Choosing between Yours Sincerely and Sincerely Yours can be confusing, especially when you’re writing a formal letter, business email, or professional message. Both expressions are used as letter closings and can show politeness and respect, but their usage can vary depending on the type of correspondence, writing style, and English convention you follow.Yours Sincerely is a traditional formal sign-off commonly used in British English, particularly when you know the recipient’s name.
For example, you might write “Dear Mr. Smith” and end the letter with “Yours sincerely.” In contrast, Sincerely Yours is also grammatically possible, but it is less common as a standard formal email closing in modern professional writing.If you’re learning English grammar, understanding these letter-writing conventions can help you sound more natural and professional.
The choice also depends on whether you’re writing a cover letter, application letter, business correspondence, thank-you letter, or personal letter.In this guide, you’ll learn the difference between Yours Sincerely and Sincerely Yours, when to use each sign-off, how capitalization and punctuation work, and which expression is best for professional communication. You’ll also see practical writing examples so you can confidently choose the right closing for your next letter or email.
What Does “Yours Sincerely” Mean?
“Yours sincerely” is a formal complimentary close traditionally used at the end of a letter, particularly in British English.
The expression signals a polite and respectful ending. It doesn’t usually carry a literal meaning that the writer is somehow “yours.” Instead, it functions as a conventional sign-off.
For example:
Dear Mr. Brown,
I am writing to ask about the status of my application.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Smith
The phrase yours sincerely appears after the main body of the letter and before the writer’s name.
In traditional British letter-writing, the choice between “Yours sincerely” and “Yours faithfully” depends on the greeting.
When the recipient is addressed by name, the traditional pattern is:
Dear Mr. Brown,
Yours sincerely,
When the recipient isn’t named, the traditional pattern is:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Yours faithfully,
This distinction is one of the most important things to understand when using British formal-letter conventions.
Examples of “Yours Sincerely”
Here are some natural examples:
Dear Dr. Wilson,
Thank you for your detailed response. I appreciate your assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Brown
Another example:
Dear Ms. Taylor,
I would like to request further information about the position advertised on your website.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Johnson
And another:
Dear Professor Adams,
Thank you for taking the time to review my proposal.
Yours sincerely,
David Miller
In each example, the writer knows the recipient’s name and uses Yours sincerely as the formal closing.
When Should You Use “Yours Sincerely”?
Use “Yours sincerely” when you’re following traditional British English letter-writing conventions and you know the recipient’s name.
For example:
- Dear Mr. Smith, → Yours sincerely
- Dear Ms. Brown, → Yours sincerely
- Dear Dr. Wilson, → Yours sincerely
- Dear Professor Taylor, → Yours sincerely
The phrase works particularly well in:
- formal business letters
- job applications
- university correspondence
- formal requests
- complaints
- professional letters
- official correspondence
However, modern communication is more flexible than older letter-writing rules. In a routine email, Yours sincerely can sound unnecessarily formal, especially when a simpler closing such as Best regards would suit the situation better.
What Does “Sincerely Yours” Mean?
“Sincerely yours” is also understandable English and can function as a complimentary closing. However, it isn’t the usual modern choice in most formal American business correspondence.
The wording reverses the position of the two words:
- Yours sincerely
- Sincerely yours
That small change matters because conventional expressions often depend on established word order.
English contains many fixed phrases where changing the order makes the expression sound unusual even if each individual word remains grammatical.
For example, “Yours sincerely” has a long-established role in British formal correspondence. “Sincerely yours” can be understood, but it doesn’t carry the same status as the standard modern British closing.
In American English, the most natural formal option is usually even simpler:
Sincerely,
So if you’re writing a professional email to an American company, there’s generally little reason to choose Sincerely yours.
Is “Sincerely Yours” Correct?
Yes, “sincerely yours” isn’t inherently ungrammatical.
That’s an important distinction.
A phrase can be grammatically possible without being the most conventional or idiomatic choice for a particular situation.
Think of it this way: imagine several roads leading to the same destination. One might be the normal route people take every day, while another is perfectly usable but much less common.
That’s roughly how these expressions work.
Sincerely yours can appear as a sign-off, but Yours sincerely is the established British convention, while Sincerely is the standard American formal choice.
Therefore, calling Sincerely yours simply “wrong” would be too absolute.
A better explanation is:
“Sincerely yours” is understandable and grammatically possible, but it is less conventional than “Yours sincerely” in British English and “Sincerely” in American English.
That distinction gives you much more useful guidance.
Read More:Hi or Hello: What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Use?
Yours Sincerely vs. Sincerely Yours: The Main Difference
The biggest difference isn’t the basic meaning. Both expressions communicate sincerity and politeness at the end of correspondence.
