.::. Simon .::. IELTS General Writing Task 1 .::.

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IELTS General Writing: another informal letter

Here's a recent question from task 1 of the general writing test:

IELTS General Writing: informal letter

I wrote the following letter with some of my students here in Manchester. It contains
some great examples of informal phrases. Can you guess what the full question was?
IELTS General Writing: resignation letter
Here's my full answer for last week's question:

IELTS General Writing: resignation question

I haven't done a lesson about the general writing test for a while, so here's a question
that you could try. I'll post my full answer next week.
IELTS General Writing: 'new business' letter
Here's my full letter for last week's question:

IELTS General Writing: 'new business' letter

I haven't done a lesson about the General Writing test for a while, so here's an
interesting question that a student sent me. I'll share my answer next week.

Remember that the examiner is looking for the following things:

 The tone must be appropriate (formal or informal)
 The purpose of the letter must be clear
  You must cover all of the points
 The letter must be well-organized
 You need to use some good (and relevant) vocabulary

IELTS General Writing: environment letter

Here's my full letter for last week's question:

IELTS General Writing: environment problem

Here's a recent question from General IELTS writing task 1:
My advice is to choose an easy topic like "litter". Write a quick plan with ideas for each
bullet point. If you need some help, have a look at this website.

IELTS General Writing: one tip

Yesterday I forgot to mention my key piece of advice for writing task 1 in the General
Training test. If I had to choose one key piece of advice for GT task 1, I'd say that you
need to get the 'tone' right.
The tone of your letter is its character or attitude, either formal or informal. For a
summary of the differences between formal and informal letters, read this lesson.

IELTS General Writing: verb tenses

Let's look again at the letter I wrote last week. One interesting thing to notice is the
variety of verb tenses:
Present simple
I take, the overcrowding means, this is...
Present continuous
I am writing, passengers are becoming, delays are making...
Present perfect
my train has arrived, I have been unable, I have seen...
Future
you will address
IELTS General Training: complaint letter
Here's my letter for last week's question:

IELTS General Training: letter of complaint

Let's do a quick plan for the question below.

 Problems: trains arrive late and are overcrowded

 Effects: people arriving late for work, uncomfortable, unhappy
 Changes: more regular trains, more carriages to increase space

Always do a quick plan! The plan above only took me a couple of minutes, and now I'm
ready to write a good essay. I'll post it next week.
IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' letter
Here's my full sample letter for last week's question:

IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' topic

Before you start writing, quickly note down some ideas for each point:
 Problem: I was given the wrong boarding card.
 Effect: I missed two days of my holiday.
 Request: I would like compensation for the flight and other expenses.
Don't worry about whether the problem seems realistic or not. You will be judged
according to how well you express ideas, not on the ideas themselves.

IELTS General Writing: some informal phrases

The phrases below make the letter in this lesson a bit more friendly / informal:
 my place (meaning 'my house')
 a few things (avoid the word 'thing' in more formal contexts)
 pick up the keys (meaning 'collect')
 pop round (meaning 'visit')
 a bit warmer ('bit' is informal, use 'little' if you want to sound more formal)
 worth checking out (meaning 'a good idea to go there')

IELTS General Writing: a friend's visit

Here's my full band 9 letter for the question in this lesson:
IELTS General Writing: planning ideas
It's a good idea to write a quick plan before you start writing your letter. Take this
question for example:

Here's my quick plan:

 Informal style - friend's name can be John.
 Quick greeting and reason for writing.
 Neighbour at number 10 has keys. Visit any time after 5pm.
 Instructions about turning the heating off and opening the windows.
 Good local restaurant and a traditional festival in the town during his visit.

IELTS General Writing: the opening sentence

After writing "Dear..." it's a good idea to establish the main purpose of the letter straight
away in your opening sentence. Here are some examples:
1. Formal letter (e.g. complaining to a manager)
I am writing to complain about the unacceptable state of the room I was given, and the
unhelpful attitude of certain members of staff at your hotel.
2. Semi-formal letter (e.g. inviting a neighbor)
My wife and I would like to invite you to a dinner party at our home next Saturday
evening.
3. Informal letter (e.g. thanking a friend)
I hope you're well. I'm just writing to say thanks for letting me stay over at your house
while I was in London last week.

