When we write too imposingly, and when our last phrase is excessively and inappropriately official? Natalya Tokar, the author of the business English teaching methodology, talks specifically for Marie Claire about how the signature hierarchy actually works.

When I was studying for a master's degree in Germany, I asked myself the same question - how to properly finish a letter in German when I write an application to the rector, send a resume to an employer, or ask unfamiliar classmates what they asked about film theory. In English I knew how to do all this (so it seemed to me), and German was a new language in which I spoke much better than I wrote. Every time Google "saved" me, and then it turned out that it only spoiled my relationships with people. I didn't understand how the signature hierarchy works. When I write too imposingly, and when my last phrase in the letter is excessively and inappropriately formal? I know that for many people who communicate with clients, partners and investors in English, this hierarchy is also incomprehensible. What I mean? Let's look at an example of how to start letters.

name question

The standard error is to translate a phrase in Russian up to a comma. For example: “Hello, Mr. Peter!” or “Hello, Peter!” English does not put a comma before addresses, and you rarely see an exclamation point at the end of a greeting, unless a bosom friend writes to you in the style of “Hey you!” or “Hey Mike!”

Standard business correspondence begins with "Dear" and ends with a comma. Possible options are “Dear Mr. Jones,” “Dear James,” or “Dear friends,” if you're referring to followers, colleagues, or another group of people. “Dear Sir/Madam,” is recommended if there is no way to get the name of a person who can help you. If there is such an opportunity, but you did not use it, your letter will most likely go to the trash. If you're writing a cover letter for your resume and don't know the name of the HR professional who will be reading it, take the trouble to find out (Google is usually in the know and is willing to help). If you're sending out VIP invitations to a conference, don't leave the word after "Dear" impersonal. People like to be called by their first names, and this is a generally accepted norm, reflecting a polite, considerate attitude towards a person.

From “friendly hugs” to a cold pool of “contacts”

At this point I am usually asked the question: What name should I call them? "Mister" or just "John"? "Miss" or "Mrs"? In short, there are two rules:

1. When addressing women, always write Ms (miss) to avoid even a hint of conflict or misunderstanding. This treatment is acceptable to women of any age and any marital status.
2. Always address the person the way they present themselves. If he introduces himself as John, you can text him "Dear John". If he passed away as John Smith, there is no need to shorten the distance ahead of time and omit the word “Mister”. Start your letter to him with “Dear Mr. Smith". The same rule works in reverse. If in the first letter you greeted in the style of “Dear John”, and then suddenly decided that you shouldn’t have called just by name (you should be more polite with the head of the representative office throughout Eastern Europe), and next time you write to him “Dear Mr. Smith”, you suddenly mark the distance. Sometimes it looks comical, and sometimes it can cause misunderstanding. We usually distance ourselves from people we don't particularly want to deal with or who have exceeded our credibility.

In Russian, it would look something like this. First you write: “Hi, Vasya!”, He answers you in a friendly tone and signs: “I invite you to lunch! Vasya". And you begin the next letter to Vasya with the words: “Dear Vasily Olegovich!” What would you think in Vasya's place? Most likely, Vasya will decide that he did or wrote something wrong, since he was suddenly asked to leave the “friendly hugs” zone and was again sent to the cold pool of “contacts”. John thinks the same. Therefore, if you work with foreigners, pay attention to how people introduce themselves when you get to know each other, and what signatures they put in their letters.

Simply the best

Now about signatures. There are many options, and they all mean something. What, for example, does the word “best” mean? In the same Masters, we had a professor from the USA who always ended her emails like this: “best, Susan”. At that time, for me it was a completely new rule of etiquette in English, which, as it seemed to me, I knew very well.

It turns out that this is the safest way to end business letters. The shade hierarchy looks like this:

"I wish you all the best, Susan", "All the best, Susan" and "Best, Susan"

The first option is the most official. Gradually you move towards the third option. If, when discussing who and how will present the project tomorrow, you have already exchanged letters with each other 25 times, it’s stupid to write “I wish you all the best” every time. Even "best" will already be superfluous. In recent issues, Bloomberg wrote that today people treat emails more like text messages, especially if the correspondence is in real time. That is, you immediately answer to solve some issue. It is quite acceptable to leave such letters without a greeting and without a polite farewell.

Especially with the rise of services like Slack, emails are becoming more like text messages: people don't say hello or goodbye, they get straight to the point. However, when we write a letter to a potential client, partner or employer, the rules of etiquette still apply. Not to say hello and not to say goodbye to the person to whom you are writing for the first (and even the second) time is still impolite.

