yours sincerely or yours faithfully cover letter

“Yours Faithfully” or “Yours Sincerely”? Best Choice In Formal Letters

When signing a letter, you can use a few options to end it. “Yours faithfully” and “yours sincerely” are two such options, and this article will look at which is best in formal letters. There are certain rules to follow when using both, so we’ll cover those as well.

Is “Yours Faithfully” Or “Yours Sincerely” The Best Choice For Ending Formal Letters?

Both choices are good for ending formal letters. You should use “yours faithfully” when starting the letter with “dear sir/ madam ” or when you don’t know the recipient’s name. You should use “yours sincerely” when using a personal name or if you know the recipient.

We refer to both of these statements as “complementary closes.”

They are present at the end of almost every formal email or letter, and we use them to close off before writing our name. Both are correct, and it only depends on how well you know the person you’re writing a letter to that determines which of them you should use.

When To Use “Yours Faithfully”

We’ll start by going through how “yours faithfully” works.

You should use “yours faithfully” when you don’t know the name of the recipient of your letter. Instead, you’ll write “dear sir” or “dear madam” to address them, meaning you “faithfully” sign off at the end.

We use “yours” here to show that we’re pleased that they’ve allowed us the time to read our letter. It means “this is now yours” and works well to show formality in most cases.

You might see “yours faithfully” in the following ways:

• I hope this letter finds you well, as I have much to share with you.
• Yours faithfully,
• Mr. Tidings
• Dear ma’am,
• I am writing this letter to share my displeasure with you, and I hope you will read the contents thoroughly.
• Mrs. Simmons
• To whom this may concern,
• I hope my letter reaches you well. It has been brought to my attention that my concerns raised in the previous meeting have yet to be addressed.
• Harry Hubert

“Sir,” “madam,” and similar titles are correct to use in this case. We do this when we’re not sure who might receive the letter or want to keep our formalities appropriate.

We can also use phrases like “to whom it may concern” when we have no idea who is going to receive our letter. “Yours faithfully” still applies in these cases, too.

When To Use “Yours Sincerely” And “Sincerely Yours”

“Yours sincerely” works when we do know the name. Some people also sign it backward and use “sincerely yours,” though this isn’t a common trope.

You should use “yours sincerely” when addressing someone by their name or with a personal title. Addressing some like “Mr. Smith” or “Daniel Webster” are appropriate times to use “yours sincerely” at the end of your letter.

Whether we only know the surname or the full name doesn’t matter. As long as we know an element of their personal name, we are able to use “yours sincerely” to sign off the letter.

The content of the letter will be much the same as what you can expect from “yours faithfully.” Nothing changes in the contents. It’s simply related to who you address and whether you’re familiar with them.

Some examples might help to make sense of this:

• Dear Mr. Jackson,
• I hope this letter finds you well. I’m more than happy to take you on board as a new client.
• Yours sincerely,
• Freddy Jones
• Dear Jackie Paulson,
• I am writing this letter to tell you all about the discoveries I made when I was abroad.
• Sincerely yours,
• Mr. Tomkins
• Dear Mrs. Harrison,
• I am writing a letter to you now to ask that you reconsider your decision before the council meeting!
• Milo Mikkelson

“Sincerely yours” and “yours sincerely” are interchangeable. As long as we address the recipient by name, we can use either closing statement to end our letter.

It’s much more likely that you’ll see “yours sincerely” at the end of a letter than “sincerely yours.” Most native speakers put “yours” first because it stays more in line with other phrases like “yours faithfully” and “yours truly.”

Is It Right To Say “Sincerely Yours”?

There is nothing wrong with using “sincerely yours” in your letters, even though it’s not the most common choice for native speakers.

It might help to look through common usage across American and British English. Sometimes, this helps us to understand whether the phrase is worth learning at all.

According to Google Ngram Viewer , “sincerely yours” and “yours sincerely” are used almost identically in American English. However, neither phrase is particularly popular, as you can see from the rapid decline over the last 200 years.

According to Google Ngram Viewer , “yours sincerely” is much more popular in British English, and it’s rare that British speakers will ever use “sincerely yours” in their letters or emails.

While American English doesn’t have a preference between the two, British English clearly favors “yours sincerely.”

