When writing a formal letter, when you don't know the recipient's name, how would you address the person and close the letter?
Choose the appropriate option :-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Dear Sir/Dear Madam, Yours faithfully
When the name of the person is not known, a formal letter opens with the salutation Dear Sir / Dear Madam (or Dear Sir/Madam) and closes with Yours faithfully.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: My dear, with Love — Incorrect. Both are informal and personal, used in letters to family and close friends.
Option 3: Dear Mr./Mrs., Your's lovingly — Incorrect.
- "Dear Mr./Mrs." needs a surname, which the writer does not know.
- "lovingly" is informal, and "Your's" is wrongly spelt (yours takes no apostrophe).
Option 4: Hello, Affectionately yours — Incorrect. "Hello" and "Affectionately yours" are casual forms used with people one knows well.
Contrast: Dear Sir / Dear Madam goes with Yours faithfully; "Yours sincerely" is kept for letters that begin with the person's name.