The IELTS General Training Task 1 letter is at least 150 words, written in about 20 minutes, in reply to an everyday situation with three bullet points to cover. Its tone depends on who you are writing to: formal for an organisation or a stranger (Dear Sir or Madam, Yours faithfully), semi-formal for someone you know by name but not well (Yours sincerely), and informal for a friend (Best wishes).
150
words at least, in about 20 minutes
3
bullet points, every one of them answered
3
tones: formal, semi-formal and informal
1/3
of the Writing band: Task 2 counts twice as much
What does General Training Writing Task 1 ask you to do?
General Training Task 1 gives you an everyday situation and asks you to write a letter of at least 150 words about it: to request or give information, describe a situation or explain a problem, which in practice means letters of complaint, request, apology, application or invitation. IELTS states that, depending on the task, the letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style, and that you should spend no more than 20 minutes on it.
Every letter task has the same parts:
- The situation, in a sentence or two: you bought something faulty, a friend is visiting, your neighbour is noisy.
- Who to write to: write a letter to the manager, to your landlord, to your friend.
- Three bullet points, each a thing your letter must do.
- The instructions: write at least 150 words, you do not need to write any addresses, and begin your letter as follows, with the opening you must use.
The opening the task gives you is the first clue to the tone. A formal task prints "Dear Sir or Madam,". When you are writing to someone you know, the task leaves the name for you to fill in after "Dear".
Formal, semi-formal or informal: how do you choose?
The tone follows from who you are writing to. Write formally to an organisation or a person you do not know, semi-formally to someone you know by name but not as a friend, and informally to friends and family. The situation and the opening the task gives you decide it, not the subject of the letter.
| Tone | Who you are writing to | Opening | Closing | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | A company, a council, a manager you have never met | Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, | A letter that could be forwarded to anyone |
| Semi-formal | A landlord, your manager, a teacher, a neighbour | Dear Mr Harris, | Yours sincerely, | Polite and direct, as at work |
| Informal | A friend or a relative | Dear Sam, | Best wishes, or Love, | How you would really write to them |
Tone is marked, under Task Achievement. The Band 7 descriptor for General Training reads: "It presents a clear purpose. The tone is consistent and appropriate to the task." At Band 6 "there may be minor inconsistencies in tone", and at Band 5 "the tone may be variable and sometimes inappropriate". A perfectly accurate letter in the wrong tone loses marks.
Semi-formal is the tone candidates find hardest, because it is a judgement rather than a rule. Your manager, your landlord, a neighbour you have spoken to twice or your child's teacher all know who you are, so a letter to them uses their name and can be warmer than a letter to a company. They are not your friends, though, so it stays polite, avoids slang and closes with Yours sincerely. If you are unsure, lean towards formal: a letter that is slightly too polite loses less than one that is too casual.
Decide the tone of six situations written for this guide:
Check yourselfFormal, semi-formal or informal?
6 questions1A gym you belong to has changed its opening hours without any notice. Write a letter to the gym manager.
The answer is Formal. You are writing to an organisation and do not know the manager personally, so the letter is formal: Dear Sir or Madam, and Yours faithfully.
2Your neighbour, Mr Harris, whom you know only slightly, often parks in front of your garage. Write a letter to him.
The answer is Semi-formal. You know his name but he is not a friend, so the letter is semi-formal: Dear Mr Harris, polite and direct, closing with Yours sincerely.
3A friend has invited you to their wedding, but you cannot go. Write a letter to your friend.
The answer is Informal. A letter to a friend is informal: their first name, contractions and everyday phrases, and a closing such as Best wishes or Love.
4You need two weeks off work to attend a family event abroad. Write a letter to your manager.
The answer is Semi-formal. You know your manager by name and work with them, but they are not a friend. Polite, direct and semi-formal, closing with Yours sincerely.
5You saw an advertisement asking for volunteers to help at a local festival. Write a letter to the organisers offering your help.
The answer is Formal. The organisers are people you do not know, writing on behalf of an event, so the letter is formal from the first line to the last.
