‘Thanks for.. ‘ or ‘I thank you for…’

I was wondering if the expression “I thank you for your answer” isn’t nicer than ” Thank you for your answer”. For comparison, saying “I thank you” in French is nicer because the person who says it is more involved than when he/she simply says “Thank you for …”. Is it the same thing in … Read more

What do you solve?

What are different things that can be solved? For the purposes of responding to a complaint “I can’t solve this!” with the intent: “That’s because it’s not a(n) ______”. Words considered so far: Problem Equation Puzzle Specifically the response should convey comfort to the complainant. “You cannot solve this because this is not really a … Read more

What’s the meaning of “personal correspondence”?

“His personal correspondence is renowned in the Italian language” – from an article about Niccolò Machiavelli What is the exact meaning of “personal correspondence” in that context ? Answer These would be letters Machiavelli wrote to friends and acquaintances but not as part of his official duties. You may wish to read Machiavelli and His … Read more

Acknowledge vs Noted

I have a friend who is using “acknowledge” when someone asks him to confirm something. Usually I observe people using “Okay, noted.” but I never see anyone using “Acknowledge”. Therefore I want to check that it is okay to use “Acknowledge” instead of “Okay, noted.” in response to an email? Answer You could certainly use … Read more

“Dear Sir” or “Dear John” if you are addressing the VP of a company

How to address the VP of a company or department? I have been told that addressing by name was not polite. Any clues? Answer Unless you knew him personally, it would certainly not be appropriate in the UK, and I imagine it would not be in the US either. Few men will object to being … Read more