Best or warmest regards

The most favorite variant of parting in a letter in the Russian-speaking space is “best regards”. It all starts with him, especially if it is a cold letter and you have never met the addressee in your life. This option means you are polite but keep your distance. It is impersonal, and does not express any relation to the interlocutor. Later, people switch to "kind regards", thereby indicating that there is more trust in the relationship. "Warm regards" or "warmest regards" can be too "warm" goodbye if you are discussing options for the supply of equipment. Most often, people quickly switch to just "regards" and leave it for all occasions. The same Bloomberg writes that "regards" and "best" are the two most neutral and therefore the most popular ways to end letters.

What about the rest? Is "Sincerely" really "sincere" or is it a deliberately formal way of saying "goodbye"? "Cheers" is suitable when we share photos from a corporate party or is it possible to write to a client like this? In any case, your writing style reflects your attitude towards the interlocutor. Moreover, with the help of different language units, you can establish or consolidate a variety of relationships between people. I will share with you the conclusions from the real practice of communication with foreign customers, investors and managers. You can also check with publications such as Inc., Business Insider, Bloomberg, or ask Will Schwalbe, co-author of the bestseller SEND: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better. They give very similar recommendations.

So, let's look at each option separately.

"Yours Faithfully"- probably the most outdated and most official version. Expresses deep respect for the interlocutor. The phrase is quite acceptable in the countries of the Near and Middle East, but is rare in Western culture and is used only on the condition that you began the letter with the words "Dear Sir".

"Yours Sincerely" or Sincerely is a good option if you need to be especially polite, but nothing more. There is no "warmth" or "sincerity" here. This is how the lawyer ends the letter, who will still give you an unimaginable bill, or the person with whom you have a business disagreement, but it makes sense to continue to cooperate and keep a professional distance. This is how you can and should end a cover letter to a potential employer. This is how they upload a letter that began with a first name (“Dear John” / “Dear Mr. Jones”).

One nuance: "Yours Sincerely" it can really reflect your reverent and sincere attitude towards a person if you are writing a letter to a relative, family member or very close friend. But since this column is dedicated to business communication, I will focus on exactly what you may need in the office tomorrow.

Best is the safest and most popular option in business correspondence between native English speakers. When in doubt, type those four letters, a comma, and your name.

Thanks- also a safe, but boring option. People say "thank you" everywhere, even when they're not really thanking you for anything, so use it when you really want to say "thank you". Add an exclamation mark - "Thanks!" to show that you do not write this word automatically.

"Many thanks"- this is a good option if the person helped you or promised to help, and you sincerely want to express gratitude. At other times, he seems formulaic and insincere.

TTYL, TAFN, etc. So you should not write, no matter how much you want to show that you know these abbreviations. TTYL ("talk to you later") or TAFN ("that "s all for now"). Such options are unprofessional and may confuse your interlocutor who does not know them or is not used to this style of communication (Outlook is still not a messenger) .

"Looking forward". It makes sense to use this phrase if you really are going to see a person soon, meet on Skype, or discuss a project after making changes over the phone. In other cases, it is better not to use it.

"Speak with you soon" / "Talk soon"- the first option is more formal, the second - more simple. They should be used when you really intend to talk to this person soon. Otherwise, it is insincere and will not serve to improve your relationship with the interlocutor.

"More soon"- so they write when they did not provide all the information in the letter and promise to write a second one - with additions and answers to other questions. If you are not going to do this, it is better to try to write everything at once, than to be branded as a person who says and does not. Promise little, deliver a lot.

"XX"- this option should be used with caution and it is better not to initiate it yourself. I don't use it at all in business correspondence. There are a number of experts who agree with me. However, there is also an opinion that in some situations this signature is appropriate. For example, "Alisa X" is an option for friendly but still professional notes or letters if those "friendships" are already formed. If not, don't tempt fate and don't draw two crosses first. It means "Kisses".

XOXO- this option is completely unacceptable and means "I kiss and hug." Save it for close friends and anyone you want to flirt with.

Cheers- an option that signals to an American that you are most likely from England or Australia, or pretending to be related to these countries. In the United States, such a signature is used extremely rarely. Experts recommend asking yourself, "Would you say that word out loud to another person's face?" and if not, don't use it as a signature.

[“Your Name”]- if you end the letter with just your name, this is a rather "cold" and "sharp" way to say goodbye. Still, it is worth adding something before you remind the person what your name is, and thus demonstrate your attitude towards your cooperation - present or potential.

