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This section provides the correct forms of address for
U.S. Public officials, diplomats, religious leaders, royalty,
the British peerage, and
military personnel. For each personage the chart gives the
appropriate form or forms to be used in addressing letters,
in letter salutations, in direct conversation, and in more
formal introductions.
In diplomatic and other public circles, "Sir"
is generally considered an acceptable alternative to the
formal address in both written and spoken greetings; this
does not apply to religious or titled persons. The use of
"Madam" or "Ma'am" for a female
addressee is less customary but still acceptable, especially
for high officeholders ("Madam Governor"). This
rule also holds for high officials of foreign countries.
For greetings in which "Mr." is used, the
feminine equivalent may be "Madam" or, less
formally, "Mrs.," "Miss," or "Ms."
Although there is no formal rule for the use of "Ms.,"
the preference of the addressee should be respected.
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| President of the United States |
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) President |
Mr. (or Madam) President |
The President or the President of the United States |
| Former President |
The Honorable John J. Jones
Current address
|
Dear Mr. (Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
The Honorable John J. Jones |
| Vice President |
The Vice President
Executive Office Building
Washington, DC 20501
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Vice President |
Mr. (or Madam) Vice President |
The Vice President or the Vice President of the United States |
| Cabinet members |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
The Secretary of ____________ or The Attorney General
Washington, DC
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Secretary |
Mr. (or Madam) Secretary |
The Secretary of _________________ |
| Chief Justice |
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Justice or Dear Mr. (or Madam) Chief Justice |
Mr. (or Madam) Chief Justice |
The Chief Justice |
| Associate Justice |
Mr. Justice Jones or Madam Justice Jones
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Justice |
Mr. Justice or Mr. Justice Jones; Madam Justice or Madam Justice Jones |
Mr. Justice Jones; Madam Justice Jones |
| United States Senator |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
|
Dear Senator Jones |
Senator Jones |
Senator Jones from Nebraska |
| Speaker of the House |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
Speaker of the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Speaker |
Mr. Speaker; Madam Speaker |
The Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| United States Representative |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
|
Dear Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Representative Jones from New Jersey |
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| United Nations Ambassador |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Ambassador |
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations |
The American Ambassador
The Ambassador of The United States of America
|
| Ambassador |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
Ambassador of the United States
American Embassy
Address goes here
|
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Ambassador |
Mr. (or Madam) Ambassador |
The American Ambassador
The Ambassador of The United States of America
|
| Consul-General |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
American Consul General
Address goes here
|
Dear Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
| Foreign Ambassador |
His (or Her) Excellency John (or Jean) Johnson
Ambassador of ______________
Address goes here
|
Excellency or Dear Mr. (or Madam) Ambassador |
Excellency; or Mr. (or Madam) Ambassador |
The Ambassador of _______________ |
| Secretary-General of the United Nations |
His (or Her) Excellency Milo (or Mara) Jones
Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
|
Dear Mr.(or Madam) Secretary-General |
Mr. (or Madam) Secretary-General |
The Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| Governor |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
Governor of ______________
State Capitol
Address goes here
|
Dear Governor Jones |
Governor or Governor Jones |
The Governor of Maine: Governor Jones of Maine |
| State legislators |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones
Address goes here
|
Dear Mr. (Or Mrs. , Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (Or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
Mr. (Or Mrs., Ms.) Jones |
| Judges |
The Honorable John J. Jones
Justice, Appellate Division
Supreme Court of the State of ______________
Address goes here
|
Dear Judge Jones |
Justice or Judge Jones; Madam Justice or Judge Jones |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones; Mr. Justice Jones or Judge Jones; Madam Justice Jones or Judge Jones |
| Mayor |
The Honorable John (or Jane) Jones; His (or Her) Honor the Mayor
City Hall
Address goes here
|
Dear Mayor Jones |
Mayor Jones; Mr. (Or Madam) Mayor; Your Honor |
Mayor Jones; The Mayor |
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| Protestant Clergy |
The Reverend John (or Jane) Jones* |
Dear Dr. (or Mr., Ms.) Jones |
Dr. (or Mr., Ms.) Jones |
The Reverend (or Dr.) John Jones |
| Bishop (Episcopal) |
The Right Reverend John Jones*
Bishop of __________
Address goes here
|
Dear Bishop Jones |
Bishop Jones |
The Right Reverend John Jones, Bishop of Detroit |
| Rabbi |
Rabbi Arthur (or Anne) Schwartz
Address goes here
|
Dear Rabbi Schwartz |
Rabbi Schwartz or Rabbi |
Rabbi Arthur Schwartz |
*If the cleric holds a doctorate in divinity, it is customary to add the designation D.D. after his or her name in the letter address.
