IELTSVegaIELTS letter writing: format, model letters and phrases for GT Task 1
How to write the IELTS General Training letter: the format, formal vs informal tone, three model letters, phrases for each purpose, and how it is marked.
IELTS letter writing is General Training Writing Task 1: you get a short situation and three bullet points, and you write a letter of at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. The letter can be formal, semi-formal or informal, and the prompt tells you which by naming the person you are writing to. Cover all three bullets, keep one tone from the first line to the sign-off, and you have done most of what the examiner is checking.
This guide gives you the one structure that works for every letter, the register rules, the opening line for each letter purpose, three model letters with notes, what the official band descriptors say separates Band 6 from Band 7, and six practice prompts. Academic candidates do not write a letter; if you are not sure which module you are sitting, settle that first.
IELTS letter format: one structure for every letter
Every IELTS letter, whatever its purpose, fits the same five-part shape. Learn it once and the only thing that changes between a complaint to a company and a note to a friend is the language inside it.
- Do not write addresses or a date. Real prompts say "You do NOT need to write any addresses", and time spent on them earns nothing.
- The minimum is 150 words. Around 170 to 190 is the comfortable range: enough to develop every bullet, short enough to leave the full 40 minutes for Task 2, which carries twice the weight.
- Paragraphs matter. A letter written as one block is harder to follow, and Coherence and Cohesion is a quarter of the Task 1 score.
| Part | What goes in it | Formal example |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear + the right name or title. The prompt often gives it: "Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam," | Dear Sir or Madam, |
| Opening line | One or two sentences saying why you are writing. No small talk in a formal letter. | I am writing to complain about a delivery I received on 12 September. |
| Body: one paragraph per bullet | Three short paragraphs, in the order the bullets are given, each developed with a detail or reason | The machine was due on 5 September but arrived a week late… |
| Closing line | What you want to happen next, or a friendly line to end on | I look forward to your prompt reply. |
| Sign-off and name | The sign-off that matches the greeting, then your name on its own line | Yours faithfully, / Rahul Mehta |
Formal, semi-formal or informal: read who the letter is to
The register is decided by one line of the prompt: who you are writing to. It is always stated. Read it before anything else, because it fixes your greeting, your sign-off and every sentence in between.
- "Dear Sir or Madam" goes with "Yours faithfully". A named greeting goes with "Yours sincerely" or, in a semi-formal letter, "Kind regards". Mixing the pairs is a small error, but it is the first thing a reader of a formal letter notices.
- Semi-formal is where most people slip. A landlord you have met is not a stranger, so "Dear Sir or Madam" is wrong, but a note to them is not a message to a friend either. Use their title and surname and stay polite.
- Whichever register you choose, hold it. A formal letter that ends "Thanks a lot, see you!" has an inconsistent tone, and tone is marked.
| Register | You are writing to | Greeting | Sign-off | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal | Someone you do not know, or know only by role: a company, a manager at another organisation, a council | Dear Sir or Madam, / Dear Mr Khan, | Yours faithfully (after Sir or Madam) / Yours sincerely (after a name) | No contractions, no slang, full polite forms: "I would be grateful if…" |
| Semi-formal | Someone you know in a formal relationship: your manager, your landlord, a neighbour you rarely speak to, a tutor | Dear Ms Clarke, | Kind regards, / Yours sincerely, | Polite and direct, warmer than formal; an occasional contraction is fine |
| Informal | A friend or family member | Dear Sam, / Hi Sam, | Take care, / Best wishes, / See you soon, | Contractions, phrasal verbs, personal comments, questions to the reader |
Letter purposes, and the line that opens each one
The bullets tell you what to say; the purpose tells you how to open. Most IELTS letters fall into one of these purposes, and each has a natural first sentence in each register. Adapt these to the situation rather than pasting them in unchanged.
- Closing lines follow the same logic. Formal: "I look forward to hearing from you" or "I would appreciate a reply by Friday". Informal: "Write back soon and tell me your news" or "Let me know which day works".