First Initial (e.g. “A”)- some in the signature do not write the full name, but only one letter. If you remember, at the beginning of the article I clarified that how you sign letters determines how you will be contacted. If a person puts one letter “W” at the end, then it’s hard to say what it means. How to contact him? Will or William? Or Wolfgang? I had a funny experience with Airbnb. I booked an apartment, and the owner signed his letters with one letter - "E". It was very embarrassing for me to start each subsequent letter with the words “Hello E”, but I had no other options. When we met, it turned out that this is a girl, a Japanese woman, and that's really her name - "I". In Japanese, this name is depicted in hieroglyphs, but the girl prefers not to complicate people's lives - in English she writes her name in one letter and asks to address her that way.

English culture is inconceivable without the art of correspondence. For centuries, English ladies and gentlemen have exchanged exquisite messages, written in accordance with strict etiquette - it determined what to write, when and why, in what terms, at what time of the day, and on what paper. Letters played - and still play - the most important role in people's lives: they make you laugh, surprise, intrigue, fall in love, offend to death and fill you with happiness.

7 main types of informal letters

In a personal letter, you can

1. Handling: by name, surname or using the words “ Sir/madam”:

2. Opening offer. Here you explain the purpose of your letter. This may be a complaint, consent or refusal to accept an invitation, a response to a received letter.

3. Body of the letter: one or two paragraphs, revealing the topic.

4. Final paragraph in one or two sentences. Summarize what you have written and express your readiness to continue the correspondence. You can also thank the recipient in advance for a favor or prompt response.

5. Final wording:

6. Date and signature(not necessary).

What to look out for

• Informal writing allows you to use expressions from different styles, both business and informal, depending on the situation. You can even use colloquial style, slang, abbreviations and abbreviations. Just do not overdo it with vernacular so that your letter does not look cheeky, impolite. Some expressions in colloquial speech sound acceptable, but are inappropriate in a letter, even if the letter is informal.
• Idioms and colloquial expressions enrich the language of your writing - feel free to use them.
• Follow the structure of the letter, do not overload sentences with complex constructions and develop the idea consistently.
• It is customary to leave a blank line between paragraphs for visual convenience. For the same reason, it is advised to start each paragraph with a small indent at the beginning of the first line if you are writing by hand.
• Use the time when you want to express your expectations (“ I am looking forward to hearing from you…” - “Looking forward to your answer ...”) or about the purpose of your letter (“ I am writing to you on behalf of/with regard to…”-“ I am writing to you at the request / occasion ...”). Use or when reporting news or describing recent events.
• try break the body of the letter into at least two or three paragraphs instead of trying to fit everything you want to say into one big paragraph. Information is perceived much better, being divided into logical parts.
• End the letter with a question to the addressee to initiate the continuation of the correspondence. So you show that you are interested in communication and are waiting for his answer - and this will be a logical conclusion to the letter.

1. Letter of invitation

There are unofficial, semi-official and. Such a letter should contain additional information about the event (address, date and time, dress code of the event) and, if necessary, clear instructions on how to get to the venue.

Opening phrase:

Closing phrase:

2. Letter of acceptance of the invitation

There are informal, semi-official and business. Contains a clear and unequivocal consent to attend the event.

Opening phrase:

Closing phrase:

* Stylistically, in this case, the definition of “reception” rather than “party” is more suitable for translating the word party, since the construction of the phrase is quite formal and it most likely refers to an official and semi-official reception.

3. Letter rejecting an invitation

There are informal, semi-official and business. Expresses refusal to accept an invitation.

Opening phrase:

Closing phrase:

4. Letter of apology

It also happens business and informal. The letter must contain an apology and an explanation of why anyone has been inconvenienced or why duties or promises cannot be kept.

Opening phrase:

Closing phrase:

5. Letter with a response to an advertising offer

There are business and semi-formal.

Usually contains a request for additional information or a request to clarify and supplement the information received earlier.

Opening phrase:

Closing phrase:

​

"Yes" and "no" personal letter

These rules must be followed:

• No matter how informal your letter is, always be polite.
• State the purpose of the letter from the very beginning.
• Use adverbs and conjunctions to link your thoughts in a logical chain: then(then), later(later), but(but), at the same time(in the same time), finally(finally).
• Start a new thought on a new line: text that is not divided into paragraphs is difficult to perceive.
• Be restrained in expressing emotions, especially in semi-formal letters (complaint, congratulations, invitations, etc.).

And this is to be avoided:

• Do not overuse exclamation marks, even if you are writing to a friend or close relative.
• Don't forget about introductory and closing phrases - if the letter has a clearly defined logical structure, it is easier to read and understand.
• Do not jump from thought to thought, do not write haphazardly. Thoughts should be arranged in a logical sequence.
• Do not use long ones with numerous minor members and . The purpose of the letter - informal as well - is to convey your thoughts to the addressee the first time, and not force him to re-read every sentence in order to understand the meaning of the message.