6Your cousin is moving to your city and has asked for your advice about finding a flat. Write a letter to your cousin.
The answer is Informal. Family you know well take an informal letter, even when the subject is practical. A formal tone here would be inconsistent with the situation.
How should you begin and end the letter?
Begin with the exact opening the task gives you, state the purpose of the letter in your first sentence, and end with the closing that matches the opening. Yours faithfully goes with Dear Sir or Madam; Yours sincerely goes with a name; an informal letter ends with a phrase such as Best wishes, Take care or Love.
IELTS Australia's guide to formal letters lists the openings that go wrong when the task asks for Dear Sir or Madam: "Dear Sir," (you do not know the reader is a man), "Dear Manager," (it ignores the instructions), "Dear sir or madam," (both words take capitals) and a name you have no reason to use. Copy the opening exactly as it is printed.
The first sentence carries the purpose. In a formal letter that is often "I am writing to…" followed by exactly why: to ask for a refund, to apply for the position, to report a problem with. In an informal letter, start with the person: thank them for their letter, or react to their news, then come to the point. IELTS Australia also advises against opening with the first bullet point, because the body of the letter is where it belongs.
Most letter tasks have one of a handful of purposes, and each has a natural first sentence in each tone:
| Purpose | Formal or semi-formal | Informal |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint | I am writing to complain about the service I received on 3 May. | I have to tell you about the awful week I've had with my new phone. |
| Request | I am writing to ask whether it would be possible to change my booking. | I was wondering if you could do me a favour. |
| Apology | I am writing to apologise for missing the meeting on Tuesday. | I'm so sorry I didn't make it to your party. |
| Application | I am writing to apply for the part-time position advertised on your website. | Guess what? I've applied for a new job. |
| Invitation | I would like to invite you to speak at our community event in June. | We're having a few friends round next Saturday and you have to come! |
| Advice | Thank you for your letter asking about courses at the college. | Thanks for your letter. I'm so glad you're thinking of coming here! |
The last line before the closing rounds the letter off: "I look forward to hearing from you" in a formal letter, "Let me know what you think" or "Can't wait to see you" to a friend. Then the closing, then your first name (informal) or your full name (formal and semi-formal).
How do you cover all three bullet points?
Give each bullet point its own paragraph, answer it directly, and add a detail or a reason that extends it. The descriptors judge this directly: at Band 7 "all bullet points are covered and clearly highlighted"; at Band 5 "one or more may not be adequately covered"; at Band 4 "not all bullet points are presented".
Three habits make the coverage obvious to an examiner:
Note one idea for each bullet before you write
The bullets are your plan. If a bullet says explain how this has affected you, decide the one effect you will describe and one detail that shows it.
Start each paragraph with the bullet's answer
"This has caused me some difficulty." "You should go to the lakes." The reader knows at once which bullet the paragraph is answering.
Extend every one
Band 8 asks for bullet points that are "appropriately illustrated or extended". A date, a reason, a consequence or a specific request turns a sentence into a paragraph.
Do not answer the bullets with bullets. IDP's guidance is clear that the letter must be continuous text, and that marks are lost for using bullet points in your answer.
What does a good formal letter look like?
A good formal letter states its purpose in the first sentence, gives each bullet point a paragraph with specific details, makes its request politely and closes with Yours faithfully. Here is one written for this guide, with the features that earn its band marked:
You recently bought a train ticket online, but you were charged twice for the same journey. Write a letter to the customer service manager of the train company. In your letter: explain what happened; say how this has affected you; say what you would like the company to do. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to ask for a refund1 after I was charged twice for a single train ticket that I bought on your website.
On 14 March I booked a return ticket2 from Leeds to York for 2 April. Although I completed the booking only once and received a single confirmation email, my bank statement shows that the full fare was taken from my account twice on the same day.
This has caused me some difficulty.3 The second payment left my account overdrawn for several days, and my bank has charged me a fee as a result. I have also spent a considerable amount of time trying to reach your helpline, without success.
