How to end a letter

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Anonymous  #267102  Thu, 14 Sep 06 06:39 PM
Hi,
how can I end a letter?
- Yours sincerely (very formal)
-regards
-greetings
-best wishes

Which would you choose in emails? It should not be too formal. Are there any big differences in the meaning between "greetings", "regards" and "Yours sincerely"?

Thanks in advance ;-)
  
nona the brit  #267113  Thu, 14 Sep 06 06:56 PM

Greetings should not be used to sign anything off as it is a way of saying 'hello'.

Letters (British English)

formal

Yours sincerely - when you know the name of the person so have addressed it to Mr/Mrs/Ms X

Yours faithfully - when you don't know the name of the person so have addressed it to Dear Sir/Madam

informal

Kind regards

Best wishes

e-mails

These are normally less formal so the informal sign-off as above are usually most appropriate.

  
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Englishuser  #267140  Thu, 14 Sep 06 08:11 PM

Hi nona the brit,

What about ending a letter 'yours very sincerely' or 'I have the honour to be, Madam/Sir, Your (Imperial) Majesty's humble and obedient servant/subject'?

  
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nona the brit  #267142  Thu, 14 Sep 06 08:18 PM
well I suppose you could use the latter if you were writing to the queen herself but it would still be a bit strange!
  
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