How it's scored
Scored on task achievement (purpose clear, all bullets covered, tone consistent), coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Task 1 is worth half of Task 2.
Strategy & template
- 1Decide the tone from the reader: Dear Sir or Madam and Yours faithfully for someone unnamed; Dear Mr Khan and Yours sincerely for a named official; Dear Sam and Best wishes for a friend.
- 2Open with the purpose in one sentence, then one paragraph per bullet point in the order given.
- 3Add one specific detail to each bullet (a date, a name, a reason) rather than general statements.
- 4Close with the action you want: I would appreciate a reply by Friday, or Let me know when you are free.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing tones: contractions and slang in a complaint to a company, or formal phrases to a friend.
- Skipping or only half-answering one of the three bullets.
- Writing under 150 words, or spending 30 minutes here and leaving too little for Task 2.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if the IELTS letter should be formal or informal?
From the reader named in the prompt. An unnamed organisation or official is formal; a named person you deal with professionally is semi-formal; a friend or family member is informal.
Do I need to address all three bullet points?
Yes. Each bullet is part of task achievement, and missing one caps the band for that criterion.
Practise Writing Task 1 (General): Letter
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