Page 159 - Basic English Usage

159 212

b Title + surname.
This is more formal or respectful.
Good morning, Mr Williamson.
Note that we do not usually use both the first name and the surname of
people we are talking to. (t would be unusual to say ‘Heflo, Peter
Matthews for example.
,
Note also that we do not normally use Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms alone. If you
want to speak to a stranger, for example, just say Excuse me, not
Excuse me, Mror Excuse me, Mrs (see 3 below).
3 Titles

Note the pronunciations of the titles:
Mr/musta(r)/ Mrs/muisiz/ Miss/mis/ Ms/miz, maz/
Mr( = Mister) is not usually written in full, and the others cannot be.
Ms is used to refer to women who do not wish to have to say whether
they are married or not.
Dr (/‘dokta(r)/) is used as a title for doctors (medical and other).
Professor (abbreviated Prof) is used only for certain high-ranking
university teachers.
Note that the wives and husbands of doctors and professors do not
share their partners’ titles. We do not say, for example, Mrs Dr Smith.
Sirand madam are used mostly by shop assistants. Some employees
call their male employers sir, and some schoolchildren call their male
teachers sir. (Female teachers are often called miss.)
Dear Sir and Dear Madam are ways of beginning letters (see 192). In
other situations sir and madam are unusual.
Excuse me. Could you tell me the time? (NOT Exeuse-me-sit ...)

212 nationality words

For each country, you need to know four words:
a. the adjective
American civilization Frenchperfume Danish bacon
b. the singular noun (used for a person from the country)
an American aFrenchman a Dane
c. the plural expression the ... (used for the nation)
the Americans theFrench _ the Danes

d. the name of the country
America orThe United States France Denmark
The name of the language is often the same as the adjective.
Do you speak French? = Danish is difficult to pronounce.