How to end a letter in English – business and personal correspondence. How to end letters to leave a good impression What do they write at the end of a letter in Russian

Like the form of address, the signature in the letter (the final politeness formula) depends on who you are writing the letter to. The most general formula seems to be Sincerely yours. Depending on the tone and style of the entire letter, it can be interpreted as strictly formal, less formal, or completely informal. This formula can be translated into Russian Sincerely or Sincerely yours / Sincerely yours. The following formula options exist:
Sincerely,
Sincerely yours,
Very sincerely yours,
Yours sincerely,
Yours very sincerely,
Always sincerely yours, etc.

In addition, the following forms are used in correspondence:
– official style:

Yours truly / Yours very truly – With respect / Devoted to you (formally and officially)

Truly yours/ Very truly yours – Sincerely / Devoted to you (somewhat less formally, but still officially)

– less formal style:

Faithfully yours – Best regards

Cordially yours – Sincerely yours
Best Regards– Sincerely / Best wishes (if the addressee is a colleague (close, not entirely formal acquaintance) or friend)
Best Wishes– Best wishes

–subordinates Usually they turn to their superiors:

Respectfully yours - Best regards

– informal style (for example, in letters to relatives or well-known people):

Yours cordially,
Very cordially yours – Cordially yours / Yours

Faithfully yours,
Yours (always) faithfully - Always devoted to you / to you

Yours ever,
Ever yours,
As ever,
Yours as always – Always yours / Yours

Yours affectionately,
Lovingly yours – Loving you / you

Devotedly (yours),
Yours truly - Devoted to you / to you

Your very sincere friend – Yours / Your sincere friend

– in a letter close friends And relatives:
Affectionately (yours),
Yours affectionately,
Yours with love – Loving you

(Lots of) love,
(Lots of) kisses – Kisses

Your loving son/daughter – Your loving son/daughter
Your devoted niece - Devoted niece to you

After the final politeness formula, a comma is placed, and the first or last name is written on the next line (Please note that in English the first name is always written first, and then the last name):
Yours sincerely,
Kitty Brown

The exam offers an excerpt from a letter from your possible pen pal. The letter contains some news and several questions asking for your opinion, advice, etc.

You are required to write a response letter starting with your brief return address in the upper right corner, the date below the address, a salutation, and ending with a parting phrase and name.

First of all, to write a letter, you need to know the rules of spelling and punctuation of the English language and try to follow them - the person to whom you addressed the letter will be pleased to read a well-written letter.

One of the English language tasks in both the Unified State Exam and the Unified State Examination is writing a personal letter in response to a letter from an “English-speaking pen pal.” It is included in Part C, just like writing an English essay. At the same time, if in the Unified State Exam the length of a letter is 100-140 words, then in the Unified State Exam there is a limit of 100-120 words, because in the Unified State Examination you are given the task to ask 3 questions, and in the Unified State Examination you are given the task of simply answering the letter, although, in any case, if you write the questions, this will be a plus.

Writing a letter in a foreign language is a simple task that needs to be completed as quickly as possible to leave time for other tasks. So, let's look at the uniform rules for writing a personal letter. To make it easier to understand everything, watch a specially selected video from the site:

In the upper right corner indicate the address in the following order (reverse order to Russian):

apartment
house number, street name
city
country

It is allowed to indicate the address in a short form, for example:
Moscow
Russia

Below the address skipping a line, you must write the date of the letter:
June 4th, 2012
June 4, 2012
or less formally:
04/06/12

The letter begins with an informal address. If the name of your interlocutor is not indicated in the task, you should come up with one:
Dear Tim,
Dear Rebecca,
After the address you need to put a comma!

Divide the text of the letter into several logical paragraphs, each of which begins with a red line.

1. In the first paragraph, you should thank your friend for his letter:
Thanks (a lot) for your (last) letter.
Your last letter was a real surprise.
I was glad to get your letter.
It was great to hear from you! / It was great to hear that… / I was happy to hear…
You can also apologize for not writing earlier:
Sorry I haven’t been written for so long but …/ Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long.
I’m sorry I haven’t answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.
and/or mention any fact from the letter received:
I’m glad you passed your History test!
Sounds like you had a great time in London!
Great news about your…!