IELTS General Writing: use the Internet

There are plenty of websites giving advice to native English speakers about how to write
letters. Try a Google search for "how to write letters" or click here to see a website that
has some good sample letters.
Note: In the IELTS test, you should not write an address or date at the top of your letter.
Apart from that, sample letters on websites like the one above can teach you a lot.
IELTS General Writing: letter to a tutor
Here's my full band 9 answer to last week's question:

IELTS General Writing: letter to a tutor

The following question comes from Cambridge IELTS book 5.
You have a full-time job and are also doing a part-time evening course. You now
find that you cannot continue the course. Write a letter to the course tutor. In your
letter
 describe the situation
 explain why you cannot continue at this time
 say what action you would like to take

There are three main things to consider before writing your essay:
1. Tone (formal or informal)
Sometimes students are friendly with their tutors, but I think it would be better to write a
formal letter. Start with your tutor’s surname (e.g. Dear Mr. Smith,) and end with “Yours
sincerely,”. Avoid contractions (write “I am” instead of “I’m”), and avoid using informal
idioms or expressions. Be polite rather than friendly.
2. Purpose
The main purpose of this letter is to inform your tutor that you are leaving the course.
Make this clear straight away (e.g. I am writing to inform you that...). Then cover the
three points, writing a short paragraph for each.
3. Ideas
I recommend spending a few minutes planning ideas for each of the task points before
you start writing. You need to decide what the evening course is about, what your full-
time job is, a reason why you are too busy with work to continue with the course, and
whether you want to leave completely or perhaps continue at a later date.

IELTS General Writing: semi-formal?

IELTS books and teachers sometimes talk about formal, semi-formal, and informal
letters. But a student asked me an interesting question recently:
Can we make things easier by forgetting about "semi-formal"?
Actually, I think the answer is yes! When writing to a colleague or neighbour, you can
write in a friendly, informal way using the informal features mentioned in this lesson. I
can't really think of any reason why we need the "semi-formal" category for IELTS
writing purposes. Your letter will be either formal or friendly!
Note:
Feel free to disagree with me if you can find a reason why we need the semi-formal
category. Maybe I've missed something.

IELTS General Writing: how to start and end letters

It's important to start and end letters in the correct way, depending on who you are
writing to. The table below should give you all you need.

Note:
You should follow the rules for formal letters, but there are many ways to end an
informal letter. The main thing is to avoid mixing formal and informal.

IELTS General Training: informal and formal

For my first two General Training lessons I wrote examples of an informal and a formal
letter. Today I want to highlight some of the differences between them.
Informal letter:
 Beginning: Dear + first name
 Friendly greeting: I hope this letter finds you well.
 Contractions: I'm, didn't, couldn't, there's...
 Questions: Do you remember...? Why don't you...?
 Exclamation: ...earlier than I thought it was!
 Linking: Well, Anyway, so, and
 Phrases: had a great time, couldn't have asked for, working flat out, back to
normal
 Ending: Hope to see you soon + first name
Formal letter:
 Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam
 No greeting necessary
 No contractions: I am, did not...
 Normally avoid direct questions: "I would like" instead of "Can I have?"
 No exclamation marks (!)
 Linking: However, Consequently, and, also
 Phrases and vocabulary: with regard to, appliance, it was installed, the following
day, failed to (meaning "didn't"), procedure, he assured me, report the issue,
contacted, under warranty, I am entitled to, replacement, phone me personally
 Ending: I await your prompt response, Yours faithfully + full name
Note:
Both letters also contain 'neutral' vocabulary that can be used in any type of letter. For
example, I didn't highlight words like 'hosts', 'deadline' or 'assignment' because they
could be used in both formal and informal contexts.

IELTS General Training: formal letter

Today I'm attaching a model answer for a 'formal letter' question.
Click here to download
It would be a good idea to print last week's informal letter and compare it with today's
formal letter. In particular, compare the 'tone' and the vocabulary.

IELTS General Training: informal letter

For my first lesson about IELTS General Training task 1, I'm attaching a model answer
with an analysis task. The analysis task encourages you to look at the letter through the
eyes of an examiner.
Click here to download
A few key things to remember:
 The 'tone' of the letter must be appropriate (i.e. formal or informal).
 The purpose of the letter must be clear.
 You must cover all of the points. Write an equal amount for each.
 The letter must be well-organised, with logically connected ideas.
 Try to use some good vocabulary, and try not to make too many mistakes!