- One purpose line is enough. Two sentences of throat-clearing before the first bullet use words that could have developed a bullet instead.
| Purpose | Formal or semi-formal opener | Informal opener |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint | I am writing to complain about the service I received at your branch on… | I have to tell you about the awful time I had with… |
| Request | I am writing to ask whether it would be possible to… | I wonder if you could do me a favour. |
| Apology | I am writing to apologise for… | I'm so sorry about… |
| Job or course application | I am writing to apply for the position of… advertised on… | Not usually informal |
| Invitation | I would like to invite you to… | Are you free on…? I'd love you to come to… |
| Thanks | I am writing to thank you for… | Thanks so much for… |
| Giving advice | I am writing in response to your question about… | You asked what I'd do about…, so here's what I think. |
| Giving information or explaining | I am writing to let you know that… | Just a quick letter to tell you that… |
| Making arrangements | I am writing to arrange… | Shall we sort out the plans for…? |
Model letter 1: a formal complaint
Prompt: You recently ordered a washing machine from an online store. It arrived late and does not work properly. Write a letter to the store. In your letter, explain what you bought and when; describe the problems; say what you would like the store to do. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to complain about a washing machine I ordered from your website on 2 September, order number 48213, which has caused me considerable inconvenience.
The machine is an 8 kg front-loading model, and your confirmation email promised delivery within three working days. It finally arrived on 12 September, more than a week late, and nobody contacted me to explain the delay despite two calls to your helpline. As a result, I had to take a second day off work to wait for it.
Worse, it has not worked properly since it was installed. The drum stops turning halfway through every cycle and the display shows an error code, so my clothes come out soaking wet. I have followed every step in the troubleshooting section of the manual, without success.
I would therefore like you to collect the machine and replace it with a working one within seven days. If a replacement is not available, I expect a full refund, including the delivery charge.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Yours faithfully,
Rahul Mehta
- About 180 words, counting the greeting and sign-off. Each bullet has its own paragraph, in the prompt's order.
- Every bullet is extended with a detail: an order number and dates, a specific fault and what was tried, a deadline and a fallback. That extension is what the descriptors separate Band 7 from Band 6 on.
- The tone is firm without being rude. "Worse" and "I expect" carry the annoyance; there are no insults and no exclamation marks.
Model letter 2: a semi-formal request
Prompt: You would like to take a week off work next month. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter, explain why you need the time off; suggest how your work could be covered; say when you would like to take the leave.
Dear Ms Clarke,
I am writing to ask whether I could take a week of annual leave next month.
My younger sister is getting married in Jaipur on 21 October, and as the eldest in the family I have agreed to help organise the celebrations. I realise this is a busy period for the team, which is why I wanted to ask as early as possible.
I have already spoken to Arjun, who is happy to take over the weekly supplier reports while I am away. I will also finish the October budget summary before I leave and brief him on anything outstanding, so nothing should be delayed.
Ideally I would be away from Monday 19 to Friday 23 October. If that is difficult, I could shorten it to three days, from the 20th to the 22nd, although the full week would make things much easier for my family. I would be grateful if you could let me know by Friday so that I can book my train tickets.
Kind regards,
Priya Nair
- About 175 words. The greeting uses the manager's name, so the sign-off is "Kind regards", not "Yours faithfully".
- It is polite but not stiff: "I realise this is a busy period" shows awareness of the reader, which is what semi-formal tone looks like in practice.
- The third bullet is answered with two options and a reason to reply, which is a stronger close than restating the request.
Model letter 3: an informal apology to a friend
Prompt: You were unable to go to a friend's birthday party last weekend. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter, apologise for missing the party; explain why you could not go; suggest a way to celebrate together soon.
Dear Sam,
I'm so sorry I missed your party on Saturday. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks, and I felt terrible sending you that last-minute message instead of turning up with your present.
What happened was completely unexpected. My dad slipped on the stairs on Friday evening and hurt his ankle quite badly, so I spent most of Saturday with him at the hospital waiting for X-rays. Thankfully nothing's broken, but by the time we got home it was nearly midnight and I was in no state to go anywhere. I should have called you properly instead of just texting, and I'm sorry about that too.
Anyway, I'd really like to make it up to you. How about I take you out for dinner next weekend? That new Lebanese place near the station has great reviews, and I know how much you love hummus. It's my treat, of course, and I'll bring your present along too.
Let me know which evening works for you, and tell me all about the party!
Take care,
Maya
- About 175 words. Contractions, "Anyway", a question to the reader and a personal detail about the friend are what make it genuinely informal rather than a formal letter with "Hi" at the top.
- Informal does not mean careless. The grammar is still accurate and the paragraphs still follow the bullets.
