IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training: the letter-writing guide

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 is a letter-writing task. You are given a situation and three bullet points — all three of which you must address — and you have roughly 20 minutes to write at least 150 words. The task is worth one-third of your Writing band score, so handling the register, structure and bullet coverage consistently is non-negotiable for Band 7.

What the task actually requires

The prompt describes a scenario — a complaint, an invitation, a request for information, an apology, a recommendation — and then lists exactly three bullet points. Each bullet is a content obligation. The examiner's Task Achievement criterion rewards you for covering all three bullets fully and relevantly. A letter that handles two bullets in depth but barely mentions the third will be capped, regardless of how grammatically accurate it is.

Aim for roughly equal paragraph depth across all three bullets. If one bullet produces only a single sentence while the others run to four, you have not developed it fully.

The three registers — and how to identify the right one

Register is the single most decisive stylistic choice in Task 1. Choosing the wrong register — writing a chatty letter to a bank manager or a stiff, impersonal letter to a close friend — directly hurts your Coherence and Cohesion and Lexical Resource scores. The prompt always signals which register you need.

A useful rule: if you do not know the person's name because the situation does not give you one, write formally. If you have a surname with a title (Mr, Ms, Dr), write semi-formally. If you have a first name and the relationship is clearly personal, write informally.

Example opening lines for each register

The opening line sets the purpose of the letter and establishes tone immediately. Examiners read hundreds of letters; a clear, register-appropriate opener creates a strong first impression.

• Formal: "I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent changes to your service agreement."
• Formal: "I am writing with reference to the position advertised in the Daily Post on 2 June."
• Semi-formal: "I am writing to let you know about a problem I have noticed in the flat."
• Semi-formal: "I would like to bring to your attention an issue that arose at last week's team meeting."
• Informal: "I just wanted to let you know about the great news I received yesterday!"
• Informal: "It was so lovely to hear from you — I can't believe it's been six months!"

How to structure a Task 1 letter

A clear, predictable structure serves both reader and writer. It ensures you cover all required content and signals organisational control to the examiner. Use this sequence every time:

1. 1Greeting — one line matching the register (Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Mr Smith / Dear Sam).
2. 2Opening line — state the purpose of the letter in one or two sentences. Do not list bullet points; simply introduce why you are writing.
3. 3Paragraph 1 — fully develop the first bullet point. Aim for three to five sentences that explain, justify, or describe with relevant detail.
4. 4Paragraph 2 — fully develop the second bullet point at equivalent length.
5. 5Paragraph 3 — fully develop the third bullet point at equivalent length.
6. 6Closing line — round off naturally. A formal letter might say "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience." An informal one might say "I hope to see you soon!"
7. 7Sign-off — match to register, then your name (use a made-up name; do not use your real name).

This seven-part skeleton keeps you on track under time pressure and ensures the examiner can follow the logic of your letter without effort.

The most common mistakes at Band 6 and below

Most Task 1 letters that score Band 6 rather than 7 suffer from one or more of the following errors. Recognising them in your own draft is the fastest route to improvement.

• Wrong register throughout — the most damaging single error. A formal letter with contractions ("I can't", "I'd like") signals poor language control. An informal letter that opens with "Dear Sir or Madam" and closes "Yours faithfully" feels absurd and rigid.
• Inconsistent register — starting formally and drifting into a casual tone halfway through, or vice versa. Register must be maintained from greeting to sign-off.
• Bullet point treated as a heading — writing one sentence per bullet rather than a full paragraph. One sentence does not constitute adequate development.
• Missing a bullet point entirely — this places an immediate ceiling on Task Achievement and is almost impossible to recover from.
• Under-length letter — 140 words is not 150 words. Count carefully. Examiners are permitted to apply a penalty for letters that fail to meet the minimum.
• Overuse of formulaic phrases — copying memorised phrases without connecting them to the specific prompt produces incoherent letters. Adapt, do not recite.
• No closing line or sign-off — the letter simply stops. This weakens the sense of communicative purpose.

Tone consistency and its effect on scoring criteria

It is worth understanding why register matters beyond Task Achievement. The Coherence and Cohesion criterion rewards writing that flows naturally and feels unified; a sudden shift in formality creates a jarring break in that flow. The Lexical Resource criterion rewards precise, contextually appropriate word choice — and register is context. A formal letter that uses "I reckon" or "loads of" demonstrates weak lexical awareness. An informal letter that uses "I wish to enquire whether it would be possible" sounds stilted and unnatural. The Band 7 Writing Playbook covers lexical range in more detail, but the principle here is simple: choose your register, then stay there.

Quick checklist before you stop writing

In the final 60 to 90 seconds of Task 1, run through the following questions against your draft:

• Does my greeting match the register I chose?
• Does my sign-off match the same register?
• Have I addressed all three bullet points with at least a full paragraph each?
• Is my letter at least 150 words?
• Have I maintained the same tone from the first line to the last?
• Does my opening line clearly state why I am writing?
• Is there a closing line before my sign-off?

A letter that passes all seven checklist items is almost certainly performing at or above Band 6.5 for Task Achievement and Coherence. The remaining band points come from grammar and vocabulary range — which improve with targeted practice, not last-minute edits.