IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Letter Templates for Every Tone

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Letter Templates for Every Tone

In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you must write a letter of at least 150 words in 20 minutes. The letter can be formal, semi-formal, or informal depending on who you are writing to and why. The tone you use is one of the key factors examiners assess under Task Achievement.

Getting the tone wrong — writing a casual email to a company director, or an overly formal letter to a close friend — immediately signals to the examiner that you have not understood the task requirements. The templates below cover all three tone levels with specific opening and closing phrases, body paragraph structures, and practical examples.

How to Identify the Tone

The question always tells you who to write to and gives you bullet points explaining what to include. Use these clues to determine the tone:

• Formal: Writing to someone you do not know personally — a manager, a company, a government official, a university administrator
• Semi-formal: Writing to someone you know in a professional context — a neighbor, a landlord, a colleague you are not close friends with, a teacher
• Informal: Writing to a friend, a family member, or someone you have a close personal relationship with

If the prompt says "Write a letter to your friend," use an informal tone. If it says "Write a letter to the manager of a hotel," use a formal tone. If it says "Write to your neighbor," use semi-formal. The recipient in the prompt is your clearest guide.

Formal Letter Templates

Formal letters are written to people in positions of authority or to organizations. They require polite, professional language with no contractions, slang, or emoticons.

Opening Salutation

• If you know the name: "Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. [Surname],"
• If you do not know the name: "Dear Sir or Madam,"

Closing

• If you used a name: "Yours sincerely,"
• If you used "Dear Sir or Madam": "Yours faithfully,"
• Never use: "Love," "Cheers," "Best wishes" in formal letters

Template: Formal Complaint Letter

"Dear [Sir or Madam / Mr. Surname],"

"I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with [product/service] that I [purchased/received/experienced] on [date/occasion]. [Describe the specific problem in 1-2 sentences]."

"[Expand on the issue — what happened, what was wrong, how it affected you]. [Mention any previous attempts to resolve the issue, if applicable]. This has caused me considerable [inconvenience/frustration/financial loss]."

"I would appreciate it if you could [specific action you want — a refund/replacement/investigation/apology]. I expect to receive a response within [reasonable timeframe]. Please contact me at [your contact details] to discuss this matter further."

"Yours faithfully, [Your Name]"

Template: Formal Application / Request Letter

"Dear [name/Sir or Madam],"

"I am writing to [apply for the position of X / request information about Y / inquire about Z]. I learned about [the opportunity/your organization] through [source]."

"[Provide relevant background — your qualifications, experience, or reason for the request]. [Explain why you are suitable / why you need this information]. [Include any supporting details]."

"I would be grateful if you could [specific request — send me further details / arrange an interview / process my application]. I am available [your availability]. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any additional information."

"Yours sincerely, [Your Name]"

Key Formal Phrases

• "I am writing to bring to your attention..."
• "I wish to express my concern regarding..."
• "I would be grateful if you could..."
• "Please find enclosed / attached..."
• "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience."
• "I trust that this matter will be resolved promptly."
• "Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me."

Semi-Formal Letter Templates

Semi-formal letters strike a balance between professional and personal. You are polite and clear but can be slightly warmer in tone than a formal letter.

Opening Salutation

• "Dear [First Name]," (if you know the person)
• "Dear [Mr./Mrs. Surname]," (if the relationship is more distant)

Closing

• "Best regards,"
• "Kind regards,"
• "Best wishes,"
• "Warm regards,"

Template: Semi-Formal Request / Suggestion Letter

"Dear [Name],"

"I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to [explain the purpose — ask for your help with / suggest a change to / let you know about something]."

"[Explain the situation or context]. [Provide details about what you need or what you are proposing]. I think this would be beneficial because [reason]."

"Would it be possible for you to [specific request]? I would really appreciate your [help/support/consideration]. Please let me know if this works for you, and I am happy to [offer something in return / discuss further]."

"Best regards, [Your Name]"

Template: Semi-Formal Apology Letter

"Dear [Name],"

"I am writing to apologize for [what happened]. I understand that this may have caused you [inconvenience/difficulty], and I sincerely regret [the situation/my actions]."

"[Explain the circumstances — what led to the problem]. [Take responsibility where appropriate]. I did not intend for this to happen, and I want to assure you that [what you are doing to fix it]."

"To make up for this, I would like to [proposed remedy]. I hope this is acceptable, and I value [our relationship / working together]. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do."

"Kind regards, [Your Name]"

Informal Letter Templates

Informal letters are written to friends and family. You should use a conversational tone, contractions (I'm, we'll, can't), and even some casual expressions. However, avoid text-speak (u, 2nite, lol) — this is still an English exam.

Opening Salutation

• "Dear [First Name],"
• "Hi [Name],"
• "Hey [Name],"

Closing

• "Take care,"
• "See you soon,"
• "All the best,"
• "Lots of love," (very close friend or family)
• "Write back soon!"

Template: Informal Invitation Letter

"Hi [Name],"

"How are you? It's been a while since we last caught up! I'm writing because [reason for the letter — I'm organizing an event / I've got some exciting news / I wanted to invite you to something]."

"[Give details — what's happening, when, where, who else is coming]. I'd really love it if you could make it. [Add a personal touch — mention a shared memory, an inside joke, or why their presence matters]."

"Let me know if you can come — just drop me a message or give me a call. [Optional: offer to help with travel/accommodation]. Can't wait to hear from you!"

"Take care, [Your Name]"

Template: Informal Update / News Letter

"Hey [Name],"

"Hope you're doing well! I wanted to write and tell you about [the news — my new job / my recent trip / something that happened]. [Share the main details in a natural, chatty way]."

"[Expand on the details — how you feel about it, what happened, what you're planning next]. It's been quite a [exciting/challenging/surprising] time! [Ask about them — how are things on your end? / How's your family?]."

"Anyway, I'd love to hear your news too. Let's try to meet up soon — maybe we could [suggestion for meeting]. Write back when you get a chance!"

"All the best, [Your Name]"

Tone Comparison Chart

Here is how the same idea sounds across the three tone levels:

• Formal: "I would be most grateful if you could provide me with further details regarding the available accommodation options."

• Semi-formal: "Could you please send me some information about the accommodation options?"

• Informal: "Can you let me know what places are available to stay? That'd be really helpful!"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using the wrong tone: A formal letter with 'Hey!' and contractions will lose marks. An informal letter with 'I would be most grateful if you could kindly...' sounds unnatural.
• Not covering all bullet points: The prompt gives you 3 bullet points to address. You MUST cover all three. Missing one reduces your Task Achievement score significantly.
• Writing under 150 words: There is a penalty. Aim for 160-180 words.
• Using 'Yours sincerely' with 'Dear Sir or Madam': This is a well-known error. Use 'Yours faithfully' with 'Dear Sir or Madam' and 'Yours sincerely' with a named recipient.
• Starting the letter with 'I am writing to you because...': This is acceptable for formal letters but sounds odd in informal ones. For informal letters, start with a greeting or a question about the person.

Practice writing letters with WitPrep's IELTS Writing Practice. Select General Training Task 1 prompts and get instant AI feedback on tone, coverage of bullet points, and language accuracy.

Key Takeaways

• Identify the tone (formal, semi-formal, informal) based on the recipient described in the prompt
• Use the correct opening and closing for each tone level
• Cover all three bullet points from the prompt — each one should get 2-3 sentences
• Avoid contractions in formal letters; use them naturally in informal letters
• Match your vocabulary and sentence structure to the appropriate tone
• Aim for 160-180 words and finish within 20 minutes