John, how are you? Professor Sana

Parents and grandparents

We use mother (usually formal), mum, mam, mummy (less formal) mom (American English) to talk to a mother, and father (usually formal), dad, daddy, papa (less formal) to address a father. For a grandmother we use gran, grandma, nana, nan, and for grandfather we use grandad, grandpa, granpy, gramps, pops:

Mum, you’re going to be really pleased to hear this.

I can borrow your car, can’t I, Gran?

Terms of endearment

We use terms of endearment for people we are very close to or to whom we want to show affection or friendship. They include: darling, dear, poppet (usually to a little child), love, luvvie, sweetheart. They may combine with names:

Can you lock the car, darling?

Peter, love, could you take this to the post-box for me?

Groups of people

We use folks, guys, everyone/everybody, children, boys, lads, girls, ladies, gentlemen to address groups. Some of these are more formal. For example, ladies and gentlemen is more formal than folks or guys. Guys is used more and more for groups of both sexes, not just males:

OK, boys, could you all wait in the main hall, please.

Everybody, could you all hand in your evaluations as you leave, please.

Come, on guys, come and help!