The real difference is conventional usage.
| Expression | Typical use | Common association | Modern usage |
| Yours sincerely | Formal letters when the recipient is named | British English | Standard |
| Sincerely | Formal letters and emails | American English | Very common |
| Sincerely yours | Formal correspondence | Less common alternative | Understandable but less conventional |
| Yours faithfully | Traditional formal letters when the recipient isn’t named | British English | Formal/traditional |
The safest choice depends on your audience.
If you’re writing a traditional formal letter in British English and know the recipient’s name, Yours sincerely is the safest conventional choice.
If you’re writing formal American English, Sincerely is generally the safest choice.
Yours Sincerely vs. Sincerely: An Important American English Difference
One common mistake is assuming that “Yours sincerely” and “Sincerely yours” are simply British and American versions of the same expression.
That’s not quite right.
American English normally uses:
Sincerely,
rather than:
Sincerely yours,
For example:
Dear Mr. Anderson,
Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Sincerely,
Robert Davis
This sounds completely natural in American professional writing.
The word yours isn’t necessary.
American English also commonly uses other professional closings, including:
- Best regards,
- Kind regards,
- Regards,
- Best,
The choice depends on how formal or friendly the correspondence needs to be.
British English vs. American English
The difference between British and American letter conventions explains much of the confusion surrounding these expressions.
British English Letter Closings
Traditional British English uses a distinction between named and unnamed recipients.
If you write:
Dear Mr. Johnson,
the traditional closing is:
Yours sincerely,
If you write:
Dear Sir or Madam,
the traditional closing is:
Yours faithfully,
This convention is often taught in British English writing guides.
Here’s the pattern:
| Greeting | Traditional British closing |
| Dear Mr. Smith, | Yours sincerely, |
| Dear Ms. Brown, | Yours sincerely, |
| Dear Dr. Taylor, | Yours sincerely, |
| Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, |
| Dear Sir, | Yours faithfully, |
| Dear Madam, | Yours faithfully, |
Modern British correspondence isn’t always this rigid. Emails and everyday professional communication have made letter-writing conventions more flexible.
Still, the traditional distinction remains useful, especially when writing a formal letter, application, complaint, or official document.
American English Letter Closings
American English generally takes a simpler approach.
For a formal business letter, you can write:
Dear Ms. Carter,
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Emily Brown
You don’t normally need to switch between Sincerely and Yours faithfully based on whether you know the person’s name.
American professional writing also frequently uses:
Best regards,
or:
Kind regards,
depending on the relationship and tone.
Does “Sincerely Yours” Sound Wrong?
Not necessarily.
The phrase can be understood without difficulty. The problem is that being understandable isn’t the same as being the most natural conventional choice.
Suppose you’re applying for a job at a British company and write:
Dear Ms. Wilson,
I am pleased to submit my application.
Sincerely yours,
James Carter
The recipient will understand the meaning. However, Yours sincerely would better match the traditional British convention:
Yours sincerely,
Now imagine you’re writing to an American employer.
Instead of either version, the most natural formal closing would usually be:
Sincerely,
This illustrates why context matters more than simply memorizing one “correct” expression.
How to Choose the Right Closing
Choosing the right sign-off becomes easy once you consider three things:
Who are you writing to?
Which variety of English are you using?
How formal is the communication?
If You Know the Recipient’s Name
For traditional British English:
Dear Mr. Brown,
Yours sincerely,
For American English:
Dear Mr. Brown,
Sincerely,
If You Don’t Know the Recipient’s Name
In traditional British English:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Yours faithfully,
American English doesn’t generally follow the same rigid named-recipient rule.
A modern American writer might instead avoid an impersonal greeting and use a department or role:
Dear Hiring Manager,
Sincerely,
This often sounds more natural in contemporary professional communication.
For Modern Business Emails
Email has changed the way people think about formal closings.
You usually don’t need a highly traditional sign-off for every professional message.
For example:
Thanks for sending the documents.
Best regards,
Daniel
may be more natural than:
Thank you for sending the documents.
Yours sincerely,
Daniel
The second isn’t necessarily wrong. It simply carries a more traditional formal tone.
Correct Formatting for “Yours Sincerely”
When Yours sincerely appears as a complimentary close, it normally comes after the body of the letter.
A simple format looks like this:
Dear Mr. Williams,
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
John Smith
Notice several details:
- The greeting appears first.
- The main message follows.
- The closing appears after the message.
- A comma commonly follows the closing.
- The writer’s name appears underneath.
- Yours sincerely isn’t normally written as a heading.
Capitalization
A common format is:
Yours sincerely,
The first word is capitalized. Sincerely remains lowercase.
Similarly:
Sincerely,
is the standard simple American form.
You don’t need to capitalize every word:
❌ Yours Sincerely,
is less consistent with standard sentence-style capitalization.
