Mrs (said like missiz) is a title for a married woman, Miss for an unmarried one, and Ms (said like miz) for any woman, without saying whether she's married. In business emails Ms is the standard: Dear Ms Wilson. All three go before the surname, not the first name.
Miss, Ms or Mrs — can you pick the right one?
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Mrs + surname (married); Miss + surname (unmarried); Ms + surname (neutral); Dear Ms Wilson,; Mr/Mrs/Ms (UK) — Mr./Mrs./Ms. (US)
- Dear Ms Taylor, thank you for your quick reply to my application.
- Mrs Jones has lived next door to us for twenty years.
- Excuse me, miss, could you tell me where Platform 4 is?
What changed
First versionDear Mrs Kate, thank you for sending the documents so quickly.
RevisionDear Kate, thank you for sending the documents so quickly.
Mr, Mrs, Ms and Miss go before the surname: Mrs Wilson, Ms Wilson. Using one with a first name only, like Mrs Kate, looks like a mistake. To someone you know, write simply Dear Kate; to someone you don't, Dear Ms Wilson.
In British schools, pupils call a female teacher Miss, even if she's married with three children: Miss, can I open the window? It's a school tradition, not a mistake. One more detail: in American English, Mr, Mrs and Ms take a full stop (Ms.), while Miss never takes one in any variety of English.
Your turn
I don't know if the HR manager is married, so I'll start my email with Dear ___ Brown.
Show the answer
Ms — The writer doesn't know whether the manager is married. Ms doesn't show marital status and suits any woman. Mrs is a guess that she's married, and it may be wrong.
Write the opening of a business email to a woman you don't know personally. Include her surname and your reason for writing.
Dear Ms Carter, I am writing to ask about the marketing course that starts in September.
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