IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1: How to write a letter

While preparing for IELTS General Training - Writing Task 1, know what features the examiners look for in a letter.  

When you put in the work, getting the IELTS score you need is easy. We’ve put together some handy tips to get you one step ahead. With the help of our IELTS Experts, we have put together some important points you need to focus on when writing a letter as part of IELTS General Training Writing Task 1.  

If we take a closer look at task achievement in the IELTS assessment criteria, you can see the examiner checks to see if your letter contains the following features:  

• Purpose of the letter is presented 

• Tone of the letter is appropriate 

• Bullet points are presented, highlighted and extended 

• Format is appropriate – letter format 

That’s a quick overview, but let's take a closer look at what each of these dot points mean, and how you need to write your letter in IELTS Writing Task 1.

Start your letter by clearly stating why you are writing, the purpose. The reason for writing your letter needs to be clearly presented in the opening paragraph. Make sure the purpose of the letter is in direct response to the situation outlined in the question.  

Example opening paragraphs with a clear purpose presented: 

Common IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1 situations may include:

Let’s move on to the next feature in your letter that the examiner is looking for, the tone of your letter. The tone refers to the way in which you write the letter, formal or informal style. The instructions in the question will give you a clue. 

Begin your letter as follows: 

A formal letter contains: 

• Longer sentences that use passive language (be + past participle) 

• Modals (e.g. The broken light needs to be fixed to ensure that the customers who use this facility have adequate visibility of their surroundings.)  

An informal letter is: 

• Conversational 

• Can include contractions (e.g. can’t) and more direct speech (e.g. Can you fix the light in the kitchen, so I don’t have an accident?) 

The table shows some examples of formal and informal vocabulary and structures that you can use in your IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 response:

And finally, remember that the greeting and the closing salutation of an IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1 letter needs to match the style. For example: 

Dear Sir/Madam -----------------------> Yours faithfully 

Dear John -----------------------> Best wishes

When writing a letter as part of the IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, it is important to include the bullet points presented to you in the question. 

The question in IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 will present you with: 

• A situation 

• Who to write the letter to 

• What you must include in the letter (the bullet points). 

All three bullet points need to be presented. And remember that some bullet points contain more than one element. So, make sure to watch for ‘and’ and plurals. 

Let’s break down the following question. 

An overseas friend wants to visit your country on holiday. 

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter 

• Recommend the best time of year to visit and why 

• Describe the types of accommodation your friend could choose 

• Say what you would like to show your friend in your country 

Write at least 150 words. 

You do NOT need to write any addresses. 

Begin your letter as follows: 

Dear… 

Look at the first bullet point and you will see it contains two elements. So, make sure you present both: 

1. The best time of the year to visit 

2. Why it is the best time to visit 

Look at the second bullet point and you will see you will that you have to describe ‘types’ of accommodation. So, remember to watch for plurals.  

3. First type of accommodation 

4. Second type of accommodation 

Example for the first bullet point, covering both elements (when and why): 

Most people visit Brisbane in the summer months, but I think it’s far too hot then. The best time to visit is between April and June, our autumn season. It’s still sunny, but much cooler and not as humid as the summer.

The final feature to look at in IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1 is the format of your letter. A letter needs to be written using a proper format, including the following: 

• A greeting (Dear sir/madam, Dear John, Dear Mr. Smith) 

• The main body (consisting of paragraphs for each part of the letter) 

• A closing (Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully, Best wishes, Kind regards, Love) 

In the instructions you are told - You do NOT need to write any addresses – so do not include them. 

This is an example of an informal letter:

Remember, to reach a higher band score for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, - task achievement, you need to include each of these features in your letter. 

• A clear purpose 

• Appropriate tone 

• Present and highlight all the bullet points 

• Appropriate format