I would therefore be grateful if you could4 refund the second payment as soon as possible and confirm by email when this has been done. I would also appreciate it if you could cover the fee my bank has charged, and I have enclosed a copy of the statement5 showing it.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,6
Nikhil Varma
- 1“I am writing to ask for a refund” The purpose of the letter in its first sentence. Band 7 asks for a letter that presents a clear purpose.
- 2“On 14 March I booked a return ticket” The first bullet point, with the specific details a reader would need: when, what, and what went wrong.
- 3“This has caused me some difficulty.” The second bullet point opens its own paragraph, so the examiner can see each one is covered.
- 4“I would therefore be grateful if you could” The third bullet point as a formal request. Notice there are no contractions anywhere in the letter.
- 5“I have enclosed a copy of the statement” Extending a bullet point with a detail that makes the request easier to act on.
- 6“Yours faithfully,” The closing that goes with Dear Sir or Madam, when you do not know the name of the person you are writing to.
Every sentence in it would read naturally if the company forwarded the letter to someone else. There are no contractions, the requests are phrased as requests, and the details (dates, the confirmation email, the bank's fee) are the kind a reader could act on.
What does a good informal letter look like?
A good informal letter sounds like a real message to a friend: it opens with the person, uses contractions and everyday phrases, answers each bullet point clearly, and ends warmly. Informal does not mean careless, though. It still needs paragraphs, accurate grammar and all three bullets.
A friend has asked you to recommend a place in your country for a short holiday. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: suggest a place; explain why it would suit them; give some advice about travelling there. Begin your letter as follows: Dear …,
Dear Sam,
Thanks so much for your letter.1 It sounds like you really need a break after all those exams, and I've got just the place for you2.
You should go to the lakes in the north of my country.3 They're only four hours from the capital by train, but it feels like another world: quiet villages, mountains all around and water so clear you can see the bottom.
I think you'd love it, because you've always said you prefer walking to lying on a beach4. There are paths for every level, and most villages have a little café where you can warm up afterwards.
One piece of advice:5 go in early June if you can. The weather's usually good by then, but the summer crowds haven't arrived yet, so it's much easier to find somewhere to stay. Book your train ticket in advance as well, because it costs a lot less.
Let me know what you decide!
Best wishes,6
Maya
- 1“Thanks so much for your letter.” An informal letter starts with the person, not the purpose.
- 2“I've got just the place for you” Contractions and everyday phrases are right in a letter to a friend. In a formal letter they would be a lapse in tone.
- 3“You should go to the lakes in the north of my country.” The first bullet point, answered directly.
- 4“you've always said you prefer walking to lying on a beach” The second bullet point, made personal: why it suits this friend, not why it is a nice place.
- 5“One piece of advice:” The third bullet point, signposted so it cannot be missed.
- 6“Best wishes,” An informal closing. Yours faithfully here would clash with everything before it.
The difference between the two letters is the tone, not the quality. Both have a clear purpose, a paragraph for each bullet and details that extend it. The informal one simply sounds like Maya writing to Sam.
How does tone change the language?
Tone shows in small choices: contractions or none, I want or I would be grateful if, Hi or Dear, cheers or I look forward to hearing from you. Mixing them is the commonest tone error, and the descriptors treat an inconsistent tone as a weakness from Band 6 down.
Said, and better
The same idea in the right tone
Hi Sir,Dear Sir or Madam,
A formal letter to someone you do not know. Hi is for friends, and Sir alone assumes you know the reader is a man.
I want my money back.I would be grateful if you could refund the payment.
A formal request asks rather than demands. The meaning is the same; the tone is the difference.
I'm writing to complain about the service.I am writing to complain about the service.
No contractions in a formal letter. In an informal one, I'm is exactly right.
Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours sincerely,Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours faithfully,
Yours faithfully goes with Dear Sir or Madam. Yours sincerely goes with a name, such as Dear Mr Harris.
I am writing to inform you that I will be visiting your city next month.Just a quick note to say I'm coming to visit next month!
This one is the other way round: too formal for a friend. The descriptors treat an inconsistent tone as a weakness at Band 6.
