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Openings
Write an appropriate salutation for your
audience. Remember these rules:
• If you are writing to a friend, start
as you would normally start a letter:
Dear Paul,
Hello Paul,
Hi Paul,
Paul,
• If you are writing a business email to
your boss or one of your superiors, depending on your familiarity with
them, you may use one of the following salutations:
Dear Julia,
Dear Ms Jenkins, (Do NOT use the rather old-fashioned Mrs or
Miss anymore when you are addressing ladies!) NEVER Dear Ms Julia,
Ms and Mr need to be followed by their last name!
• If you are writing to someone whose name
you know but whom you have never met face-to-face (for example, the
editor of a journal), use one of the following openings:
Dear Phillip Graves,
Dear Mr Graves;
Dear editor,
Hello,
• If you are writing to an academic, you
may want to use their title in the opening:
Dear Dr Gomez,
Dear Professor Gomez,
• If you are writing to an anonymous person such as the human resources department of a company and you do not know who will read your email, use one of the following:
Dear Madam / Sir, (NEVER Dear Sir only!)
To whom it may concern,
Hello,
• If you are not sure about how familiar
you should be, be on the safe side and choose the less friendly alternative.
• If you are responding to someone's email, it is a good idea to thank them for their earlier email after you have saluted them:
Thank you for your message.
Thank you for your email.
Thank you for your response.
Thank you for your prompt reply.
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