2. The body of the letter (2–3 paragraphs). In it you must disclose all aspects specified in the task. Don't forget to ask the necessary questions.

The letter is expected to be written in an informal style, so you can use informal linking words such as well, by the way, anyway, so, colloquial expressions like Guess what? Or Wish me luck!, as well as exclamation marks.

3. In the last paragraph, explain why you are ending the letter:
Well, I’d better go now as I have to do my homework.
Anyway, I have to go now because my Mum asked me to help her with the washing up.
I've got to go now! It’s time for my favorite TV show.

and mention further contacts:
Write (back) soon!
Take care and keep in touch!
Drop me a letter when you can.
Hope to hear from you soon.
I can’t wait to hear from you!

At the end of the letter, on a separate line, the final cliché phrase is indicated, which depends on how close the author and the addressee are. It is always followed by a comma! The following are possible options from least formal (1) to more formal (8):

Love,
Lots of love,
All my love,
All the best,
Best wishes,
With best wishes,
Yours,
Warm regards,

On the next line, under the final phrase, the author's name is indicated (without a surname!). For example:
Andy or Kate

Thus, a letter to a friend looks like this:

Writer's address (indicated in the upper right corner)
Date of letter (under address)

Appeal,
At the beginning of the letter, the author usually a) thanks the addressee for previously received correspondence; b) apologizes for not writing earlier.
The body of the letter (2-3 paragraphs). It should disclose
all aspects specified in the assignment.
Be sure to ask all the necessary questions.
At the end of the letter, the author usually mentions the reason for ending the letter, as well as further contacts (cliché phrases are used).
The final phrase
Author's signature (name)

Template for writing a letter in English

13 Ostozhenka street

I was so happy to get your letter! I can’t wait to meet you in July! I’m sorry I haven’t answered earlier but I was really busy with my school.

You asked me to tell you about… Well, …

By the way, ...? ...? ...?

Unfortunately, I’d better go now as I’ve got loads of homework to do (as always). Take care and keep in touch!

Communication is one of the basic human needs, along with sleep and food. Modern people have several accessible and effective ways to talk with friends and relatives, colleagues and business partners. These include face-to-face communication, cellular communications and the Internet.

The last two methods appeared relatively recently. For a long time, it was possible to communicate at a distance only through messages. They were written by hand and sent by mail. This has survived to this day. However, handwritten ones have been replaced by emails.

Let's give a definition

The word "letter" has several meanings.

Firstly, it is a system of written signs, which is necessary for recording oral speech.

Example: Scientists have deciphered an ancient letter

Secondly, this is the appearance of informational text printed on paper.

Example: The students asked their teacher how to finish a letter in accordance with the norms accepted in the Russian language.

Thirdly, handwritten or electronic text that contains information intended for the addressee.

Example: A letter from home with important news from his father was received a week after it was sent.

And how to start it? All people ask themselves these questions, regardless of what kind of message they are writing: electronic or handwritten. In this article we have to answer the first of them.

Types of letters

Before we talk about how best to finish a letter, it’s worth understanding its types. This determines the overall tone and expressions used. So, the messages could be:

business;
personal;
congratulatory.

It is customary to call this type of documentation that serves as a means of exchanging information between different organizations and institutions. It may also be called “official correspondence”. Some types of letters that fall into this category require a response (for example, petitions, appeals, requests), others do not (for example, warnings, reminders, approvals).

A letter that is written by one private person and addressed to another is called personal.

Letters that are intended to congratulate an unofficial person, organization or institution on some joyful event or achievement are usually called congratulatory.

Below we will figure out how to finish a letter correctly, depending on its type and purpose.

General structure

Regardless of the type, all letters have approximately the same structure. It is worth noting that the first two points are typical only for official correspondence.

Sender's address.
Date.
Greetings.
Text containing basic information.
Final phrases.
P.S.

Business correspondence

The writing of this type of correspondence should be treated with special attention, since errors in spelling, punctuation or punctuation by the sender can negatively affect the image of the company or institution that he represents. When composing sentences, preference should be given to simple sentences and a large number of complex constructions should be avoided. The overall tone should be respectful. The main thing is that the essence of the letter should be revealed at its end, since people pay more attention to this particular fragment of the text.

