To Whom It May Concern

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Feebs11

#500239 Sun, 13 Apr 08 07:25 PM

To whom it may concern is only applicable in situations where the writer is asked to provide some kind of reference or document which the subject will be able to use at any time.

It is totally incorrect to use this as the start of a letter to a company. The question of how many people are likely to read the letter is immaterial.

Feebs11

Joined on Thu, Nov 23 2006

Senior Member (4,919)

Whom

Yoong Liat

#500247 Sun, 13 Apr 08 07:37 PM

Honie

Hi

I would like to know, we can use this phrase or not "to whom this may concern" instead of "to whom it may concern"

if using it, that wrong or not?

Honi

to whom this may concern (You have to use 'To whom it may concern'. Note no capitals needed except for 'To'.)

Yoong Liat

Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006

Singapore

Veteran Member (6,006)

Yoong Liat

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Yoong Liat

#500250 Sun, 13 Apr 08 07:46 PM

Anonymous
When using "to whom it may concern" in writing a letter are the first letters all capitalized?

Only 'The' is capitalized.

Yoong Liat

Whom

Clive

#500255 Sun, 13 Apr 08 08:12 PM

Hi guys,

I'd like to mention a point I offered some time ago. 'To whom it may concern' is so rarely used that I don't remember the last time I ever used it. Perhaps half a dozen times in my entire life. Other people have also noted that in this thread that it is not often, even rarely, used, but I feel that readres may be overlooking this advice.

There seems to be so much interest in this phrase that I am concerned that English learners are going to start large numbers of letters in a way that is totally inappropriate.

Best wishes, Clive

Clive

Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004

Canada

Veteran Member (21,162)

El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

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Yoong Liat

#500629 Mon, 14 Apr 08 04:32 PM

Yoong Liat

Anonymous
When using "to whom it may concern" in writing a letter are the first letters all capitalized?

Only 'The' is capitalized.

It should be Only 'To' is capitalized.

Yoong Liat

Whom

RayH

#500634 Mon, 14 Apr 08 04:41 PM

Honie
Hi

I would like to know, we can use this phrase or not "to whom this may concern" instead of "to whom it may concern"

if using it, that wrong or not?

thank you in advance

Honi

No. Don't modify standard phases and terms. Everyone knows, and expects to see, the standard wording. Changing it just causes confusion (or worse).

RayH

Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008

CA, USA

Regular Member (695)

Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.

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Yoong Liat

#500641 Mon, 14 Apr 08 04:47 PM

Anonymous
This is really very simple:
Use Dear Sir/Madam when you know (or can assume) the position of the person you are writing to but not their name or gender. Use To whom it may concern when you don't even know their position. If you use To whom it may concern end with Yours faithfully.

Endi

Hi Endi

Who taught you what you posted? Which book, etc tells you that?

In BrE, when we write Dear Sir / Madam, we write Yours faithfully above the signature.

Yoong Liat

Whom, Yours faithfully, Genders

Osee

#528759 Tue, 17 Jun 08 07:15 PM

Hi Clive,

I usually start my letter by "Dear Madam or Sir." I have noticed many times that natives started letters by "Dear Sir or Madam." I do not understand this because I thougth it is against both the "lady first" thing and the fact letter M preceding letter S.

Regards, Osee

Clive

Hi Forbes,

I'd be reluctant to just say to English learners that it's for writing a letter to someone whose identity you don't know. With a definition that simple, I'd prefer to say that you should write 'Dear Sir or Madam'.

Best wishes, Clive