How to Address a Letter to a Family
Using Specific Family Members' Names
- Begin with the parents' names and titles. When addressing an envelope to an entire family, in addition to using the...
- Follow with any children's names. On the next line, list the names of children who are under 18 and live as...
- Alternatively, write the parents' names followed by "and Family". In situations where you don't know the names of any...
- Omit children's names if the letter isn't intended for them. The above examples assume that the letter is intended...
How to address an envelope to a family member?
Write "The (Surname) Family" at the top of the address. When you're looking to address an envelope to an entire family, rather than a single individual, you have two options: you can use the family name to represent the entire family, or you can specifically address the envelope to some (or all) of the family members. Let's tackle the first option first. The easiest way to address an envelope to an entire family is simply write "The (Last Name of the Family) Family" as the first line of your address. This method is a good choice for general communications (like friendly letters) but may be unwise for addressing envelopes in which it's important to know who the letter is specifically for (like wedding invitations).
How to address an envelope to an unmarried couple?
for wedding invitations) of addressing an envelope to an unmarried couple who live together (if the letter/invitation/document is intended for them both) is to write their names on two separate lines (the first two lines), followed by the address that they share.
How to address a letter to your parents?
1. Address the outer envelope to the parents only. Some types of letters make a point of requesting a response from the recipient. In situations like these, a small, usually pre-addressed reply envelope is often included inside the outer envelope.
How to address an inner return envelope?
If you're requesting a response for every member of the family (for instance, if you're inviting the entire family to your wedding), write the parents' names on the first line of the address and the children's names underneath on the second line. If, however, you're only requesting a response from the parents, you would only write their names on the first line of the address, then proceed to the street address and so on.
How to write an address on an envelope?
Regardless of the method you use for the first line of your envelope's address, the rest of the address is written as it would be for any other letter. Under the first line containing the family name, write the street number or PO box, then, on the next line, write the city, state/province, postal code, and so on. If writing internationally, write the name of the country below on a separate fourth line. Write your return address in the same fashion in the top left corner of the envelope. For more information, see How to Write an Address on an Envelope .
What to write on an envelope for a wedding?
For example, if you're inviting the entire Jones family to your wedding, for the outer envelope, you would only write the names of the parents: Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Jones, or Tim and Janet Jones.
How to write a letter to Tim and Janet Smith?
For example, to write a letter to Tim and Janet Smith and their kids, you would write, “The Smith Family.”. Similarly, you can use the plural version of their last name, such as “The Smiths”. Alternatively, you can use the parents’ names and titles followed by the words, “and Family,” or “and Children.”.
What should be on a child's envelope?
Formal envelopes should include the child's name on the first line and a "care of" designation on the second line with their parents' names. Formal example:
How old do you have to be to send a letter to a child?
If the message inside the envelope is meant to include the children under age 18 in the family, they should be included on the envelope address. Children over age 18 and other adult members of the household should receive their own separate letters.
What is a formal family letter?
Formal Addresses for Family Letters. Formal letter greetings typically include titles and last names of the recipients and are followed by a colon. These would be reserved for things like wedding invitations and legal or professional correspondences. Dear (insert formal family address from envelope here):
Why do family members not care about envelopes?
The Elements of Family Correspondence. Most family members won't care if you've addressed an envelope or letter properly, because they accept you as you are. However, how you address these family correspondences can send unintentional messages.
Where do you put your last name on an envelope?
Your name or your family name and address go in the top left corner of the envelope. The recipient's family name and address goes in the center of the envelope. You should always include last names on an envelope address. You do not use an apostrophe with last names in addresses.
Can you open a letter with a comma?
If you are writing a personal letter, sending a fun family newsletter, or writing another type of informal letter, you can open the letter with an informal greeting. In these instances it is okay to just use first names, and the greeting is followed by a comma.
Do you put an apostrophe on last names?
You do not use an apostrophe with last names in addresses. Add an "s" to the end of last names that don't end in "s," and add an "es" to the end of last names that end in "s.". Traditionally, men's names come first. A stamp goes in the top right corner if you're not hand-delivering the letter.
What does the Smiths mean?
The Smiths is plural for "Smith" and means there is more than one person named Smith and the invitation is from them all. When in doubt, we like to use "The Smith Family". The Smith's (with an apostrophe before the s) is the possessive of "Smith" and indicates one person ownership.
How to show plural possession?
Rule 2. To show plural possession, make the noun plural first. Then immediately use the apostrophe.
Where to use apostrophes in a sentence?
Use the apostrophe where the noun that should follow is implied. Example: This was his father's, not his, jacket. Rule 5. Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot. where the letter (s) has been removed. Examples: don't, isn't. You're right. She's a great teacher.
What are some examples of joy to behold?
Examples: Alex's skating was a joy to behold.
Is "the Smiths" plural or possessive?
The Smiths' (with an apostrophe after the s) is plural possessive and means the possession of more than one "Smith" of something (see Rule 2 below) like "The Smiths' house is white.". So, the proper grammar for your return address is "The Smiths" or "The Smiths invite you ...".
When to use apostrophe in compound noun?
Rule 7. If the compound noun is plural, form the plural first and then use the apostrophe.
When to use apostrophes with capital letters?
Exception: Use apostrophes with capital letters and numbers when the meaning would be unclear otherwise.
