Old-school formalities aren't as important as they once were when it comes to salutations, so choosing an effective vs. "proper" salutation will increase the likelihood your letter will reach the ...

If the letter is very short, it is proper to get right into the body of the letter without a salutation, according to Ivona Baresova's book, "Politeness Strategies In Cross-Cultural Perspective ...

Keep the salutation professional by using "Dear Mr. Jones," not "Dear Jim." Focus on the Employer's Needs. If every other sentence of your letter begins with "I" or "my," you need to change the focus.

The proper purpose of a complaint letter is not, counterintuitive though this may be, to complain. The purpose is to persuade the recipient to solve the problem.

Sir. – While reading your letters on greetings (December 5th), I was reminded of a common salutation in Charleville while growing up in the 1950s, particularly on a cold day. It went simply, "No ...