I was typing out an email to my colleague asking him to finish and deliver the current job. This is how it ends:
If possible please send it today or by tomorrow at the most.
It just doesn't feel right, especially the at the most part. How can I improve this sentence? The email is still in draft and yet to be sent.
You're right, at the most doesn't really fit in this context. Instead you can use "at the latest".
the latest acceptable time —usually used in the phrase at the latest
So you could rephrase as:
If possible, please send it today or by tomorrow at the latest.
When a job/money is due before a certain time, it is called a Deadline " 1. the latest time or date by which something should be completed. "the deadline for submissions is Friday 5th February" synonyms: time limit, limit, finishing date, finishing time, target date, target time, cut-off point "they stipulated a deadline for the army's withdrawal"
You could write;- "the deadline for the completion of this job is 2pm tomorrow."
Removing if possible would make your request stronger, and could eliminate the need for at the latest. Be careful doing this if you're writing a superior.
Additionally, you don't need to say today. When you say by tomorrow at the latest or no later than tomorrow, it's understood that receiving it today is acceptable and ideal as well.