The same principle applies to other closings:
Best regards,
Kind regards,
Yours faithfully,
A Full British English Example
Here’s a realistic formal letter:
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I am writing to request further information about the training program advertised on your website.
Could you please let me know whether the program is available to applicants from outside the organization?
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Carter
Because the recipient is identified by name as Ms. Thompson, Yours sincerely fits the traditional British convention.
A Full American English Example
The same basic message could be written in American English like this:
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I am writing to request further information about the training program advertised on your website.
Could you please let me know whether the program is available to applicants from outside the organization?
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Michael Carter
The difference is small, but the American version sounds more conventional for U.S. business correspondence.
Common Mistakes With “Yours Sincerely” and “Sincerely Yours”
Assuming One Is Always Wrong
The most common oversimplification is:
“Sincerely yours is wrong.”
That’s too strong.
Sincerely yours is understandable and can function as a sign-off. The issue is that it isn’t the preferred conventional choice in many modern formal contexts.
A better approach is to ask whether the expression is appropriate and natural for the audience.
Mixing British and American Conventions
Another mistake is mixing conventions without a reason.
For example:
Dear Mr. Smith,
Yours faithfully,
In traditional British English, this pairing is unusual because Dear Mr. Smith names the recipient. The traditional matching closing is:
Yours sincerely
Similarly, if you’re writing standard American English, you don’t need to follow the British distinction between named and unnamed recipients.
Using “Yours Faithfully” After a Named Greeting
Traditional British correspondence normally follows this pattern:
Dear Mr. Jones,
Yours sincerely,
not:
Dear Mr. Jones,
Yours faithfully,
The traditional reason is simple:
- Named recipient → Yours sincerely
- Unnamed recipient → Yours faithfully
Again, modern usage can be more flexible, particularly in email.
Using an Extremely Formal Closing in a Casual Email
Imagine sending this short message to a coworker:
Hi David,
Could you send me the updated spreadsheet?
Yours sincerely,
Mark
Nothing is grammatically disastrous here. However, the closing sounds unnecessarily formal for such a casual workplace request.
A better choice would probably be:
Thanks,
or:
Best,
The sign-off should match the relationship and purpose of the message.
Incorrect Capitalization
Another minor mistake is capitalizing both words:
❌ Yours Sincerely,
A conventional form is:
Yours sincerely,
Likewise:
❌ Sincerely Yours,
is less conventional than:
Sincerely yours,
if that expression is intentionally being used.
“Yours Sincerely” vs. “Sincerely Yours” in Job Applications
Job applications are one area where the distinction matters because the closing contributes to the overall professional tone.
Suppose you’re applying to a company in the United Kingdom.
A traditional formal letter might end:
Yours sincerely,
James Brown
That fits British convention when the recipient has been named.
For a U.S. employer, use:
Sincerely,
James Brown
There’s little advantage to choosing Sincerely yours for either audience.
The strongest choice is usually the simplest conventional one.
Example
British English:
Dear Ms. Anderson,
I am writing to apply for the position of Marketing Assistant.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah Miller
American English:
Dear Ms. Anderson,
I am writing to apply for the position of Marketing Assistant.
Sincerely,
Sarah Miller
The body can remain virtually identical. The closing changes to match the convention.
“Yours Sincerely” in Emails
Can you use Yours sincerely in an email?
Yes. There’s nothing inherently ungrammatical about it.
However, whether it sounds natural depends on the email.
A formal email to an organization might reasonably end with:
Yours sincerely,
especially in British English.
But a short professional exchange may sound better with:
Best regards,
Kind regards,
Regards,
or:
Best,
Email has made professional communication more conversational. As a result, many traditional letter-writing formulas now sound more formal than they did in printed correspondence.
A Practical Case Study: Choosing the Closing for Three Audiences
Imagine the same person needs to write three messages.
Case One: A British University
The student writes to a professor:
Dear Professor Wilson,
A traditional British formal closing would be:
Yours sincerely,
The named recipient makes the choice straightforward.
Case Two: An American Company
The same student applies for an internship in the United States:
Dear Hiring Manager,
A natural American closing is:
Sincerely,
There’s no need to use Yours sincerely or Sincerely yours.
Case Three: A Familiar Professional Contact
The writer emails someone they regularly work with:
Hi Sarah,
The message is friendly and professional. A suitable closing could be:
Best regards,
or simply:
Best,
The lesson is important: the best sign-off depends on more than grammar. Audience and context matter just as much.
Quick Reference: Which Closing Should You Use?
| Situation | Recommended closing |
| British formal letter + recipient’s name | Yours sincerely |
| Traditional British letter + recipient not named | Yours faithfully |
| American formal letter | Sincerely |
| American professional email | Sincerely / Best regards / Kind regards |
| Friendly professional email | Best / Best regards |
| Traditional British professional email | Yours sincerely / Kind regards |
| “Sincerely yours” | Understandable but less conventional |
This table gives you the practical answer without requiring you to memorize dozens of rules.
