Easy ways to organize your general training writing tasks

The IELTS General Training test includes a 60-minute writing section consisting of two tasks: a letter and an essay. It’s important to be familiar with the writing conventions used for each because it will save time during the exam. Let’s look at how these compositions compare starting with the main differences in purpose and content. 

 When you write the IELTS essay you might be weighing the pros and cons of something or discussing two sides of an issue.  You need to back up your ideas with explanations and examples to inform or persuade a large audience.  

The purpose of the letter is not the same.  First, you are only writing to one person, for example, a boss, a friend, or a colleague. Second, you are given the situation and reason for writing, for example, to complain about something, to thank someone, or to apologize for something. In addition, you are prompted to include three specific kinds of details in your letter.   

In this blog, I am going to lay out the structure of an essay and compare that to the organization of a letter. Hopefully, you will see how paragraphs (sections) are used in each task and then use that knowledge to do your best on the test. 

Before you look at the outline that follows each writing sample, ask yourself: 

How are the beginning, middle and end of this writing made clear? 

What is the purpose of each paragraph – what is it about? 

How does a paragraph relate to the one before or after? 

 Then check the outlines to see how the paragraphs are patterned and ask yourself how you could use these formulas in your own writing. 

Wild animals are rapidly disappearing from our planet. Two reasons for this are deforestation and poaching, but there are actions that can be taken to make sure healthy wildlife populations are maintained. 

As demands for resources increase, our forests and the animals that live in them are suffering. With every acre of land lost to timber harvests, wildlife habitats are shrinking and the species that rely on them are dying out. Sixty per cent of forests are owned by lumber companies in the U.S. and thousands of plants and animals are at risk every day when their homes are destroyed by logging.  

Fortunately, some forestry operations today are developing methods to protect the flora and fauna. Considering the well-being of all forest species, they are creating management plans to maintain the ecosystem. By specifying when and how many trees are harvested in an area, they can ensure living space is left for other plants and animals to continue to survive.  

Another big threat is the illegal hunting of wildlife. Consumer demand for medicines or trophies derived from body parts is increasing and leading to the death of millions of animals every year. In fact, a recent report stated that this trade accounts for the killing or capture of 100 million tons of fish and 1.5 million living birds in the world annually. 

Although the animal trade is difficult to stop, some countries are stepping up to end it. These governments are creating strict laws and hiring anti-poaching police to catch and punish hunters.  This is the case in Mali where skilled teams of soldiers have been able to protect the elephants in a reserve since 2017 without any losses. 

Our world is in danger of losing more and more animal species every day.  If industry and governments take the issue seriously and work to replenish habitats and stop poachers, we can hopefully stop this unfortunate trend and continue to share the earth with all living things. 

Sentence 1:  Introduces the main problem.  

Wild animals are rapidly disappearing from our planet  

Sentence 2: Outlines exactly what the essay will address with this problem in mind. 

Two reasons for this are deforestation and poaching, but there are actions that can be taken to make sure healthy wildlife populations are maintained. 

Sentence 1:  States the cause. 

As demands for resources increase, our forests and the animals that live in them are suffering.  

Sentence 2:  Explains this further. 

With every acre of land lost to timber harvests, wildlife habitats are shrinking and the species that rely on them are dying out. 

Sentence 3: Gives an example. 

Sixty per cent of forests are owned by lumber companies in the U.S. and thousands of plants and animals are at risk every day when their homes are destroyed by logging.  

Sentence 1:  States a solution.  

Fortunately, some forestry operations today are developing methods to protect the flora and fauna. 

Sentence 2:  Explains this further. 

 Considering the well-being of all forest species, they are creating management plans to maintain the ecosystem. 

Sentence 3:  Gives an example. 

By specifying when and how many trees are harvested in an area, they can ensure living space is left for other plants and animals to continue to survive.  

Sentence 1:  States another cause. 

Another big threat is the illegal hunting of wildlife.  

Sentence 2:  Explains this further. 

Consumer demand for medicines or trophies derived from body parts is increasing and leading to the death of millions of animals every year.  

Sentence 3: Gives an example. 

In fact, a recent report stated that this trade accounts for the killing or capture of 100 million tons of fish and 1.5 million living birds in the world annually. 

Sentence 1:  States a solution. 

Although the animal trade is difficult to stop, some countries are stepping up to end it.  

Sentence 2:  Explains this further.  

These governments are creating strict laws and hiring anti-poaching police to catch and punish hunters  

Sentence 3:  Gives an example. 

This is the case in Mali where skilled teams of soldiers have been able to protect the elephants in a reserve since 2017 without any losses.

Sentence 1:  Restates the main problem. 

Our world is in danger of losing more and more animal species every day.  

Sentence 2:  Summarizes the main points of the essay.  

If industry and governments take the issue seriously and work to replenish habitats and stop poachers, we can hopefully stop this unfortunate trend and continue to share the earth with all living things. 

Dear Sir or Madam, 

I am writing because I hope that you can help me solve the issues that I am having with the phone I purchased at your store yesterday.  I believe that I need to exchange it for another model. 

I purchased a Samsung S10 at your store in Toronto on Sunday for $700.  I was told that it had a great camera and a long battery life but when I got it home, I was sorry to discover that neither of these features worked well. 

To be more specific about the problems, I charged the device all night, as advised, however, after only one hour of use, the battery was already drained.  Furthermore, I was surprised that the camera only operates on automatic settings, so I am unable to make manual adjustments to the lighting of shots.  As a result, the photos that I printed were grainy, dark, and far from the quality I require.  

As a solution, I am hoping that I will be able to change this Samsung for a superior model. I am a freelance journalist, so I need a high-performing device that I can rely on for my work. Therefore, I would like to return the one I purchased to you and try out other phones before exchanging it for another. Please let me know how to proceed in this matter and if you have any other suggestions. 

Looking forward to resolving this issue as soon as possible. 

Sincerely, 

Jorge Gonzales 

The Opening Paragraph

Explains the reason for the letter and what the writer would like to happen

Detail Paragraph One:  Addresses the first bullet

Gives details about the purchase.

Detail Paragraph Two:  Addresses the second bullet 

Explains the problems that he is having that relate to the reason for writing.

Detail Paragraph Three:  Addresses the third bullet 

Says what action he would like the reader to do. 

The Closing Paragraph 

Restates what the writer hopes to gain from the letter. 

• The first line of each paragraph is indented and/or there is an empty line between paragraphs. 

• Both compositions are usually in a range of 5 – 7 paragraphs in total length. 

• Both have a clear beginning, middle and end. 

Note that there are other ways to sequence the middle parts of these responses – I have chosen these straightforward formulas because they are easy to remember and use again with IELTS tasks. I hope you find them helpful. Have fun with it!