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| The Pope |
His Holiness, the Pope or His Holiness, Pope John XII
Vatican City
Rome, Italy
|
Your Holiness or Most Holy Father |
Your Holiness or Most Holy Father |
His Holiness, the Holy Father; the Pope; the Pontiff |
| Cardinals |
His Eminence, John Cardinal Jones, Archbishop of ______________
Address goes here
|
Your Eminence of Dear Cardinal Jones |
Your Eminence or Cardinal Jones |
His Eminence, Cardinal Jones |
| Bishops |
The Most Reverend John Jones, Bishop (or Archbishop) of ______________
Address goes here
|
Your Excellency or Dear Bishop (Archbishop) Jones |
Your Excellency or Bishop (Archbishop) Jones |
|
| Monsignor |
The Reverend Monsignor James Harding
Address goes here
|
Reverend Monsignor or Dear Monsignor |
Monsignor Harding or Monsignor |
Monsignor Harding |
| Priest |
The Reverend John Jones
Address goes here
|
Reverend Father or Dear Father Jones |
Father or Father Jones |
Father Jones |
| Brother |
Brother John or Brother John Jones
Address goes here
|
Dear Brother John or Dear Brother |
Brother John or Brother |
Brother John |
| Sister |
Sister Mary Marshall |
Dear Sister Mary Marshall or Dear Sister |
Sister Mary Marshall or Sister |
Sister Mary Marshall |
| Person |
Letter Address |
Letter Greeting |
Spoken Greeting |
Formal Introduction |
| King or Queen |
His (Her) Majesty King (Queen) ___________
Address (letters traditionally are sent to reigning monarchs not directly but via the private secretary)
|
Your Majesty; Sir or Madam |
Varies depending on titles, holdings, etc. |
|
| Other royalty |
His (Her) Royal Highness, the Prince (Princess) of _______________
Address goes here
|
Your Royal Highness |
Your Royal Highness; Sir or Madam |
His (Her) Royal Highness, the Duke (Duchess) of Gloucester |
| Duke/Duchess |
His/Her Grace, the D ____________ of ____________ |
My Lord Duke/ Madam or Dear Duke of ____________/Dear Duchess |
Your Grace or Duke/Duchess |
His/Her Grace, the Duke/Duchess of Bridgeport |
| Marquess/Marchioness |
The Most Honorable the M _____________ of Bridgeport |
My Lord/Madam or Dear Lord/Lady Bridgeport |
Lord/Lady Bridgeport |
Lord/Lady Bridgeport |
| Earl |
The Right Honorable the Earl of Franklin |
My Lord or Dear Lord Franklin |
Lord Franklin |
Lord Franklin |
| Countess (wife of an earl) |
The Right Honorable the Countess of Franklin |
Madam or Dear Lady Franklin |
Lady Franklin |
Lady Franklin |
| Viscount/Viscountess |
The Right Honorable the V _____________ Tyburn |
My Lord/Lady or Dear Lord/Lady Tyburn |
Lord/Lady Tyburn |
Lord/Lady Tyburn |
| Baron/Baroness |
The Right Honorable Lord/Lady Austin |
My Lord/Madam or Dear Lord/Lady Austin |
Lord/Lady Austin |
Lord/Lady Austin |
| Baronet |
Sir John Jones, Bt. |
Dear Sir or Dear Sir John |
Sir John |
Sir John Jones |
| Wife of Baronet |
Lady Jones |
Dear Madam or Dear Lady Jones |
Lady Jones |
Lady Jones |
| Knight |
Sir John Jones |
Dear Sir or Dear Sir John |
Sir John |
Sir John Jones |
| Wife of knight |
Dear Madam or Dear Lady Jones |
Lady Jones |
Lady Jones |
|
| Military Personnel |
For commissioned officers in the U.S. Armed services, the full rank is used as a title only in addressing letters and in formal introductions: one writes to Major General Sarah Miller, U.S. Army, and introduces her as Major General Miller. In greetings the full rank is shortened to General: "Dear General Miller." Similar acceptable shortened greetings follow categorized by full rank then greetings : |
| Army, Air Force, Marines |
General of the Army
Lieutenant General
Brigadier General
Lieutenant Colonel
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
|
General
General
General
Colonel
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
|
| Navy, Coast Guard |
Fleet Admiral
Vice Admiral
Rear Admiral
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
|
Admiral
Admiral
Admiral
Commander
Lieutenant
|
| |
For enlisted personnel, a similar principle applies.
Sergeants -- whether staff sergeants, gunnery sergeants,
or first sergeants -- are greeted simply as "Sergeant";
privates first class are referred to as "Private";
and, in the Navy and Coast Guard, chief petty officers are
referred to as "Chief." Other noncommissioned
officers are greeted by their ranks, although, informally,
lower grades may be referred to generically as "Soldier"
or "Sailor."
The universal terms of respect that lower ranks must use
when addressing senior officers are "Sir" and
"Madam." These terms are not applied to
noncommissioned officers, however; the appropriate
affirmative response to a sergeant, for example, is
"Yes, Sergeant."
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