A separate topic in the study of English is usually the tradition of writing letters. Why is she paid so much attention? Everything is simple. Each country has its own characteristics that must be observed when writing letters. Even the address is not always written the same everywhere, and this should be taken into account, because the correct spelling of the address affects whether the recipient receives a letter or not. In this article, we will find out how to write an address in English.
The address is in English. Main features
Before proceeding to the details, we will analyze how to write the address in English in general terms. First of all, it must be correctly placed on the envelope. Of course, now envelopes are more common, where the lines that need to be filled are already marked, but what if there are none? Remember that the sender’s address is traditionally written in the upper left corner, and the address of the recipient of the letter is intended in the lower right corner.
Handwriting
This small detail deserves special attention. In order for the letter to reach the recipient, the address must be written not only correctly, but also as legibly as possible. To do this, you must follow some rules. Firstly, the address is better indicated in block letters. Secondly, the letters should be large enough so that they can be easily read.
How to send a letter in the UK?
In English-speaking countries, address design traditions vary.
Therefore, we will analyze how to spell the address in English using a few examples. And we will start with the UK.
In Britain, there is a Royal Postal Service, which dictates the requirements for writing the address. For example, you need to remember that the name of the city must be written in capital letters (i.e. large). When writing the address, the following order is observed: the name of the sender, the house number and street, if necessary, after that the name of the district is mentioned, then the name of the city, written in capital letters, as mentioned above, and finally, the zip code. It is in such a strict sequence that the address is made out in letters in the UK.
How to send a letter to America?
Now let’s figure out how to write an address in English using American letters as an example. The requirements for the design of the address in American letters are somewhat different from the British requirements, and all because the American letter will have to indicate the name of the state. Moreover, you need to write it not completely, but use certain abbreviations. For example, instead of New York, you just need to write NY. To find out which abbreviation corresponds to the name of a particular state, you need to use the postal service site of America, which provides a complete list of abbreviations.
So, how do you write the address in English when sending letters to the United States? More precisely, in what order should it be written? First of all, as in the British version, you must specify the name of the sender / recipient, then indicate the house number and street name, then the name of the city, the abbreviated name of the state and zip code. The name of the country is indicated last.
The address should be written in capital letters, especially if it is an official letter.
Features of writing a business letter
Business writing often requires more rules and regulations.
In a business letter, the name must be addressed in accordance with the status of the recipient. Before the name of the man, Mr. is used, if the letter is addressed to a married woman, then Mrs. should be used. If the woman is not married, then Miss is written in front of the name, if information about the marital status is not known, then neutral treatment Ms. It is worth noting that in recent years, neutral treatment has been given greater preference, so long as it does not attract attention to the woman’s marital status and status. To some, this option seems more respectful and preferable.
It is also necessary to remember that when writing an address in a British letter, there is no need to put dots after the address form and initials.
How to write the address in English for delivery?
Nowadays, online shopping is rapidly gaining momentum. In online stores, a huge selection of goods at various prices. It is not surprising that many prefer online orders. True, some find it difficult to provide an address, because many online stores send goods from other countries. How to write a Russian address in English? Let's deal with this issue.
Here everything is somewhat simpler, since the shipment is intended for Russia, therefore, the address should be as clear as possible for the Russian postal service.
How to write the address in English, if the names are all Russian? Very simple. Need to use transliteration. Probably everyone who started to learn English tried to write their name in Latin letters. In general terms, this is transliteration. When applying for passports, transliteration is also used. There are even correspondence tables where you can see which Latin letters or their combination will correspond to Russian. Thus, all necessary names can be written in Latin letters.
The address is usually filled in the following order: first write the name and surname, then the house number and street, the name of the settlement, then indicate the region, zip code and country. It is very important to check before posting whether the index is spelled correctly. This will guarantee that the package will arrive without any problems.
What should I look for?
So, we have figured out how to write addresses in English. During the study of the rules, it was possible to notice that, in general, there are some similarities in the spelling of addresses in English. Everywhere, first of all, names are indicated, and then the movement begins, as if from larger to smaller. First, a street is written, then a city, etc., and the address ends with the name of the country, that is, there is an increase in movement. The difference between the British tradition of spelling the address and the American is in some details, but they are still worth considering. And, of course, you need to remember about business forms of appeal, if you write an official letter - this is what etiquette rules require.
But what should be paid attention to in absolutely all cases?
Firstly, the correctness of the specified address. It is better to double-check everything several times. Secondly, make sure that all words are written in large enough and can be easily read. They should be understandable so that postal workers do not guess the name of the city. And, of course, you definitely need to make sure that the index is spelled correctly and that it is generally indicated. This will significantly increase the likelihood that the package will reach the specified address without any problems.