- No "I hope this letter finds you well" opener. Between friends, you get straight to the point, and here the point is the apology.
How an IELTS letter is marked
The letter is scored on four criteria: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The last three work as they do for any IELTS writing. Task Achievement is where General Training has its own lines, and they come down to two things: how well each bullet is covered, and whether the purpose and tone are clear and consistent.
- Missing a bullet entirely puts Task Achievement in Band 4 territory, however good the English is. It is the most expensive mistake in the task.
- The step from 6 to 7 is extension. Mentioning each bullet in one line is "adequately highlighted". Developing it with a reason, a detail or an example is what the higher bands describe.
- Tone appears in the descriptors at every band from 4 to 7. It is marked, not a matter of style.
| Band | Bullet points | Purpose and tone |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | All clearly presented, and appropriately illustrated or extended | No separate line; the Band 7 standard is assumed |
| 7 | All covered and clearly highlighted, but could be more fully or appropriately extended | Clear purpose; tone consistent and appropriate, with minimal lapses |
| 6 | All covered and adequately highlighted | Purpose generally clear; minor inconsistencies in tone |
| 5 | All presented, but one or more not adequately covered | Purpose may be unclear at times; tone variable and sometimes inappropriate |
| 4 | Not all bullet points presented | Purpose not clearly explained; tone may be inappropriate |
Mistakes that cap an IELTS letter
- Skipping or skimming a bullet. Tick each one off as you write it.
- Drifting between registers: a formal opening, a chatty middle, a formal sign-off. Decide once, from the recipient, and hold it.
- Pairing the wrong sign-off with the greeting, such as "Dear Sir or Madam… Yours sincerely".
- Stock openers that fit no situation. "I hope this letter finds you in the pink of health" is dated, and "I am writing this letter to inform you that…" at the top of every letter, whatever its purpose, reads as memorised rather than written for the task.
- Inventing too little. The situation is fictional, so you are free to add names, dates, amounts and reasons. Details are how a bullet gets extended.
- Contractions and phrasal verbs in a formal letter: "can't", "sort it out" and "get back to me" belong in the informal one.
- Writing addresses and a date. They are not required and they cost minutes.
- Letting the letter run to 250 words. Task 2 is worth twice as much, and a long letter is usually a letter that has taken its time.
How to write the letter in 20 minutes
- Minutes 0–3: read the prompt, underline who you are writing to, decide the register, and number the three bullets. Jot one detail you will add to each.
- Minutes 3–17: write. Greeting, purpose line, one paragraph per bullet in order, closing line, sign-off.
- Minutes 17–20: check that every bullet is there, that the greeting and sign-off match, and that no contractions have crept into a formal letter. Fix spelling last.
- On computer-delivered IELTS a live word count is shown, so there is no need to count. On paper, learn roughly how many lines 150 words fills in your handwriting before test day.
Practice prompts for all three registers
These are original prompts written in the style of the exam, not reported test questions. Write each in 20 minutes, and practise the register you avoid most, which for most candidates is informal.
- Formal: You stayed at a hotel last month and left a bag in your room. Write to the hotel manager. Describe the bag and its contents; explain when and where you left it; say how you would like it returned.
- Formal: You have seen an advertisement for a part-time job at a local library. Write to the library. Say which job you are applying for; describe your relevant experience; explain when you are available to work.
- Semi-formal: The heating in the flat you rent has stopped working. Write to your landlord. Describe the problem; explain how it is affecting you; say what you would like the landlord to do.
- Semi-formal: A colleague is leaving your company and you are organising a farewell event. Write to your manager. Describe the event you have planned; explain what help you need; ask whether the company could contribute to the cost.
- Informal: A friend is coming to visit your city for the first time. Write to your friend. Suggest where they should stay; recommend places to visit; explain what you would like to do together.
- Informal: A friend recently lent you a book that you enjoyed. Write to your friend. Thank them for the book; say what you liked about it; recommend a book they might enjoy in return.
Practise a letter and get a band score
Reading model letters shows you what good looks like, but it does not tell you where your own letter falls short. On IELTSVega you can set your module to General Training, write a Task 1 letter under timed conditions, and get an instant band score against all four criteria, marked with the General Training descriptor lines for bullet coverage and tone. Write one of the prompts above, see which criterion is lowest, fix that one thing, and write the next.