It is essential to have the right facts and figures for so many things, from everyday tasks to more critical decisions in our lives in today’s world. Often, we need these details or some guidance from others, but how do we respond when we receive the same from them? Is it correct to say, “Thanks for the information”?
Saying “Thanks for the information” when someone has helped provide advice or facts is correct, though it is a relatively casual or informal way of thanking others. If you were speaking or writing to someone where you need to be more formal or polite, it would be better to replace “Thanks” with “Thank you.”
This article will explore how and when we can use this statement and look at alternatives to use, both for variety and to fit specific situations. In addition, we will have a brief overview of different expressions of gratitude and how they often are either minor sentences, phrases, or clauses.
What Does “Thanks for the Information” Mean?
“Thanks for the information” is a casual way of expressing gratitude when someone has provided us with necessary advice or facts and figures. However, if the situation warrants more formality or politeness, we should use “Thank you for the information” instead.
“Thanks” is an informal way to express gratitude, while “thank you” is more formal. So it is okay to use “Thanks for the information” in casual and informal conversations and switch to “Thank you for the information” to achieve a formal or more polite tone (source).
How Do You Use “Thanks for the Information”?
“Thanks for the information” functions as a complete sentence despite the lack of an object or a subject. “Thanks for the information” is a minor sentence, and in such sentences, we are writing or speaking to another person directly, so there is no need to mention either explicitly (source).
Your audience — normally one person or maybe one team or group — will understand that you are thanking them.
We could also say, “Thank you for the information,” which is simply a more polite and formal way of saying “Thanks for the information.”
A grammatically complete sentence would be “I thank you for the information” or “I give thanks to you for the information,” containing both a subject and object. However, there is no need to add the subject “I,” and both examples would sound awkward in conversation.
Also, note that trying to use either “I” or “you” with “Thanks for the information” makes the sentence incorrect. That is, all these statements below are bound to sound awkward and are also incorrect:
- I thanks you for the information.
- Thanks you for the information.
- I thanks for the information.
If you are wondering whether you should say “Thanks for your information” or “Thank you for your information,” remember that “information” is normally an impersonal thing. However, things like a reply, specific help from someone, or even advice are more personal.
So we would say “Thanks for your reply” or “Thanks for your advice,” but we would usually avoid saying “Thanks for your information.”
Note that there are some exceptions, as with everything else, like in scenarios where we receive personal information from someone in response to our request. However, in this context, it is always better to use the more formal or polite “Thank you for your information.”
Using “Thanks for the Information” in a Full Sentence
“Thanks for the information” is a minor sentence and can stand alone. In addition, since we usually use it in response to some facts we’ve received from another person, who is well aware of the same, we would not need to embellish the statement further. However, it sometimes might be necessary to provide more context.
In either case, it is not wrong to be specific or include this clause as part of a longer sentence or group of sentences. Again, adding other words helps make our response stronger.
- Thanks for the information you sent across. It helped me make the right decision.
- Sincere thanks for the information on how to use this phrase correctly.
- Janet sends her thanks for the information on the tour itinerary.
In the last sentence, the use of “thanks” in the phrase “thanks for the information” is different. Here, “thanks” is a noun rather than a verb, and “sends” is the verb.
When Can You Use “Thanks for the Information”?
When someone provides us with information or details that help us in one way or another, we naturally want to show them our gratitude. The simplest way to do so is by saying a simple “Thanks for the information.”
This is regardless of whether we got the information in response to a request or someone sent it of their own accord to help us.
Expressions like “Thanks for the information” help us respond to others politely and express our gratitude. Note that “thanks” is more informal and casual than “thank you,” so when you need to be more formal or are sending an official email, it is better to use or say “Thank you for the information.”
In What Context Can You Use “Thanks for the Information”?
Since “thanks” is the informal version of “thank you,” “Thanks for the information” is informal as well. Since we use informal language in social contexts where we interact with familiars, it is most appropriate to use “Thanks for the information” in those situations.
In addition, we should also make sure to use it only in contexts where we are responding to someone to express our appreciation for the information they gave.
Now let us look at a few example social contexts where saying “Thanks for the information” would be appropriate.
For example, a service representative has sent you some additional helpful tips and a how-to guide for a product you recently bought from their company. You can reply with “Thanks for the information.” While this is not an email to someone familiar, the response in this scenario can still be informal and casual to set a friendlier tone.
As another example, a colleague you have been working with for a while sends details to resolve an issue you are facing so you can continue your project. Again, a quick and straightforward “Thanks for the information” is sufficient for their response to your request for information.
