Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we're saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I'm Lauren Smyth, and as I'm sure you have no doubt noticed, it's Thanksgiving season. If you're from the U.S., anyway. If you're not ... well, around here, we're getting ready to eat a ton of turkey and express gratitude for all the great things that happened this year. This often involves writing thank-you notes, which are surprisingly difficult to write. What's a good format for writing a sincere, polite note?
Of course, use proper grammar. Starting with the semi-formal "dear so-and-so" is usually best. The first sentence should explain the reasoning behind the note as in "thank you for" or send well-wishes to the reader. The middle can elaborate on this. I really enjoyed, I'm so grateful for, your generosity has helped me, and so on. The closing paragraph should mirror the first line in different words. And the note should end with a respectful close: sincerely, respectfully, best regards, and warm wishes are all good options. Use neat handwriting and select appropriate stationery. If you make a mistake, don't scribble it out--cross it out with a single line and keep going.
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