Question

read the salutation from a formal letter.
dear dr. garcia
what is the correct way to punctuate the salutation?
dear dr. garcia.
dear dr. garcia,
dear dr. garcia;
dear dr. garcia:

Explanation:

In formal letter writing for American English, a comma is the standard punctuation after a personal salutation like "Dear Dr. Garcia". A period would incorrectly end the greeting, a semicolon is not used for salutations, and a colon is typically reserved for very formal or impersonal salutations (e.g., "Dear Hiring Manager:").

Answer:

B. Dear Dr. Garcia,