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Thread: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

  1. #1
    uktous is offline Senior Member
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    Default Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Hi,

    Question:
    I am writing a letter, but there are 2 receivers.
    At the start, how I should write the names after the word "Dear"?

    Sentence:
    Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,
    Dear John Carson / Mary Jean,

    Thanks

  2. #2
    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Quote Originally Posted by uktous View Post
    Hi,

    Question:
    I am writing a letter, but there are 2 receivers recipients/addressees.
    At the start, how I should write the names after the word "Dear"?

    Sentence:
    Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,
    Dear John Carson / Mary Jean,

    Thanks
    It sounds odd to use the surname for one but not the other. I'm assuming that "Mary Jean" are the lady's two first names, not that her surname is Jean.

    It really depends how well you know them. If you're pretty well acquainted, then I would simply write "Dear John and Mary [Jean]"

    If you don't know them that well, then "Dear Mr Carson and Ms/Miss/Mrs + Mary's surname".
    Rover_KE and 5jj like this.

  3. #3
    shannico's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Quote Originally Posted by emsr2d2 View Post
    It sounds odd to use the surname for one but not the other. I'm assuming that "Mary Jean" are the lady's two first names, not that her surname is Jean.

    It really depends how well you know them. If you're pretty well acquainted, then I would simply write "Dear John and Mary [Jean]"

    If you don't know them that well, then "Dear Mr Carson and Ms/Miss/Mrs + Mary's surname".
    How about,
    Dear John and Mary Jean Carson??? That is, of course, if they are married and Mary Jean decided to take her husband's name.
    If I was sure she had, I'd use that formula.
    Hope it helps
    p.s. Though as emsr2d2 said, I would probably include only their names or surnames on the salutation line. I was thinking more of what to write on the back of the envelope!!!
    Last edited by shannico; 19-Jan-2012 at 11:48. Reason: p.s. added

  4. #4
    uktous is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Quote Originally Posted by shannico View Post
    How about,
    Dear John and Mary Jean Carson??? That is, of course, if they are married and Mary Jean decided to take her husband's name.
    If I was sure she had, I'd use that formula.
    Hope it helps
    p.s. Though as emsr2d2 said, I would probably include only their names or surnames on the salutation line. I was thinking more of what to write on the back of the envelope!!!
    extra info:

    John Carson
    Mary Jean

    are 2 names
    red words are first name, and blue words are last name

  5. #5
    shannico's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Quote Originally Posted by emsr2d2 View Post
    It sounds odd to use the surname for one but not the other. I'm assuming that "Mary Jean" are the lady's two first names, not that her surname is Jean.

    It really depends how well you know them. If you're pretty well acquainted, then I would simply write "Dear John and Mary [Jean]"

    If you don't know them that well, then "Dear Mr Carson and Ms/Miss/Mrs + Mary's surname".
    I would definitely stick to what emsr2d2 recommends

  6. #6
    Barb_D's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Dear Mr. Carson and Ms. Jean,
    emsr2d2 and 5jj like this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  7. #7
    BobSmith is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: Dear John Carson and Mary Jean,

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    Dear Mr. Carson and Ms. Jean,
    [not at teacher]

    The above if formal, the following if informal or familiar:

    Dear John and Mary,

    Also, the order may matter if one is subordinate to the other, especially in the formal case.

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