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Lapislazuli Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Letter writing
Hello,
My questions concern writing official/business letters.
1. Do I use a dot after Mr in the salutation?
2. Do I use a comma or a colon or nothing at all after the salutation?
3. Do I start my first sentence with a capital letter?
My head of department says that using a comma and starting the body with a capital letter are just "things people do" however, he claims that it is not "proper English".
Could you please let me know the official rules for starting a letter? Best would be if you could direct me to a link with such regulations.
Thank you very much
zs
My questions concern writing official/business letters.
1. Do I use a dot after Mr in the salutation?
2. Do I use a comma or a colon or nothing at all after the salutation?
3. Do I start my first sentence with a capital letter?
My head of department says that using a comma and starting the body with a capital letter are just "things people do" however, he claims that it is not "proper English".
Could you please let me know the official rules for starting a letter? Best would be if you could direct me to a link with such regulations.
Thank you very much
zs
Top answer
Hello lapislazuli, and welcome to English Forums. 1. -- No dot is becoming the accepted form, but both are OK.
- Hello lapislazuli, and welcome to English Forums.
- 1.
- -- No dot is becoming the accepted form, but both are OK.
- 2.
- Do I use a comma or a colon or nothing at all after the salutation?
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5 Answers
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Hello lapislazuli, and welcome to English Forums.
1. Do I use a dot after Mr in the salutation?-- No dot is becoming the accepted form, but both are OK.
2. Do I use a comma or a colon or nothing at all after the salutation? -- Most use a colon for a business letter-- but again, I believe that BrE prefers no punctuation these days.
3. Do I start my firs
Hello lapislazuli, and welcome to English Forums.
1. Do I use a dot after Mr in the salutation?-- No dot is becoming the accepted form, but both are OK.
2. Do I use a comma or a colon or nothing at all after the salutation? -- Most use a colon for a business letter-- but again, I believe that BrE prefers no punctuation these days.
3. Do I start my firs
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I too have been looking for an authoritative answer to Lapislazuli's question 3, (Do I start my first sentence with a capital letter), and to date have not found one. I believe that the first sentence actually starts with the salutation which is followed by a comma and therefore a capital letter is not used (unless it is a proper noun) again in that first sentence. I was taught this way
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Anonymous I believe that the first sentence actually starts with the salutation which is followed by a comma and therefore a capital letter is not used (unless it is a proper noun) again in that first sentence. I was taught this way 40 years ago and am surprised to realise that most people are now capitalising the first word after the salutation.Well, when I
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In U.S. english it is common logic to place a dot after the 'Mr.' as it is an abbreviation. In B.E. it is customary not to.
In British, Canadian and Australian english they put a comma after the salutation.
Even though it may not seem logical after the salutation to place a capital letter there, I assume it has been customary probably for a very long time.
In British, Canadian and Australian english they put a comma after the salutation.
Even though it may not seem logical after the salutation to place a capital letter there, I assume it has been customary probably for a very long time.
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