Introduction
In this era of digitalisation, sending messages is as easy as a click. The digital platforms have made the world a global place to live in. However, the traditional medium of communication, like the letters, is still crucial.
So it is necessary to have cognisance of the skills used in writing an envelope. You should know the answer to various questions.
How to write an envelope?
How to address an envelope?
How to fill out an envelope?
How to fill an envelope?
How to label an envelope?
How to format an envelope?
Moreover, there are some situations when handwritten letters work like magic in your process of communication. You may require to write an envelope in case of sending mails or messages.
But you cannot write the envelope in any form. There is a definite structure which a person must follow. This is because any carelessness can lead to the wrong or late delivery of your content.
This article entails the structures of properly addressing an envelope in different conditions.
How to Address an Envelope Properly?
Fabricating the envelope with the right address format is necessary to exhibit your professionalism. No matter what is the content inside the envelope, the outside of the envelope proffers the first impression to the recipient. The essential attributes which the sender should concoct on the envelope are as follows.
- The return address or sender’s address.
- Recipient’s name and address.
- Postage Stamp.
However, each attribute has its format and structure. So it is crucial to know the detailed information of each characteristic. This is because of the format changes as per the requirements and the recipient.
Return Address
The return address is the address of the sender. Include return address on the top left corner of the envelope. As the name suggests, it is the address to which the envelope returns in case of any issues.
Lack of a return address might lead to losing your envelope if it is not delivered. So, it is crucial to include a return address to procure your parcel back in case of failures. But how to put address on an envelope? The format of this address goes as follows.
The full name of the sender is written on the first line of the address. The next one or two lines entail the street address of the sender. Then in the third line, the city, state, and zip code of the sender are mentioned.
Recipient Address
The recipient’s address depends upon the type of recipient to whom you proffer the letter. The receiver can be your friend, a military person or a businessman. His or her address is written in the centre of the envelope. But how to write out an envelope?
In case of an informal relationship with the receiver, fabricate the address in the following way.
First of all, jot down the full name of the receiver in the first line. The next two lines can be used to write the full street address. In the last line, the sender should mention the name of the city, state and the zip code of the recipient.
Military Address
Write the address in the following format for a person who has a military background.
A military address has many military people. So it becomes difficult to locate the specific person. Hence, it is crucial to write the full name of the recipient in the first line along with the rank. The full name integrates the first name, the surname and the initials of the middle name.
To speed up the process of delivery, you can even add up the unit number of the person. Instead of the city name, the sender should write the base of abbreviation of the person. Such base abbreviations refer to the stations where the writer sends the letter.
The three base abbreviations are:
- APO- Army post office
- FPO- Fleet post office
- DPO- Diplomatic post office
After inscribing the base abbreviation, the sender entails the region and the zip code on the envelope. The region is written in place of the state in a military address. Different areas, depending upon the duty stations are:
- AA- Anywhere in America
- AP- Anywhere in the Pacific
- AE- Europe, Canada, the Middle East or Africa
The zip code is written after the region. However, sometimes there is an extra four-digit number in the zip code. So you should be cautious about writing the right zip code depending upon the region.
Business Address
The opening line of the business address commences with the name of the company or organisation. The second line exhibits the name of the individuals preceding, which are certain abbreviations or phrases. Writing the name of the person is essential because there are many professionals in the same organisation.
The abbreviations used are ‘ATTN:’ or ‘c/o’. ‘C/O’ stands for “courtesy of” and helps to know the exact person for which the letter is meant. To augment your professional tone, you can add the phrases Mr., Miss, Mrs., doctor, etc. in front of the name.
After the name, the writer can pen the street address line. In the next line, the city, state, and zip code are written respectively.
International Shipping Address
Sending parcels and letters internationally require you to write the international mail address. You can fabricate this address in the following way.
First of all, add the country name in the shipping address. Moreover, some countries use the zip code in front of the city or country name. So, you should pay heed to know the respective zip code of the relevant country.
The number of stamps you should place on the envelopes of different countries differ.
Stamp
Just like the return address in the top left corner of the envelope; the sender places the stamp on the top right corner of the envelope. You can easily set this stamp on the edge. However, there are specific rules and regulations which you must follow.
Knowing the number of stamps to place on different letters is also crucial. If you are sending a standard letter in America, then using the forever stamps is the best option. This is because you can use such stamps for one-ounce letters without being affected by the dynamic price trends.
However, in case of sending international letters, you should use global forever stamps. They have the same advantages as the forever stamps, and price changes do not affect them.
Postcards have their stamps which are relatively cheaper than the forever stamps. Different size envelopes need the non-machineable stamps. People use such envelopes for parties and weddings. However, the price of non-machineable stamps is more than regular stamps.
Importance of Properly Addressing an Envelope
Exhibit Professionalism
The receiver sees the envelopes as soon as he or she handles the letter or package. Hence it is the writing on the envelope which the people see.
Such envelopes exhibit your professionalism in case of business letters. Any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors can tarnish your professional image.
Timely Delivery
Writing all the three components of the envelope is important and writing it in the right manner ensures timely and hassle-free delivery. Moreover, if the letter is not sent, then the respective person can return it to you with the correct address.
Difficult Addresses
There are many complicated addresses like the special address of a military person or the international address. Hence, correctly addressing helps to send the letters easily.
Address Format or Template
How to fill envelope address:
[Your full name]
[Your street name and number]
[Your city name and zip code]
[Recipient’s full name]
[Recipient’s street name and number]
[Recipient’s city name and zip code]
Military Address
[Your full name]
[Your street name and number]
[Your city name and Zip code]
[Recipient’s name and rank]
[Recipient’s box number]
[Base abbreviations]
[Region name and zip code]
Example
How to fill envelope address
Elsa Tiffen
98 Colonel St.
Chicago, Illinois, 84726
Nick James
35 Colum St.
Los Angeles, California, 37829
Military Envelope
Lucy James.
53 Bridge St.
Houston, TX 54983
Colonel Michael Fred
Unit 5467 Box 1438
DPO AA
6483
Conclusion
Now you know how to properly address the envelope when you send a letter to someone. It is important to use correct format, correct recipient’s mailing address to ensure your mail gets to the right person easily. For a perfectly addressed envelope you can also take help from the manual on United States Postal Service Portal.