How To End A Letter

There are times when you spend half of your time pondering over how to start a letter. And while the body of the letter might just come easily to you, the end is sure to give you a tough time. You will find it difficult to get the right word to pen your thoughts and feelings. This is because the end of the letter matters just as much, if not more, as the beginning and body of the letter. And why, because that is what concludes all that you’ve written so far! There are plenty of ways to end a letter and they take care of almost all writers’ blocks that you may face. Most people end the letter by using ‘sincerely’ or ‘truly yours’. This is because most people do not know a more creative way to end it. While ending the letter, it is important to avoid an abrupt end which could leave the reader wondering what you hope to achieve with your note. You must also consider the message which you want to convey while ending it. Clearly knowing the ways to end a letter can save you from confusions and embarrassments while you send the letter. You can also clearly make your recipient understand your message.

Ending A Letter

How To End A Business Letter

• A business letter must end formally and with respect to the receiver.
• The concluding line and paragraph are very critical as they reflect the type of organisation you are addressing in the letter.
• The ending should be professional, courteous and very specific in approach with, a touch of warm regards towards the end.
• A business letter must be concluded in a declaring way that you are looking forward to hear from the other party.
• It should sound expert and precise. Though it must not be stuffed with emotion, it must not either be very cold.
• It must have a note of enthusiasm too.
• Say a ‘thank you’ to the company for their services and for the business dealings, if they have collaborated with your in business transactions.
• You can use the following expressions to end a business letter: Best Regards, Respectfully Yours, Warm Regards, Thanks & Regards etc.

Ending A Cover Letter

• While ending a cover letter, say that you looking forward to get an interview invitation from the recipients.
• After the concluding line, you should write the farewell expressions which sound apt to end a business letter. Following are the expressions to end a cover letter or other business letters:
• Thanking You, Yours Sincerely
• Thanking You, Yours Faithfully
• Thanking You, Respectfully Yours
• Regards
• With Anticipation

Ending A Personal Letter

• While ending personal letters to family members, relatives or friends, you can use informal endings like:
• See you shortly,
• See you on _____,
• Talk for you later,
• Later on,
• Yours,
• Yours Really,
• Enjoy,

Ending A ‘Thank You’ Letter

• You can say ‘thank you’ to the recipient in the ending too and ask them to be totally free to ask you any kind of help in case they need. The farewell expression can be:
• Thanking you Again, Yours Sincerely
• Thanking you Once again, Yours Faithfully
• Thanking You Again, Yours Gratefully
• Thank you for your consideration
• Thank you for your time
• Warmest and most sincere regards
• Very truly
• My sincerest gratitude
• With much appreciation
• Thanks

Indications Of Ending A Letter

• Give a hint that you are closing the letter at the end of body paragraphs. It can be anything like ‘write back soon’,’ I hope we can see each other again’ and ‘I love you’ depending upon the nature of the letter. You can also signal the ending of letter by writing a separate section for final remarks.
• Provide a double space and give your complimentary closing remark. You can use ‘your lovely’ or ‘love always’ depending upon your relationship with the recipient. Follow the phrase with a comma.
• After skipping a line and signing your name, add a post script if you want to add a bit more information which you did not include in the original letter.
• You can repeat the idea of the letter in the final paragraph. If you are applying for a job then reaffirming your interest in a specific job position would be a good idea. Similarly, if it is a personal letter then a final remark reemphasizing the theme, such as an apology or a congratulation, would be well received.
• You should keep the language light and simple once you bring it to a close.
• In informal letters to a boss or a colleague, the language need not be as stiff as in a business letter but, at the same time, do not keep it overtly friendly. You can end it saying “I appreciate you taking time to read this” or “Please respond when you get a free minute”.

Some Useful Considerations

• End your letter with a ‘thank you’ if you intend to express your gratitude to the recipient of the letter.
• While ending an informal letter, it is better to capitalize both words in the ending such as ‘Best Wishes’ or ‘Warm Regards’.
• While writing a letter to a close relative, an informal ending is better than a formal ending. The latter makes you sound emotionally distant.
• If you are writing a letter to a person with whom you are not very close, and you don’t want to be too formal or distant, you can use expressions like “all my best”, “regards”, “cordially yours”, “warm regards”, “talk to you later” and so on.

You can end your letter in various ways. You can even wear an imaginative hat and end a love letter or informal letter by employing farewells such as ‘Adieu’, ‘Aloha’, ‘Alvida’, ‘Ciao’, etc. Always remember, all well that ends well. If the starting and body are perfect but the ending is a bit lousy, it spoils the letter. You cannot appreciate a business letter ending with ‘Lots of love’. A lover does not look forward to the partner signing off saying ‘respectfully yours’. Ways to end a letter are as significant as the gestures used while starting a letter.