"Mr" "miss", "mrs", "ms".

[emsr2d2]

I was talking about both. But don't you use "Mr", "Ms", "Mrs", "Miss" in a posted letter?

Yes, we do. That's what I meant. I would use them in a posted letter but I'm unlikely to use them in an email. However, if I was attaching a formal letter to an email, I would start that letter with the formal greeting.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Yes, we do. That's what I meant. I would use them in a posted letter but I'm unlikely to use them in an email. However, if I was attaching a formal letter to an email, I would start that letter with the formal greeting.

Are they considered formal? Or are they less formal than "Dear Sir" and "Dear Madam"?

 

[emsr2d2]

For me, if you start any communication with "Dear Sir", "Dear Madam", "Dear Sir/Madam" or "Dear Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms + surname", it's likely that you are writing something formal. Bear in mind, though, that it's the content of the letter that makes it formal/informal, and you then choose an opening greeting that matches. You wouldn't start a letter to your bank manager with "Hiya, mate!" nor would you start an email to your best friend with "Dear Mr Johnson".

 

[Tdol]

Are they considered formal? Or are they less formal than "Dear Sir" and "Dear Madam"?

Sir or madam is when you don't know the name- it's not a question of formality.

I know your name. If I were writing an email to you for a job, I would still use Dear Ms Adams. If replying to an email about the forum, I would simply use Rachel. If I were sending you a letter, the only difference would be that I would use Dear Rachel for the letter about the forum.

Others may handle things differently.