IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Letter Writing Guide
In IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1 asks you to write a letter of at least 150 words. You are given a situation and three bullet points that you must address in your letter. The letter can be formal, semi-formal, or informal depending on who you are writing to — and choosing the wrong tone is one of the most common reasons for a low Task Achievement score.
Task 1 is worth one-third of your Writing score, and you should spend approximately 20 minutes on it. Many test-takers underestimate this task, treating it as a quick exercise before tackling the essay. This is a mistake — examiners assess tone, format, and coverage of the bullet points just as rigorously as they assess the Task 2 essay.
Identifying the Letter Type
The letter type is determined by the recipient described in the prompt. Here is how to identify each type:
Formal Letters
Written to someone you do not know personally, or in an official capacity. Recipients include:
- A company or organization
- A manager you have not met
- A government department or local authority
- The editor of a newspaper
- A landlord or property manager
Semi-Formal Letters
Written to someone you know in a professional context but have a working relationship with. Recipients include:
- Your boss or manager (someone you work with)
- A neighbor you know casually
- A teacher or university lecturer
- A work colleague you know reasonably well
Informal Letters
Written to someone you have a personal relationship with. Recipients include:
- A friend
- A family member
- A close colleague who is also a personal friend
The prompt usually includes a clear signal. Phrases like "Write a letter to your friend" indicate informal, while "Write a letter to the manager of a company" indicates formal. "Write to your employer" is typically semi-formal.
Openings and Closings
Using the correct opening and closing is essential for tone appropriateness — one of the criteria examiners assess.
Formal
- Opening: "Dear Sir or Madam," (if you do not know the name) or "Dear Mr./Ms. [Name],"
- Closing: "Yours faithfully," (if Dear Sir/Madam) or "Yours sincerely," (if you used a name)
Semi-Formal
- Opening: "Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]," or "Dear [First Name],"
- Closing: "Kind regards," or "Best regards,"
Informal
- Opening: "Dear [Name]," or "Hi [Name],"
- Closing: "Best wishes," or "Take care," or "Looking forward to hearing from you,"
Always sign off with your first name only (or a full name for formal letters). The IELTS instructions tell you not to use your real name — make one up.
Addressing the Three Bullet Points
Every General Training Task 1 prompt includes exactly three bullet points. You must address all three clearly and with roughly equal development. Missing a bullet point — or addressing it with only a single sentence — results in a significant Task Achievement penalty.
A practical approach is to dedicate one paragraph to each bullet point after your opening paragraph. This creates a clean structure:
- Opening paragraph: State the purpose of your letter (1-2 sentences)
- Paragraph 2: Address bullet point 1
- Paragraph 3: Address bullet point 2
- Paragraph 4: Address bullet point 3 + closing
Each bullet point paragraph should contain 2-4 sentences. Do not over-develop one point at the expense of another — balance is key.
Sample Letters
Formal Letter Example
Prompt: You recently bought a product online, but it arrived damaged. Write a letter to the company. In your letter: describe the product you bought, explain the problem, and say what you would like the company to do.
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a product I recently purchased through your online store. I am requesting either a replacement or a full refund. On 15 March, I ordered a Bluetooth speaker (Model X200) from your website, order number #BT-4892. The product was advertised as being in new condition and was priced at $89.99. Unfortunately, when the package arrived on 20 March, I discovered that the speaker had a large crack on the front panel and the volume control was not functioning. The packaging appeared to have been inadequately protected during transit, as the box was visibly dented. I would appreciate it if you could arrange for a replacement to be sent at your earliest convenience, or alternatively, issue a full refund to my original payment method. I have retained the damaged product and all original packaging for return if required. Yours faithfully, John Smith
Informal Letter Example
Prompt: A friend is planning to visit your city for the first time. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter: suggest where they could stay, recommend some things to do, and offer to help during their visit.
Hi Sarah, I was so excited to hear you are finally coming to visit! I have been looking forward to showing you around the city. For accommodation, I would suggest staying at the Harbor View Hotel near the waterfront. It is clean, affordable, and right in the middle of everything. Alternatively, you are more than welcome to stay at my place — I have a spare room and it would save you money. There is so much to do here that a week might not be enough! The old town market is incredible on weekends, and the coastal walk from the lighthouse to Sandy Bay is probably the most beautiful walk I have ever done. If you enjoy art, the Modern Gallery has a fantastic exhibition running until next month. I have already arranged to take some time off work, so I can be your personal tour guide for at least the first few days. Just let me know your dates and I will plan some activities for us. Take care, Emily
Common Mistakes
- Wrong tone: Using formal language in an informal letter (or vice versa) affects your Task Achievement score. Match your tone to the recipient.
- Missing bullet points: Every bullet point must be addressed. Even a single missing point can drop your score by a full band.
- Starting with "I am writing to..." for informal letters: This phrase works for formal letters but sounds unnatural when writing to a friend. Start informally: "Great to hear from you!" or "How are you?"
- Under-length: Write at least 150 words. Aim for 170-190 words for a comfortable margin. Going significantly over is usually unnecessary.
- Using the wrong closing: Pairing "Dear Sir or Madam" with "Best wishes" is a format error that signals unfamiliarity with letter conventions.
Practice Strategy
Practice writing one letter per day, alternating between formal, semi-formal, and informal types. After writing each letter, check: Did I address all three bullet points? Is my tone appropriate? Did I use the correct opening and closing?
Read model answers to develop a sense of how tone shifts between letter types. The same content — a complaint about noise, for example — sounds very different when addressed to a landlord (formal) versus a neighbor you know (semi-formal) versus a friend who lives upstairs (informal).
Upload your practice letters to WitPrep's AI Essay Grader for instant feedback on tone, structure, and bullet point coverage. Consistent practice with feedback is the fastest path to improvement.
If you are also preparing for Academic Writing Task 1, see our guide on process diagrams and maps. For Task 2 essay writing, start with our opinion essay guide.