letter heading good morning

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• Capitalization

Are Greetings and Salutations Capitalized?

Don’t capitalize greetings like good morning , good night , and hello unless a word appears at the start of a sentence. Common nouns like morning and night and adjectives like good don’t need to be capitalized; neither do interjections like hello .

• G ood m orning, Maya. How are you?
• H ello, and g ood a fternoon. Is everybody ready?
• G ood e vening, I would like to order a lawnmower.
• G ood n ight. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.
• Well, h ello there.
• Oh, h i! How are you?

Email and letter salutations

When you start an email or a letter with a greeting like good morning or good afternoon , capitalize all the words if the phrase stands alone, but capitalize only the first word if it is followed by a person’s name.

• Good M orning. standalone salutation at start of email
• Good m orning, Anita. greeting followed by a name
• Good A fternoon.
• Good a fternoon, Dr. Dash.

As a matter of style, the words in a standalone salutation are capitalized whatever it may be: “ T o W hom I t M ay C oncern,” “ D ear V alued C ustomer,” “ D ear A pplicant,” “ G ood M orning,” “ G ood A fternoon.”

Describing a greeting

When you describe the act of wishing someone a good morning, good night, etc., or saying hello or hi, don’t capitalize the greeting.

• I smiled and wished him a g ood m orning.
• She wished everyone a g ood e vening and then began to sing.
• She didn’t even say h ello.
• Say h i to everyone for me.
• He tipped his hat to wish her a g ood d ay.
• She said g ood n ight and hung up.

The article a is grammatically correct before the greeting when you describe wishing someone (wish someone a good morning or a good day ), but since it is omitted from the greeting, it is also often omitted from the description.

• Gentlemen, I wish you a good day ! — Charles Dickens , David Copperfield (1850)
• I beg to wish you good day , Mr. Quinion. — Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850)
• And now I wish you good morning . — Charlotte Brontë , Jane Eyre (1847)

Festive greetings like happy birthday and merry Christmas are also not capitalized when described (except words that are proper nouns of course). Read more in this article on when to capitalize such greetings .

In dialogue for a story, follow standard capitalization rules: capitalize the first letter of a sentence and any proper nouns. Don’t capitalize words like good , morning , night , or hello unless they appear at the start of a sentence.

• “ G ood m orning, Rita. How are you?”
• “Well, g ood n ight then. Let’s discuss it in the morning.”
• “ G ood a fternoon, I would like to make a reservation.”
• “ G ood e vening, Ms. Dash. How can I help you?”
• “ G ood n ight. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
• “Maya, h ello! Is that you?”
• “Oh, h i! Are you the new caretaker?”

Here are a couple of examples from writing.

• G ood m orning, Eeyore,” said Pooh. “ G ood m orning, Pooh Bear,” said Eeyore gloomily. “If it is a good morning, which I doubt. — A.A. Milne , Winnie-the-Pooh (1926)
• Well, g ood e vening, Marilla. I hope you’ll come down to see me often as usual. — L.M. Montgomery , Anne of Green Gables (1908)

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Don’t capitalize greetings, except words at the start of a sentence.

Capitalize the individual words in a salutation at the start of an email or letter.

Don’t capitalize the individual words in a greeting if it is followed by a person’s name, even at the start of an email.

Don’t capitalize phrases like good morning when they appear within a sentence.

Don’t capitalize words like hello except at the start of a sentence.

Don’t capitalize greetings in dialogue (except words at the start of a sentence).

How and When is “Good Morning” Capitalized?

Is the idiom “good morning” capitalized? When starting a sentence with the phrase, should it be in capital letters or lowercase letters? Learn the inner workings of this grammar question inside this English worksheet.

Is “good morning” capitalized?

Whether the phrase “good morning” should be capitalized or not depends on the way you want to use the phrase!

Incidentally, in Cheery (1959) by John Smiley , he happened to invent this phrase. The phrase was used for appreciating the workers’ efforts as they begin their daily activities.

Knowing where and when to capitalize this phrase may be a challenge for some people. Multiple mechanisms exist for the capitalization of “good morning .”

If you intend to use the phrase “good morning” to greet someone as a noun , you should not capitalize it. The phrase should only get capitalized if the word “good” starts the sentence.

Examples in sentences

• “Good Morning!” said the participants as they greeted their coach enthusiastically at the beginning of the session.
• It is a good practice to wish “good morning” whenever you meet your colleagues in the morning. 

Is “good afternoon” capitalized?

Anyone familiar with the English language would know that the phrase “good afternoon” is a salutation they use to greet someone after midday. While it is not difficult to greet a person verbally, the real challenge comes up while writing the phrase . 

It is important to note that “good afternoon” should not get capitalized in a sentence. The phrase happens to be an interjection .

If you are writing the phrase, the rule of thumb to follow is that “good afternoon” should get spelled in all lowercase letters.

However, the exception is if the phrase appears in the letters, titles, or at the beginning of sentences.

If you are writing an email , you may be unaware of the recipient’s first name. In this scenario, the phrase “good afternoon” will not precede a name. And would then be a standalone salutation. Capitalizing the first letter “G” to “Good afternoon” would be appropriate.

• Good afternoon , all! Are you ready for the class today?
• Shila had the book titled “Good Afternoon USA” for quite some time but never got the chance to read it. 

Are dates capitalized?

It may not be the case in all languages—however in English, the months, and the days are capitalized. We should follow this rule irrespective of whether the date appears at the start, the end, or the middle of sentences.

Simply put, we should use uppercase at the start of the month and when stating the day.

Here are some examples for your reference below:

• My birthday is in August.
• We went to the market on Tuesday .
• Mohan was born on Wednesday, November fifth. 

Is “good morning” capitalized in an email?

The way you write the phrase “good morning” or for that matter “good afternoon” in the email will depend on the way you are writing the phrase.

Do you want to use “good morning” as a greeting at the start of your email ? You should then make it a point to write both words in capital letters.

Is “good morning” capitalized if the email starts with “good morning?”

Usually, you should not capitalize “good morning” when using it in the middle of a sentence. On the other hand, capitalize “good morning” while using it as a greeting in your email.

If you are writing a letter or an email without a salutation, use a comma after writing “good afternoon”.

For instance, “Good morning, please find attached the file you were looking for.”

Which is correct, “goodmorning” or “good morning?”

Anyone would agree that “good morning” is one of the most popular and common greetings in the English language. Nevertheless, it is important to know whether it is a single word or two separate words.

It is imperative to note that the phrase comprises two words “good” and “morning” instead of the word “goodmorning”. We should use the phrase this way as it is a common greeting in English. Here the word “good” acts as the modifier for the word “morning”.

On the other hand, the word “goodmorning” does not portray the same meaning. Always stick to the 2-word option “good morning” when writing.

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Erin Wright Writing

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How to Punctuate Salutations in Emails and Letters

By Erin Wright

Formal Salutations

Salutations (or greetings) in formal letters and emails are followed by a colon : 1

Dear Mr. Periwinkle:

Please accept my resignation from my position as lead bank teller. I am leaving to pursue my career as a trapeze artist.

To Whom It May Concern:

I have attached my application for stamp collector of the year.

Informal Salutations with Adjectives

There is a common misconception that commas should never be used after salutations. That’s just not true. Commas can be used after informal salutations that include an adjective such as “Dear.” 2 The trick is that you have to decide if your message is formal or informal. Letters and emails to family are pretty much always informal; however, the level of formality in business letters and emails will depend on your work environment and your personal relationship with the recipient:

Dear Mom and Dad, Thank you for the birthday gift! I really love my new bagpipes and intend to play them at every family gathering from here on out!

Dear Sam, I look forward to seeing you at tomorrow’s sales meeting. Let’s grab a cup of coffee afterward, okay?

Informal Salutations with Interjections

Realistically, most of us will use an interjection such as “Hi” or “Hello” instead of “Dear” when inviting a coworker for coffee. In this situation, a comma follows the interjection and a period or exclamation point follows the recipient’s name:

Good morning, Sam.

Hello, Sam.

Casual Salutations between Friends and Family

Let’s be honest: the comma and period format can look too fussy for messages to family and friends. Even the online Q&A section for The Chicago Manual of Style conceded that efficiency trumps formality in casual communication; so don’t worry too much about starting that next email to your grandparents with “Hi Grandma and Grandpa,” rather than “Hi, Grandma and Grandpa.”