However, you may wish to express further gratitude if the colleague sent it across proactively because they heard you were facing the issue.
Finally, a family member or friend answers your request for information about a recent trip they took since you are planning one yourself. Promptly replying with a “Thanks for the information” works in this situation perfectly.
When Not to Use “Thanks for the Information”?
We should avoid using this in formal written or spoken conversations since “thanks” gives the statement a casual or informal tone. In addition, using this within a group of other unrelated sentences or in an email where you are simply reaching out to someone will not make sense.
Consider the below examples where using this statement is out of context.
Hi Jerry,
I am writing to you to check on the status of my order. Thanks for the information.
Sincere regards,
Mary
In the above example, Mary needs information from Jerry, so “Thanks for the information” here is unnecessary.
Now consider a situation where you are writing to someone you have not been in touch with for a while. As you can see in the statements below, “Thanks for the information” does not make sense at all.
P1: How are you doing? It has been years since we spoke.
P2: Hi, thanks for the information.
Suppose you are writing to your manager or someone above you in the official hierarchy to thank them for work-related information. In that case, you should use “Thank you for the information” instead of “Thanks for the information.”
However, other options might work better in different situations. We will look at them in the next section.
What Can You Use Instead of “Thanks for the Information”?
Thankfully, there are many alternatives to this statement! We can pick and choose among the various options below depending on the context and the recipient of the message, be it spoken or written.
Business, Formal, or Professional Scenarios
Showing your gratitude to colleagues or others as part of your work through even a short but prompt “Thank you” note is not only professional, it helps to build better relationships and strengthen your business network.
- I appreciate the information and advice you have shared.
- Thank you for sharing your expertise.
- Your insights and advice were truly helpful. Thank you for the same.
- I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to provide me with the requested details.
- Thank you for your detailed email. I look forward to continuing to work with you.
Personal Scenarios
It is always nice to send and receive sincere thanks from friends and family, so here are a few ways to show your gratitude for the information they sent you.
- It was very thoughtful of you to send me those details.
- You have been most helpful by sending information about the trip! Just what I need!
- I appreciate your taking the time to put together all the information about ___.
- Thanks so much for those details on how to ___! You are the best!
- Your advice has been truly invaluable. For that, you have my deepest gratitude!
General Scenarios
Depending on the recipient and context, you can use these phrases and sentences in both personal and professional situations.
- Thank you for sending the information! It was a tremendous help.
- I was happy to receive the information.
- Your advice was invaluable. My sincere thanks for the same!
- Please accept my gratitude for _____.
- Many thanks for your detailed email.
Expressions of Gratitude as Minor Sentences
We can find examples of minor sentences in many expressions of gratitude. Minor sentences are incomplete or partial sentences that still make sense on their own (source). Such sentences often lack either a verb or a subject, or both.
“Thanks for the information,” “No pain, no gain,” and “Like mother, like daughter” are all familiar minor sentences that we often use in casual speech and writing. You can see from these examples that minor sentences help create dramatic effect, show emotion, or help emphasize a point, among other things.
Phrases and Clauses
Such minor sentences are also phrases. Both phrases and clauses are word grouping, but they differ since clauses have a subject-verb relationship, whereas phrases do not (source). The following table demonstrates the differences between these parts of a sentence.
| Part of a Sentence | Phrase | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | ➤No subject-verb relationship ➤Cannot stand by itself as it does not express a complete thought ➤Provides additional information in the sentence | ➤Has both a subject and a verb ➤Can stand as a complete sentence or independent clauses ➤Is the basic building block of the sentence |
| Examples | ➤The quick brown fox ➤On the table ➤Walking slowly ➤To hug her ➤My best friends ➤Thank you! | ➤The fox jumped. ➤He placed it on the table. ➤He was walking slowly. ➤The little boy hugged her. ➤You are my best friends. ➤I’m thankful for ___. |
This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.
Check out our article “Is It Correct to Say “Thanks a Million”?” to learn more about expressions of gratitude in the context of phrases and idioms.
Final Thoughts
You now know how and where to use “Thanks for the information” and have alternatives ready when the need arises. So if you wish to express gratitude for knowing all of this now, you can definitely say “Thanks for the information” to the folks at this website!
Use your best judgment to decide whether to use “Thanks” or “Thank you” or pick a different variation. Also, remember to add more details of exactly what information you are thanking the other person for, depending on the specific scenario.
Choosing the right phrase to fit the circumstances goes a long way to show your appreciation, so take your time to tailor your “thank you” notes carefully.