The exact reason why this is the case is unclear, though it’s taught that “yours sincerely” is the only correct option in British schools. American English like to sway away from standardized rules, so they might have introduced “sincerely yours” as their own unique language construct.

When To Use “Yours Truly”

There is another option that we haven’t covered yet. “Yours truly” is a fairly popular phrase, and seeing how we use it in different languages will show you why.

According to Google Ngram Viewer , “yours truly” is vastly more popular than both “sincerely” and “faithfully” in American English. That’s because “yours truly” is the equivalent of “yours faithfully” to most American English speakers.

According to Google Ngram Viewer , “yours truly” is still more popular than the other two choices but much less popular overall in British English. It seems that all three phrases are used almost to the same degree, and British English has no particular preference.

You should use “yours truly” when you do not know the name of the recipient of your letter, just like “yours faithfully.” However, it’s much more likely that you’ll come across this in American English rather than British English.

Some examples might help you to understand it better:

• I hope this letter reaches you in time, as what I have to say is of high value.
• Yours truly,
• Madam Lopez
• To whoever receives this letter,
• I hope that I’m not out of line here, but I have many issues that I’d like to raise before the next government meeting.
• Dear sir/madam,
• I am writing this formal letter to criticize the abysmal performance of the staff I’ve noticed in your establishment in recent times.
• Karen Sinister

Why Is It “Yours Faithfully” And Not “Your Faithfully”?

So, why do we use “yours” in the phrase? We could just as easily use “your” since we’re only talking to one person, right?

You should use “yours” because it’s addressing “your” in the possessive form, meaning that the recipient now owns the contents of the letter. “Your” isn’t the possessive form, meaning it doesn’t make any sense to sign off in this way.

Does This Rule Also Count For “Yours Truly” And “Your Truly”?

The same rules apply no matter what way you choose to sign off your letters.

“Yours truly” is the only correct way to sign off because we need to use “yours” as the possessive form. There are no cases where “your truly” is correct to use.

Synonyms For “Yours Faithfully” And “Yours Sincerely”

While “yours faithfully” and “yours sincerely” are great ways to end a letter, there are still plenty of synonyms out there. We’ll include a good number of them, and we’ll finish off this section by telling you whether any of them are better to use than the original two.

• Best wishes
• Kind regards
• Kindest regards
• Respectfully
• Best regards
• Yours truly

The best options are “yours faithfully” or “yours truly” when you don’t know the name of the recipient and “yours sincerely” when you do know it. In formal writing, these are the only options you should consider.

With that said, we’d like to point out that “kind regards” is a great formal choice, but we mostly use it in emails. You’ll rarely (if ever) see it used in a letter, so you should avoid doing so.

Also, if you’re looking for informal options, we believe “best wishes” is your best choice. It’s a great way to sign a letter or email for someone that you know and trust, and you don’t mind too much about the professional tone of the letter.

Of course, you’re free to use whichever of the synonyms you prefer, but there really is no comparison worth being made over “yours faithfully,” “yours truly,” or “yours sincerely.”

You may also like: 12 Better Ways To Say “Sincerely” In Formal Emails

Final Thoughts

“Yours sincerely” and “yours faithfully” are great ways to end a formal letter and work based on whether you know the name of the recipient or not. “Yours truly” is another valid option, but you should stick to one of those three in all cases regarding formal letter writing.

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

• 11 Best Ways to End a “To Whom It May Concern” Letter
• Mam Or Ma’am Or Madam? Difference Explained (+21 Examples)
• 12 Better Ways To Say “Best Regards” (Professional Email)
• 10 Best Alternatives To “To Whom It May Concern”

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How To End a Cover Letter (With Closing Examples)

Cover Letter Closing Examples

Closings not to use, how to sign a cover letter, set up an email signature, more cover letter writing tips.

Hugo Lin / The Balance

When you're writing a cover letter or sending an email message to apply for a job, it's important to close your letter in as professional a manner as possible. End your letter with a formal closing, followed by your signature.

As with any job-related correspondence, it's best to opt for a more formal language and tone—a cover letter is no place for "XOXO," “Cheers,” or even a casual "take care" as a closer.

The following is a list of letter closing examples that are appropriate for cover letters and other employment-related correspondence, such as thank-you notes and/or emails to schedule interviews or pass along references.