After you write your salutation and your email or letter message, you may want to jump over to “ How to Close Emails and Letters, Part 1 ” and “ How to Close Emails and Letters, Part 2 .”

Update: CMOS Shop Talk , the official blog of The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), published a post stating that Chicago’s punctuation rules don’t apply to email salutations. While I am glad that Chicago addressed this issue, until the issue is included in the print manual itself, I strongly caution against using nontraditional punctuation in a formal email salutation; after all, the recipient of the formal email may think that your nontraditional punctuation is a typo or think that you are a punctuation renegade (which may not be the persona you want to present in a formal email).

1. Bryan A. Garner, Garner’s Modern English Usage , 4th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016), 748; The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.66.

2. The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.53.

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How to Write 'Good Morning' Correctly: The Ultimate Guide

Greeting someone with a simple “good morning ” can go a long way in setting a positive tone for the day. but have you ever wondered if there is a correct way to write this common greeting in this ultimate guide, we’ll explore how to write “good morning” correctly and why it matters. let’s dive in.

What is the Correct Format?

The correct format for writing “good morning” is to capitalize the first letter of each word, just like any other title or headline. This means it should be written as “Good Morning.” Using proper capitalization not only shows respect for the phrase but also improves readability and professionalism.

Why Does it Matter?

You might be thinking, “Does it really matter if I write ‘good morning’ in lowercase?”. While it might seem like a minor detail, using proper capitalization is crucial for several reasons:

• Respect and Politeness: Capitalizing “Good Morning” shows respect and politeness to the person you are greeting. It conveys that you value them and their well-being.
• Consistency and Professionalism: Consistently using proper capitalization demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail. It reflects positively on your overall communication skills.
• Readability and Clarity: Capitalizing the first letter of each word improves readability, making it easier for the recipient to understand the message at a glance.

Other Considerations

Aside from proper capitalization, there are a few additional points worth considering when using the phrase “good morning”:

• Punctuation: Unless it’s the beginning of a sentence, “good morning” does not require any punctuation marks. Avoid using a comma, period, or exclamation mark after it.
• Time Sensitivity: “Good morning” is best used during the morning hours, typically until noon. If you’re greeting someone later in the day, you might want to consider using alternative greetings such as “good afternoon” or “good evening.”

By keeping these points in mind, you can enhance your communication skills and make a positive impression on others through proper usage of “good morning.”

Remember, the correct format for writing “good morning” is “Good Morning” – capitalize the first letter of each word. It might seem like a small detail, but it can have a significant impact on the way your message is received. Show respect, professionalism, and attention to detail by following these guidelines when using this common greeting. Good Morning!

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• Frequently Asked

Salutations in Letters and Email

This post is all about the etiquette of salutations (greetings). We discuss both business letter salutation and email salutation. It’s dedicated to the many who have visited this blog in search of tips on how to begin a letter.

Rules for Business Letters

The standard way to open a business letter is with Dear, the person’s name (with or without a title), and a colon, like this:

• Dear Louise:
• Dear Ms. Chu:   
• Dear Mr. and Dr. Paige:   
• Dear Professor Amato:   
• Dear Patrick:

(For more discussion of Dear, see my post “Do I Have to Call You Dear ?”)

The standard way to open a social business letter is with Dear, the person’s name (with or without a title), and a comma, like this:

• Dear Nigel,   
• Dear Dr. Tarabi,   
• Dear Reverend Jans,

A social business letter is social or personal rather than business-focused; for example, letters of condolence, personal congratulations (for weddings, births, promotions, and other celebrations), and thank yous.

If you don’t know the reader well or if the letter or the relationship is formal, use a title and a last name (Dear Ms. Browne). Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).

Unless you are certain that a woman prefers Miss or Mrs., use the title Ms.

If you are writing to two people, use both names in your salutation, like this:

• Dear Mr. Trujillo and Ms. Donne:   
• Dear Alex and Drenda,

Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr.  Do spell out these titles and similar ones:

• Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Captain, Admiral, Judge

If you don’t know a person’s gender, use the full name rather than a title:

• Dear Dana Simms:   
• Dear T.K. Spinazola:

If you don’t know a person’s name or gender, avoid “To whom it may concern.” Instead, use the job title or a generic greeting:

• Dear Recruiter:   
• Dear Claims Adjustor:   
• Dear Sir or Madam:

If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, use the company name:

• Dear Syntax Training:   (This is considered slightly informal.)

Rules for Email

For formal email (that is, email used as a business letter), follow rules 1-7 above. Otherwise, use less formality with greetings like these:

• Dear Han,  
• Hello Kwasi,  
• Good morning, Ann,

If you use only the reader’s name without a greeting, be sure to open with a positive sentence so your message does not come across as cold:

Thanks for your help with the order. 

I’m happy to provide the information you requested. 

For informal messages, you may also insert the greeting on the same line as the opening sentence, like this:

• Hello, David. I hope you had a great vacation.
• Good morning, Wanda. I am following up on this morning’s meeting.

Or just use the person’s name in the opening sentence, like this:

• Yiota, you were right about the prices.

If you are looking for a desk reference that covers much more about business letters, email, reports, salutation, etc., I recommend The Gregg Reference Manual 11th Edition,  also known as Gregg. I used Gregg to check the rules and recommendations above.

Further reading: More About Salutations

Thank you! You have answered a burning question for me about informal email salutations.

I know that the rule when addressing a person within conversation is to use a comma. For example: “Lynn, do you know the answer?” Given this rule, I usually address friends in email like this: “Hi, Lynn,…” The problem was that I could not find a resource that specifically confirmed that this is correct-until now.

Of course, Microsoft’s grammar and spell checker tells me this is wrong and rather than battle the little, green, please-correct-me line, I usually relent and remove the “Hi” and it’s comma, leaving me with “Lynn,… Hi.”

Finally, I crafted the right search phrase-“grammar salutations email”-and found the answer in your post. I have never seen anyone else apply this rule in email.

Heather, thank you for this message. I am so glad you found what you were looking for. Be sure to also check my February 5 post. It is about commas with names, and it goes into more detail about the question that has been puzzling you.

Don’t let your software intimidate you when it comes to punctuation. Sometimes you are right!

can we address as madam xyz in formal letters??

“Madam” is used only when we do not know the reader’s name, like this: Madam: Dear Madam: If we know the reader’s name, we use one of these:

Dear Ms. Chan: Dear Mrs. Chan: Dear Miss Chan:

What I have described is standard in the United States. I am not certain whether “Madam” is used differently in other English-speaking countries.

Hello. I would be grateful if you could answer these two questions: 1) If the mail recipient has two last names (eg. Professor Smith-Jones) how do I salute them? Is it correct to use “Dear Professor Smith-Jones”? 2) If the mail recipient has a title Dr, meaning a PhD rather than being a doctor, how do I salute them? Thank you in advance for your time Marina

Marina, you are right about how to greet a person with a hyphenated name. You use both names: Dear Professor Smith-Jones:

The PhD question is a little tricky. It is best if you can find out the person’s preference or the style used in the person’s environment. In the US, many PhD’s in academic settings use “Dr.” However, in the UK, I have heard only “Mr.” and “Ms.” Outside a university setting, “Mr.” and “Ms.” are more common than “Dr.”–even in the US.

Thank you very much for your answer. It was extremely helpful.

Can you please tell me how to address and start a letter to an Executive Mayor? Is it His Excellency the Mayor and then Dear Cllr So-and-so?

Thank you for your help!

Marianne, I don’t know the answer to your question. I would phone the mayor’s office and ask for advice. If that approach would not work for you, I would try a library or an embassy in your country (South Africa?).

I wish you luck.

Hi, I have a question about salutations in business letters. If the person’s full name ends in “Jr.” or “Sr.” should I format it as, Dear Bob Smith, Sr.: –or– Dear Bob Smith, Sr: ??? I’m inclined to go with the second option because it looks less awkward, but haven’t been able to find any references or style manuals that address this particular issue. In general, does a colon ever follow a period, or does the bottom half of the colon do double duty and fill in for any necessary period? Thank you so much!

Chris, please see my December 18, 2006 post. I wrote it to answer and expand on your question.

I am addressed in the UK as Mr E.F.Green,FCA but in the USA only as E.F.Green FCA. As a child I was taught in the UK not to write Mr. A Jones, Esq. It was either Mr ar Esq. Has the rule changed Hope you can clarify

Eric, good question! I had to do research to find out what “FCA” means. Based on what I found, I am guessing that it is “Fellowship of Chartered Accountants.” Is that correct?