Now that you have got acquainted with the basic rules for writing informal letters, we offer you a rather interesting example of an informal letter in English. Such letters have become a real flash mob of the English-speaking Internet: they are written by actors, singers, famous bloggers. Write yourself such a letter and you: this is a great way to turn to your inner self (albeit a sixteen-year-old) and take stock of a certain period of your life:

The topic of our article is COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE- this is the name of the words of politeness, which are usually written at the end of a business letter before the name of the sender. Somehow in one directory of business correspondence I came across the following list of such polite words, all mean “ yours sincerely/respectfully »:

• Yours faithfully (how to end a formal letter addressed to a stranger)
• Yours truly (a little familiar)
• Yours very truly (sounds ceremonial but heartfelt)
• Yours sincerely (in invitations and in friendly letters, but not personal)

It must be said that these phrases are still relevant, although there is a slight difference between the way they write in England and America.

Yours faithfully

Google shortcode

Let us first consider the cases when you don't know the recipient's name.

« Yours faithfully' is used in England. The letter ends with such a phrase if the addressee is not called by name, but is addressed to him " Dear Sir/ Madame ". I never noticed that Americans wrote like that. It's not that they can't write like that, it's just that they prefer to end the letter with the phrase " Yours truly" or " Truly yours"- this phrase is the equivalent of" yours faithfully' in American English.

Yours sincerely

If you do know the recipient's name...

Phrase " Yours sincerely' is also English. In America, it is customary to write this phrase in reverse order - " Sincerely yours". The English say that it's easy to write " Sincerely " without " yours” is disrespectful, whereas in America this form of farewell to a familiar addressee is quite normal.

It remains to clarify which words of the final phrase should be capitalized, because I noticed that some capitalize both words of the phrase. Remember that you need to capitalize only the first word, and put a comma after:

• yours faithfully,
• yours sincerely,
• Sincerely yours,

Avoid old-fashioned phrases like " We remain yours faithfully" and" Respectfully yours».

A letter to a close business partner can end with the informal phrase " best wishes" or " Best regards».

In both business and friendly correspondence, it is important to know how to finish a letter in English. If you want to present yourself as an educated person, then you should not neglect the established rules of correspondence.

Please note: farewell in a letter written in English is put on a new line after the letter itself.

Business letter ending

When you use the following expressions, you mean "sincerely yours":

• Sincerely
• Sincerely yours
• Most sincerely
• Yours faithfully
• Yours truly

Gratitude (for the attention paid to reading the letter) can be expressed using the standard Thank you or Thank you for your consideration (thanks for considering this issue).

business letter example

Letter to a friend

It is difficult to draw a clear line between the formal and informal end of the letter, because people who are in a working correspondence can have friendly relations and put a “warmer” farewell at the end of the letter.

At the end of the letter, you can hint at the next conversation or meeting. The presence of the personal pronoun "I" already indicates a more personal form of address.
Here are some phrases with the expression to look forward (expect):

• I am looking forward to meeting you
• I am looking forward to hearing from you

Analogues of the Russian “with respect” will be the expressions:

• Regards
• kind regards;
• Best regards
• Respectfully

And a more cordial expression of Cordially. The phrase "best wishes" can be displayed using Best wishes. The following are examples of goodbyes at the end of a letter that you can write to a loved one:

• Cheers
• Warmly
• Always
• Later
• Till next time
• take care
• Write soon
• kisses

Very personal expressions for saying goodbye to a loved one in a letter can be:

• Affectionately yours
• Yours forever
• Passionately yours
• your darling
• Longing to see you

Tip: not everyone knows how to sign a letter in English correctly - leave a comma after parting, and then write your name on a new line, while you can indent a few lines.

Phrases for ending an informal letter

Examples of letters

Look at examples of letter excerpts with different farewell options, pay attention to the style of writing and the corresponding farewell.

• Please let me know if you have any comments on the video I sent you. During the next few weeks we will be adding new videos to the website. I would really like to know what you think of them.

  Sincerely yours,

  (Please let me know if you have any comments on the video I sent you. We will be adding more videos to the site over the next few weeks. I would love to know what you think of them.)

• I was waiting for your reply since Monday but obviously you have a lot on your plate right now. Anyway, I`m going to visit you next week and we will have a chance to chat.

  (I've been waiting for your reply since Monday, but obviously you're very busy right now. Anyway, I'm going to visit you next week and we'll have a chance to chat.)

