CanFly IELTS Writing Guide
IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you are given a situation and asked to write a letter.
20Minutes
150+Words
3Bullet Points
3Letter Tones
Task Overview
Know the basic requirements before you write.
Basic Requirements
- Time: About 20 minutes
- Minimum words: 150 words
- Three bullet points are given in the question.
- You should cover all three bullet points clearly.
- The letter can be formal, semi-formal, or informal, depending on who you are writing to.
Common Types of Letters
- Complaint
- Request
- Inquiry / asking for information
- Apology
- Thank-you / appreciation
- Invitation
- Giving information
- Asking for help
- Job application
- Suggestion / recommendation
Salutation & Sign-off
Match the greeting and ending to the reader.
Formal — You DON'T know the person's name
BeginningDear Sir or Madam,
EndingYours faithfully,
Jaswinder Kaur
Jaswinder Kaur
Use this for:
- company
- organization
- hotel
- bank
- council
- customer service
- unknown manager
Formal / Semi-formal — You KNOW the person's name
BeginningDear Mr. Brown,
Dear Ms. Smith,
Dear Ms. Smith,
EndingYours sincerely,
Jaswinder Kaur
Jaswinder Kaur
Use your full name in a formal or semi-formal letter.
For example, if you are writing to your manager:
Dear Mr. Brown,
...letter...
Yours sincerely,
Jaswinder Kaur
Informal — Friend or someone you know well
BeginningDear John,
Dear Sarah,
Dear Sarah,
EndingBest wishes,
Jas
or
Take care,
Jas
Jas
or
Take care,
Jas
Here, the first name is enough because it is a friendly letter.
Easy Rule to Remember
Dear Sir or Madam → Yours faithfully → Full name
Dear Mr./Ms. + surname → Yours sincerely → Full name
Dear + first name → Best wishes → First name
What IELTS Assesses
There are four marking criteria.
Task Achievement
Did you answer the purpose and cover all three bullet points?
Coherence and Cohesion
Are the ideas organized and connected logically?
Lexical Resource
Is the vocabulary appropriate and natural?
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Are sentence structures varied and grammatically accurate?
Most Important Point
Who am I writing to? → Why am I writing? → What tone should I use?
Opening & Closing Sentences
Formal and semi-formal letter sentence bank.
1
Complaint Letter
Opening
- I am writing to complain about the poor service I recently received at your store.
- I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the service provided by your company.
- I am writing regarding a problem I experienced with a product I recently purchased from your store.
Closing
- I would appreciate it if you could look into this matter and resolve the issue as soon as possible.
- I hope that appropriate action will be taken to resolve this matter.
- I look forward to receiving your response and a satisfactory solution.
2
Request Letter
Opening
- I am writing to request information about the course offered by your institution.
- I am writing to ask if you could assist me with an issue regarding my accommodation.
- I am writing to request your permission to use the community hall for an event.
Closing
- I would appreciate it if you could consider my request.
- I would be grateful if you could provide me with the required information.
- I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
3
Information / Inquiry Letter
Opening
- I am writing to inquire about the English course advertised on your website.
- I am writing to obtain some information regarding your training program.
Closing
- I would appreciate it if you could provide me with further information about the program.
- I look forward to receiving the requested information.
4
Apology Letter
Opening
- I am writing to apologize for not being able to attend the meeting.
- I am writing to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience I caused.
Closing
- I hope you will accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.
- Once again, I apologize for the situation and hope you will understand.
5
Thank-You / Appreciation Letter
Opening
- I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for your help during my recent visit.
- I am writing to thank you for the excellent service I received at your hotel.
Closing
- Once again, thank you for your help and support.
- I truly appreciate your assistance and wish you all the best.
6
Job Application Letter
Opening
- I am writing to apply for the position of receptionist advertised on your website.
- I am writing to express my interest in the part-time position available at your company.
Closing
- I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my application with you further.
- I look forward to hearing from you regarding my application.
Friendly / Informal Letters
Sound natural and friendly.
Friendly / informal letters sound natural and friendly. Contractions are perfectly suitable.
1
Invitation
Opening
- I hope you're doing well. I'm writing to invite you to spend the weekend with me.
- It's been a while since we last met, so I thought I'd invite you to my birthday party next weekend.
Closing
- I really hope you can make it. It'll be great to see you again.
- Let me know if you can come. I'm really looking forward to seeing you.
2
Thanking a Friend
Opening
- I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to thank you for helping me during my recent move.
- I'm writing to thank you for the wonderful time I had at your place last weekend.
Closing
- Thanks again for everything. I really appreciate it.
- Take care, and I hope we can catch up again soon.
3
Apologizing to a Friend
Opening
- I'm really sorry that I couldn't come to your party last weekend.
- I just wanted to apologize for not getting back to you sooner.
Closing
- I hope you understand, and I'll definitely make it up to you.
- Sorry again, and I hope we can meet soon.
4
Giving News / Information
Opening
- I hope everything's going well with you. I've got some exciting news to share.
- It's been a while since we last spoke, so I thought I'd write and tell you what's been happening.
Closing
- Anyway, that's all for now. Write back when you get a chance.
- Keep in touch, and let me know how things are going with you.
5
Asking a Friend for Help
Opening
- I hope you're doing well. I'm writing because I need a small favour from you.
- I was wondering if you could help me with something next weekend.
Closing
- I'd really appreciate your help. Let me know if you're available.
- Thanks in advance, and I hope to hear from you soon.