If FCA is like Esq., it is used in the U.S. without another courtesy title. That is, FCA would be used without Mr. or Ms. The standard U.S. style agrees with what you grew up with in the UK.

Thank you for introducing me to a new abbreviation.

How do you address a letter to a Captain and his wife? Is it Captain and Mrs. John Smith?

Lori, you would address the envelope as you indicated: Captain and Mrs. John Smith For the greeting (salutation), you would write this: Dear Captain and Mrs. Smith: In a business letter, the greeting is followed by a colon. For a personal letter, use a comma.

How would an envelope be addressed to Jerry & Diane Shields when he is a Mr. and she is a Rev. Would it be

Mr. Jerry & The Rev. Diane Shields ?

The other minister in our church is easy since it is

The Rev. & Mrs. Jeffery Deardorff

David, her name comes first as a reverend (or any person with a special title). The recommended way is to address the envelope like this: The Reverend Diane Shields Mr. Jerry Shields

An alternative is to put their names on the same line: The Reverend Diane and Mr. Jerry Shields

Although traditionally the man’s name comes first in a letter to a married couple, when the woman has a special title (Dr., Rabbi, Senator, etc.), her name comes first.

When addressing a letter to a recipient with whom I have a idealogical difference of opinion or a dispute of legal or business nature, it frustrates me to open the letter with “Dear”. e.g. “Dear Senator Hyperbole”.

What other options are available for a proper salutation?

James, you have a couple of choices when you write to Senator Hyperbole. One is to use the simplified letter format, which skips the greeting altogether. I illustrate it in the post you have commented on (above). See also “Do I Have to Call You Dear?” (in the etiquette category on August 16, 2005).

The other option is simply to use “Dear” as a way of taking the high road with your message.

I believe following the conventions of writing (using “Dear”) shows that you are an intelligent human being who knows the rules of effective communication.

Please let me know what you have decided to do.

What is the proper salutation to a local practicing attorney?

In our fundraising database, we have a number of women doctors. 1. Does the special title rule apply to women doctors married to men without titles? Would Dr. Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith’s envelope be addressed to Dr. and Mr. John Smith? Would the salutation be Dear Dr. and Mr. Smith:? 2. If they are both doctors, would they be addressed as Drs. John Smith? Thank you, Natasha

Natasha, please see my post “When Doctors Marry” from August 15, 2006.

Dear Lynn, I went through your article about salutation. I have some specific questions: I work for a project with a group of people; some of them are junior to me while some of them are senior. We daily interact with each other thru email, a very common situation any employed person faces. 1. How do I open a formal email when writing to my colleague? After reading your article I understand that there are many ways to begin a formal letter, but which one suits best for the situation I mentioned above? 2. There is a culture in the group to start formal email with person’s name with a comma (eg. Tom,). Isn’t that a bit rude way to start a formal email? What salutation should I use while replying to such a mail (from junior and from superior)? Any answers to these questions will really be helpful.

Thanks, ASK.

Ask, I think it is fine to use just the person’s name with a comma, as I have done in this sentence. I do not find it at all rude.

If you communicate daily, I do not see a reason to be formal.

If you want to be more friendly, you can simply use positive, friendly language, such as “happy to,” “pleased,” and “It was good to hear your view.” Or you can use “Greetings” or “Hi” with the person’s name if those words fit your culture.

Why not ask other people at work how they feel about salutations? Maybe you and your colleagues can agree on the best ways to begin a message.

Is it improper to use “&” between names in a salutation?

Rose, according to “The Gregg Reference Manual,” using & is improper in salutations.

Which is correct, Scott and Julie Miller or Julie and Scott Miller?

Both are correct.

What about the case of a woman who has taken her maiden name as her middle name; for example, Sharon Smith Jones (not hyphenated). Would the salutation be Mrs. Jones or Mrs. Smith Jones?

What is the proper way to address a letter to a child? What is the correct salutation when writing a letter to a child?

I hope you can help me. I need to send a letter to three people – a married couple and a woman with the same last name. Addressing the letter is simple, but what is the proper salutation?

Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ms. Smith? or is there a plural for women like Messrs. for men?

Thank you for your help.

Linda, there is a plural for Mrs: Mesdames. The plural of Ms. is Mses.

If you cannot use first names, I would use this:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ms. Smith:

Alternatively, write two letters. In the first sentence say something like “I am writing to you and to Ms. Smith . . . .”

Larysa, girls and boys who are 13 or older are addressed as adults. Young girls may be addressed as Ms. or Miss or with no title. Very young boys may be addressed as Master or with no title.

Can we use ‘Dear All’ for many receivers? Should ‘All’ start with a capital ‘A’?

I am writing a letter to several companies to request MSDS (material safety data) sheets about the products we purchase from them. Is it okay just to use “Gentlemen” as a salutation?

What is the proper salutation when writing a Mayor?

What’s the proper way to sign for somebody else?

1. “Allen Baker for Charlie Day” or 2. “For Charlie Day, this is Allen Baker” or 3. just sign as “Charlie Day” even if sending from Allen Baker’s email account

when writing a letter and there are more than one sending same, sould it read, Sincerely we are, Pat Mike

When writing a personal letter and there is more than one person signing, the closing should read as follows:

Pat and Mike

For a business letter, the closing (“Sincerely”) stays the same, but each person has his or her own signature block, like this:

Patrick White Manager, Customer Service

Michaela Best Regional Manager

The signature blocks are side by side or one above the other. Each person signs above his or her name, using first name only or full name depending on the formality of the letter and their relationships.

When a woman’s name is hyphenated, is it correct to write Dear Mrs. Jones-Cooper, or since the last name is different from her husband’s, is it correct to write Dear Ms. Jones-Cooper? I have not been able to find any rule that addresses this situation.

How do you address a couple who are both captains? Would it be Captain & Captain John Smith? Unusal, I know, but I am faced with this situation. Thanks.

Here’s how:

Captains John and Rene Smith

I just got married and hyphenated my last name and my husband did not. How do we address ourselves as a couple? Would it be his full name and then my full name or could we have first name &* first name, but what last name do we use. Mine or his?

Kristina, I wrote about what to call married women on July 13, 2007, so read that post for ideas on your name.

As for both of you, I believe he remains Mr. First-Name Wingler, but you can probably introduce yourselves any way you want.

In my family, socially we are the Gaertner-Johnstons, but officially we are Mr. Michael Johnston and Ms. Lynn Gaertner-Johnston.

Congratulations! I hope you have a long, lovely life together.

I need to write a letter to a gentleman all I know is his name and behind that he has Ph. D. Do I address him as Dr. Smith Ph. D or Dr. Smith

Type his name in the address block like this: James Smith, Ph.D.

Address him as: Dear Mr. Smith:

Or if you know he likes to be called Dr., use this:

Dear Dr. Smith:

Comments are closed.

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How to Start a Letter (With Professional Greeting Examples)

Melissa Ling / The Balance

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Options for Starting a Letter

• Examples of Professional Greetings

Try to Find a Contact Person

• Greetings to Use When You Don't Have a Contact Person

Greetings to Avoid Using

Tips for writing and sending a letter.

What's the best way to start a letter? When writing a letter for professional purposes, an appropriate greeting is essential. Your greeting sets the tone for your letter or email, and is an indicator of your written communication skills.

Review information on options for starting a letter, including professional and personal greetings, examples of the best salutations, and what to do when you don't have a contact person.

When deciding  which salutation to use , you should consider whether, and how well, you know the person you're writing to. The answer will determine how you start your letter. It's important to use a formal and professional greeting when you don't know your letter or email recipient well.

Personal Greetings

When to use a person's first name: If you are writing to someone in a professional capacity that you have known personally for many years, it is appropriate to use only their first name.

Professional Greetings

When to use a professional greeting: If you don't know the person well, it is best to use  Mr., Ms., or Dr.  as an  appropriate business letter salutation . When you don't know the recipient's gender, you can use their first and last name. If you have any doubts about which greeting you should use, err on the side of caution and use the more formal style of address.

Use a Formal Salutation

Keep it formal: Try to avoid the temptation to begin your professional letter with informal salutations like "Hello," "Greetings," "Hi There," or "Good Morning" if you don't know the name of your contact person.