IELTS General Writing: informal letters

Later today I'll publish a video lesson about writing informal letters. Here's the question
that you'll see me answer in the lesson.
Update: I'm really sorry that I still haven't published this video lesson. I should have time
to finally finish it on Wednesday 7th December.

IELTS General Writing: formal or informal?

Tomorrow I'll share a video lesson about formal letters for General Writing Task 1. If
you're doing the General test, think about the question below.
Would you write a formal or informal letter to the following people?
1. a hotel manager
2. your boss
3. the local council
4. your child's teacher
5. a friend
6. a work colleague
7. a neighbour
IELTS General Writing: 'purpose' sentence
When writing a GT task 1 letter, I normally begin with a sentence to introduce the
purpose of the letter.
A student asked me for help with the "purpose" sentence for the question below:

Although the overall purpose of the letter isn't stated in the question, I think we can still
write a good purpose sentence. Here's an example:
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to give you some feedback after the party that my company recently held at
your hotel.
IELTS General Writing: full answer
Here's my band 9 answer for the task in yesterday's lesson:
IELTS General Writing: task 1 letter
We haven't looked at a General Writing task 1 for a while, so here's one from
Cambridge IELTS book 11:

This is a formal letter task, and you would begin with "Dear Sir or Madam". I would
probably start with a sentence that explains why I'm writing the letter (e.g. I'm writing
with regard to...), and then I would write a short paragraph about each of the bullet
points.
I'll show you my full answer tomorrow.

IELTS General Writing: semi-formal letter?

Someone asked me a useful question about 'semi-formal' letters. I've summarised the
student's question here:
The task in my test was to write to a colleague. In my letter, I used some informal
language e.g. I greeted the colleague in a friendly way and I used contractions (I'm,
don't, isn't). However, I also included some formal language when asking the colleague
to speak at a conference. Is this mix of informal and formal ok?
In this lesson I wrote that we can forget about "semi-formal" letters. However, in the
situation described above, I think it's fine to include both formal and informal language.
You can write to a colleague in an informal style, but you may use some formal
language when discussing work-related issues. This is what we do in 'real life', so I think
it's perfectly acceptable in an IELTS task.

IELTS General Writing: some questions

Here are some questions that a student asked me about General Writing task 1:
1. Should I write the date at the top of a formal letter?
No, in the IELTS test you should not write the date or your address.
2. Should I use indentation at the start of a new paragraph?
You can either indent or miss a line. Just make sure it's clear that you have begun a
new paragraph. Personally, I think missing a line is clearer.
3. Should I end the letter with "Yours..." on the left or on the right?
Always end the letter on the left. Have a look at my letters on this page.
4. Should I sign the letter before writing my name?
No, don't sign your name. You don't even need to put your real name. Personally, I use
a first name (e.g. John) for informal letters, and a full name (e.g. John Smith) for formal
letters.

IELTS General Writing: 'thank you' answer

Here's my band 9 answer for the letter writing task in this lesson:

IELTS General Writing: correct the mistakes

Can you correct and improve the following sentences, which were written by students
below last week's General Writing lesson?
1. We were looking for a place to gathering and we found it through an adds
published on a newspaper.
2. Because it has good rating in the app, my friends and I went to your restaurant.
 3. My husband and me visited there to celebrate it. All people around us are
looking happy and cheerful.
4. We love to gather, grab a beer and watch some sport every Friday.
5. Keep up with your good work.
6. I couldn't thank enough to make this even more better.

IELTS General Writing: 'thank you' letter

Several people have asked for another lesson about letter writing for the General
Training test. Let's look at one of the questions from Cambridge IELTS book 10:

I would call this a "thank you" letter task. Before writing your letter, have a look at some
"thank you" letters by searching online. There's a good example here.

IELTS General Writing: 'accommodation' answer

Here's my letter for the question in this lesson. Even if you're not doing the General
IELTS test, you should find some useful language in my answer. (158 words, band 9)
IELTS General Writing: 'accommodation' letter
I haven't done a lesson about the General Writing test for a while, so here's a recent
exam question that a student sent me. I'll share my answer next week.

