question.
I’m sure you missed it the first time, but I’d appreciate it if you could go back and see what I said.
Best wishes,
Charlie Hill
6. Would You Mind Answering My First Question?
For something a bit more polite, try “would you mind answering my first question?”
There’s nothing wrong with using a polite question to find out whether someone is willing to answer you.
After all, this keeps things respectful and direct when you’d like to get a specific response from someone.
Also, starting an email with a question shows that you expect a reply from the recipient. So, you can use this when contacting a customer if they didn’t answer your original question.
Here’s a helpful email sample if you still need more information:
Dear Ms. Murphy,
Would you mind answering my first question?
That would give me a much better idea of what I can do to help.
Yours,
Forest Whittaker
7. My Question Remains Unanswered
Feel free to say “my question remains unanswered” as a formal way of writing “you didn’t answer my question.”
It’s direct and persistent, showing that someone’s previous email response wasn’t satisfactory.
Generally, you can use this when contacting a recruiter. You might want more information regarding your job application. This is a fantastic way to get it.
It should be all the push the recruiter needs to look into your application and find out about its status.
You can also review the following sample email to learn a bit more:
Dear Ms. Jeffries,
My question remains unanswered, and I’d like to know more.
Please look into it as soon as you get the chance.
Best wishes,
Daniel Evans
8. It Seems My Query May Have Been Overlooked
You may also write “it seems my query may have been overlooked.”
This might be a good opportunity for you to email a coworker. You can use this when you’d like more information about a project you’re both working on, but they have yet to give it to you.
Overall, the phrase is formal and respectful. It doesn’t come across as bossy, which is going to be helpful if you want to stay in your coworker’s good books when asking them for an answer.
Also, you may want to review this sample email if you need guidance:
Dear Bradley,
It seems my query may have been overlooked.
That’s okay, but I’d appreciate it if you could look back at what I said.
Best wishes,
Bethany Brightwall
9. I Was Hoping for a More Direct Response to My Question
You can also include “I was hoping for a more direct response to my question” in a formal email.
This is an excellent professional synonym to include when emailing a company director.
If you’ve reached out to complain about something, but the original email wasn’t a good answer, you can rely on this.
It shows you’d like the director to try answering what you’ve asked of them in a respectful way.
Feel free to review this sample email to learn more about using it:
Dear Ms. Charter,
I was hoping for a more direct response to my question.
I’d like you to try again and give me a better understanding of this problem.
Thank you so much,
Greta Danger