We are all guilty of crimes against email etiquette and, in a work situation, it is those that make you come across as passive aggressive that are best avoided.

It is all too tempting to send emails to colleagues rather than speaking to them directly, but the problem with emails is that they can be misinterpreted. Adobe has come up with a bit of research and revealed a few phrases that you should probably avoid if you want to get on with your workmates.

The software company conducted an online survey of 1,000 white-collar workers, in which it asked, amongst other questions, what were the most annoying phrases people use in work emails.

It turns out that the phrase “Not sure if you saw my last email” is most likely to offend, with some 25% of respondents finding it irritating.

Not only that, but you might also want to think twice before beginning sentences with “per”; “Per my last email” and “Per our conversation” were the next most loathed email expressions, according to 13% and 11% of participants, respectively.

Follow-ups like “Any updates on this” or “Sorry for the double email” – which you perhaps might use when trying to come across politely whilst also chasing – are unlikely to go down well either.

Even some seemingly inoffensive phrases like “As discussed” can get on people’s nerves, according to the survey. People can be so touchy.

So here is the list of email blunders:

Not sure if you saw my last email… 25%

Per my last email… 13%

Per our conversation… 11%

Any updates on this? 11%

Sorry for the double email 10%

Please advise. 9%

As previously stated… 9%

As discussed… 6%

Re-attaching for convenience. 6%

Next time you’re emailing someone from the office, and you really don’t want to come across too passive aggressive, you might want to reconsider and maybe just give them a call, or better still, go and have a real life conversation.