Asking for a pay rise is one of those conversations that feels far harder in a second language than it needs to be. The money part is daunting enough; doing it in English, with the right balance of confidence and warmth, can make even fluent speakers freeze. Here’s the reassuring part: a pay rise request follows a fairly predictable script. Get the timing right, prepare a handful of clear phrases, and back them with evidence, and you’ll come across as calm and professional — whatever your accent. This guide gives you the words for the meeting, an email template to open the conversation, and a plan for whatever answer you get.
Pick the right moment — and bring the evidence
Timing does half the work. The strongest moments to ask are just after you’ve delivered a visible win, at a scheduled performance or salary review, or when the company is clearly doing well. Avoid raising it in a crisis week, or the moment your manager is rushing between meetings. Once you’ve picked your moment, build a short, honest case before you say a word about money. Jot down three things: what you’ve delivered over the past year, how your responsibilities have grown since your pay was last set, and roughly what the market pays for your role. You don’t walk in and simply announce that you’d like more money — you walk in ready to explain, in two or three sentences, why your contribution has outgrown your current salary.
The phrases that work in the meeting
You don’t need clever or aggressive language — you need a few calm, direct phrases you can say without stumbling. Open by naming the topic clearly rather than hinting at it, then make the case and the ask in the same breath. These lines do the heavy lifting:
- Naming the topic: “Thank you for making the time. I’d like to discuss my compensation.”
- Making the case: “Over the past year I’ve taken on [responsibility] and delivered [result], and I feel my salary no longer reflects that.”
- Stating the number: “Based on my contribution and the market rate, I’d like to discuss increasing my salary to [figure].”
- Holding your ground politely: “I understand there’s a process. Could we look at what’s possible this cycle?”
After you state the number, stop talking. The silence will feel long, but it’s one of the most powerful parts of the conversation — let your manager respond. This is the same calm, precise professional English we build in our workplace English programme, where we rehearse exactly these high-stakes moments until they feel ordinary.
Opening the conversation by email (a template you can adapt)
Often the smartest first step isn’t the ask itself but a short message requesting a meeting. It gives your manager time to prepare, and it quietly puts your request on record. Keep it brief, warm and specific:
Subject: Request to discuss my salary
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’d like to arrange a short meeting to discuss my salary. Over the past [period], I’ve [one line on what you’ve contributed], and I’d welcome the chance to talk about how my pay reflects my current role.
Would you have twenty minutes in the coming week? I’m happy to work around your schedule.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Notice the tone: polite, confident and free of apology. You’re not asking permission to exist — you’re requesting a professional conversation you’ve earned.
Handling the answer — yes, “not yet,” or no
Three answers are possible, and each has a graceful response. If it’s yes, thank them warmly and ask for the agreed figure and start date in writing: “That’s wonderful — thank you. Could you confirm the details by email so we’re both clear?” If it’s not yet, turn it into a plan: “I understand. What would I need to demonstrate for us to revisit this in three months?” Then get that timeline in writing too. If it’s a flat no, stay gracious — “Thank you for being straight with me. I’d still value your feedback on where I can grow” — because the relationship matters more than any single conversation, and a calm response today sets up the next ask.
Asking for a pay rise is really a test of clear, confident professional English under a little pressure — the very skill that pays off in interviews, reviews and every important conversation at work. If you’d like to practise these exchanges until they feel natural in your own voice, our courses are built around the real situations you meet on the job, and we’ll rehearse the ones that matter most to you.