Thanks in advance, cheers!I look forward to hearing from you.
The standard last line of a formal letter, before the closing.
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| I am writing to inform you that | Just a quick note to say |
| I would be grateful if you could | Could you possibly |
| Unfortunately, I am unable to attend | I'm really sorry, but I can't make it |
| Please do not hesitate to contact me | Give me a call if you need anything |
| I look forward to hearing from you. | Write soon! |
A semi-formal letter sits between the two columns: polite, direct and clear, with few or no contractions, as you would write to a manager or a landlord you get on with.
What loses marks in the letter?
Most lost marks in the letter come from a missing or thin bullet point, an unclear purpose, a tone that slips, or a letter that is too short. Each can be checked in the last three minutes:
- A bullet point missed or barely touched. Read the three bullets again and find the paragraph that answers each one.
- No clear purpose. The reader should know why you are writing after one sentence.
- Mixed tone. "Dear Sir or Madam" with "Cheers" at the end, or "I am writing to inform you" to your best friend.
- The wrong closing. Yours sincerely after Dear Sir or Madam is one of the easiest marks to keep.
- Under 150 words. IDP's guidance says shorter letters are penalised, and the descriptors rate any response of 20 words or fewer at Band 1.
- Memorised letters. Formulaic language is named as a weakness for vocabulary at Band 4. Learn the openings and closings, not whole paragraphs.
For how each criterion is applied, band by band, read the Writing band descriptors in plain English.
How should you use the 20 minutes?
Spend about three minutes reading the task and planning, fourteen writing and three checking. The plan takes only a word or two per bullet point, but it is what stops a letter from drifting and missing one.
To scale
Twenty minutes for the letter
- Read and plan · 3 minWho is it to, what tone, one note for each bullet point
- Write · 14 minPurpose first, then a paragraph per bullet point
- Check · 3 minAll three bullets, the opening and closing match, the tone holds
Keep to twenty minutes even when the letter is going well. Task 2 counts twice as much towards your Writing band, and a short or unfinished essay costs far more than a slightly plainer letter. For Task 2, see the six essay types and how to plan each.
Try it on a full paper
Writing · 60 minutes
A band for each task, your own sentences corrected, a Band 8 sample.
The Writing test library includes General Training papers with a letter in every one, sorted by tone: formal letters, semi-formal letters and informal letters. To have a letter you have already written checked for tone, bullet points and accuracy, use the General Training Task 1 checker.
Where to check this
Every rule in this guide comes from these official pages. Test centres can differ on dates and arrangements, so check yours too.
- IELTS General Training test format: Writing · IELTS
- IELTS Writing band descriptors · IELTS
- General Training guide: writing formal letters · IELTS Australia (IDP)
- IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 · IDP
Questions people ask next
How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?
At least 150 words, in about 20 minutes. Most good letters are between 160 and 200 words: enough to cover all three bullet points with some detail, while leaving the remaining 40 minutes for Task 2, which counts twice as much.
Do I need to write addresses or a date in the letter?
No. The task states that you do not need to write any addresses, and a date is not needed either. Start with the opening the task gives you, such as Dear Sir or Madam, and go straight to the purpose of the letter.
Can I use contractions in an IELTS letter?
In an informal letter to a friend, yes: contractions such as I'm and it's are natural there. In a formal letter, avoid them. A semi-formal letter can use a few, but keeping them out is the safer choice.
What closing goes with Dear Sir or Madam?
Yours faithfully. Use Yours sincerely when the letter begins with a name, such as Dear Mr Harris, and an informal closing such as Best wishes, Take care or Love when you are writing to a friend or relative.
Can I use bullet points or headings in the letter?
No. The letter must be continuous text in paragraphs. IDP's guidance notes that marks are lost for using bullet points. Turn each of the task's three bullet points into a paragraph of full sentences instead.
Written by SpeakMetry Team
The team that builds SpeakMetry's mock tests writes these guides. Every rule is checked against the official IELTS, British Council and IDP pages listed in the guide, and every example question, passage and sample answer was written for the guide it appears in.
