How does one usually sign off a formal letter?
Choose the most appropriate answer:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Yours faithfully
A formal letter that begins with "Sir" or "Madam" (to an official, an editor, a company) is usually closed with "Yours faithfully", followed by the writer's name. "Yours sincerely" is used when the person is addressed by name.
Example: The application ended with Yours faithfully and the candidate's signature.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Your humble servant — Incorrect. This is an old-fashioned closing that is no longer used in modern letters.
Option 2: Yours lovingly — Incorrect. It closes informal letters to family members and close relatives.
Option 3: Your friend — Incorrect. It closes an informal letter to a friend.