The greeting and the closing are short, but they have their own rules for capitals and commas.
| Part | Right | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| greeting | Dear Grandma, | Capital on Dear and on the name; a comma after |
| closing | Love, | Capital on the first word; a comma after |
| closing | Your friend, | Only the first word gets a capital |
Key idea
Start with a greeting like “Dear Grandma,” and end with a closing like “Love,”. Each ends with a comma, and only the first word of the closing gets a capital.
Why it works
The comma after the greeting is a small pause, like taking a breath after saying hello. Everyone uses the same pattern, so readers spot the start and the end of a letter at a glance.
Worked example: Fix the closing
“Your Friend”
- Only the first word of a closing gets a capital: Your.
- Friend stays small.
- Add a comma at the end.
Answer: “Your friend,”
Common mistake
Leaving out the comma after the greeting or closing, or capitalizing every word of the closing (“Your Friend,”). Check: capital on the first word, comma at the end.
For the grown-up. In a formal business letter, the greeting traditionally ends with a colon (Dear Ms. Bennett:); children learn that later in Composition. For friendly letters and notes, the comma is standard.