General, Lieutenant General and Major General
All three ranks are referred to as General, except on the envelope, or formally - such as a list - when the exact rank is given. If a peer, the correct forms of address are as for a Field Marshal. If a baronet or a knight the appropriate titles should be substituted.
How to Address a General, Lieutenant General or Major General
The recommended social style of address is as follows:
| Beginning of letter | Dear Sir John/Dear General Jones |
| End of letter | Yours sincerely |
| Envelope | General Sir John Jones, GCB/Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smith, KCB/Major General George Brown, CB, CBE. The ranks should not be abbreviated. |
| Verbal communication | Sir John/General Jones* |
| Invitation | General Sir John Jones |
| Joint invitation+ | General Sir John and Lady Jones |
| Description in conversation | Sir John (or The General) |
| List of Directors or Patrons | General Sir John Jones, GCB |
| Place card | General Sir John Jones |
*A younger man, or a more junior officer in any of the Armed Forces, addresses him as 'Sir'.
+ Note: Traditionally, invitations to a married couple, when sent to their home address, are addressed to the wife alone, with both names being inscribed on the invitation card. It has become increasingly acceptable, however, to address the envelope with both names.
