IELTS General Training Letter

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Letters

General Training Writing Task 1 requires you to write a letter of at least 150 words in response to a situation described in the prompt. Unlike Academic Task 1, which tests your ability to describe visual data, General Training Task 1 tests your ability to communicate clearly and appropriately in a real-world context. The two non-negotiable marking criteria are: writing in the correct register (formal, semi-formal, or informal) for the given situation, and covering all three bullet points provided in the prompt.

General Training Task 1 is worth the same proportion of the Writing band score as Academic Task 1 (one-third of the total Writing score), and the same time allocation applies: 20 minutes. A response that addresses only two of the three bullet points cannot score above Band 5 for Task Achievement regardless of how well it is written. The Task 1 band score guide explains how the four marking criteria — Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy — apply equally to letters and to Academic data-description tasks.

The Three Letter Types

Every IELTS General Training Task 1 letter belongs to one of three types. Identifying the type correctly before writing is the first and most important step, because it determines every aspect of your letter: the greeting, the closing, the vocabulary register, and even sentence structure.

The prompt almost always signals the type explicitly through its framing: “Write a letter to your manager” signals semi-formal; “Write a letter to a company” signals formal; “Write a letter to a friend” signals informal. If the recipient’s name is given (e.g., “Write to your friend, Sarah”), it is informal. If only a title is given (e.g., “the manager”), it is formal or semi-formal.

Register: Greetings, Closings, and Tone

Register consistency is the primary marker of Task Achievement in General Training Task 1. A letter that mixes formal and informal language within the same response suggests the writer does not have control of English register — a Band 5–6 characteristic. Every element of the letter must be consistent with the chosen register. For candidates preparing for UK immigration visas, formal letter writing is a directly applicable skill since many visa routes require written correspondence with the Home Office or UK employers.

The distinction between “Yours faithfully” and “Yours sincerely” is a formal English convention that IELTS tests directly. Use “Yours faithfully” when the greeting is “Dear Sir or Madam” (when you do not know the recipient’s name). Use “Yours sincerely” when the greeting is “Dear Mr Smith” (when you know the recipient’s name).

Addressing All Three Bullet Points

Every General Training Task 1 prompt contains three bullet points, each specifying a piece of information the letter must include. Failing to address all three is the single most common Task Achievement error in General Training Task 1, and it cannot be recovered by excellent language. A systematic approach is to allocate one paragraph per bullet point after the opening paragraph.

Recommended structure

1. Opening paragraph (2–3 sentences): Introduce yourself (if writing to an unknown recipient), state the purpose of the letter, and set up the context.
2. Paragraph for Bullet Point 1: Address the first bullet point fully.
3. Paragraph for Bullet Point 2: Address the second bullet point fully.
4. Paragraph for Bullet Point 3: Address the third bullet point fully.
5. Closing paragraph (1–2 sentences): Closing phrase and sign-off.

This structure ensures you cannot accidentally omit a bullet point. It also produces a well-organised letter with clear paragraph breaks, which directly supports the Coherence and Cohesion score. Strong Task 1 vocabulary— particularly the formal register expressions listed in this guide — is what separates a Band 6 letter from a Band 7 one in the Lexical Resource criterion.

Band 9 Sample: Formal Letter of Complaint

Prompt: You recently purchased a laptop computer from an online store. When it arrived, it was damaged and some features did not work. Write a letter to the company. In your letter:

• describe the problem with the laptop
• explain how this has affected you
• say what you would like the company to do

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to formally complain about a laptop computer I purchased from your online store on 15 March of this year (Order Reference: HT-84291). Unfortunately, the product I received was significantly damaged and did not function as described.

Upon opening the packaging, I discovered that the laptop’s screen had a visible crack running across the upper-left corner, rendering a portion of the display unusable. Furthermore, the built-in camera did not function at all, and the keyboard produced duplicate characters when certain keys were pressed. It is evident that the device was either damaged in transit or had pre-existing defects that were not identified before dispatch.

The impact of this has been considerable. I purchased the laptop specifically for use in an upcoming professional training programme, which requires reliable video conferencing and document editing capabilities. With the camera and keyboard inoperative, I have been unable to participate fully in the first week of the programme and have been forced to borrow a colleague’s device, which has caused significant inconvenience to both parties.

I would be grateful if you could arrange for a full replacement unit to be dispatched at your earliest convenience, along with a pre-paid returns label for the defective laptop. Should a replacement not be available, I would request a full refund, including the original delivery charge. I would expect this matter to be resolved within five working days given the severity of the defects.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours faithfully,

A. Hassan

Annotation: All three bullet points are addressed in separate paragraphs. The register is consistently formal throughout: no contractions, no colloquialisms, formal vocabulary (“I am writing to formally complain,” “upon opening,” “I would be grateful if”). The sign-off is “Yours faithfully” because the greeting is “Dear Sir or Madam.” The word count is approximately 240 words, comfortably above the 150-word minimum.

Band 9 Sample: Informal Letter to a Friend

Prompt: You are going to study abroad for a year. Write a letter to a friend. In your letter:

• tell your friend about your plans
• explain why you chose this particular course and country
• invite your friend to visit you

Dear Lena,

I hope you’re doing really well! I’ve got some exciting news that I’ve been meaning to share with you — I’m going to be studying abroad for a whole year starting in September.

I’ve been accepted onto a postgraduate programme in Environmental Science at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I’ll be leaving in late August and spending the full academic year there, returning home next summer. I’m both nervous and incredibly excited about it!

I chose Edinburgh partly because the university has a genuinely world-class department for environmental research — it’s been ranked among the top five in Europe for the past several years. But honestly, Scotland itself was a big draw too. I’ve always wanted to explore the Highlands, and studying there feels like the perfect opportunity to combine academic ambitions with a real adventure.

You absolutely have to come and visit me while I’m there! Edinburgh is supposedly stunning in the winter, and there’s a famous festival in August just before I arrive. I could show you around the city once I’ve found my feet. It would be so much fun to explore it together.

Write back soon and let me know what you think — I’d love to hear your news too.

Best wishes,

Mia

Annotation: The register is consistently informal: contractions throughout (“I’ve,” “I’m,” “it’s”), natural conversational language (“a big draw,” “found my feet”), and an informal greeting and sign-off. All three bullet points are covered in distinct paragraphs. The sign-off is “Best wishes” rather than “Yours sincerely,” which would be inappropriate for an informal letter to a friend. Candidates applying for Canadian immigration should note that the General Training test — which includes this letter format — is the required test type for Express Entry and all permanent residency streams.

Common Mistakes in General Training Letters

1. Wrong register for the situation

Using informal language in a formal complaint (“the laptop was pretty broken”) or overly formal language in an informal letter (“I am writing to inform you of my upcoming travels” to a close friend) are both register errors. The examiner is specifically assessing whether you can control register appropriately.

2. Mixing registers within the same letter

Starting with “Dear Sir or Madam” and then using contractions and colloquial language throughout is a register inconsistency error. Every element of the letter — greeting, vocabulary, sentence structure, closing — must match.

3. Missing a bullet point

The three-paragraph body structure (one paragraph per bullet point) exists specifically to prevent this error. Reading the prompt carefully and underlining each bullet point before writing is strongly recommended.

4. Writing under 150 words

The 150-word minimum applies equally to General Training Task 1. A well-developed letter addressing three bullet points should reach 180–220 words naturally — if your response is shorter, at least one bullet point has probably been addressed inadequately.