OET Writing: Do you know how to end a letter?

When writing your letter, it is very important to finish properly. Are you aware of the different ways in which you can sign off a letter in OET writing?

Do not worry. Read along to learn more.

The way in which you end a letter depends on certain factors. Before we discuss what the factors are, first let's get to know what the different ways of ending a letter are:

You can choose from some of the common informal endings such as 

• Sincerely,
• Thank you.
  
• Regards,

The two most common formal endings are:

• Yours sincerely,
• Yours faithfully,

Knowing when to use which is crucial.

Getting it right is rather simple and does not require you to consider a lot of factors.

YOURS SINCERELY,

'Yours sincerely' is best used when you know the last name of the person you are writing the letter to. 

For instance, if in the letter, we start with 'Dear Dr. S' or 'Dear Mrs. R', we end the letter with ' Yours sincerely '

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

But in case, you only know what the job title is and not the name of the person, then it is best advised that you end with ‘Yours faithfully’.

For example, if we start the letter ‘Dear Dentist’ or ‘Dear Aftercare Manager’, then we end the letter with ‘Yours faithfully'. 

Referring to the person's job title is actually preferred over the more, mainstream Sir/Madam when in a healthcare context.

Hope you now have a very clear idea on how to end the letter.

Happy Learning!