Colon After a Formal Salutation
The Colon
Rulebase Summary
Use a colon after the salutation of a formal communication such as a letter, email, or official address. This applies when the salutation appears in testimony or is being read into the record.
BGGP Colon.9 · p.134
Examples
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A. The letter began, 'Dear Mr. Reeves,'
✓
A. The letter began, 'Dear Mr. Reeves:'
Formal salutation takes a colon, not a comma.
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A. The letter began with "Dear Judge Wilson,"
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A. The letter began with "Dear Judge Wilson:"
Formal letter salutation takes a colon, not a comma.
Transcript Notes
When a witness reads a letter or formal communication aloud, the salutation keeps its colon in the transcript, just as it would appear in the original document.
Style Guide References (1)
BGGP
Colon.9
Page 134