Any English teachers out there?

callow

I am trying to get a definite answer on the correct punctuation of a formal letter. My daughter is doing her 11 plus in a few weeks.

I was taught that the address in the right hand corner didn't need a comma after each line, neither did you need to put a full stop after an abbreviation, such as Mr or Rd.

However my daughter's tutor says that a comma must go after each line of the address and full stops used after abbreviations.

Could someone tell me which is correct for secondary school/ GCSE level?

Thanks

Sally

A_Nice_Englishman

Not a teacher, but I think the 'correct' answer is that which the examiner wants. If the tutor is worth his salt he will know what that is.

vickiem30

Hi

I teach English at a college.

You are correct, you don't need commas and don't need full stops after Mr etc. I would guess that your daughter's teacher is an older person as this practice is rather old fashioned.

Vicki

flea72

callow wrote: »

I am trying to get a definite answer on the correct punctuation of a formal letter. My daughter is doing her 11 plus in a few weeks.

I was taught that the address in the right hand corner didn't need a comma after each line, neither did you need to put a full stop after an abbreviation, such as Mr or Rd.

However my daughter's tutor says that a comma must go after each line of the address and full stops used after abbreviations.

Could someone tell me which is correct for secondary school/ GCSE level?

Thanks

Sally

this has nothing to do with english language, its about the format adopted by secretaries over the past decade

it is now standard practice to not use punctuation in the addressing of letters, so no you wouldnt use commas at sentence ends or full stops after abbreviations

also addresses no longer go in the right hand corner, you would put both addresses on the left side (unless you have headed notepaper), and there is no indentation with addresses or paragraphs, all lines start to the left, its called the block method

hth Flea

AnnieM_3

I would have said no commas etc., but you are looking for the official answer.

This might help - from BBC Bitesize.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/writingnonfict/writingtoarguerev_print.shtml

It may help if you know which exam board to go by, as there may be differences...

By the way, the BBC Bitesize model answer at the bottom of the page I have linked to does have commas etc.

HTH,

AnnieM

frivolous_fay

I'm 31 and I was taught at 11 not to punctuate addresses in the way you describe

Is the teacher a stubborn looking nonagenarian?

vaio

frivolous_fay wrote: »

I'm 31 and I was taught at 11 not to punctuate addresses in the way you describe

Is the teacher a stubborn looking nonagenarian?

I'm 50 and was taught to punctuate as described

skintchick

I'm a proofreader and would say either is correct as long as you are consistent - although having said that, using full stops after Mr or Mrs is incredibly old-fashioned and I'm surprised anyone would teach that these days. However, it is not wrong, and nor is the other way.

looby-loo_2

It is different depending on whether the letter is typed or hand written

Hand written - traditional layout

Typed - it is all blocked on the left

3plus1

Hi Sally,

I used to teach English as a Foreign Language and I would disagree with your DD's teacher. I work in accountancy now and my secretary would disagree with your DD's teacher too - and she's pretty old fashioned, putting "Esq" after men's names at the top of letters!

That said, I would agree with A Nice Englishman. There is a difference between learning a subject and learning how to pass an exam in a subject. You may disagree with the style, but if it helps your DD get a few extra points, go with it. She doesn't have to punctuate in such a way outside of school.

Becles

looby-loo wrote: »

I'm not suprised chidren are confused.

This is what is taught at our school. It is different depending on whether the letter is typed or hand written

Hand written - Address on the right with a comma after each line but nothing after the city or the postcode. Then miss a line and write the date on the right hand side too with the month written as a word. Then miss another line and put Dear xxxxx, on the left and start the body of the letter, indenting each paragraph.

If typed it is all blocked on the left

That's what I was taught.

However I'm doing an Open Uni course and I've found that you get more marks for writing in a style that the tutor likes, so I would do as the teacher says!