IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: Letter Writing Guide

You sit down, read the Task 1 prompt, and the first question that crosses your mind is: should this be formal or informal? You pick one, write 180 words, cover the main point, and move on. Then your result comes back lower than expected, and you cannot figure out what went wrong.

This is one of the most common patterns among General Training candidates. The letter format feels straightforward, but the examiner is checking far more than whether you wrote enough words. This guide breaks down exactly what Task 1 requires, how the three letter types work, and what you need to do to push your score toward Band 7.

What Is IELTS General Training Writing Task 1?

In the General Training version of the IELTS exam, Writing Task 1 asks you to write a letter. The prompt gives you a situation and three bullet points. Your job is to address all three bullet points clearly within a minimum of 150 words.

You have 20 minutes recommended for this task. As covered in our Writing Band Descriptors guide, Task 1 carries one-third of your total writing score, making it important but not the place to spend the majority of your exam time.

The examiner assesses your letter against the same four band descriptors used across all writing tasks: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

The Three Letter Types

Every General Training Task 1 prompt falls into one of three categories. Identifying the correct type before you write is the single most important decision you make in this task.

1. Formal Letter

A formal letter is written to someone you do not know personally, or to an organisation. The relationship is professional and distant.

Typical situations: complaints to a company, job applications, requests to a local authority, letters to a newspaper editor.

Tone rules: no contractions, no casual phrases, no first-name address. Every sentence should be measured and professional.

Opening: Dear Sir or Madam, Closing: Yours faithfully,

2. Semi-Formal Letter

A semi-formal letter is written to someone you know, but not closely. There is a degree of familiarity without being casual.

Typical situations: writing to a landlord, contacting a manager or employer you know by name, writing to a neighbour.

Tone rules: polite and respectful, but slightly warmer than a formal letter. Avoid slang, but the language can be more natural.

Opening: Dear Mr Ahmed, / Dear Ms Johnson, Closing: Yours sincerely,

3. Informal Letter

An informal letter is written to a friend or family member. The tone is relaxed and personal.

Typical situations: writing to a friend about a visit, updating a relative about news, asking a friend for advice.

Tone rules: contractions are fine, casual phrases are natural, and a conversational tone is expected. Overly stiff language actually works against you here.

Opening: Dear Sara, / Hi Tom, Closing: Best wishes, / Take care, / Love,

How to Identify the Letter Type from the Prompt

The prompt always tells you who you are writing to. Read it carefully and ask two questions:

1. Do I know this person personally?
2. Is the context professional or personal?

If you do not know the person and the context is professional: formal. If you know the person but the relationship is professional or semi-personal: semi-formal. If the person is a friend or family member: informal.

Getting the tone wrong is one of the most penalised mistakes under Task Achievement. An informal greeting in a formal complaint letter, or stiff professional language in a letter to a close friend, signals to the examiner that you have misread the task.

Structure: How to Organise Your Letter

Regardless of letter type, a well-structured Task 1 letter follows a clear three-part format.

Opening paragraph: State the reason for writing in one or two sentences. This sets up everything that follows.

Body paragraphs: Address each of the three bullet points from the prompt. Each bullet point should have its own clear focus. A common mistake is to merge two bullet points into one paragraph and leave the third underdeveloped. Treat each one as a separate point that deserves its own space.

Closing paragraph: Round off the letter naturally. This might be a request for a response, an expression of thanks, or a warm sign-off depending on the letter type.

Common Mistakes That Cost Marks

Ignoring one bullet point. The three bullet points in the prompt are not suggestions. The examiner checks that all three are covered. Missing or skimming one bullet point directly lowers your Task Achievement score.

Wrong tone for the letter type. Using "I am writing to express my dissatisfaction" in an informal letter to a friend sounds unnatural. Using "Hey, just wanted to let you know" in a formal complaint letter is inappropriate. Tone consistency matters throughout.

Mechanical openings. Starting every body paragraph with "Firstly," "Secondly," and "Thirdly" satisfies cohesion on the surface but feels rigid. Vary how you signal a new point.

Too short or too padded. Writing exactly 150 words with no development is risky. Writing 250 words of repetition does not help either. Aim for 170 to 190 well-developed words.

Copying words from the prompt. Paraphrasing the situation in your opening line shows lexical control. Lifting the exact phrasing from the prompt does not.

How to Self-Check Before Moving to Task 2

Before you move on to your Task 2 essay, run a quick mental check against the four descriptors:

1. Task Achievement: Have I addressed all three bullet points clearly? Is my tone right for the letter type?
2. Coherence and Cohesion: Does my letter flow naturally from opening to closing? Are paragraphs clearly separated?
3. Lexical Resource: Have I used vocabulary appropriate to the tone? Have I avoided repeating the same words?
4. Grammar: Have I used a range of sentence structures? Are my verb tenses consistent?

This takes under two minutes and regularly catches errors that would otherwise go unnoticed.

How MasterIELTS Can Help

Understanding the letter types is one thing. Writing them confidently under exam conditions is another. The MasterIELTS Writing Course includes expert-led lessons on General Training Task 1, with model letters across all three types and line-by-line feedback on what earns marks at each band level.

With a Premium plan, your practice letters are reviewed by expert tutors who assess them directly against the band descriptor criteria and show you exactly where your Task Achievement, tone, and structure can be strengthened. You can also build your confidence with full-length practice tests that replicate real exam timing and conditions.

Conclusion

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 rewards preparation and precision. Identify the letter type, match your tone, address every bullet point, and structure your response clearly. These are not vague pieces of advice, they map directly onto the criteria your examiner uses to award your band score.

The more deliberately you practise, the more automatic these decisions become. And when they become automatic, 20 minutes is more than enough time to write a strong Task 1 letter and move into Task 2 with full focus.