While those informal greetings are fine for casual emails to friends or even for more formal emails you might send to groups of people, in a professional letter you'll need to use a personal salutation with either a first and/or last name ("Dear Mr. Doe") or a job title ("Dear Hiring Manager").

Always be sure to double-check the spelling of the recipient's name. Otherwise, you'll be making a poor impression from the start of your letter.

Punctuation

Also remember to include the period after "Mr." and "Ms." and follow your salutation with a colon or comma (e.g., "Dear Ms. Doe:" or "Dear Jamie Chen,").

Examples of Professional Letter Greetings

These greetings are all suitable for professional communications.

When you know the person well:

When you know the person's name:

• Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname; e.g., Dear Mr. Dolan or Dear Ms. Butler
• Dear Mr./Ms. Firstname Lastname; e.g., Dear Mr. Martin Haynes or Dear Ms. Melissa Tandor
• Dear Firstname Lastname; e.g., Dear Michael Cairns

When you don't know the person's gender: When you have a name but are unsure of the gender of the person you are writing to, it is acceptable to leave out the honorific, and use the first and last names alone. For example:

• Dear Robin Miller
• Dear Jamieson Cavanaugh

If at all possible, use a contact name when you write. This makes your letter more personal, and it creates an immediate relationship with the reader. If you don't have a contact name, do some research to find out the  right person to address your letter to .

It doesn't take much extra time to make an attempt to find a name, and the sentiment it conveys is worth it. It's worth a try, even if you aren't successful.

Sometimes the name will be on the company website, or you may be able to find the right person on LinkedIn. Perhaps one of your colleagues or contacts knows who the appropriate person might be. You can also call the office of the unknown person you are writing to and ask the receptionist for the name by explaining your reason for calling.

For example:  "I am applying for a job with your company. Can you please tell me the name of your Hiring Manager so that I know to whom I should address my cover letter?"

Greetings to Use When You Don't Have a Contact Person

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you just can't find a name to address your letter to. In that case, you have a variety of choices, all of which are professional and appropriate.

The more information you have about where you are sending the letter, the better. (For example, the human resources department of the company, or the manager of the department related to your inquiry.) This way, you can make a more targeted choice when selecting your greeting.

If you don't have a contact person, there are a variety of options to choose from:

• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear Human Resources Manager
• Dear Recruiting Team
• Dear [Company Name] Recruiter; e.g., Dear ABC Company Recruiter
• Dear [Department Name] Recruiter; e.g., Dear IT Support Recruiter
• Dear [Department Name] Team; e.g., Dear Product Recruiter
• Dear Sir or Madam (this is outdated, so avoid if possible)
• To Whom It May Concern (use if you have no other workable options)

The following greetings aren't appropriate for formal letters or email messages:

• Good Morning or Afternoon (you don't know when they'll receive the letter or email message)

Start your letter with an appropriate greeting, as listed above.

First Paragraph

After your greeting, begin your first paragraph, which is usually an introduction that lets the reader know who you are and what you are writing about. If you have a mutual acquaintance who referred you to the reader, you should mention them at this time.

Body of Letter

The body of your letter normally consists of a paragraph or two of text. Here, you can elaborate on the theme of your letter and provide supporting details for the subject.

You'll want to keep it concise and pertinent to the person and the topic.

Be thorough but don't repeat yourself or go on and on about unimportant details.

Next, you'll need to sum up your letter. Your summary should include a thank you to the person for his or her time and consideration. If you plan to follow up later, you can also provide the details of when and how you will contact him or her.

Closing Options

Finish your  professional letter with a closing , such as "Sincerely" or "Regards." If you plan on sending the letter by postal service, your signature should be followed by your typed name.

If you're sending an email, your typed name should be followed by your contact information, which you can type in manually or have it done automatically for you. Here's  how to set up an automatic email signature .

Key Takeaways

• Choose a formal greeting. When you don't know the person you're writing to well, don't use a casual greeting.
• Try to find a contact person. If you can't find a contact person, it's fine to use a generic greeting.
• Proofread your letter or email. When you're sending professional correspondence, it's important to carefully proofread your document before you send it.
• How to Address a Business or Professional Letter
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Letter Headings, or How to Head a Letter 

In these fast-paced days of emailing and texting, most people may feel that the practice of writing letters (whether formal or personal) has gone by the wayside. However, it’s still important to know how to write a letter, as well as how to format one. One of the most important parts of showing people you understand how to create a formal letter is knowing how to head a letter.  

A letter heading is the part of the letter that introduces you to your recipient as well as gives them some important information about you, such as your address. The art of writing the heading of a letter is specific to different types of letters, but more than simply being protocol, knowing how to write the heading of a letter also  

• conveys professionalism to your reader;  
• makes it easy to reply to your message, as there is no need to keep the envelope when all the information is on one piece of paper; and  
• often ensures you will get a prompt reply, which is very important in today’s world of instant communication.  

So now that you understand why it is necessary, it’s time to learn how to write the heading for a letter.   

Business Letters

Writing a business letter heading is not the same as writing the heading for a personal letter. Business letters are usually very formal, and you’ll want yours to be as well, especially since you’re choosing to send a letter rather than an email. The business letter heading format, like the format of a business letter itself, is specific and must get across certain information to be considered formal.   

1. If you have letterhead, use it!

Some businesses—big or small—already have paper with letter heading formats built in. As a formal letter heading example, this can’t be beat! It’s also done the work of introducing you and giving your reader all the pertinent information, including the name of the company and its address. Sometimes, the letterhead will contain your name as well. Usually, before you start writing the letter itself, the only piece of information you will need to add is the date.  

Unfortunately, though, not everyone has letterheads already created for their needs, especially today—when writing formal letters isn’t quite as common. If you don’t have letterhead, it’s still easy to create the proper letter heading format.  

2. If you don’t have letterhead, include your address.

The first thing you’ll include when writing a business letter heading is your address. This means your formal address with your street number, name, city, state, and zip code.   

If you have a PO (short for “post office”) box number, skip writing your street number and name and simply write “PO Box” followed by the number. Then, follow the number with your city, state, and zip.   

If you live in an apartment, make sure to include your apartment number under the first line of your address.   

After the full address, many people include a phone number or email address, although this isn’t mandatory. After all, you’ve written a letter to this person, so don’t you expect a letter in return?  

Make sure that when you write the address and any additional information that you block all the text to the right side of your letter. This is the expected way to format your own address when writing the heading of a letter.  

3. Write the date.

Next, professional letter heading format dictates that you include the date. You don’t want people to forget when they received your letter, so make sure to remind them. Leave a line between the address and the date. You’ll find that leaving this space makes the letter look cleaner and more formal—plus it makes the date easier to pick out.  

4. Write the recipient’s address.

Always include the recipient’s address when you’re writing a formal or business letter heading. You’ll need to include all the same information you included when you wrote your own address. Here are some rules for what to include and how to format the recipient’s address:  

• Do not indent the recipient’s address, but do leave two spaces below the date.  
• Block this address to the left instead of the right.   
• Always address the letter to someone specific within the company if possible.   
• If applicable, include the name of the company beneath the name of the individual but before the address.   

5. Leave a space before writing the salutation.

You’re almost done! Leave a space before the salutation to finish your heading. Then, write the salutation. Of course, you’ll want to use a formal salutation rather than a casual one, but that’s a completely separate issue. In fact, it’s one we discuss at length in another post.  

Personal Letters

As you may have already guessed, how to write the heading of a letter changes when you’re writing a personal letter. For one thing, you’re bound to be much closer to the recipient, so some information may not be necessary. And for another, you already know how to write the heading for a letter for business, and this is a much more casual, laid-back alternative.   

Finally, personal letters tend to be handwritten. This means your heading might be handwritten too, which can affect letter heading spacing, letter heading format, as well as simply how to write the heading for a letter.  

1. Begin with your address unless you’re certain the recipient knows it.

You may not need to include your address the way you did in a formal letter heading example. In fact, your recipient may already know your address well. You may even swap letters with them often. If this is the case, you won’t need to include an address like you would in a formal letter heading format.  

However, you may not be sure if your recipient knows your address. If you’re not positive they do, include it in the upper right-hand corner like you would when writing a business letter heading. Furthermore, if you have stationery with this already printed on it, great! If not, write it out yourself, either typed or handwritten.   

2. Add the date.

Letter heading spacing is still important in a personal letter, but it’s a bit different. Leave two spaces between your address and the date. If you didn’t include your address, include just the full date in the upper right-hand corner of the letter.   

