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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Letter Beginnings

0Hi folks,02br
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00This is my first post. Nice forum. Recently I wrote an email letter to a company because I had a complaint, and I copied several of my friends. The letter began with, "Dear Sirs." I had no real idea who was receiving it, but I did assume that it included both male and female employees and their management. 02br
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00I received only one reply from the company, and that was from a female, incidently. She thanked me for writing the letter. I did get a reply from a friend I copied the letter to. That was also a female. She also appreciated the letter but was upset at my use of the greeting, "Dear Sirs." She suggested, "To Whom it May Concern", or "To the Producers at XYZ". I don't disagree with her, but is Dear Sirs old fashioned now?02br
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00Thanks for your input.02br
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00Steve0-
  

Top answer

02br 02br 00I don't think01i 00 Dear Sirs02i 00 is old-fashioned; it is a set phrase and still heavily in use. 02br 02br 00Still, I see the awkwardness of using the male gender in this day and age. 0-

  • 02br 02br 00I don't think01i 00 Dear Sirs02i 00 is old-fashioned; it is a set phrase and still heavily in use.
  • 02br 02br 00Still, I see the awkwardness of using the male gender in this day and age.
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4 Answers
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0Welcome to English Forums, Steve.02br
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00I don't think01i00 Dear Sirs02i00 is old-fashioned; it is a set phrase and still heavily in use. On the other hand '01i00to whom it may concern02i00' is not really appropriate for business letters-- it is a formula used in testimonials mostly, and is rather old fashioned.02br
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0 In Singapore, we write 'Dear Sir / Madam' in letters when we do not know whether the addressee is male or female? . Is this form of address used in other countries?. 0-
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0Yes, it is, and I use it-- but it sounds a little odd to me in the plural.0-
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0 00Thanks, Micawber. 0-

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