Learn English – Why is it “yours faithfully” and not “your faithfully”

determinersletter-writingpronounsvalediction

I've been taught to write "Yours" ever since I started writing letters. But today I realised that "your" is an adjective qualifying the person who is writing the letter.
Now, since the adjective for you is your, why is yours always used?

Best Answer

If the valediction ends with a noun, then the s is omitted, as in:

Your obedient and humble servant,
Your friend,

If the phrase uses an adverb, then yours is used:

Yours truly,
Sincerely yours,
Yours forever,

There's nothing tricky about this; just think about how you'd say the full sentence, if it began with
“I am...”

I am your closest ally.
I am truly yours.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, many letters ended with the full sentence. More here.

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