3. Go directly to the salutation.

Unlike when you were learning how to head a letter for formal or business correspondence, you won’t need to include the recipient’s address. Instead, you can skip forward to the salutation. This can be gentler and more familiar than one you would use when writing a business letter heading. And for this one, you’ll also need to leave two spaces between the date and the salutation.   

Hybrid Letters

Of course, not all types of letters fall into one of these categories. These can include formal letters that are handwritten, such as fan mail to movie stars or letters of complaint to a company. You’ll still want to include the recipient’s address in this case.   

Other times, you may be writing your first personal letter to someone, so you don’t want to seem too familiar right off the bat. In this situation, a formal letter heading example may be better. However, you still won’t necessarily need to include the recipient’s address.  

Why Write Letters in the Age of Email

If you’ve come here hoping to learn more about how to head a letter or letter heading spacing or to see some formal letter heading examples, we hope we’ve been able to assist. However, some people may still be wondering why they might ever need to write letters when emails are so much easier—not to mention instant.  

The art of letter writing has been around a long time. Knowing how to write a proper letter allows you to communicate with people in a number of ways. Those who know how to write the heading for a letter can correspond with people properly, based on the situation and their relationship. There will always be times when writing a letter is more efficient, effective, or appropriate to the situation than sending an email. Thus, it’s important to know how to do so when these times come.

Like this post? Check out some more about writing letters:

How to Write an Official Letter

How to Write a Killer Query Letter

Ten Key Elements to Writing an Effective Business Letter

9 Awesome Online Writing Resources

Other Resources You Might Like

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• How to Start an Email | 10 Greetings & Opening Lines

How to Start an Email | 10 Greetings & Opening Lines

Published on December 22, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 26, 2023.

Sending good emails is an important skill in academic and professional contexts. It’s essential to start your emails on the right foot with an appropriate greeting and an engaging opening line .

Below, we explore how to start an email, providing five professional greetings and five strong opening lines that you can use in your correspondence. We also explain the contexts where each one would be an appropriate choice.

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Table of contents

5 strong greetings (salutations), 5 good opening lines, how not to start an email, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions.

For your email’s greeting (also called a salutation ), you don’t need to do anything fancy. Keep it simple and choose one of the tried and tested greetings below based on the context and the level of formality you’re aiming for.

1. Dear [full name],

Greeting the recipient by their full name is best when you haven’t previously interacted with them.

Use “Dear,” not the less formal greetings “Hello” and “Hi,” alongside someone’s full name to avoid creating a jarring combination of different levels of formality. Also avoid using this option if you’ve interacted with the person previously, as it comes across as overly stiff.

2. Dear [title and last name],

Using an abbreviated title (such as “Ms.” or “Dr.”) followed by the person’s last name is another way of greeting someone formally. This can be a good option to show respect to a superior in some context—for example, when writing to your professor at university. It’s also a formal way of addressing someone you’ve never interacted with before.

Use of titles like this is often considered somewhat old-fashioned, though. As such, it’s best saved for contexts in which you haven’t interacted with the person before or want to show a special level of respect.

3. Hi [first name],

People sometimes assume that all emails sent in a professional context need to be formal in tone, but this isn’t the case in most workplaces today. If you’ve had some previous interaction with a person, it’s normally fine to just greet them by their first name, preceded by “Hi,” “Hello,” or the slightly more formal “Dear.”

This kind of informal greeting is not appropriate in all contexts. If you’re applying for a job or contacting someone you don’t know, it’s best to go for something more formal. This kind of greeting is sometimes used in marketing emails, but some might find it presumptuous —always consider your target audience.

4. Dear [team, department, or job title],

When your email is addressed to someone whose name you don’t know, to a group of people, or to an organization or department, using alternative names is an appropriate choice: the person’s job title, the name of the team, or (in a more familiar context) something more generic like “team” or “everyone.”

Do this only when you have a good reason to. If you’re writing to an individual whose name you know or can reasonably find out, it’s better to use their name than something generic like a job title.

Sometimes a simple “Hello” or “Hi” is all you need. It’s a good, straightforward choice for a quick message to someone you communicate with frequently and don’t need to show any particular formality with. It lets you get straight to the point.

Though people sometimes choose this greeting when they’re not sure whom they’re writing to, it’s not a good choice in that context, as it can come across as overly blunt. In that situation, try using a job title or department name instead, as suggested above.

Check for common mistakes

Use the best grammar checker available to check for common mistakes in your text.

The opening line of the email itself is where you can catch the reader’s attention, build a rapport, or quickly communicate what you need from them.

1. I’m reaching out …

If you want to get straight to the point but don’t want to sound overly blunt (e.g., “I need you to do x for me by Tuesday”), a phrasing using “I’m reaching out” is a good choice. It avoids wasting your or the reader’s time but still comes across as polite and thoughtful.

However, this opening only really makes sense to begin or resume a conversation, not to continue an ongoing discussion. Use this expression for an unsolicited email, not a direct reply to a previous message.

I’m reaching out to let you know that I won’t be available for any assignments in April.

2. How are you?

A straightforward way too add a friendly personal touch to your email is to simply ask the recipient how they’re doing, how their week is going, what they did at the weekend, or something more specific if you know something about their interests. A generic “How are you?” is good enough but can seem formulaic—try emphasizing it with another sentence.

This kind of question is appropriate in an email to someone you know or work with regularly, but it will appear overfamiliar if sent to someone you’ve had no previous interaction with. Don’t open with this in your first email to someone.

How’s your week going? I took a couple of days off, so I’m still catching up.

3. Thanks for …

If you’re replying to someone directly, or following up on a previous discussion, one way to build a positive interaction is to thank them for their previous contribution. This could be for some information they gave you, something they did for you, or just taking the time to talk to you.

This opening obviously only makes sense if the person has done something for you. You could try thanking someone for opening your email in the first place, but it’s likely to come across as patronizing.

I appreciate your quick response. Regarding the invoice, …

4. I hope you …

Simply wishing the recipient well is a good way to start an email in a friendly way. Rather than the generic “ Hope you’re doing well ” or the slightly stiff “ I hope this email finds you well ,” try a more specific phrasing to emphasize the sincerity of your wishes.

Hope you had a good time on vacation!

5. We met at …

When writing to someone you don’t know well but with whom you’ve had some previous interaction, or with whom you have a mutual connection, it’s a good idea to start by explaining that connection or reminding them where you’ve previously met.

If that introduction involves mentioning a mutual connection, make sure you have their permission to do so.

Maybe you remember me from your first weekly meeting, but we didn’t get the chance to speak much at the time. I’m reaching out to …

There are many valid ways to start an email, but there are also a few common pitfalls to avoid.

Overly impersonal greeting

Greetings like “ Dear Sir or Madam ” and “ To Whom It May Concern ” are best avoided whenever possible. Besides sounding quite old-fashioned, they show the recipient that you’re not sure exactly whom you’re contacting. Always address the recipient by name if you can find it out; use something like a job title if not.

No greeting at all

Starting an email without any sort of greeting line is rarely appropriate in a professional context. While you might sometimes skip the greeting in personal emails to someone you know well, in a work email you should always have some kind of greeting, whether formal (e.g., “Dear Ms. Aoki”) or casual (e.g., “Hi John”).

Redundant opening

Consider whether your opening really adds anything of value or just wastes the reader’s time. Statements announcing what you’re going to do next in the email are usually unnecessary. Try cutting them out entirely.

• Let me introduce myself. My name is …
• I know you’re very busy, but do you have time to help me with something? I was wondering …
• Could you possibly do me a favor? I’d like to …

If you want to know more about commonly confused words , definitions , and differences between US and UK spellings , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

Confused words

• Affect vs effect
• Further vs farther
• Loose vs lose
• Whose vs who’s

Definitions

• Bear with me
• Presumptuous

US vs. UK spellings

• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

You should start a professional email with a greeting and the name and title of the recipient (e.g., “Dear Mr. Walken”). Then, you should include an introductory line like I hope this email finds you well , followed by the body of the email.

For less formal emails, you can use a more casual introductory line like I hope you’re doing well .

Miss is a title for an unmarried woman or girl, especially one under the age of about 30 (e.g., “Miss Jones”). It cannot be used for a married woman. It is sometimes seen as slightly old-fashioned, since it defines the woman by her marital status.

