Look out below!

Hmm, have I mentioned before that I should do a regular series of posts called “Teresa’s pet peeves”? Specifically, “Teresa’s language pet peeves.”

This is not a pet peeve I’ve had for a long time. In fact, I didn’t even know I had it until recent years when I worked with someone who consistently uses the phrase wrong.

That seemingly innocuous phrase is “see below.”

To me, “see below” is used to signal that something important is to be found past all the regular clutter. So, you need to look beyond the rest of the email, past the signature lines. Or you need to read past an intro and below the fold if it’s a blog post.

It does NOT mean that important something is immediately following the “see below” phrase.

Here’s an example of one of this person’s emails:

“Hi everyone,
Please see below for an upcoming event hosted by ______ for _____ on the topic of _____ on ____, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact ____.
This event [description]
Register at [link].
[a graphic]
[Her signature block].”

There is NOTHING below her signature. And she does this all. the. time. I keep trying to look for things actually below.

Have you seen this phrase misused or have another funny-not-funny phrase faux-pas that is your pet peeve?