IELTS Writing Task 1 General: Letter Writing Guide

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 is fundamentally different from Academic Task 1. Instead of describing graphs and charts, you write a letter — at least 150 words, in 20 minutes. The letter always has a specific situation, a recipient, and three bullet points you must address.

Most candidates lose marks by writing a letter that technically answers the question but misses the register — using formal language in an informal letter, or casual language to a formal recipient. Register is the make-or-break element of General Training Task 1.

The Three Letter Types

Formal: Written to someone you don't know, or in a professional context. Examples: A letter to a company, a local authority, a university, or a newspaper editor. Tone: Professional, polite, impersonal. No contractions. Full sentences. Indirect requests.

Semi-formal: Written to someone you know professionally but not personally. Examples: A letter to your landlord, a manager you respect, a local official. Tone: Polite but slightly warmer. Some contractions allowed. Still structured.

Informal: Written to a friend, a family member, or someone you know well. Examples: A letter to a friend about visiting, a letter to a cousin about advice. Tone: Conversational, warm, direct. Contractions encouraged. Colloquial expressions fine.

The question itself tells you the letter type through the recipient. Read it carefully. "Write a letter to the manager of a hotel" = formal. "Write a letter to your English-speaking friend" = informal.

Register Checklist

Getting register wrong costs you marks on Lexical Resource and Task Achievement simultaneously. Here is the difference in practice:

Feature	Formal	Informal
Opening	Dear Sir/Madam / Dear Mr Smith	Hi [Name] / Dear [Name]
Closing	Yours faithfully (unknown) / Yours sincerely (known name)	Best wishes / Take care / Love
Contractions	Never	Always encouraged
Vocabulary	"I would be grateful if"	"Could you"
Requests	"I would appreciate it if you could..."	"Would you mind...?"
Tone	Impersonal, objective	Personal, warm

A common and costly mistake: writing "Dear Sir/Madam" to a known person or writing "Yours faithfully" when you used their name. These are Band 5 register errors.

The Three Bullet Points Rule

Every Task 1 question gives you three bullet points. You must address all three in your letter. Omitting even one bullet point caps your Task Achievement score at Band 5.

The 50-word rule: Each bullet point should receive at least 50 words. A 150-word letter with three bullets at 50 words each is the minimum; most Band 7 responses are 180–200 words with bullets developed to 60–70 words each.

Development vs. listing: Don't just state each bullet point. Develop it with context, detail, or supporting information.

Undeveloped (Band 5): "I am writing because my order was late." Developed (Band 7): "I am writing to express my concern regarding an order placed on 15 May (order reference #2847). The delivery was promised within 3 working days, but the item has not arrived 10 days later, which has caused significant inconvenience as it was needed for a work event."

Formal Letter Formulas

Opening paragraph (purpose):

• "I am writing with regard to..." (complaint)
• "I am writing to apply for..." (application)
• "I am writing to express my concern about..." (complaint/concern)
• "I am writing to request information about..." (enquiry)

Making requests politely:

• "I would be grateful if you could..."
• "I would appreciate it if you were able to..."
• "Could you please..."
• "I would like to request that..."

Expressing dissatisfaction (without being rude):

• "I was somewhat disappointed to discover that..."
• "I am concerned that..."
• "I feel it is necessary to bring to your attention..."
• "This has been a source of considerable inconvenience..."

Closing a formal letter:

• "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience."
• "I would appreciate a prompt response to this matter."
• "Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information."

Informal Letter Formulas

Opening (after the greeting):

• "How are you? It's been ages since we last spoke..."
• "I was so glad to get your letter — sorry it's taken me so long to reply!"
• "I hope everything is going well with you..."

Sharing news:

• "You'll never guess what happened..."
• "I've got some exciting news to share..."
• "So much has happened since I last wrote..."

Making suggestions:

• "Why don't we...?" / "We should definitely..."
• "It might be fun to..." / "Have you thought about...?"
• "I'd love it if we could..."

Closing an informal letter:

• "Write back soon — I want to hear all about it!"
• "Take care, and give my love to [family member]."
• "Really hope we can catch up soon. Miss you!"

20-Minute Time Management

• Minutes 1–2: Identify letter type, register, and three bullet points. Plan one sentence for each bullet.
• Minutes 2–4: Write opening paragraph (greeting + purpose).
• Minutes 4–16: Develop all three bullet points, one paragraph each.
• Minutes 16–18: Write closing paragraph + sign-off.
• Minutes 18–20: Check word count (minimum 150), check register consistency, check all three bullets addressed.

Common Task 1 General Mistakes

Mistake 1: Mixed register Using formal phrases in an informal letter or informal phrases in a formal letter. The register must be 100% consistent throughout.

Mistake 2: Not addressing all three bullets The examiner checks each bullet point against your letter. A missing bullet = Band 5 Task Achievement maximum.

Mistake 3: Too short A 150-word letter is the minimum. Most candidates write 150 words and stop. Band 7 responses are typically 180–200 words.

Mistake 4: No proper opening or closing A letter without a greeting and sign-off is incomplete. Both must match the register.

Mistake 5: Starting every sentence the same way "I am writing... I would like... I was... I think..." — vary sentence structure.

Action Checklist

• Identify the letter type correctly in 3 practice questions
• Write one formal and one informal letter in full
• Check all three bullets are addressed in each letter
• Verify register consistency — formal or informal throughout, not mixed
• Count words — minimum 150, target 180–200
• Submit a Task 1 letter for AI Writing feedback

Next Steps

General Training Task 1 is the one section where English proficiency matters less than letter-writing knowledge. A student who knows the formal/informal formulas, the sign-off conventions, and the three-bullet rule will score Band 7 even with moderate vocabulary. Practice two letter types this week in Writing sessions and compare your register in each.