How to end a letter that has official status? The most successful closing phrases are:

I hope for further fruitful cooperation.
I hope for continued cooperation.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich.
With respect, Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich.

How to beautifully end a letter to a private person

This type of correspondence does not require special attention from the compiler. However, in the process of writing, a person should still not forget about literacy. In this regard, it is much easier to write emails since errors found can be easily corrected. In the case of handwritten text, you will have to rewrite the finished text.

Before starting the process, it is necessary to decide on the main content and reaction of the recipient. If it is important for the sender to receive a response as soon as possible, then it is better to make appropriate notes in the final part. The ending should be a logical conclusion to everything written above, otherwise it can put the recipient in an awkward position and make him think about what the sender wanted to say.

The most common phrases used at the end of a letter are:

Your friend, Peter.
See you!
I'm waiting for an answer.
Kisses, Maria.
Come as soon as possible.
All the best, your friend Peter.

The sender can come up with the ending of the letter himself. In this case, it will have a unique character and the recipient will definitely like it.

When answering the question of how you can end a letter of congratulations, you need to pay attention to its appearance. If the sender and recipient are officials, then the final phrases should be neutral. In other cases, a certain freedom is allowed.

Let's sum it up

Question: “How to finish a letter?” - quite logical. Communication by phone and on social networks is based on laws that differ from those adopted during correspondence. However, every person has to act as a letter writer at least once in his life. Therefore, it is necessary to have a general understanding of the canons and rules existing in this area. Otherwise, the first experience may be the last. But writing a letter, sending it and waiting for a response from the addressee is an exciting process.

Do you write business letters in English every day? Or are you just learning the basics of official correspondence in business English courses? Our selection of useful phrases and expressions will teach you how to write correct business letters in English and help diversify your speech.

Thanks to business etiquette, it is common knowledge that clients should be greeted at the beginning of the letter and goodbye at the end. Do problems begin when composing the body of the letter? How, for example, can you tell customers that the cargo is delayed, or how can you hint that it would be nice to receive money for services rendered? All this can be explained competently if you use the right “blanks” for various situations. With such “blanks”, writing letters will be a simple and enjoyable task.

Starting a letter or how to start a correspondence in English

At the beginning of every business letter, immediately after the greeting, you need to explain why you are writing all this. Perhaps you want to clarify something, get additional information, or, for example, offer your services. The following phrases will help with everything:

We are writing - We write to…

To confirm... - confirm...
- to request ... – to request…
- to inform you that... – to inform you that...
- to enquire about ... - find out about ...

I am contacting you for the following reason... – I am writing to you with the following purpose / I am writing to you in order to...
I would be interested in (receiving/ getting information) - I would be interested in (acquiring/ receiving information)

Establishing contacts or how to tell your interlocutor how you know about him

Sometimes it is worth reminding your business partner when and how you last saw each other or discussed your cooperation. Maybe you already wrote a business letter on this topic a couple of months ago, or perhaps you met at a conference a week ago and started negotiating then.

Thank you for your letter regarding ... – Thank you for your letter on the topic….
Thank you for your letter of May 30. – Thank you for your letter of May 30.
In reply to your request, ... – In response to your request..
Thank you for contacting us. – Thank you for writing to us.
With reference to our conversation on Tuesday... - Regarding our conversation on Tuesday...
In reference with your recent letter - Regarding the letter recently received from you...
It was a pleasure meeting you in New-York last week. – It was very nice to meet you in New York last week.
I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed yesterday – I would like to confirm the main points that we discussed yesterday.

Expressing a request or how to tactfully ask your interlocutor in English

In business letters, sometimes you have to ask your partners for something. Sometimes you need a delay, and sometimes you need additional samples of material. To express all this, business English has its own established phrases.

We would appreciate it if you would ... - We would be very grateful if you...
Could you please send me/ tell us/ let us... – Could you send me/tell us/allow us
It would be helpful if you could send us ... - It would be very helpful if you could send us ...
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter. “I would appreciate your immediate attention on this matter.”
We would be grateful if you could ... - We would be grateful if you could ...

