Correspondence vs There's a letter

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Correspondence

Top 3,000 (common)C1noun

There's a letter

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: There's a letter
 CorrespondenceThere's a letter
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ˌkɒrəˈspɒndəns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/"]/🇬🇧 //ðeəz ə ˈlɛtə//🇺🇸 //ðɛrz ə ˈlɛtər//
MeaningLetters or messages exchanged between people.A written message, often sent by mail or email.
ExampleThe correspondence between the two scientists revealed important insights into their collaborative research.There's a letter on the table for you.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 3,000 (common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelC1-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsconfidential, personal, private, item, pile, enter into, exchange, have, course, school, column, by correspondence, through correspondence, in correspondence with, confidential, personal, private, item, pile, enter into, exchange, have, course, school, column, by correspondence, through correspondence, in correspondence with, direct, exact, one-to-one, correspondence betweensend a letter, receive a letter, open a letter, write a letter, read a letter
Antonymssilence, disconnection, non-communication-
Common mistakesConfusing with 'correspond' which is a verb., Using it to refer to conversations rather than written messages., Assuming it only refers to emails, not traditional letters.Confused with 'letters' as in alphabets., Using 'there's' incorrectly in plural contexts., Forgetting to specify the type of letter.
Usage notesUse this term when talking about official or formal exchanges, such as business letters. Avoid in casual conversations or when referring to informal messages like texts or chats.Used in both casual and formal contexts. Appropriate when informing someone about receiving or sending written communication.

See it in real clips

Correspondence
There's a letter

Frequently asked questions: Correspondence vs There's a letter

What's the difference between Correspondence and There's a letter?

Correspondence: Letters or messages exchanged between people. There's a letter: A written message, often sent by mail or email.

Which is more common: Correspondence and There's a letter?

There's a letter is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Correspondence: The correspondence between the two scientists revealed important insights into their collaborative research. There's a letter: There's a letter on the table for you.

Can I use Correspondence and There's a letter interchangeably?

Not always. Correspondence and There's a letter are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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