• I will be grateful if you would send me the price-list on your new products. Please specify the terms of the delivery and the possible discount. Thank you in advance.

  Faithfully yours,

  Dylan Park.

  (I would be grateful if you could send me a price list for your new products. Please indicate the delivery time and possible discount. Thanks in advance.)

• If you require any further information I will be happy to provide it. Do not hesitate to contact me and clarify any details.

  most sincerely,

  James Burton.

  (If you need more information, I'll be happy to provide it. Feel free to contact me for any details.)

• Mike, I'm still waiting for the pictures you promised to send me last month. Oh, by the way, my sister says "Hi".

  (Mike, I'm still waiting for the photo you promised to send last month. Oh, by the way, my sister says hi.)

Words and expressions

It's time to improve your vocabulary. Read and memorize the following expressions:

• To let know - inform;
• To send - send;
• To think of smth. - to think about something;
• Obviously - obviously;
• To have a lot on plate - have a lot of things to do;
• To specify - indicate, determine;
• Discount - discount;
• In advance - in advance;
• To require - require;
• To provide - provide;
• Delivery - delivery;
• Possible - possible;
• To clarify - clarify;
• To hesitate - hesitate, be shy;
• To promise - to promise.

Remember that it is up to you whether the end of the letter in English will simply serve as its actual completion or have additional meaning, so it is so important to choose the right words at the end to leave the reader with the impression you need.

By the way, in the last sentence, it will never be superfluous to thank the reader for their attention, and if this is a person close to you, then finish the letter with warm and friendly words, reminding him of how much you miss him and how glad you will be to receive an answer. Here are some more tips for writing letters:

Deliberate politeness can look extremely impolite. How to avoid it? We share the advice of experts in the field of etiquette.

Stop writing "Best wishes!" at the end of the letter. Yes, this signature looks harmless. You really only want the best for the respondent. But times are changing, and such formulas of politeness have become redundant.

According to University of Pennsylvania researchers who have been studying the issue since 2003, the social norm has changed relatively recently. Now only 5% of e-mails end with such wishes. Often credited with "Thank you!" or "Respectfully!" .

E-mail became widespread in the 90s, and most users immediately abandoned the formalities - and politeness formulas at the end of messages. According to business etiquette coach Barbara Patcher, "It was more like a note." From the Los Angeles webpage Times Neil Schmegler, a sociologist at the University of California, predicts that with the development of electronic technologies, paper correspondence will finally become a thing of the past.

But over time, emails took over the functions of paper letters, and people returned to the familiar norms of business correspondence. Pachter says, "There's a whole hierarchy of closing signatures." So what to choose? "Sincerely"? Bad stamp. "Heart greetings"? Too emotional. "Thank you"? A good option, but it is often chosen where gratitude is not required at all. "Sincerely, yours" - did you really wholeheartedly, sincerely attach each of these files?

The problem with "all the best" is that it says nothing to the respondent at all. According to business ethics consultant Judith Kallos, "This is a nonsensical formula of speech used when there is nothing to say." Other experts are not so categorical: they call it "harmless", "correct", "decent" or "nothing". Liz Danziko, director at a PR agency NPR says: "Recently, 'All the best' has usually meant polite indifference - but now it can mean a veiled insult or threat."

"Best Wishes" are dotted with letters written several centuries ago. In the Anglo-Saxon tradition, the stamp appeared in 1922. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this was facilitated by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote to literary critic Edmond Wilson, "Zelda sends you her best wishes." The formula became widespread and ended its life only at the end of 1968, when Larry King received an official message that ended with "Good luck, Billy." Such letters strained already then, and even sharp-tongued Larry King said that it was too familiar.

Politeness formulas have been rooted in languages ​​for centuries. In 1922, Emily Post, one of the pillars of the science of etiquette, wrote:

“The British began to get rid of embellishments in letters as early as the 18th century. They limited themselves to “Yours Sincerely.”

In the age of the Internet, the tradition continues. People avoid both familiarity and expressions of affection and use as many neutral wording at the end of the letter. According to the survey, 75% of people prefer "Thank you!" or "Good luck!". However, many recognize that this is not the best choice - but they are forced to comply with the new social norm.

If not "with best wishes", then how?

No way. Don't use polite formulas in signatures at all. With the spread of services like Slack, email has become like instant messengers. Barbara Patchet says: "Emails have become less formal." Now, in letters to friends or good acquaintances, final formulas are not used - it is believed that this is the same archaism as voice messages. Politeness formulas only slow down the correspondence. Liz Danziko comments: "People don't talk like that." She herself puts an end to the end of e-mails - business and personal. Without a signature.