What Is the Difference Between “Yours Sincerely” and “Yours Faithfully”?
These two phrases are often confused because they’re both traditional British formal closings.
The traditional distinction is based on the greeting.
Use “Yours Sincerely”
When the recipient is named:
Dear Mr. Harris,
Then:
Yours sincerely,
Use “Yours Faithfully”
When the recipient isn’t named:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Then:
Yours faithfully,
For example:
Dear Ms. Brown,
Thank you for your assistance.
Yours sincerely,
versus:
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to request further information.
Yours faithfully,
This rule is associated particularly with traditional British English.
Is “Yours Sincerely” Too Formal?
Sometimes.
The phrase itself is formal. That’s useful when the situation calls for professionalism, respect, or official correspondence.
However, you don’t need maximum formality in every message.
Compare these:
Yours sincerely,
Kind regards,
Best regards,
Best,
They form a rough spectrum from traditional formal to more relaxed professional communication.
For a legal-style letter or formal application, Yours sincerely may fit beautifully.
For a quick email to a coworker, Best regards may be more natural.
For a friendly message to someone you work with regularly, Best may be enough.
Is “Sincerely Yours” Old-Fashioned?
It can sound less conventional or somewhat old-fashioned, depending on the context.
That doesn’t make it grammatically invalid.
Language changes over time. Expressions that once appeared frequently in formal correspondence may become less common as communication styles evolve.
Today, Sincerely is a very familiar American formal closing. Yours sincerely remains strongly associated with British formal correspondence. Sincerely yours is much less likely to be the first choice when someone is writing a modern business letter.
Therefore, if your goal is to sound natural and current, choose the conventional form used by your intended audience.
Which One Should You Use?
Here’s the short answer.
Choose “Yours sincerely” when:
- You’re writing British English.
- You’re writing a formal letter.
- You’ve addressed the recipient by name.
- You want a traditional professional tone.
Example:
Dear Mr. Wilson,
Yours sincerely,
Choose “Sincerely” when:
- You’re writing American English.
- You’re writing a formal business letter or email.
- You want a simple, professional closing.
- You don’t want the sign-off to sound overly traditional.
Example:
Dear Mr. Wilson,
Sincerely,
Choose “Sincerely yours” only when:
- The context specifically suits the expression.
- You understand that it’s less conventional than the alternatives.
- You’re intentionally using that style rather than assuming it’s the standard American or British form.
In most situations, there’s no particular advantage to choosing Sincerely yours over Sincerely or Yours sincerely.
Conclusion
Yours Sincerely and Sincerely Yours are both understandable English expressions, but they aren’t equally common in every context. Yours sincerely is the conventional choice in British-style formal correspondence when you address the recipient by name. In American English, Sincerely is generally the more natural professional closing.For most formal situations, choose your closing based on the recipient, letter format, and English variety you’re using. When in doubt, Sincerely is a safe and professional option for modern business emails and letters.
FAQS
Is “Yours Sincerely” correct?
Yes. Yours sincerely is a correct and widely recognized formal letter closing, especially in British English.
Is “Sincerely Yours” grammatically correct?
Yes, Sincerely Yours can be understood grammatically, but it is less common as a standard formal sign-off in modern professional correspondence.
Which is better, “Yours Sincerely” or “Sincerely Yours”?
For traditional British formal letters, Yours sincerely is generally the better choice. For American professional writing, Sincerely is usually preferred.
Should “Yours sincerely” be capitalized?
Usually, only the first word is capitalized when it appears as a closing: Yours sincerely. The exact capitalization can vary by style guide or formatting convention.
Do you use “Yours sincerely” in an email?
Yes. You can use Yours sincerely in a formal email, particularly in British English. However, Sincerely is often more natural in American professional emails.
Can I use “Sincerely yours” in a business letter?
You can, but Sincerely yours is less conventional than Yours sincerely in British formal correspondence. In American English, Sincerely is typically the safest choice.
What is the difference between “Yours sincerely” and “Yours faithfully”?
In traditional British English, Yours sincerely is normally used when you know the recipient’s name. Yours faithfully is traditionally used when you begin with a general greeting such as “Dear Sir or Madam.”
Is “Yours sincerely” formal or informal?
Yours sincerely is a formal sign-off. It works well in professional letters, business correspondence, job applications, and other situations where you want to maintain a respectful tone.
Can I end a cover letter with “Yours sincerely”?
Yes. If you’re following British English conventions and address the hiring manager by name, Yours sincerely is an appropriate closing for a cover letter.
Is “Sincerely” better for American English?
Generally, yes. Sincerely is a common and professional closing in American English and works well for business emails, formal letters, cover letters, and professional correspondence.
