Practical Grammar and Composition Part 45

In formal friendly letters and in letters of a non-commercial nature, the inside address should stand a little below the bottom of the letter at the left side of the page. In informal friendly letters the inside address may be omitted.

157. PUNCTUATION OF INSIDE ADDRESS. In punctuating the inside address, place a period after each abbreviation that is used. In addition to this, place a comma after the name of the addressee, a comma after the street address, if one be given, and after the name of the town or city. Place a period after the name of the state or country. Examine the correct inside address under --174.

158. FAULTS TO BE AVOIDED IN THE INSIDE ADDRESS. Do not omit the town, city, or state address from the inside address.

Wrong: Mr. E. P. Griffith, My dear Sir:

Right: Mr. E. P. Griffith.

Muskogee, Oklahoma.

My dear Sir:

Right: Mr. E. P. Griffith, 221 Fiji Avenue, Muskogee, Oklahoma.

My dear Sir:

Do not omit proper t.i.tles.

Wrong: R. R. Stolz, Muncy, Pennsylvania.

Right: Mr. R. R. Stolz, Muncy, Pennsylvania.

When two or more men are addressed, do not omit the t.i.tle _Mr._, before the name of each of the men, unless their names const.i.tute a partners.h.i.+p or trading name.

Right: Jones & Smith, (_firm name_) New York City.

Gentlemen:

Right: Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith, (_not a firm name_) New York City.

Gentlemen:

Avoid all abbreviations of t.i.tles preceding the name except _Mr., Mrs., Messrs._, and _Dr._ Abbreviations of t.i.tles placed after the name, such as, _Esq., D.D., A.M._, etc., are proper.

Do not use _Mr._ and _Esq._ with the same name.

Avoid all other abbreviations except in case of a state with a very long name. In this case it is permissible to abbreviate, but it is better form to write the name in full. _United States of America_ may be abbreviated to _U. S. A._

Wrong: Merch. Mfg. Co., N. Y. C.

Gentlemen:

Right: The Merchants' Manufacturing Company.

New York City.

Gentlemen:

Wrong: Mr. William s.h.i.+pp, Bangor, Me.

Dear Sir:

Right: Mr. William s.h.i.+pp, Bangor, Maine.

Dear Sir:

Do not place a period after the t.i.tle _Miss. Miss_ is not an abbreviation.

THE SALUTATION

159. POSITION OF SALUTATION. The salutation should begin flush with the margin and on the line next below the inside address. See correctly written letters under --174.

160. FORM OF SALUTATION. The salutation varies with the form of the letter and the relations between the writer and receiver of the letter. Where the parties are strangers or mere business acquaintances the most common salutations for individuals are, _Dear Sir, Dear Madam_, or _My dear Sir, My dear Madam_. For a group of persons, or for a company or a partners.h.i.+p, _Gentlemen, Dear Sirs, Dear Madams_ or _Mesdames_ are used. In less formal business letters such salutations as, _My dear Mr. Smith_, or _Dear Miss Jaekel_ may be used.

In the case of informal and friendly letters, as in business and formal letters, the salutation to be used is largely a matter of taste. The following are ill.u.s.trations of proper salutations for friendly letters: _My dear Doctor, Dear Cousin, Dear Cousin Albert, Dear Miss Jaekel, Dear Major, My dear Miss Smith, Dear William, Dear Friend,_ etc.

It is considered more formal to prefix _My_ to the salutation.

It is over formal to use simply _Sir_ or _Madam_ in any letter, or to use _Dear Sir_ or _Dear Madam_ when writing to a familiar friend.

If one uses a very familiar salutation, such as _Dear Brown, Dear John,_ etc., it is better to put the inside address at the close of the letter, or to omit it.

161. PUNCTUATION OF SALUTATION. Punctuate the salutation with a colon, except in informal letters, when a comma may be used.

162. FAULTS TO BE AVOIDED IN THE SALUTATION. Use no abbreviations except _Dr., Mr., Mrs._ Do not use the abbreviation _Dr._, when that t.i.tle is used as a final word in a salutation.

Wrong: My dear Maj. Wren:

Right: My dear Major Wren:

Wrong: My dear Dr.:

Right: My dear Doctor:

Do not use a name alone as a salutation.

Wrong: Mr. W. W. Braker: Will you please inform ...

Right: Mr. W. W. Braker, Muncy, Pennsylvania.

Dear Sir: Will you please inform ...

In the salutation capitalize only the important nouns and the first word of the salutation.

Wrong: My Dear Sir:

Right: My dear Sir:

Wrong: My very Dear Friend:

Right: My very dear Friend:

Wrong: Dear sir:

Right: Dear Sir:

THE BODY OF THE LETTER