• Sincerely yours
• Best regards
• With best regards
• Kind regards
• Yours truly
• Most sincerely
• Respectfully
• Respectfully yours
• Thank you for your consideration

A cover letter is a formal correspondence, so it's important not to be too casual or friendly when writing it. Here are some letter closings that are fine to use when emailing or writing to a friend, but are not appropriate to use in a cover letter. 

• Affectionately
• Best wishes
• Eagerly waiting for a response
• Warm regards
• Warmest regards
• Take it easy
• Have a great day
• Have a nice day
• Yours faithfully
• Abbreviations (Thx or any other abbreviated word isn't appropriate)
• Any emoticon (no smiley faces)
• Sent from my phone (if your phone automatically includes it, you can remove it in the settings)

For a printed letter, follow the closing with a comma. Then, on a new line, put your name. Leave a space above your typed name for your written signature.

Signature (hard copy letter)

If you're sending an email, you can add your contact information below your name. For example:

Best regards,

Your Name Your Email Address Your Phone Number Your LinkedIn Profile URL

Whichever sign-off you choose, make sure always to capitalize its first letter.

To simplify, you can set up an email signature that includes your contact information.

An email signature will make it easy for correspondents to readily see how to get in touch and saves you the time of typing the information repeatedly.

Use a Professional Email Account

It’s a wise idea, when conducting a job search, to set up an email account (and accompanying address) dedicated. Doing so will help to ensure that you don’t miss emails from potential employers who might be interested in interviewing you. It also will allow you to provide a professional-sounding email address on your resume and cover letter. This email address should be comprised simply of your name (examples: “John.T.Smith@gmail.com or marjoriejones@email.com).

Too often, job candidates use their personal email accounts to apply for jobs, often using “cute” email names such as “Crafty_catlady@yahoo.com” or OrcWarrior100@gmail.com.” This casual practice often raises hiring managers, eyebrows, raising red flags about whether a candidate is a serious, qualified applicant for the job to which they are applying.

It’s better to err on the side of safety and separate your professional and personal email accounts.

What To Include in Your Signature

In your signature, include your email address and phone number. You can add your LinkedIn profile URL to make it easy for your recipients to view your skills, accomplishments, educational background, and work history. Depending on your field, you may also want to include a link to your Twitter account; if you do so, make sure that your account is professional and appropriate for viewing by potential employers. 

Find out how to set up a professional email signature, including formatting style and links to help you save a signature in your preferred email program.

Cover letters, whether submitted through email or traditional mail channels, are always the first impression you provide a potential employer. Make sure that this impression is a good one by following the “best practices” outlined in these links so that your cover letter shines.

Having an appropriate close is just one of the many steps required to craft a winning cover letter.

Review how to write a cover letter , including what to include in your cover letter, how to write a cover letter, typical cover letter formats, targeted cover letters, and cover letter samples and examples.

Sincerely or Faithfully?

If you know the name of the person you’re writing  to (‘Dear Jane…’) use sincerely . If you don’t know the name of the name of the person you’re addressing then you should use faithfully .

Emails tend me be less formal than traditional letters so you could always keep it simple and use regards/kind regards .

Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully are both traditional ways to end a letter. Letter writing over the years has been an art form and signing off has a long history with conventions attached to it. When you sign off a letter at the end, phrases such as Yours sincerely are known as valedictions . Take a look at these examples :

• Yours truly
• Kind regards
• Yours hopefully

For our American readers there is little fuss over the sincerely/faithfully question because there it is common to use sincerely and not muddle things by adding faithfully to the equation.

But for the rest of us the question arises about how to sign off a letter and make sure that we are using the correct valediction.

Here is how we do it (and how to remember which one to use: faithfully or sincerely).

Yours sincerely

This is used if you know the person’s name (perhaps the job advertisement has told you to send letters to a Mr J. Fox). You know their name so you will be addressing the letter to them and signing off Yours sincerely.

Yours faithfully

This is used where you do not know the name of the person to whom you are sending the letter. You may have seen a job advertised but you have not been given a name to address your cover letter to. You may start your letter, Dear Sir or Madam and end it with Yours Faithfully.

Sincerely or faithfully: How Do I Remember Which One To Use?

This is how I remember it: if you are writing a letter to someone and you do not know their name you are writing to them blindly and you must have blind faith that they will reply and be helpful. With this faith in mind you must use faithfully.

If you know the name of the person you are writing to then you are in a stronger position to be sincere in your letter to them: use sincerely

Sincerely or faithfully: another way to remember which one to use.

Many people remember it like this:

Never use Sir with Sincerely

So if you open with Dear Sir or Madam you will never end with sincerely; you will use faithfully.

Remember that a covering email is usually a little less formal and frequently uses less stuffy ways to sign off ; you may use lighter language to sign off such as Regards.

Perhaps you have your own ways of remembering valedictions. Leave your own ideas in the comments section.

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3 Responses to Sincerely or Faithfully?

The usage of “sincerely” and “faithfully” as described above is nonsense. If you only know a person’s name you clearly do not know the person so “faithfully” is the only valediction that can be used. The meanings of the nouns “person” and “name” are not synonymous but in the above criteria they have been used as such.

Person : A human being regarded as an individual

Name : A word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to i.e. label

One then has to clarify what is considered to be the meaning of to know a person. As the noun “person” in this case is the object the word “know” has the following meaning:

[WITH OBJECT] Have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them; be familiar or friendly with:

It would therefore seem that “faithfully” is the only valediction unless one has met the addressee! It would seem that the above guide to usage is pretty much useless. I was taught if you know the person “sincerely” and if you don’t know the person “faithfully”. KNOWING A NAME IS NOT KNOWING A PERSON! I’m not a scholar of the English language but I do understand that “person” and “name” mean different things. I would seem that English guidelines have been adulterated to allow the one size fits all American usage.

Oxford University Press does not agree that this is nonsense:

“The wording at the end of a business letter follows a standard format: If you know the name of the person you’re writing to, you should end the letter with Yours sincerely. If your letter begins with Dear Sir or Dear Madam, it should end with Yours faithfully.”

Citation: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/business-letters

Regardless of your sensible, laudable, logical, and probably better suggestion, the convention is as the Job Fox describes, namely (pun intended) “Sir doesn’t go with sincerely”.

To use faithfully where you know the name, but have otherwise no knowledge of the person, will look odd to most people and distract from the purpose of the letter.

Having said that, language changes. Maybe when you were at school, your definition was more generally accepted, but since then the custom has changed. Maybe in a couple of generations, the distinction between sincerely and faithfully will be less known and so widely disregarded that it becomes irrelevant. Maybe we’ll just put a smiley and hit send.

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"Yours sincerely", "Yours faithfully," and "Yours truly"

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).

Starting and Ending Letters

"Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully"?

Use "yours faithfully" ( ) or "yours truly" ( ) for unknown recipients.

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

With "yours sincerely" and "yours faithfully" give only the first word a capital letter.

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

Write the salutation, postamble, and your name by hand, top tip: don't use "s" twice.

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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• February 29, 2020

How To Use ‘Yours Sincerely’ and ‘Yours Faithfully’

It’s a common question: when should I use ‘your sincerely’ and when should I use ‘yours faithfully’ to finish my formal emails and/or letters.

Here we provide all the information you need to make the right choice.

The first thing to say is that these are both formal ways to finish an email or a letter (also known as salutations, which are the ways that we greet and then bid farewell to people, particularly in writing).

Getting salutations right is a necessary skill to learn quickly, particularly when you are working in English, and of course, deciding when to use ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ is a big part of this.

So, here are the important things to consider:

British English usage

As can happen with the English language, there are slight differences in opinion and habitual use when it comes to British English and American English. In general, American English would include Canada, whereas British English means every other country that speaks English. Once again, that’s a general rule.

In British English, there are particular style guides that are considered authoritative when it comes to the language, and one such guide is Henry Watson Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage. Despite being nearly a hundred years old, it is still referred to as a principle guide for writing in English. So what does Watson say exactly?

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when responding to invitations and friendly, but not intimate, letters

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when writing to unknown persons on business matters

Although ‘yours truly’ and ‘yours very truly’ have become somewhat archaic in modern British English terms, ‘yours sincerely’ and ‘yours faithfully’ are still the main go-to endings for business correspondence. Here Fowler is clear that ‘Yours sincerely’ is slightly more personal that ‘Yours faithfully’.

This approach is supported by advice given in the Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence, which classifies the two terms as follows:

·   Use ‘Yours sincerely’ when you know the person’s name to whom you’re writing

·   Use ‘Yours faithfully’ when you begin a letter with “Dear Sir/Madam”

The Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence also offers up the most informal of salutations:

·   Use “Best wishes” when writing to someone you know well

And there you have it! In British English ‘Yours faithfully’ is the most formal of all, and is used when you do not have the name of the person you are writing to.

American English usage

Across the Atlantic, there is a slight difference of opinion on these matters. Firstly, things are rather less formal in the United States, but there are still conventions of sorts.

‘Yours faithfully’ doesn’t exist as a salutation in the United States. Instead, when the recipient of the email or letter is unknown, the term ‘Yours truly’ is used.

‘Sincerely’ is therefore slightly less formal, and for when you know the name of the person you are addressing the correspondence too. But instead of ‘Yours sincerely’ the inverted ‘Sincerely yours’ is preferred.

So, there we go. Transatlantic differences and the importance of knowing how to end your letter when you know the recipient’s name as opposed to when you don’t. That’s all you need to know.

Hint: when writing online it is always a good idea to get some AI help. Use our free grammar checker or innovative AI-based paraphrasing app to elevate your writing.

More from Linguix Blog

Resources > Unitemps Career Advice > Cover letter mistakes and how to avoid them

Cover letter mistakes and how to avoid them

Cover letters seem straightforward enough but there is an art to making them stand out – find out what to avoid if your cover letter is to have the impact you want it to.

1. Don’t write a personal statement

A cover letter should give a brief indication of why you think you are right for this role. You will also want to showcase your passion for the work involved but be wary of writing a statement that is all about you – a personal statement would be a more appropriate document to tell your story and only some employers will want this as part of the application process. A cover letter, on the other hand, ‘covers’ the skills detailed on your CV by going into more detail and demonstrating your ability and how these skills have been put into practice.

2. Keep it succinct

It’s tempting to overload your cover letter with multiple examples of your skills and how you have utilised these in your work so far but the employer needs a short and snappy summary to get through a lot of applications. Instead, save some of your examples and scenarios for the interview stage, where you will be able to talk about your work in much more depth. Your cover letter should be no longer than one page.

3. Don’t repeat your CV

A cover letter shouldn’t simply list your achievements and work to date as this is the task your CV takes care of. Instead, you should reflect your skills and experience using specific examples to back up the information on your CV. Your cover letter is all about proving you’re the right person for the job through clear scenarios, so think about what qualities the employer is looking for and then instances of when you have shown these qualities at work.

4. Format it correctly

Be sure to present the information on your cover letter in the correct style and layout. It’s professional to include your address in the top right column and the address of your employer in the top left column of your letter, regardless of it being sent electronically. You should start the letter with ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ or even by name if you have this information to hand. If you have addressed the receiver as sir or madam, you should sign off with ‘Yours faithfully’. If you have addressed the receiver by name, then ‘yours sincerely’ is best. Check our the Unitemps cover letter template for an example of what to do.

5. Write a new cover letter for every job role

Writing cover letters shouldn’t be rushed – and this means it can be time-consuming and the temptation to copy and paste from previous covering letters is strong. The problem with doing this is that it is often obvious to the employers that you haven’t tailored your skills to the job description. It appears lazy and you can come across as unmotivated straight away – so, if you want your covering letter to have an impact, put the time in and explicitly link your skills and experience to the person specification.

Register with Unitemps to upload your CV and begin applying for jobs straight away.

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How to Start and End a Cover Letter

Now that you’ve written your resume in English , and you’ve found a job advertisement, here are a few tips on how to write a respectable cover letter.  I consider these tips to be the ‘good manners’ you’d want to extend to your potential new company.

When we’re editing cover letters at English Trackers , I’ve come to realise that many people don’t know how to start or finish a letter in English.

Compared to some of the flowery endings you find in other languages, English is incredibly simple and the salutation and sign off should be learned in pairs.

Let me explain.

The Salutation  – How to start a cover letter

There are three possible choices:

You know the person’s name – then use it:

• Dear Mr Parker

You don’t know the person’s name – but have been told to write to the HR department:

• Dear HR Manager

You don’t know the person’s name and don’t want to offend either gender:

• Dear Sir or Madam

NOTE : Do not use ‘To Whom It May Concern’

This should only be used on letters of reference, certificates etc. These kinds of documents are submitted over and over again, and are therefore addressed to many different people – whom ever it may concern.

The Sign Off – How to end a cover letter

There are only two choices: Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully

Here’s a very simple way of remembering whether you end with Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully.

“You can never have more than one ‘ S ’ in a salutation and signoff.” Therefore – Dear S ir & Yours s incerely – should never appear together.

If you know the person’s name, you ALWAYS sign off with Yours sincerely. For every other salutation, you sign off Yours faithfully.

• Dear Mr Parker – Yours sincerely
• Dear Ms Little – Yours sincerely  
• Dear Sir – Yours faithfully
• Dear Madam – Yours faithfully
• Dear HR Manager – Yours faithfully

I said it was simple! If you want more info on coping with letter etiquette, download the English Trackers Email Etiquette Tips – we’ve covered just about every eventuality in there.

Setting the tone

Tone is not an easy thing to master in another language. You need to write in such a way that you don’t presume anything – that the person will call you for an interview, that the company will hire you etc. – but you do want to show you’re a good fit for the position.

Endings are very hard – as hard and important as the beginning of a cover letter, and they merit a fair amount of time. You want to end on a positive note that points to the future – the possibility of an interview, the submission of further information.

In the edited version below, these two points are merged together into one fluid and positive last sentence.

I thank you for taking the time to consider my application, and would welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you in more detail.

In the following unedited example, the first sentence is not too bad in terms of tone, but the second sentence is basically an order; there is not even a please or a thank you!

In case this application together with my attached CV has paid your attention I will be happy to elaborate on the value I can bring xxx company.

As I am permanently employed it is very important that you treat this application with full discretion and confidentiality.

Below, is a polite, edited version of those two sentences:

Should you wish, I would be very happy to discuss the contents of this letter and the enclosed CV in person. I would also request that in light of my on-going permanent employment this application be treated with full discretion and confidentiality.

And don’t forget, when you’ve finished writing  – edit, edit, edit .

Re-read it and then if possible, leave it for a night. Come back to it fresh and go through it again. Ask someone else to read it – preferably a native English speaker – and only when you are sure it’s error free and ready to represent you politely – then push SEND!

Good luck with your job applications.

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Frequently asked questions

Should i write ‘yours sincerely’ or ‘yours faithfully’.

Traditionally, the sign-off Yours sincerely is used in an email message or letter when you are writing to someone you have interacted with before, not a complete stranger.

Yours faithfully is used instead when you are writing to someone you have had no previous correspondence with, especially if you greeted them as ‘ Dear Sir or Madam ’.

Frequently asked questions: Effective communication

‘Looking forward in hearing from you’ is an incorrect version of the phrase looking forward to hearing from you . The phrasal verb ‘looking forward to’ always needs the preposition ‘to’, not ‘in’.

• I am looking forward in hearing from you.
• I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Some synonyms and near synonyms for the expression looking forward to hearing from you include:

• Eagerly awaiting your response
• Hoping to hear from you soon
• It would be great to hear back from you
• Thanks in advance for your reply

People sometimes mistakenly write ‘looking forward to hear from you’, but this is incorrect. The correct phrase is looking forward to hearing from you .

The phrasal verb ‘look forward to’ is always followed by a direct object, the thing you’re looking forward to. As the direct object has to be a noun phrase , it should be the gerund ‘hearing’, not the verb ‘hear’.

• I’m looking forward to hear from you soon.
• I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Just checking in   is a standard phrase used to start an email (or other message) that’s intended to ask someone for a response or follow-up action in a friendly, informal way. However, it’s a cliché opening that can come across as passive-aggressive, so we recommend avoiding it in favor of a more direct opening like “We previously discussed …”

In a more personal context, you might encounter “just checking in” as part of a longer phrase such as “I’m just checking in to see how you’re doing”. In this case, it’s not asking the other person to do anything but rather asking about their well-being (emotional or physical) in a friendly way.

“Earliest convenience” is part of the phrase at your earliest convenience , meaning “as soon as you can”. 

It’s typically used to end an email in a formal context by asking the recipient to do something when it’s convenient for them to do so.

ASAP is an abbreviation of the phrase “as soon as possible”. 

It’s typically used to indicate a sense of urgency in highly informal contexts (e.g., “Let me know ASAP if you need me to drive you to the airport”).

“ASAP” should be avoided in more formal correspondence. Instead, use an alternative like at your earliest convenience .

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Our support team is here to help you daily via chat, WhatsApp, email, or phone between 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CET.

Our APA experts default to APA 7 for editing and formatting. For the Citation Editing Service you are able to choose between APA 6 and 7.

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 24 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

Yes, you can upload your document in sections.

We try our best to ensure that the same editor checks all the different sections of your document. When you upload a new file, our system recognizes you as a returning customer, and we immediately contact the editor who helped you before.

However, we cannot guarantee that the same editor will be available. Your chances are higher if

• You send us your text as soon as possible and
• You can be flexible about the deadline.

Please note that the shorter your deadline is, the lower the chance that your previous editor is not available.

If your previous editor isn’t available, then we will inform you immediately and look for another qualified editor. Fear not! Every Scribbr editor follows the  Scribbr Improvement Model  and will deliver high-quality work.

Yes, our editors also work during the weekends and holidays.

Because we have many editors available, we can check your document 24 hours per day and 7 days per week, all year round.

If you choose a 72 hour deadline and upload your document on a Thursday evening, you’ll have your thesis back by Sunday evening!

Yes! Our editors are all native speakers, and they have lots of experience editing texts written by ESL students. They will make sure your grammar is perfect and point out any sentences that are difficult to understand. They’ll also notice your most common mistakes, and give you personal feedback to improve your writing in English.

Every Scribbr order comes with our award-winning Proofreading & Editing service , which combines two important stages of the revision process.

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.

You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:

View an example

When you place an order, you can specify your field of study and we’ll match you with an editor who has familiarity with this area.

However, our editors are language specialists, not academic experts in your field. Your editor’s job is not to comment on the content of your dissertation, but to improve your language and help you express your ideas as clearly and fluently as possible.

This means that your editor will understand your text well enough to give feedback on its clarity, logic and structure, but not on the accuracy or originality of its content.

Good academic writing should be understandable to a non-expert reader, and we believe that academic editing is a discipline in itself. The research, ideas and arguments are all yours – we’re here to make sure they shine!

After your document has been edited, you will receive an email with a link to download the document.

The editor has made changes to your document using ‘Track Changes’ in Word. This means that you only have to accept or ignore the changes that are made in the text one by one.

It is also possible to accept all changes at once. However, we strongly advise you not to do so for the following reasons:

• You can learn a lot by looking at the mistakes you made.
• The editors don’t only change the text – they also place comments when sentences or sometimes even entire paragraphs are unclear. You should read through these comments and take into account your editor’s tips and suggestions.
• With a final read-through, you can make sure you’re 100% happy with your text before you submit!

You choose the turnaround time when ordering. We can return your dissertation within 24 hours , 3 days or 1 week . These timescales include weekends and holidays. As soon as you’ve paid, the deadline is set, and we guarantee to meet it! We’ll notify you by text and email when your editor has completed the job.

Very large orders might not be possible to complete in 24 hours. On average, our editors can complete around 13,000 words in a day while maintaining our high quality standards. If your order is longer than this and urgent, contact us to discuss possibilities.

Always leave yourself enough time to check through the document and accept the changes before your submission deadline.

Scribbr is specialised in editing study related documents. We check:

• Graduation projects
• Dissertations
• Admissions essays
• College essays
• Application essays
• Personal statements
• Process reports
• Reflections
• Internship reports
• Academic papers
• Research proposals
• Prospectuses

Calculate the costs

The fastest turnaround time is 24 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between three deadlines:

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

• How it works
• Upload application

The English application: Cover letter

Cover letter: final statement and ending salutation, final statement.

The last paragraph of your cover letter should mention when and how you are reachable as well as that you would welcome an invitation for a personal interview. Emphasize that you will reach out to the company yourself in the next few days to ensure that your application has arrived. Having sent the application, you now have a reason to call there. During the phone call, ask whether references and/or additional certificates are required and build an immediate personal contact, preferably with the person responsible.

Short and sweet

• When and how are you reachable?
• You are looking forward to an interview.
• You will call in the next few days to ensure that the application has reached.

Ending salutation

The ending salutation depends on whether the name of the contact person is known. ‘Sincerely’ (US) and ‘Yours sincerely’ (UK) are the most common greetings if you know the person’s name. If you do not, however, and have used the salutation, ‘Dear Sir or Madam’, then ‘Yours faithfully’ is the preferred ending salutation. Phrases like ‘With best regards’ must never be used here, as they represent a more colloquial style and are used in email.

Whether you should place a comma after the ending salutation will depend on whether you have placed a comma after the greeting.

Dear Mr. XY, ... Yours sincerely, Dear Mr XY ... Yours sincerely

After the ending salutation, about four blank lines serve as placeholders for your signature, followed by your first and last names. In contrast to the CV, British and American cover letters are both signed.

Kurz und bündig

• ‘Sincerely’ if the contact person is known
• ‘Yours faithfully’ if the contact person is unknown
• Comma after ending salutation if there is also a comma after the greeting

Yours Faithfully or Yours Sincerely? (Kind or Best Regards?)

Ending your emails properly can make all the difference in how the tone of your email comes off. It can leave a lasting impression on the receiver of the email, meaning It can quite literally make or break a working relationship.

Emails are a main form of communication today, and the sign-off is just as important as the subject line. Some of the most common sign-offs are Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, Kind regards, and Best regards.

It can be tricky to determine how you should sign the end of your email. Luckily, there is an easy way to remember when you should use which. “Yours Sincerely” should only be used when you know the recipient that you are emailing.” Yours Faithfully” should be used when you do not know the recipient.

Yours Faithfully

“Yours faithfully” is widely used in British English when signing off an email to a recipient that is unknown. In other words, the recipient is not addressed specifically by name, but rather by Sir or Madam.

It is not commonly used in American English, but you might see it every now and then. The American equivalent of this is Yours truly. Yours faithfully and Yours truly are mostly used in business emails.

You will also need to make sure you write out the phrase correctly. It can be tempting to want to write Yours Faithfully with both words capitalized, but you only capitalized the first word, not both.

Yours Sincerely

“Yours sincerely” is also used in British English, but it is used as a sign-off for when the recipient is known. This means that the name of the recipient is in the email opener, and you know their name. “Yours sincerely” should not be used if the recipient is unknown.

In American English, this sign-off is reversed. Instead of being “Yours sincerely, the sign-off is “Sincerely yours”. In some cases, it might even be just Sincerely. This sign-off can be used in business emails or personal emails but is more common in personal emails.

Just like “Yours faithfully”, only the first word of this sign-off gets capitalized. Depending on which comes first, only Yours or only Sincerely will be capitalized (Yours sincerely/Sincerely yours). It can be incredibly tempting to want to capitalize both, but it isn’t considered to be proper grammar.

How to Remember Which is Correct

Remembering which sign-off to use is tricky, but there is one simple way that you can keep them straight.

Consider the word faithfully and how it starts with F. This sign-off is only used in FORMAL conditions such as business emails. You can think of the F in faithfully as standing for the word formal. This will ensure that you always use the best closer for your emails.

Kind Regards or Best Regards?

“Kind regards” and “Best regards” are two more popular sign-off choices for business emails. Both of these seem nice and polite, but there is a certain time to use each to appear as professional as possible. It is really hard to determine which of these phrases should be used as your sign-off.

“Best regards” is less formal than “Kind regards”. It is seen to be a respectful and friendly sign-off, especially to clients that you know, but aren’t close with. This sentiment is neutral and can be used when emailing existing clients, vendors you’ve worked with for a while, emailing colleagues, or any other business casual conversation.

“Kind regards” is the more formal version of the two. You will have the best luck using this sentiment when you are sending an introductory email or reaching out to a client that you haven’t emailed before. This is considered to be an appropriate and professional way to send off an email.

You will want to use “Kind regards” when you are sending an email to a warm outreach, during the early stages of working together, when emailing an executive of the company at any time, introducing yourself to colleagues, or when you aren’t sure what other sign-off would be great for your email.

Choosing the right email sign-off can make or break your email. It is important to make sure that you are using formal sign-offs for formal emails and informal sign-offs for personal emails. When trying to decide whether to use Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully, the most efficient way you can remember the difference is by thinking of the F in faithfully as standing for FORMAL.

“Yours faithfully” is more formal and “Yours sincerely” is more casual, but it goes deeper than that. Yours faithfully is also used for sending an email where you aren’t sure who the recipient is, and they are only referred to as Sir or Madam. Yours sincerely is used when you do know the name of the recipient.

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