Ms. is a title for a woman whose marital status is unknown, for an older unmarried woman, or for any woman in a context where you don’t want to emphasize the woman’s marital status. It’s intended to be neutral, in that it can be used for married and unmarried women alike—much like “Mr.” can be used for married and unmarried men.

Some synonyms and phrases related to I hope this email finds you well include:

• It is a pleasure connecting with you again
• I hope you are doing well
• I hope you are having a productive week

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, June 26). How to Start an Email | 10 Greetings & Opening Lines. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/effective-communication/start-an-email/

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Best Letter And Email Salutations And Greetings (With Examples)

• Best Business Salutations
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The way that you start a business email can determine the whole tone of the message. That’s why the salutation is so important. Greeting someone is considered polite, and that carries over into both letters and emails, meaning that the salutation you choose matters.

There are many different salutations that you can use to start a letter, and picking the right salutation for the occasion can feel overwhelming. If you’re unsure of the proper etiquette to use when choosing a greeting for an email, we’ll go over different options and when it’s best to use them.

Key Takeaways:

When you are choosing your salutation you should take into consideration who you are sending the letter to, the purpose of the letter, and how much interaction you’ve had with this person and how they address you.

Overtime as your interaction with a person becomes less formal, your salutations will also become less formal.

Picking the right salutation sets the tone of the interaction you have with a person because it is the first thing they will see in your letter or email.

What is a salutation?

How to choose the right salutation, different types of salutations examples, how to follow a salutation, punctuating salutations, when to switch to less formal greetings, salutations faq.

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Salutation is a specific word used to refer to an expression of greeting, goodwill, or courtesy — and it need not be verbal. However, in this case, a salutation is more specific, being defined by Merriam-Webster as “the word or phrase of greeting that conventionally comes immediately before the body of a letter.”

That means that the salutation is the first thing that the person reading your email will see. “Dear” is the most common and formal one, but there are many different ways to greet your reader . Selecting the right one sets the tone for the letter and message that you wish to convey.

Unfortunately, as with most social interactions, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the right salutation to use. Picking the right one is going to depend on a number of factors, such as how well you know the recipient, the purpose of the communication, and how formal the person you’re sending it to tends to be.

Here are some things to consider when picking the right greeting:

How well you know the recipient. Generally speaking, the better you know a person, the more casual you can be in your greeting and the rest of your message. This might even change from coworker to coworker, depending on your relationship with them.

If you’re sending an email or hard copy letter. While emails can be formal, they’re typically less formal than a written or printed letter. You can use any greeting that’s appropriate for a hard copy letter in an email, but you can’t always put an email-appropriate greeting in a letter.

The purpose of your letter. Your salutation should be appropriate to the rest of your message as well. If you’re writing to schedule a meeting with a colleague, you can be a bit more casual than you would be in a cover letter .

How much interaction you’ve had in the past. If this is the first time you’ve reached out to the person you’re writing to, you should be more formal than you would be in your tenth email with them.

How they address you. If the person you’re writing to has written to you before, you can simply match the level of formality of their greeting or, depending on their status relative to you, go a touch more formal in your own.

There are various types of salutations depending on how formal you plan to be and who you’re addressing. For a business letter, it’s generally better to err on the side of being overly formal, though that’ll depend on how well you know the recipient.

Here are the different types of salutations and when to use them:

Formal Salutations

A formal salutation is a good go-to in letters and emails where don’t want to seem overly familiar. They’re best if you want to sound very professional, you don’t know the recipient very well, or you’re dealing with someone who prefers more formal communication.

Dear. Probably the most common greeting, “Dear” is an excellent choice for both emails and written letters. Whether you’re writing a cover letter , a resignation letter, or an email to a coworker, as long as you know the recipient’s name, this is a safe neutral.

Greetings. This is a good option when you have met the person you’re writing to but don’t know them well or when you don’t know the recipient’s name. It’s a slightly more formal greeting than “hi” or “hello,” making it versatile for both written letters and emails.

Good afternoon/evening/morning. These salutations are similar to “Greetings” in formality, but they’re best used for email messages since you can’t guarantee when someone will receive a physical letter or know when you sent it. This is also a good option when you’re emailing a colleague and want to sound friendly yet professional.

To whom it may concern. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this greeting , but it’s still useful when you truly cannot find the name of the person you’re addressing. This is especially helpful when you’re writing a cover letter or letter of recommendation , and you have no idea who your letter will be going to but still need to be very professional.

Informal Salutations

While the formal salutations are interchangeable between written letters and emails, for the most part, you should use these informal greetings only in casual email conversations with someone you’ve already established a professional relationship with.

Hello. This is the most formal of the informal salutations and can be used with or without a name. It’s also a great option if you’re emailing a group of people and either don’t know their names or can’t reasonably fit them all into the salutation.

Hi. A step more casual than “Hello,” “Hi” is best used only with people you know well and have talked to before. It’s best when coupled with a name, but it can be used without one too.

Hey. The most informal salutation, you should only use “Hey” to address colleagues you have a strong relationship with. It tends to sound more like a text message than a professional email, so make sure you use this option carefully.

No salutation, just a name. Starting a message with just the recipient’s name is efficient. Still, you should use it sparingly since it can sound abrupt or even harsh, especially if you’re trying to establish a relationship over email. It can be useful during longer casual email conversations where the tone has already been established, though.

Other Salutations for business correspondence

There will be times when you’re writing to someone whose name you don’t know, or when you’ll have to send out an email to a group of people. What salutation you use then would vary on the circumstances and how formal you want to be.

No contact information. For starters, it’s always best to know exactly who you’re addressing your letter to. It’s important for determining other elements of your letter’s contents. But if you don’t have the recipient’s contact information, you have a few options that can work:

To Whom It May Concern. We covered this one above, and it works if you’re writing a document that’ll be used en masse by someone else, like a recommendation letter. Or if you’re writing to complain about an issue or request help but don’t know who exactly will be on the receiving end.

Hello/Greetings. If your letter isn’t all that formal, starting out wtih a standard greeting like “Hello” without using a name is perfectly acceptable.

Dear Sir or Madam. This one gets used sometimes, so we thought we’d mention it. That being said, it’s pretty outdated, so we don’t really recommend using it.

Cover letter. If you don’t know who to address your cover letter to, keep trying to figure it out. Look for the hiring manager’s name on the company website, on LinkedIn, in the job description, or by calling the company directly and asking. Then, simply address your cover letter to “Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name].”

If all that fails, steer clear of generic greetings like “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam” — the recipient will assume you didn’t try very hard or that you’re sending out the same cover letter to every company (which is not what you want).

Instead, go for a salutation like:

Dear Hiring Team

Dear [Department Name] Team

Dear [Title of person you’d report to]

Multiple people. When addressing multiple people in one email, it’s best to use all of their names after your salutation, separated by commas. Whether you use titles and/or first and last names is up to you, but stay consistent. For example, go with “Dear Tim, Mark, Alice,” not “Dear Tim Howard, Mark, and Ms. Jones.”

Once you’ve decided on the appropriate salutation, you have to decide what to put after it. Typically this is going to be the receipt’s name, however, there are still several choices as to how you go about this. And always, always make sure you spell it correctly.

Full name. If you aren’t on a first-name basis with the person you’re addressing and don’t know their gender, simply use both their first and last names. For example: “Dear Jordan Parker.”

This option is becoming more popular among younger workers, as it doesn’t assume someone’s gender. That means that this is likely the best way to go if you’re writing to someone younger.

First name. A good rule of thumb is to use just the person’s first name only when you’re already on a first-name basis with them outside of your correspondence. This is most commonly used in emails rather than in written letters.

Last name. Saying “Dear Ms. Haywood” or “Dear Dr. Jacobs” is a classic, safe option, especially when you’re addressing a potential future employer or client and need to be more formal. Make sure you use the proper honorific designation as well.

Use “Ms.” for females. Technically, “Mrs.” is appropriate for married women and “Miss” for single women, but unless you know for sure, “Ms.” is generally the advisable choice to avoid offending anyone.

Even if you know that the woman you’re writing to is married or unmarried, it’s likely best to use Ms., because some people feel that Miss or Mrs. is old-fashion or puts undue emphasis on whether or not they’re married.

Use “Mr.” for males. There isn’t really another option for men, so this is generally a safe choice.

Use other titles when applicable. If you know the person has a doctorate education of some kind, use “Dr.” instead of “Ms.” or “Mr.” The same goes for those with military ranks as well. If you aren’t sure about this for the person you’re addressing, though, just stick to the classic “Ms.” and “Mr.”

