Postscript (PS) Formatting
A postscript is an extra note added after the main letter or email. “PS” is a standard abbreviation, and “P.S.” is also recorded in American dictionary usage; choose punctuation consistently with your editorial style instead of inventing a universal rule.
Use PS for a short afterthought at the end of a letter or email—for example, “PS: I’ve attached the updated schedule.” Put important instructions in the main body instead of hiding them in a postscript.
Key details
Further guidance
Form
Cambridge records “PS” and the American-dictionary form “P.S.”, so punctuation should follow the style system you are using rather than being labeled universally right or wrong.
Function
Use a postscript for a short addition after the main message; it should not be a substitute for essential information that belongs in the body.
Placement
A postscript appears at the end of the letter or email, after the main message and closing/signature context.
Practical Application
Use a postscript for a genuinely short afterthought after the main message. “PS” is a standard abbreviation; punctuated “P.S.” is also documented in American usage, so follow the governing house style consistently.
Reader Check
Ask whether the information is important enough that the reader should see it in the main body. Deadlines, required actions, and key decisions should not be hidden in a postscript.
Worked Example
Main body: “Please approve the schedule by Thursday.” Optional afterthought after the sign-off: “PS: I added the venue map you asked for.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Postscript — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Definition of postscript and PS as an added message after the main letter or email
- PS — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · PS/P.S. abbreviation and placement at the end of a letter or email