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Which is correct sir or sirs?
Sirs is the technically correct plural of “sir.”The plural of sir is sirs, as in “I beseech you, my good sirs.”. You can use this to address male audience but in general parlance, the proper address is “gentleman”.
What is the female version of Dear sir?
Madam
If you are at the Dear Sir level, the female equivalent is Madam. Not Madame – although the plural of Madam (in this context) is Mesdames not Madams (which is the plural form for women who run brothels).
What do you write after dear sir?
Because you should invest some time trying to find out exactly whom you are writing to, the best alternatives to the highly impersonal Dear Sir or Madam include, in order of preference: Dear [First Name Last Name], Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [Last Name], Dear [First Name], or Hello, [First Name], (informal only.
Is Dear Sir gender neutral?
Avoid “Dear Sir or Madam” because it’s impersonal, outdated, and not gender inclusive. Try hard to find the hiring manager’s name, as that’s the ideal way to address a cover letter. Use proper punctuation and capitalization if you are going to use it anyways, “Dear Sir or Madam,” or “Dear Sir or Madam:”.
Is Dear Sirs appropriate?
A traditional choice for a salutation to an entity would be Dear Sirs, but it suggests you’re writing to a group of individuals, it’s old-fashioned, and it’s gender-specific (see 17.10).
Can you use Dear Sirs to a woman?
In general, we use “Dear Sir” for male, “Dear Madam” for female, and “Dear Sirs” if one is not sure about the sex of the person the letter is being directed to or if one is writing to more than one person.
Is it sexist to write Dear Sirs?
Hell no, it’s not correct. Using “sirs” to address a group assumes everyone in that group is male … and when you do it in an email to people in authority, it implies that surely there are no women in decision-making positions or in professional positions at all. It’s offensive.
How do you address a woman informally?
In the U.S., I would address a woman in an informal and friendly manner by using her name. Instead of saying, “hey, baby”, I’d say “hey, Valerie” or whatever her name was. In the US, “doll” was fashionable prior to the 1970’s, but not anymore. Some women consider “baby” a sexist term.
Can Dear be used in formal email?
Although dear can come across as stuffy, it’s appropriate for formal emails. Use it when you’re addressing a person in a position of respect (e.g., Dear Lieutenant Smith) and in formal business missives such as a résumé cover letter.
How do you address a Sir and Lady in writing?
Knights
- In speech. Formally addressed and referred to as ‘Sir John’.
- In writing – formally. Dear Sir. Yours faithfully.
- In writing – socially. Dear Sir John. Yours sincerely.
- In speech. Formally addressed and referred to as ‘Lady Smith’.
- In writing – formally. Dear Madam. Yours faithfully.
- In writing – socially. Dear Lady Smith.