Generic options. Sometimes you may find yourself addressing your letter to a group of people or an unknown recipient. In this case, there are some more generic options to use

If you’re writing to a group of people, you can use “Hello, team,” or “Hi, all.” If there are only three people in the group, though, try to address all of them by saying, “Hi Steve, Mike, and Taylor.”

When you don’t know who you’re addressing , you can use the person’s title if you have it or simply stick with “ Dear Sir or Madam .” This is a good option for highly formal letters that are your first interaction with the person.

There are two ways to punctuate your salutation: a comma or a colon. Both are acceptable in professional writing, but a colon is the most formal. Generally, you’ll also want to leave a blank line between your salutation and the first line of text.

Here are a few examples of this:

Colon punctuation example:

Dear Mr. Wilson: I’m writing to recommend Wendy Peterson for the position of Junior Accountant .

Comma punctuation example:

Hi, Jason, I hope your week is going well. I wanted to follow up with you on our conversation from earlier.

Just because you choose one salutation to begin a conversation doesn’t mean you have to stick with it for the rest of the interaction. The more you talk with someone, even if it’s over email, the less formal you need to be. This may look different depending on the conversation topic, though, and remember that a lack of formality isn’t the same thing as a lack of professionalism.

These more extended exchanges are also good opportunities to use the recipient’s response to gauge their communication style and how casual or formal they like to be. Then you can adjust your salutations accordingly.

You might begin an email conversation with a potential employer with the salutation, “Dear Ms. Caseman,” and then you might move to just “Ms. Caseman” or “Good morning” in your second and third email responses. OR If you’re talking with a peer about a project you’re both working on, you might start with “Hello, Bill” and then move to “Hi again, Bill.”

What are some common salutations?

Common salutations include dear, good morning, hello, and to whom it may concern. There are numerous other informal salutations, but the formal ones are largely limited to dear, good morning/afternoon/evening, and greetings.

What is a closing salutation?

A closing salutation is how a letter is ended, usually coming right before your name or signature. For instance, sincerely, regards, thank you , or cordially are all closing salutations

Do emails require salutations?

Yes, emails require salutations. Very informal emails may not have a salutation, as they’ll be closer to an IM than an email. But emails are structured more like a letter, meaning that having a salutation is considered proper.

Business Insider — the Perfect Way to Start an Email, and Greetings You Should Avoid

Purdue Owl — Writing the Basic Business Letter

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Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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How to Say Good Morning in an Email: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to email communication, a friendly and respectful tone can go a long way in creating positive and professional relationships. One of the most common ways to greet someone in an email is by saying “good morning.” In this guide, we’ll explore how to say good morning in both formal and informal settings, providing useful tips, examples, and even regional variations if necessary. Whether you’re reaching out to a colleague, client, or friend, this guide will help you craft a warm and engaging email greeting.

Formal Ways to Say Good Morning in an Email

When writing a formal email, such as to a professional contact or superior, it’s important to maintain a respectful and polished tone. Here are some formal ways to say good morning:

• The Traditional Approach: Start your email with a simple and straightforward “Good morning,” followed by the recipient’s name. For example, “Good morning, [Name].” This is an ideal option when you want to maintain a professional tone without any additional embellishments.
• Respectful Phrase with a Personal Touch: Adding a touch of personalization can help establish a rapport with the recipient. For instance, you can say, “I hope this email finds you well, [Name]. Good morning!” This approach not only acknowledges the time of day but also expresses your well wishes.
• Showing Appreciation: When you wish to convey your gratitude or express your thanks, consider a phrase like, “Good morning, [Name]. I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for your assistance during [mention the relevant event].”

Informal Ways to Say Good Morning in an Email

Informal emails, whether you’re contacting a colleague you’re friendly with or a close friend, allow for a more casual and relaxed approach. Here are some informal ways to say good morning in an email:

• A Friendly Greeting: Start your email with a warm and casual “Hey, [Name].” This approach works well when you have an established relationship and want to maintain a friendly and approachable tone.
• A Personalized Message: Show your interest in the recipient’s well-being by saying something like, “Good morning, [Name]! I hope you had a great weekend and are ready to tackle the week ahead.” This approach adds a personal touch and creates a sense of camaraderie.
• Adding Humor: If you share a lighthearted relationship with the recipient, you can inject some humor into your greeting. For example, “Rise and shine, [Name]! Time to conquer the world (or at least our to-do lists)!” However, it’s crucial to gauge the appropriateness of humor based on your relationship and the nature of your email.

Examples of Good Morning Greetings in Emails

Now that we’ve explored formal and informal ways to say good morning in an email, let’s take a look at some examples that showcase these styles:

Formal Examples:

Good morning, Ms. Johnson.

I hope this email finds you well, Mr. Smith. Good morning!

Good morning, [Name]. I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for your assistance during the recent project.

Informal Examples:

Hey, John. Good morning!

Good morning, Sarah! I hope you had a fantastic weekend and are ready to dive into the week ahead.

Rise and shine, Alex! Ready to tackle our to-do lists together?

Remember, the examples provided are just starting points, and it’s essential to adapt them to suit your specific situation and relationship with the recipient.

Final Thoughts

Starting an email with a good morning greeting can set the right tone for your communication, whether you’re reaching out in a formal or informal capacity. By choosing the appropriate greeting and personalizing it to fit your relationship, you can create a positive impression and build stronger connections. Remember, your choice of greeting should always align with the overall tone and purpose of your email. So go ahead and experiment with different approaches, keeping in mind the guidelines provided in this guide. Good morning and happy emailing!

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Starting your day with a pleasant greeting is a wonderful way to spread positivity and create a warm atmosphere. While saying "good morning" is a common and polite way to start your day, there are several alternative phrases that can add variety to your greetings. In this guide, we will explore different ways to say "good morning" without actually saying those words. We will cover both formal and informal greetings, providing you with tips, examples, and regional variations where necessary.

How to Say Good Morning, Good Afternoon, and Good Evening in Spanish

Greeting someone appropriately is an essential part of any language and Spanish is no exception. Whether you want to wish someone a good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, it's important to know the right phrases to use. In this guide, we'll explore how to say these greetings in both formal and informal ways. While there may be regional variations, we'll focus on the commonly used phrases and provide tips and examples along the way.

Guide: How to Say Good Morning in a Morning Assembly

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to say "good morning" in a morning assembly. Whether you're addressing a formal or informal gathering, starting the day with a warm greeting sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. In this guide, we'll provide you with various ways to say "good morning" and offer tips, examples, and regional variations to make your morning assembly greetings impactful and inclusive.

Exclaiming an Early Morning Start: How to Say "I Wake Up Early in the Morning"

Greetings! Are you tired of hitting the snooze button over and over again, longing to become an early riser? Being an early bird has numerous benefits, such as increased productivity, improved mental health, and more time for self-care. To shine some light on the matter, this comprehensive guide will provide you with various ways to express "I wake up early in the morning" - formally and informally. Let's dive in and explore the art of embracing the early morning hours!

Guide: How to Say Good Morning and Good Afternoon

Saying "good morning" and "good afternoon" are common greetings that allow you to start the day or acknowledge someone in the afternoon with warmth and politeness. Whether you're using these greetings in a formal or informal setting, it's important to convey respect and friendliness. In this guide, we'll provide you with various ways to say "good morning" and "good afternoon" in both formal and informal contexts, along with tips and examples.

Learn How to Say Good Morning and Good Afternoon in French

Greeting someone properly is an essential part of any language, and French is no exception. In this guide, we will teach you how to say "good morning" and "good afternoon" in French, covering both the formal and informal ways of greeting someone. Additionally, we will provide tips, examples, and discuss regional variations if necessary. Let's dive into the wonderful world of French greetings!

How to Say Good Morning and Good Afternoon in Italian: A Comprehensive Guide

Greeting someone in their native language is a wonderful way to connect and show respect. So, if you are planning to visit Italy or simply want to impress your Italian friends, learning how to say "good morning" and "good afternoon" in Italian is a great place to start. In this guide, we'll cover both formal and informal ways to say these greetings, with some useful tips and examples thrown in. Let's dive right in!