Remember that the examiner is looking for the following things:

 The tone must be appropriate (formal or informal)
 The purpose of the letter must be clear
 You must cover all of the points
 The letter must be well-organized
 You need to use some good (and relevant) vocabulary

IELTS General Writing: formal phrases

Here are some formal phrases that I've used in previous lessons. See if you can use
them in your own letters:
Beginning the letter by explaining why you are writing:
 I am writing with regard to...
 I am writing to inform you that...
 I am writing to bring to your attention some issues with...

Requesting or suggesting something:

 I have decided that I would like you to...
 I am entitled to ask for...
 I was wondering if it would be possible (for me) to...
 I hope that you will...
 I would like to suggest that...
Ending the letter with a request for action:
 I look forward to receiving your response.
 I await your prompt response.
IELTS General Writing: apology answer
Here's my full answer to last week's General Writing task:

IELTS General Writing: apology letter

If you are taking the General IELTS test, try this letter writing task:

IELTS General Writing: 'time off work' letter

Here's my full answer for last week's general writing question:
.....
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am writing to ask for some time off work next month.
The reason for this ______ is that my brother is getting married. His future wife is
Australian, and the wedding will take ______ in her home city, Melbourne. As the
brother of the groom, I cannot miss such a special occasion.
To attend the ceremony and make the ______ trip from the UK, I would need at least
five days off work. However, I would like to take the opportunity to do some sightseeing
in Australia, and so I am hoping that you will allow me to take a full two weeks’ ______,
from the 1st to the 15th of May.
I have spoken to my co-workers, and it seems that Peter Jones would be best ______
to cover my project commitments while I am away. I will ______ detailed instructions for
him on my desk.
I hope that my request does not cause you any inconvenience.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Hall
.....
Fill the gaps with the words below:
- round
- leave (verb)
- leave (noun)
- placed
- place
- request

IELTS General Writing: 'time off work' topic

If you're doing the general IELTS test, try this writing task 1 question from Cambridge
book 9, page 117:

This should be a formal letter, so start with "Dear Mr. Smith" (Mr. or Mrs. and any
surname). Then write a short paragraph for each of the three bullet points in the task
box above. End the letter with "Yours sincerely" and a full name (you don't need to use
your own name).
It might help if you do a quick plan before you start writing. Just spend a couple of
minutes thinking of ideas for each bullet point.

IELTS General Writing: things to avoid

Here are some mistakes that you should avoid in writing task 1 of the GT test:
1. The main purpose of the letter isn't clear.
2. You didn't cover all of the points.
3. You wrote too much about one point, and neglected the others.
4. You didn't separate your paragraphs clearly.
5. You didn't get the 'tone' right (formal or informal).
6. The letter doesn't 'flow' well because ideas are badly organized.
Avoid these mistakes, and you are on the way to writing a good letter!

IELTS General Writing: 'local problem' letter

Here's my full answer for last week's question:
IELTS General Writing: local problem
Here's a recent GT question that students told me about. Feel free to share your ideas,
and I'll show you my full answer next week.

IELTS General Writing: 'insurance' letter

Here's my full answer to last week's question:
IELTS General Writing: 'insurance' letter
Here's a general writing task 1 question from Cambridge IELTS book 9:

The question tells you to begin with "Dear Sir or Madam", so we know that it needs to
be a formal letter. After that, you just need 3 short paragraphs to cover the bullet points
in the question, followed by a formal letter ending.
I'll write my sample answer for next week.

IELTS General Writing: formal and informal

Let's compare some of the formal and informal features in the two letters that you can
see if you click here.
Formal letter
 Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam
 Stating the purpose: I am writing with regard to
 Formal choice of language: due to, I intended, as a result of, caused me great
inconvenience, compensate me, the additional flight
 No contractions: I am (not "I'm")
 Ending: I look forward to receiving your response. Yours faithfully,
Informal letter
 Beginning: Dear John
 Stating the purpose: I'm just writing to let you know that
 Informal choice of language: As you know, Well, prices are crazy, on the bright
side, it's got nice big windows, a lovely view, if you ever fancy, great to see
you
 Use of contractions: I'm, we've, isn't, it's
 Ending: Keep in touch! All the best
IELTS General Writing: tone
One of the first things that the examiner will notice in your letter is its 'tone'. In other
words, is your letter written in an appropriately formal or informal way, depending on the
person you are addressing?
Task:
Compare the tone of the two letters in the document linked below. Make a list of the
formal and informal features that you find. Click here to see the document.

IELTS General Writing: 'lost photo' letter

Here's my full answer to the question in this lesson: