Write letters with respect and warmth to a friend. We wrote, we wrote

Etiquette formulas are required in the design of a business letter. They are determined by the genre of the message (letters of invitation, letters of congratulations, letters of condolence) and are largely conditional, ritual in nature. More A.S. Pushkin noted in Journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg: “Every day we sign our most humble servants, and it seems that none of this has yet concluded that we asked to be valets.”

Business letters of invitation and congratulations include many etiquette phrases. Instead of an etiquette frame (words of greeting and farewell), business letters use the following appeals: Dear Nikolai Ivanovich! Dear Mr. Bobylev! IN At the end of the letter, before the signature, the final courtesy formula is placed: Yours sincerely!;Sincerely;With sincere respect!;Best wishes!;Thanks in advance for your reply…;We hope that our request will not be difficult for you.…;We look forward to a successful continuation of cooperation…;We look forward to your interest in expanding connections…etc.

These closing remarks of courtesy are followed by self-name official signing the document, and his signature. Self-naming includes an indication of the position held and the name of the organization, if the letter is not sent on the letterhead of the institution, otherwise - only the position:

If a letter is sent on behalf of the Academic Council of a scientific institution, the self-name is an indication of the role that this or that person performs in this body:

Etiquette rituals, expressed by performative verbs, are included, as a rule, in set expressions, like the rest of the speech etiquette formulas: With pleasure) invite You to take part in...; Thank you You for participation...; Sincerely Thank you You for...; Cordially Thank you You for...; I beg You will be directed to our address...; I assure You that we will do our best...; wish Good luck to you and we look forward to future mutually beneficial cooperation...; With thanks confirm receiving from you...;

Etiquette rituals used in business letters include

- different kinds praise : You showed heartfelt attention to orphans and children left without parental care...(direct praise); Considering your great contribution to the development of technological progress in industry...(indirect praise); Since your firm is a leading supplier of computer equipment...(indirect praise)

expression of hope, confidence, gratitude at the end of the letter : I express hope for…;I hope for further good and mutually beneficial relations…; We hope for a speedy decision ... We hope that the result of the negotiations will be a long-term and fruitful cooperation between our enterprises…; We look forward to further fruitful cooperation…; We wish you success and look forward to future mutually beneficial cooperation…;We hope that our request will be considered as soon as possible.…;We hope for a speedy answer (solution of our issue) ...;We were glad to receive your letter.…;Thank you very much for the fax dated 04.06.2010…; We acknowledge with gratitude the receipt of your letter…;Thank you behind...;

expression of congratulations, apologies, wishes: Congratulations ...; We wish you success in…;We apologize for… about…and so on.

Polite form addressee naming in business correspondence involves the use of the pronouns "You", "Your" with a capital letter: According to your request we send To you latest catalogs of our products; At the end of this month, we will be happy to use your services.

It is impossible not to take into account the effectiveness of etiquette formulas, the arsenal of which in Russian speech etiquette is very large. The success of the case largely depends on the tone of the letter.

The universal principle of using etiquette means is the principle of politeness, which is expressed in the recommendations given to readers in one old Russian letter book and which have not lost their relevance to this day: “The first duty of the writer is to remember his own position, to know the position of the person to whom we are writing, and to imagine the latter is as clear as if we were standing in front of him and talking. This is especially important today, when official correspondence is becoming more personal and dynamic. Today, the genre of business writing requires from the compiler not only the standardization of language means, but also the manifestation of their own individuality.

When I studied at the Master's in Germany, I asked myself the same question - how to correctly 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!” In English, you don't put a comma before your address, and you rarely see an exclamation mark 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 right down to business. However, when we write a letter to a potential client, partner or employer, the rules of etiquette still apply. Not saying hello or saying 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 this 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.

“yours”- translates as "your". The question immediately arises: "Who is yours?". This is a rather vague, but, nevertheless, quite official version of the signature. It is indeed often used, but today people are so fed up with automatic replies, mailing lists and robots that they expect real human attention to their person from letters written by real people. If you want to build a relationship with a person, invest twenty extra seconds to complete this phrase or choose another option that will bring you closer to cooperation and increase the level of trust.

"Respectfully"- a rather harsh option, and not from the present century. If you don't write a letter to the president, you can forget it. If you really cooperate with representatives of state bodies and the clergy, you should sign your appeals in this way - “respectfully yours”.

"Looking forward to hearing from you"- "I look forward to your answer" can be written by the one who fulfills the request. If you ask, in no case should you end the letter like this, because you are in a hurry and put in an uncomfortable position a person who has not yet agreed to do anything for you.

take care is fine if you're concerned about the health and well-being of your friends and family, but in business, the phrase is often redundant. “You take care of yourself there” - it looks like you know about the danger that lies in wait for him, but he does not yet.

Regards- it’s even curious how polar opinions are about this word. 50% of experts write: “I hate this word! I just hate! I hate it even more when they write the abbreviated “Rgds”, as if they want to show me how busy they are - they don’t even have time to write an extra letter! But there are those who are used to such a signature, and have nothing against it. It expresses nothing but politeness and does not suggest any sympathy or warmth.

I hope that after reviewing this list, you will determine exactly which signature to choose when referring to colleagues, to management, or to a potential employer. Remember that these are not just words. Whatever you say, out loud or on paper, ultimately shapes your relationships and the subtext of your relationships with people. Develop your communication skills in English.

Sincerely yours (this is not a formality, I sincerely want to be useful to you) Natalia Tokar.

Natalia Tokar, creator of the training center UpSkillMe Business English for Ambitious Minds, author of a unique methodology for teaching business English, upskillme.ru

The most common phrases to complete a business letter in English are Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, Yours truly, Best regards. Below are the features of the use of each of them.

Yours sincerely

Possible options: Sincerely yours (American English), Sincerely.
The most common way to complete a business (formal) letter in English. It is used when the recipient's name is indicated at the beginning of the letter, for example: "Dear Ms. Paula Hill".

Yours faithfully

The turnover is considered a little outdated, although it can still be found in business correspondence, especially in British English. It is rarely used in American English (cf. Yours Truly). A feature of using this expression is that it should be used if there is no indication of the recipient's name in the appeal at the beginning of the letter, for example: "Dear Sir" or "Dear madam".

Yours truly

American analogue of the expression Yours faithfully.

Best regards

Possible options: Kind regards, Warm regards, Regards, Kindest regards, etc.
These expressions sound less formal than Yours sincerely And Yours faithfully. It is recommended to use them only when the letter is NOT strictly official and is addressed to a person with whom you have a more friendly (and not just business) relationship. It should be noted, however, that these expressions are often used in electronic business correspondence.

Summary

Dear Ms Paula Hill, => Yours sincerely(British English), Sincerely yours(Amer.English), Sincerely.
Formal style, the name of the recipient is indicated in the appeal.

Dear Sir or Madam, => Yours faithfully(British English ), Yours truly(amer.eng.).
Formal style, the name of the recipient is NOT indicated in the appeal. Expressions are considered a bit obsolete, although they are still found.

Any appeal=> Best regards, Kind regards, Warm regards, Regards, Kindest regards.
Less formal ways to end a business letter. Often used in business e-mail.
see also

Correspondence is one of the most important ways of communication between people all over the world. With its help, you can solve any issue: work, commercial, personal. This often saves time, because we do not have to wait for a person to talk to him (let it be better if the letter is waiting for him in the box).

Fortunately, today we do not have to wait long, and a letter can be sent at lightning speed thanks to the Internet. However, to avoid shame, it is important to know how to write it correctly in English. Let's discard the officialdom and talk about something pleasant - today we are writing a letter to a friend.

Example of a friendly letter

Dear Paul,
Thank you for your letters! I "m glad to hear that you" ve passed your driving test! Congratulations!

I "m sorry I haven"t written for such a long time. I "ve been really busy with my new project. By the way, thank you for your brilliant idea. I really had the best presentation last time. I really appreciated your advice.

As for your question, I think all you have to do is just regular exercises. Don "t be lazy and try to find at least 20-30 minutes for your health every day. There is a rule of 30 minutes a day: if you do something at least 30 minutes a day you will have a result at the end of the week. For example, if you read 50 pages during this time, at the end of the week you"ll have total of about 350 pages. If we say that we don't have enough time for it (as we usually do) we have 0 result at the end of the week. Besides, they say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. So all you have to do is to take the bull by the horns and try it for just 3 weeks.

Unfortunately, I need to come back to my project. I hope my advice was helpful.

Hope to hear from you soon.

take care,
Victor

Sample letter to a friend

Thank you for your letter!

I'm glad to know that you passed on the rights! Congratulations!
I'm sorry I haven't written to you for a long time. I have been very busy with my new project. By the way, thanks for the great idea. I really had a great presentation last time. I really appreciated your advice.
Regarding your question, I think all you need to do is just exercise regularly. Do not be lazy and try to find at least 20-30 minutes a day for your health. There is a rule of 30 minutes a day: if you do something for at least 30 minutes a day, at the end of the week you will have a result. For example, if you read 50 pages during this time, by the end of the week you will have 350 pages. If we say that we don't have time for this (as we usually do), we will have a zero result at the end of the week. Plus, they say it takes 21 days to form a new habit. So all you have to do is take the bull by the horns and try for 3 weeks.
Unfortunately, I have to get back to my project. Hope my advice was helpful.
I hope for a speedy reply.

What is informal English writing?

Such a letter is also used to ask for some information, to congratulate on a holiday, to ask for advice / give advice. A friendly letter can be written to both an old friend and a new, unknown friend. The tone of the letter should show your love and concern for your friend.

How to start an informal letter?

Like any other type of letter, informal contains certain mandatory parts. Of course, this is a greeting and a farewell. Start with a word Dear(dear) + the name of the person you are writing to. Also (especially in e-mails) you can start with the word Hi+ person's name.

For example: Dear Bob, or Hi Bob. Do not address a person by their last name or Mr, Mrs. It sounds too formal and even ridiculous when combined with Dear.

In an informal letter, a comma is often put after the name, and the text of the letter itself begins on a new line. In this case, it is important to keep the style, that is, if you used a comma at the beginning, then repeat this technique at the end of the letter, saying goodbye.

What to write about in an informal letter?

• How are you?- How are you?
• How is your family?- How is your family?
• Thank you/Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter/postcard.- Thank you/Many thanks for the (recent/last) letter/card.
• I hope you are well.- I hope you are well.
• I was so surprised to hear that...- I was surprised to hear that...
• It was good / nice / great to hear from you again.- It was good / nice / wonderful to hear from you again.

If you have not communicated for a long time, the following phrases will do:

• It "s ages since I" ve heard from you. I hope you "re well / you and your family are well. Haven't heard from you in years. I hope you are well/you and your family are well.
• I "m sorry I haven"t written/haven"t been in touch for such a long time. Sorry for not posting/ keeping in touch for so long.

Examples of phrases and variants of letters in English

If a friend wrote about the news:

• Glad to hear that…- Glad to hear that...
• Great news about…- Great news about...
• Sorry to hear about…- Sorry to hear about...

• I thought you might be interested to hear about/know that…“I thought you might be interested in hearing about/knowing what…”
• Listen, did I tell you about …? You"ll never believe what…- Listen, did I tell you about...? You will never believe that...
• By the way, have you heard about / did you know that…?- By the way, did you hear about / did you know that…?
• Oh, and another thing… This is just to let you know that… Oh, and one more thing... Just so you know...

Sorry:

• I "m really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was busy with my new job.- Sorry, I'm sorry I forgot to send you a birthday card, but I was busy with a new job.
• I "m writing to apologise for missing your party but I"m afraid I was with flu.- I'm writing to apologize for missing your party, but I'm afraid I had the flu.

We invite:

• Could you let me know if you can come / you "d like to join us?- Could you let me know if you can come/would you like to join us?
• I was wondering if you "d like to come on holiday with us. I'm wondering if you would like to come with us on vacation.
• I "m / We" re having a party on Saturday 13th and I / we hope you "ll be able to come.- I / We are having a party on Saturday the 13th and we hope you manage to come.

We answer the invitation:

• Thank you very much for your invitation. I "d love to come.- Thanks a lot for the invitation. I would love to come.
• Thank you for inviting me to… but I "m afraid I won"t be able to…- Thank you for inviting me to... but I'm afraid I can't...

We ask:

• I "m writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour.- I am writing to you to ask for help / (could you give me) a favor.
• I wonder if you could help me/do me a favour.- I'm wondering if you could help me / provide a service.
• I "d be very / really / terribly grateful if you could ...- I would be very / really / terribly grateful if you could.

Thank you:

• I "m writing to thank you for your hospitality / the wonderful present. I am writing to you to thank you for your hospitality/wonderful gift.
• It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you.“It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you.
• I really appreciated all your help/advice.- I really appreciate your help/advice.

Congratulations/good luck:

• Congratulations on passing your exams/your excellent exam results!- My congratulations on passing the exams / your excellent results!
• I wish you good luck/Good luck in/with your exams/your interview.- I wish you good luck / good luck in / in the exams / interview.
• Don "t worry, I" m sure you "ll do well / pass.- Don't worry, I'm sure you'll succeed / pass.

• Why don't you…?- Why do not you…?
• Maybe you could…?- Perhaps you could...?
• How about…?- What about…?
• You can't leave Moscow without... (doing sth)- You can't leave Moscow without... (having done something)
• I "m sure you will enjoy... (doing sth). If you like, we can…- I'm sure you'll enjoy... (doing something). If you want we can...

How to end an informal letter?

Of course, after we shared everything, talked about everything, answered all the questions, you need to logically finish the letter, you can’t just cut it off. For this, we also have some blanks, traditional phrases.

Say why you end the letter:

• Unfortunately, I need to / have to go.- Unfortunately, I have to / I have to go.
• It's time to finish.- It's time to finish.
• Anyway, I must go and get on with my work!“Anyway, I have to go and get the job done.

Say hello or tell me about your next meeting/letter:

• Give my love / regards to... / Say hello to... - Give my regards to...
• Anyway, don't forget to let me know the dates of the party."Anyway, don't forget to let me know the date of the party."
• We must try and meet up soon.- We should try to meet soon.
• I can't wait to hear from you.- I can't wait to hear from you.
• Look forward to seeing you again.- Looking forward to seeing you again.
• Hope to hear from you soon.- I hope to hear from you soon.
• See you soon.- See you soon

And in conclusion, do not forget about the traditional wish from a new line

• Love,/Lots of love,- With love,
• All the best- All the best,
• take care,- Take care of yourself,
• best wishes,- Best wishes.

Useful Linking Words

then- then
after it/that- after this/that
though- Although
so- so, therefore
that's why- therefore, that's why
besides- Besides
still- nevertheless
anyway- anyway, anyway
fortunately- fortunately
unfortunately- Unfortunately

BONUS!

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Big and friendly family EnglishDom

The signature "with respect" at the end of the letter is a standard formula of politeness. Is it always necessary to end the letter with this phrase? How to write it correctly in Russian and English? Let's look at examples.

From the article you will learn:

There are no random phrases in official correspondence. Stylistics requires conciseness and careful selection of words from the author. Closing phrases reinforce positive emotions, express confidence and appreciation at the same time. A clear signature helps maintain business conversation contributes to the achievement of the goal. Respect the interlocutor and compose the text so that it is pleasant to read. Politeness combined with professionalism speaks of the competence of a specialist.

How to end a business letter with respect for the addressee?

When writing a formal message, remember that you are speaking on behalf of the entire company. The secretary must be extremely correct, as he represents his leader. Compliance with the generally accepted rules of business correspondence creates a positive image of the company in the eyes of partners and customers.

Official correspondence always has specific goals. The purpose determines the structure of the text. In the general case, the text is divided into several semantic parts: introduction, problem statement, argumentation and conclusion. Each part performs specific tasks. The introduction, for example, prepares for the perception of the main ideas. Conclusion - expresses wishes and hopes, assures further partnership.

Advice from the Editor: There are generally accepted formulas for each of the tasks. By ending the letter politely, you show that you respect your partner, set him up for positive emotions and leave a good impression. Find out, in the electronic journal "Secretary's Handbook". To read the article, complete demo access for 3 days.

How do you spell "respectfully" at the end of a letter?

A single regulation of business correspondence and bringing it to common standards is typical for large companies. Design letterhead, the form of "autographs" at the end of the message becomes part of the corporate culture, an element of style. Whether it is a paper or electronic message, compliance with a single standard is an indicator of attention to detail and important subtleties.

There are several types of closing phrases in business correspondence. Their choice depends on how well you know the addressee. For example, the signature "with respect" in a formal letter is neutral. If you want to focus your partner’s attention on something or once again remind him of the request, use restrained phrases:

• Yours sincerely...
• Sincerely...
• Best wishes...

