Miss, Mrs., and Ms. are all very different. Choosing the wrong one can be offensive, so it’s important to understand the difference between the three.
REMEMBER: If someone tells you they prefer a particular title, you should use it to address them.
Miss, when attached to a name, is a title of respect for a woman who is not married. You can use it by itself, or combine it with a surname, a descriptor of a prominent characteristic, or something she represents.
- Miss Jones is the new biology teacher.
- Who won Miss Universe in 2017.
- Excuse me, Miss. You dropped your keys.
Mrs. (pronounced misses) is a title of respect for a woman who is married or widowed and is used with the family name or the woman’s complete name. Once upon a time if the woman’s name wasn’t know, it was sued with the husband”s complete name, but that’s not too common nowadays.
- Mrs. Obama is a wonderful role model for girls and women.
- Mrs. NIcole Kidman (She is married to Keith Urban) is a well known Australian actor and producer.
We use Ms(pronounced mizz) if we don’t know whether a woman is married or not? It started being used in the 1950s and became popular during the women’s movement of the 1970s. It doesn’t indicate a woman’s marital status. The title because “Ms.” seemed a suitable equivalent of “Mister,” a title of respect for both unmarried and married men.
Can you think of any other positions?
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