'Yours sincerely' or 'Yours faithfully'? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 17 January 2023)

Part 4

'Yours sincerely' or 'Yours faithfully': Which One Is Correct?

Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully are formal complimentary closes used in British English.

Yours sincerely is typically used when the recipient is addressed by name (e.g., Dear Mr Lau) and is known to the sender to some degree, whereas Yours faithfully is used when the recipient is not known by name (e.g., Dear Sir/Madam).

The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary's entry for Yours sincerely

The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary's entry for Yours faithfully

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Part 5: Should We Say 'Take Bus', 'Take the Bus', or 'Take a Bus'?
Part 6: 'I Afraid' or 'I Am Afraid'?
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Part 8: A Missing Relative Pronoun
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Part 10: 'Every Time' or 'Every Time When'?

Other Real-World Examples of Misuse

1. The definite article is needed. We say 'something is the same as something else'.
2. I have suggested a possible rewording here. The original tone was direct so it is clear that the writer was unhappy with the reply he received. However, 'Could you just ...' and 'answer my question directly' sound a little rude. I have therefore amended the text to make it sound more formal but still direct and to the point.
3. 'Yours sincerely' should be used here as the recipient of the letter has been identified (Professor Mathieson).

'Yours faithfully' is used when the recipient is not addressed by name.