Greetings and closings are the parts of a letter that show respect and set the tone. The greeting begins the letter and addresses the reader, while the closing ends the letter in a polite way.
Always start with a capital letter in both the greeting and the closing. The greeting ends with a comma, and the closing is followed by a comma, then your name.
A greeting tells the reader who you are writing to. It usually begins with the word Dear, followed by the person’s name.
Be sure to spell the person’s name correctly. Use a comma after the greeting.
A closing shows respect and signals that the letter is ending. It should match the tone of the letter—friendly for personal letters and more formal for school or business letters.
The first word of the closing is always capitalized. Add a comma after the closing, then write your name on the next line.
When you write a letter, use both a greeting and a closing to make your writing complete. This shows good grammar and letter-writing skills.
Always check that your greeting begins the letter politely and your closing ends it in a kind or respectful way.
Writers sometimes forget to use punctuation or capitalization in greetings and closings. Paying attention to these details makes your letter correct and professional.
Think of greetings and closings as bookends. They hold the letter together and help it look complete.