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When to Use "Yours sincerely", "Yours faithfully," and "Yours truly"

The Quick Answer

If you know the recipient or use their name, end your letter with 'Sincerely yours' (US) or 'Yours sincerely' (UK).

If you don't know the recipient or don't use their name, end your letter 'Yours truly' (US) or 'Yours faithfully' (UK).

So, if your letter starts "to whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir," end the letter with "Yours faithfully" or "Yours truly" but not "Sincerely yours" or "Yours sincerely."
Starting and Ending Letters

Letters that start "Dear Sir," should end "Yours truly" (US convention) or "Yours faithfully" (UK convention).

Letters that start with a name (e.g., "Dear Mr. Jones"), should end "Sincerely yours" (US convention) or "Yours sincerely" (UK convention).

This infographic summarizes the different scenarios:

"Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully"?

Writers are sometimes confused over whether to end a letter with "Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully."

Even though there is a slight variation between British and American conventions, the rules are straightforward.

Use "Yours faithfully" ( ) or "Yours truly" ( ) for Unknown Recipients

If you do not know the name of the recipient (typically in business correspondence), use "Yours truly" (US) or "Yours faithfully" (UK). (Letters that start with "To whom it may concern" fall into this category.)

Examples: (Note: The use of "Yours faithfully" is growing increasingly popular in the US, but "Yours truly" is preferred.)

Use "Yours sincerely" ( ) or "Sincerely yours" ( ) for Known Recipients

If you know the name of the recipient (typically a colleague or close business associate), use "Sincerely yours" (or just "Sincerely") (US) or "Yours sincerely" (UK).

Examples: (Note: The use of "Sincerely" (i.e., without "Yours") is also acceptable in the US.)

With "Yours sincerely" and "Yours faithfully" Give Only the First Word a Capital Letter

Whatever you use, only capitalize the first word. For example:

Yours faithfully

Yours sincerely

Sincerely yours

Yours Sincerely

Follow "Yours sincerely" and "Yours faithfully" with a Comma

Follow your postamble with a comma, and write your name underneath it.

Dear Sir,

[blah, blah]

Yours faithfully, (This comma is correct.)

Matt Brown

Write the Salutation, Postamble, and Your Name by Hand

If you're sending a letter by post, it is a common practice (to add a personal touch) to write the salutation, postamble, and your name by hand. For example (hand-written text shown in yellow):

[blah, blah]

Yours faithfully,

Top Tip: Don't Use "S" Twice

If you start with "Dear Sir," you cannot end with "Yours sincerely."

You cannot use the letter "s" twice.

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Yours sincerely | Yours truly | Yours faithfully

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If you know the recipient or use their name, end your letter with 'Sincerely yours' (US) or 'Yours sincerely' (UK). If you don't know the recipient or don't use their name, end your letter 'Yours truly' (US) or 'Yours faithfully' (UK).

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Learn english with TV series/ Philosophy podcast and series

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Learn english with TV series/ Philosophy podcast and series

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22 Business English Acronyms & Abbreviations You NEED

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Words learned from new in levels:

Commuter = a person that commutes/travels for work/school;
Layoff = end a worker's job temporary because of economic conditions;
Downturn = a decline in a business/economic activity;
Defraud = illegally take take money from a company;
Falsity = to damage documents or numbers;
Witch hunt = A campaign against a person or a group considered dangerous or whose opinions are unpopular;

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Public limited company(PLC) = a company whose actions can be legally sold.
Subsidiary = a company owned and controlled by another one.
Assets = properties or items owned by a business that increases the business value.
Liabilities = the amounts owed by a company, debts that decrease a business value.
Turnover = revenues.
Lump Sum = a payment done before receiving the object/service

Sensible = Somebody who is easily hurt/upset.
Sensitive = Thinking/Acting in a reasonable way.

to meet expenses = to be able to pay what needs to be paid.
fact finding mission = doing research.

Daunting = intimidating, frightening, disheartening, dismaying, demoralizing
Bolster = to reinforce/strengthen
Milestone = important point across a process that makes sure that a certain project is on schedule.

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Employee turnover rate=
{( employees who left)/[( employees at the begining+ employees at the end)/2]}x100

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