Meaning & use
brief letter
Last updated
UK/ˌbriːf ˈletə/
US/ˌbriːf ˈletər/
Meaning
phrasecountable
A short written message, usually sent by mail or email, that gives information or makes a request.
Grammar: Countable phrase; plural is 'brief letters'.
Patterns
- write a brief letter
- send a brief letter
- a brief letter to someone
She wrote a brief letter to the bank explaining the error.
He sent a brief letter of apology to his neighbor.
A brief letter can be more effective than a long email.
Word forms
| plural | brief letters |
|---|
Common combinations
- write a brief letter
- Please write a brief letter to confirm your address.
- send a brief letter
- I will send a brief letter to the manager.
- a brief letter of complaint
- She filed a brief letter of complaint with the store.
- receive a brief letter
- We received a brief letter thanking us for our donation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- short letter
- Almost the same; 'short' is more general, while 'brief' often suggests it says only what is necessary.
- note
- A very short, informal message, often not sent by mail.
- memo
- A short message used in business or official settings, not usually a personal letter.
Opposites
long letter
Word family
Commonly confused: brief letter or brief (noun)?
brief letter vs brief (noun)
A 'brief' as a noun can mean a legal document or a set of instructions, not a letter.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'brief letter' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A letter is written 'to' someone, so 'to her landlord' is correct. The other prepositions do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “brief letter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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