Complaining in English or how to make it clear that you are not happy

Unfortunately, it often happens that we don’t like something. But when writing business letters, we cannot give free rein to our feelings and say with a direct test what we think about the company and its services. It is necessary to use business English and carefully express your dissatisfaction. This way we can keep our business partner and let off some steam. Standard business correspondence phrases that will help with this:

I am writing to complain about ... - I am writing to complain about ...
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ... I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with ...
I am afraid there may be a misunderstanding... - I'm afraid there is a misunderstanding...
I understand it is not your fault, but... - I understand that it is not your fault, but...
We wish to draw your attention to…. – We would like to draw your attention to

How to communicate bad or good news in business letters in English

In business correspondence it often happens that we have to upset clients. It’s worth doing this gracefully so as not to anger your partner even more.

Bad news

I am afraid that I must inform you that... - I am afraid that we must inform you that...
Unfortunately we cannot / we are unable to ... - Unfortunately, we cannot / we are unable
We regret to inform you that... - We regret to inform you that...
I"m afraid it would not be possible to ... – I’m afraid that it will be impossible…
After serious consideration we have decided to...- After serious consideration, we decided that...

Good news

Fortunately, sometimes everything works out well and we can please our clients with good news

We are pleased to announce that... – We are pleased to announce that...
It is our pleasure to announce that... - We have the pleasure to announce that...
I am delighted to inform you that .. – I am pleased to inform you...
You will be pleased to learn that ... - You will be glad when you find out that ...

Apologies or how not to anger the client even more

Of course, in business there are often problems. And it’s you who has to apologize for them. Be friendly, put yourself in the position of your interlocutor. Remember that it is better to apologize several times than to lose a valuable client.

I regret any inconvenience caused by... We regret all the inconvenience caused by...
Please accept our sincere apologies. – Please accept our sincere apologies.
I would like to apologize for the delay /inconvenience... - I want to apologize for the delay / inconvenience
Once again, please accept my apologies for... – Once again, accept my apologies for...

Money or how to show your partner that it's time to pay

Sometimes you want to write in plain text that it’s time to pay. But you can’t do this in business correspondence. Instead, we have to use softer constructions, behind which there is still the same tough question.

According to our records... - According to our records...
Our records show that we have not yet received payment of ... – Our records show that we have not yet received payment for ...
We would appreciate if you cleared your account within the next days. – We will be grateful if you pay in the next few days.
Please send payment as soon as possible/ promptly – Please send us payment as soon as possible.

Politeness in correspondence or how to hint at new meetings

You shouldn’t say goodbye to your business partners completely. Even after the end of the project, it is better for you to maintain the relationship for future orders.

See you soon

At the end of business letters in English, it is often appropriate to remind your partner between the lines when you next expect information from him.

I look forward to seeing you next week. – I look forward to our meeting next week
Looking forward to receiving your comments, - I look forward to your comments.
I look forward to meeting you on the (date). – I’m looking forward to our meeting with you (date).
An early reply would be appreciated. – I will appreciate your quick response

Until we meet again

After a successful order, you should write the customer a short letter in English, informing him that you are not against a new project with him.

I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm again. – I would be glad to have the opportunity to work with your firm again.
We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future. – We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.
We would be pleased to do business with your company. – We will be happy to do business with your company.

Of course, business English is not always easy. Luckily, our selection of business phrases should make your task a lot easier. Now it will take you much less time to compose a letter. So choose the right phrases, add your information and please your boss with beautiful business letters in English.

Shutikova Anna

Everyone knows that the column “knowledge of foreign languages” is in the resume of any serious company. And if you write “free possession” in such a column, then the chances of getting a sweet spot increase many times over. And the phrase “business English” will have an almost magical effect.

As a rule, business English involves written communication. And that's good. Firstly, there is always the opportunity to think and look into the dictionary. Secondly, there are so many standard expressions that a person who speaks English from the Pre-Intermediate level and above will have almost no difficulty writing a decent letter and sending it to business partners.

The main thing in composing a letter is its framing. That is, the beginning and the ending. As they say, people are greeted by their clothes, and the last words are remembered best (thanks to Stirlitz). Accordingly, if you start your appeal correctly and finish it just as correctly, then the very essence of the letter will be perceived better, and the overall impression of your speech can play a decisive role.