How to Say Good Morning and Good Afternoon in Japanese

Greetings are an essential part of social interaction in every culture. In Japanese, proper greetings are highly valued, as they reflect respect, politeness, and an understanding of the local customs. Learning how to say "Good morning" and "Good afternoon" in Japanese can go a long way in establishing positive connections and showing your appreciation for the language. Let's explore the formal and informal ways of greeting in the morning and afternoon in Japanese.

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Is Good Afternoon Capitalized? Do You Need to Add a Comma?

Greeting someone in the afternoon with a “Good Afternoon” is a great way to sound friendly and caring. But knowing whether and when the phrase is capitalized is challenging.

Table of Contents

Is Good Afternoon Capitalized?

Generally, the phrase “good afternoon” is not capitalized when used in a sentence .

However, the phrase “good afternoon” is capitalized in an email when it is used as a salutation at the beginning of an email. Email salutations (Dear, Hi, Hello, etc.) are capitalized anyways, and “good afternoon” is no exception. The same would apply for “ good morning .”

Examples of Capitalizing Good Afternoon

“Good Afternoon, Mr. Kim!” said Jack when he got back from lunch. It was indeed a good afternoon and Jack got back to work right away by opening a new email and typing the following:

Good Afternoon, Please find attached the report you were asking for. -Jack

In the paragraph above, all three examples of the phrase “good afternoon” were used. When Jack first walks back into the office, he greets his boss with a salutation so “good afternoon” is capitalized. In the next sentence, the phrase is used generically in a sentence so it is not capitalized. Finally, in the email, Jack once again uses “good afternoon” as a salutation so it is capitalized.

Is Afternoon Capitalized?

The word “afternoon” by itself is not capitalized in a sentence. It should only be capitalized in a title or as the first word in a sentence such as “Afternoon was when it all began”.

Is Good Afternoon One Word?

The phrase “good afternoon” should be two words. The same is true for “good morning”, “good evening”, and “good night”.

The confusion generally arises because the word “goodbye” is one word.

What Time Do You Say Good Afternoon?

The time to say good afternoon only after noon. Until 11:59 am you should say “good morning.”

Do You Use a Comma After “Good Afternoon”?

If you writing an email or letter and not using a salutation, you should use a comma right after saying “good afternoon.” For example:

If you are including a salutation in a formal email or formal letter , then you will add a comma before and after the salutation. In this case, you will also lowercase “afternoon”. For example:

Good afternoon, Jim, I hope you are doing well.-Jack

Or for a generic salutation you can write:

Good afternoon, everyone, I hope you are doing well. -Jack

A list of some common salutations are:

• Good afternoon, name,
• Good afternoon, all,
• Good afternoon, everyone,
• Good afternoon, ladies,
• Good afternoon, gentlemen,
• Good afternoon, team,

The same applies even if the sentence ends after the salutation. In this case, you can say “Good afternoon, Jim.” or “Good afternoon, everyone.”

If you include another salutation beforehand, include a comma between that salutation and “good afternoon.” For example, “Hello, good afternoon.”

Adding a comma before the salutation is considered formal and does not need to be included in an informal email. The following is perfectly acceptable in friendly communications:

Good afternoon all, We’re getting dinner at 5 o’clock at the steakhouse. -Bob

• Are AM and PM Capitalized?
• Good Morning Quotes & Morning Affirmations – Start Your Day off Right

Is Good Morning Capitalized? Do You Need to Add a Comma?

Thsnk you! Your explanation how and when to use the words was well easy to comprehend. Your exsmple sentemces gave me good grasp on when to or not to capatalize he words in a sentence and as greeting. I wjll continue to use this site as a resource when I need clarification to further gain knowledge of something in the English Language.

Should be capitalized.

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Cover Letter Guide, Steps 2–4: Header, Greeting, & Introduction

• Start With A Header
• Include A Greeting
• Write A Memorable Introduction

You’re a shining star in your field, and you’ve found the perfect job listing. How do you make a great first impression with the company you’d like to work for? Well, let’s address the basics first: there’s one person you’ve got to impress right away. That’s right—whether that person is a hiring manager or your future supervisor—you’re got to impress that first person who reviews your cover letter and forms an impression of you as an applicant.

So how do you start that letter the right way and get their attention?  This article (Steps 2–4) in our comprehensive cover letter series will help you format and write the key elements of an introduction to your cover letter. You’ll move on to steps 5–7 to write the rest of the letter.

Start at the beginning by clicking here for “Your Guide To Writing A Good Cover Letter: Overview” or choose the step you need below.

Step 1. Format Your Cover Letter

✅  Step 2–4. Open The Cover Letter With A Proper Header, Greeting, And Memorable Introduction

Step 5–7. Explain You’re Fit For The Job, Add A Call To Action, And End With The Right Sign-off

Step 8–9. Edit And Share Your Cover Letter

We’ve provided a sample cover letter you can use to follow along in this series and create your own. Click on the image below to expand it.

2. Start the cover letter with a header

What to include in the header.

The first part of your cover letter is the header . Traditionally, a header would be formatted similarly to the heading of any formal letter. These days, it is more common to find a header that is the same or similar to the section that lists the name and contact details on your resume. Whether you use a traditional heading or a more contemporary header will depend on the job to which you are applying. Either way, your header should include:

• Your contact details
• Your job title (if applicable)
• The name of the hiring manager
• The contact details of the hiring manager

Examples of headers

Here is the traditional format for the header of a cover letter. We will cover alternatives to this traditional format in a little bit.

May 1, 2021

Emma A. Plicant English Tutor 1234 Road Way Anywhere, USA 12345 (123) 456-7890 [email protected]

Anna Smith Hiring Manager Tutoring Company 2345 Business Park Elsewhere, USA 12346

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Step 3. Include a proper greeting

A cover letter is a kind of formal letter, meaning it needs to include a greeting similar to that of any other kind of letter or email. This greeting should begin “Dear” or “To” and end with a comma , not a period.

Who should you address your cover letter to?

Ideally, you will address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager. If the name of the hiring manager is not listed on the job posting, you will need to do a little digging to try and find it. A good place to start is the website for the company itself. (Try to find a link like “About Our Staff.”) Even if you don’t find the name of the hiring manager there, you will be able to learn more about the company’s mission, values, and practices from the website. Some workplaces even go so far as to state specifically what they are looking for in a cover letter on their website.

Other sources for the name of the hiring manager include websites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor.

Note that the job title of the person in charge of hiring for the position may not be Hiring Manager. They may have a different kind of title altogether, like Administrative Assistant or Recruiter.

If you’re unable to find the name of the hiring manager to include on the cover letter, you can simply write Hiring Manager in the header or leave the spot blank.

The question of how to properly address your cover letter also comes up when it comes to writing the greeting.

Examples of greetings

A typical greeting for a cover letter if you know the name of the hiring manager is:

Dear [Mr./Ms.] [Last Name of Hiring Manager] example: Dear Ms. Smith,

Other, more contemporary greeting forms are:

Dear [Full Name] example: Dear Anna Smith,

[Full Name] example: Anna Smith,

If you are unable to find the name of the hiring manager, you have a few options when it comes to addressing your cover letter:

Dear Hiring Manager, Dear [Company] Team, To Whom It May Concern, Dear Sir or Madam,

Addressing a cover letter with “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam” is somewhat controversial. Some counsel against it, others find that employers prefer it. If you feel uncertain about using either of these greetings, stick with the traditional “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Looking for even more options for “to whom it may concern”? Review some of them here.

Step 4. Write a memorable introduction

It can be hard to know how to start a cover letter, but once you know the formula, it is fairly straight-forward. Your introductory paragraph should be one to three sentences long and include the following information:

• The name of the position you are applying for
• A brief description of your experience
• A sense of why you are interested in the position

Of all of these things, it is most important to state the name of the position—you would be amazed how many people leave this critical piece of information out.

Examples of strong introductions

Here are a couple of examples of a strong introduction for a cover letter:

• In response to your online job notice, I am writing to apply for the position of English Tutor at Learning Company. I believe my passion for education and many years of experience supporting students as a paraprofessional would make me an ideal fit for this post.
• As a longtime supporter of animal welfare causes, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to apply for the position of Fundraiser for Animal Welfare Nonprofit. I have over five years of experience in the nonprofit fundraising sector, raising over $200,000 annually, and I think these skills and my dedication to the issues would be an asset to your organization.

Be sure to double-check that you have correctly transcribed the job title and the name of the company!

Are you ready to highlight your professional experience? Let’s talk about how to compose the body of the cover letter!

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