When choosing the final formula of politeness, try to do without familiarities. Remember that how well do you know the person to whom you are writing. If the acquaintance is formal, stick to the official style.

The answer was prepared jointly with the editors of the electronic journal " Secretary's Handbook».

Answered by Maria BELDOVA,
With. n. With. VNIIDAD, expert in the field of documentation management

What are we waiting for when sending a letter to a partner or client? So that our information, even negative, makes a favorable impression on the addressee and causes a response or decision. This can be achieved if you follow the rules of correspondence etiquette, properly format the letter and prepare a high quality text. Your text should be of moderate length; contain the necessary arguments and clear language and have a structure that best conveys the information.

Reception 1. Separate the main from the secondary

The text of a business letter should have a volume sufficient to ...

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"Respectfully" at the end of the letter: with or without a comma

The final form of politeness is given at the end of the text. It is placed on the same vertical with the date, on the right side. The phrase is separated from the main text by two or three intervals. Slightly below are props "Signature", including the name of the position of the compiler, his personal signature and transcript. This arrangement complies with the standards of GOST 6.30-97, which defines the requirements for paperwork. If the message is issued on official letterhead or is of a private nature, the title of the position and the transcript of the signature are not put.

The question of how to write at the end of the letter "with respect": with or without a comma, does not have a clear answer. Both options are acceptable. The absence of a sign can be perceived as negligence and even illiteracy. On the other hand, according to the rules of punctuation, this comma should not be used. From the point of view of Russian grammar, the sign is redundant. The words "with respect" are not an introductory turnover, and the signature is an appeal. This phrase implies that "This letter was written with respect to you by N.N.". As in it, in the abbreviated version, the comma is not put according to the rules.

Why is it so common in practice? IN rules of correspondence in English, German and other European languages, this sign is required. The phrase "with respect" at the end of the letter in English is separated not only graphically, but also punctuation. Over time, although it is grammatically erroneous, the rule became part of the norms of the Russian language.

Letter Conclusion: Sample "Regards"

How to write "respectfully" in a business letter in English?

Rules business communication in English in many ways similar to those adopted in Russia. At the end, the addressee is thanked for their time and expresses their intention to continue the correspondence. Common phrases are also used: "with respect", "with gratitude", "with best wishes". After a new line indicate the name and surname of the compiler, as well as his position. Let's look at an example: how to sign a letter in English "with respect ..."

Table 1. Final politeness formulas in English

	Yours faithfully
Used if in circulation is the name of the recipient. The most common option.	Obsolete variant, found in British English. It is written in the absence of the name of the addressee in the appeal: Dear Sir or Dear madam	American equivalent for British yours faithfully.	A less formal option, acceptable for correspondence with a familiar person. Variations: Kind regards, Warm regards, Regards, Kindest regards
yours sincerely, Aleksandr Klimov Marketing Director	yours faithfully, Aleksandr Klimov Marketing Director	yours truly, Aleksandr Klimov Marketing Director	kind regards, Aleksandr Klimov Marketing Director

The ability to tactfully and correctly use standard cliché phrases is an indicator of the level of professionalism and knowledge of the language. In English writing, the phrase "respectfully" can be expressed in different ways. When composing a text for a foreign partner, consider all the factors and choose the most suitable translation.

How to sign a letter correctly: "with respect" and other politeness formulas

When compiling a message, the sender should be guided not only by generally accepted standards, but also by the rules of good manners. If you are writing to a stranger, and the appeal is strictly formal, use established expressions. The style of business speech strictly limits the choice of phrases.

If the matter concerns email or communication with well-known people, one can deviate from rigid canons, while remaining polite and correct. Let's look at a few examples of final phrases that are acceptable in less formal communication.

Table 2. Use of alternative final expressions

A business letter is a formal document, each part of which performs certain tasks. It is believed that the last sentence is always remembered better. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the final phrases.

Knowing when and how to correctly write "respectfully" at the end of a letter is one of the elements that emphasizes your professionalism. A competent secretary will always choose the right words or limit himself to a neutral expression of politeness. At the same time, he will not lower the prestige of the company and will convey the information to the recipient correctly and respectfully.