Question

Difficulty: MediumFormal Salutations and Closings

An applicant is writing an email to the head of a scholarship committee, Licenciada Marta Gómez, to confirm their attendance at an upcoming awards ceremony. Which of the following provides the most appropriate salutation and closing to maintain a strictly formal register?

  1. A
    Salutation: Querida Marta: / Closing: Con cariño,
  2. Salutation: Estimada Lic. Gómez: / Closing: Atentamente,Answer
  3. C
    Salutation: Hola, Lic. Gómez: / Closing: Cordialmente,
  4. D
    Salutation: Estimada Lic. Gómez: / Closing: Quedo a tu disposición,

Answer

The correct answer is the option featuring the salutation 'Estimada Lic. Gómez:' and the closing 'Atentamente,'.
The correct answer perfectly adheres to Spanish formal email standards. It opens with 'Estimada' (respectful and appropriately feminine for Marta Gómez), includes her professional title 'Lic.', and correctly uses a colon at the end of the salutation. The closing 'Atentamente,' is a standard, universally accepted professional sign-off that maintains the formal 'usted' register.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the recipient and relationship context.
The recipient is a committee head (Licenciada Marta Gómez), indicating a professional, formal relationship.
Determining the relationship is essential to establishing whether the 'tú' (informal) or 'usted' (formal) register is required.
2
Evaluate the salutation requirements for a formal email.
A formal email requires standard professional greetings like 'Estimado/a' followed by a title, last name, and a colon.
Spanish formal correspondence follows strict orthographic and vocabulary rules, such as using a colon (not a comma) after the greeting.
3
Evaluate the closing formulas to ensure consistency.
The closing must match the formal 'usted' register established in the greeting, using phrases like 'Atentamente' and avoiding informal pronouns like 'tu'.
Maintaining a consistent register throughout the entire email is a key assessment criterion on the AP Spanish exam.

Key Concept

Maintaining consistent formal register and standard conventions in Spanish professional correspondence.
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