By adhering to certain writing rules, you are sure to achieve success. Let's start writing a business letter in English!

Greetings

As befits all polite people: any communication begins with a greeting. And in the same simple way, the structure of a business letter also begins with a greeting.

Dear Sir or Madam- addressing a person if you do not know their name, title, or even whether they are a man or a woman. Important: there is no exclamation point after this greeting! And there’s not even any punctuation at all, just the next sentence starts on a new line. You can put a comma if you really want.

Dear Mr White(Ms White/Mrs White/Miss Catcher) - addressing the recipient by last name (the first name is not placed after Mr, Ms, etc.!) I hope everyone remembers that Mr is an address to a man, Miss is an address to an unmarried woman, Mrs - for a married woman, Ms - for a woman who does not want to emphasize her marital status.

Important: never write the full word Mister, Mistress - only in abbreviation (Mr, Mrs)!

Dear Mr John- addressing the recipient by name (with a closer business acquaintance)

Dear Nick- addressing the recipient by name in a very long-standing, almost friendly business acquaintance

It is important to focus on appeals to women. Nowadays the universal address Ms (both married and unmarried) is very common. Therefore, in business letters they often write this way, so as not to offend :) If you know for sure that the addressee is a married woman, you can safely indicate Mrs. But if you know that you are definitely not married, it’s better not to take risks with Miss. Because, oddly enough, this offends some people.

After the greeting, you can remind yourself. More precisely, about the last communication: by email, by phone, in person, etc. Even if the recipient’s memory is not that of a girl and he addressed you 5 minutes ago.

Thank you for your message.- Thank you for your message.

Thank you for your e-mail of…- Thank you for your email dated (date)...

With reference to your phone call/ letter of (date)/ advertisement in “NW Magazine”…- regarding your phone call/letter (on such and such a date)/advertisement in NW Magazine…

In reply (in answer/ in response) to your request…- In response to your request...

In accordance (in conformity) with your request…- In accordance with your request...

In compliance with your request…- In fulfillment of your request...

Further to our conversation/ telephone talk…- In continuation of our conversation/telephone conversation, etc.

We are writing in response to your publication in…- We are writing in response to your publication in...

We were pleased to receive your inquiry…- We were pleased to receive your request...

Reasons for contacting

After the greeting and reminders, there should be a phrase that will bring the addressee up to date and explain why you are sending him this letter in the first place.

We are writing to inquire about…- We are writing to make inquiries about...

We apologize for...- We apologize for...

We confirm that…- We confirm that...

We would like to clarify…- We would like to make it clear...

We kindly ask you to…- We kindly ask you...

I am writing to enquire about/ to apologize for/ in connection with/ get more details about/ explain…- I am writing to you to find out about/ to apologize for/ in connection with/ to find out details about/ to explain...

This is to confirm… To confirm...

We hereby inform you… We hereby notify you...

Completing the letter

This is your catchphrase.

As always, if you have any questions, please send them directly to me. - As always, if you have any questions, please contact me directly.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me. /Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly- If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me/directly to me, please.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. - If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (literal translation).

Thank you and I am looking forward to hearing from you.- Thank you and I look forward to your response.

Thanking in advance.- Thank you in advance.

Please contact us again if we can help in any way.- Please contact us again if we can help you in any way.

Signature, or politeness formula

The final touch remains. In Russian official letters, everything ends in the standard way: “With respect, …”. In English it is customary to say “sincerely yours.” But in accordance with etiquette, it will still have to be translated into Russian as “with respect.”

Yours faithfully,
Sincerely, ... (if the person's name is unknown, i.e. the letter began with Dear Sir or Madam)

Yours sincerely,
Sincerely, ... (if you know the name, i.e. the letter began with Dear Mr/Miss/Ms/Mrs)

If you have been communicating with a person for a long time and address him in a letter by name, then it is appropriate to use any of the following options (can be translated as “with best wishes”):

Best wishes
kind regards,
Warmest regards.

For this, I say goodbye.

Kind regards,
iLoveEnglish.

We hope that this sample business letter in English will help you find a new job or create business connections in the near future.