The IELTS General Training exam is divided into two parts – task 1 and task 2. IELTS Writing task 1 is always letter writing and you are asked to write at least 150 words. In order to complete the task, it is advisable to spend 20 minutes, as it is responsible for 30% of the total general training exam.
You will be assessed on your ability to communicate about common practical matters in IELTS General Writing Task 1. The prompt requires you to write a letter to someone, a company, or an institution to answer the question.
The letter can be any of the following types as mentioned below
- Formal – written to someone whom you don’t know personally.
- Semi-formal – written to someone whom you know formally.
- Informal written to someone whom you only know personally.
| Recently you saw an article in a newspaper/journal about a city/town you know and some of the information in the article was incorrect. Write a letter to the editor regarding this.
In your letter, you should tell:
|
| You recently stayed at your friend’s place, to look after the house while he/she is away. You accidentally damaged something in his/her house. Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter, you should:
|
| You are planning a week-long vacation and you need someone to take care of your house while you are away. Write a letter to your neighbor and tell them that you are going away.
In your letter, you should:
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| You are planning for a vacation and want your friend to go with you. Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter, you should:
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| A colleague gave you a book which you used for your presentation. Write a letter to your colleague.
In your letter, you should say:
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| Write a letter to your local council that the street you are living in has become dirty lately.
In your letter, you should tell:
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| Write a letter to the director of your company to recommend a group in your local community which deserves help.
In your letter, you should tell:
|
| You have a complaint about the hotel you stayed at while attending a seminar in a foreign country.
Write a letter to the seminar organiser and say
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| Write a letter to the manager of a company which is based in a foreign country to recommend your family member for a suitable job.
In your letter,
|
- Suggestion
- Advice
- Complaint
- Information
- Amendment
- Accommodation
- Apology
- Complaint
- Recommendation
- Enquiry
- Request
- Application
- Explanation
- Appreciation
- Invitation
The list of topics mentioned above will help you get ready for the IELTS Letter writing. They can help you prepare and tackle the questions with ease.
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Home » IELTS General Task 1 » IELTS General Writing Task 1: Letter samples, phrases and tips.
IELTS letter writing for general task 1 – training and overview
The general task 1 section of the exam requires you to write a letter. Letter writing in English consists of standard phrases and structures, most of which are outlined below in this tutorial.
Also, you can use the question as a ready-made plan to follow for your writing, you can write a few sentences for each bullet point in the question, and you have a well-structured answer covering the task response requirement.
Below we have a large list of questions, IELTS letter samples and phrases to help you with your online IELTS preparation. For more help with IELTS writing, take a look at our range of writing tasks.
IELTS writing general task 1 sample letters to make a complaint
Useful general task 1 phrases to make a complaint
| I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with | I am writing to express my annoyance with |
| I am very much unhappy with | I must complain about |
| I feel something should be done about | I am writing to you to complain |
IELTS letter samples for task 1: to make an application
IELTS task 1 formal vocabulary to make an application
| If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me… | I am available between the hours of 2pm and 4pm Monday – Thursday. |
| I am writing to apply for the position of… | My responsibilities included…. |
| My most recent job was… | I believe I have all the relevant experience required… |
IELTS general letter writing samples: how to write an invitation
General writing task 1 sample: Your friends recently moved to a new city. You will also be moving to the same city. Write a letter to your friends and include:– Ask where to find a place to live– Tell them what type of place you’re looking for
– Share some fun things you would like to do when you get there
IELTS general writing task 1 sample: You will be graduating from university and would like to invite your family to the ceremony.Write a letter of invitation to your parents. In the letter:– Explain that you have completed your studies– Give details of the event, including time, date and dress code
– Let them know how many tickets they have and who they are for
IELTS general writing task 1 sample: You have won a holiday to Hawaii with one extra ticket.Write a letter to someone to invite them along with you. In the letter:– Explain what has happened and that you would like them to come– Give details of when the trip will take place
– Inform the person of the things they will need for the trip
IELTS writing task 1 vocabulary to invite or reply to an invite
| Please do let me know if you can make it | Thank you for your kind invite however, unfortunately |
| I am writing to reply to your kind invitation regarding the | Do let me know if you can make it |
| It would be delightful to have you here | Please RSVP as soon as possible |
IELTS general letter writing samples: answers to advise
IELTS writing task 1 vocabulary to advise
| It would/might be a good idea to | The best thing for you to do is |
| I honestly believe it would be better to | Please do consider my advice because |
| In my honest opinion, I would | I would strongly suggest you consider |
IELTS sample letters / answers to apologise
General letter writing task 1 GT vocabulary to apologise
| It is with my deepest regret that | I would like to apologise |
| I sincerely apologise for | I do apologise for any inconvenience caused |
| I hope that this does not cause you any problems | I would strongly suggest you consider |
Writing task 1 sample letters : answers to make a request
IELTS general writing task 1 vocabulary to make a request
| Would it be possible to | Would you be kind enough to |
| Is there any way you could … ? | I would strongly suggest you consider |
| (informal) Can you ..? | (informal) Will you ..? |
IELTS general writing task 1 vocabulary for informal letters
| I’m sorry to tell you that | I should let you know that |
| I hope you’re well | It’s been ages since I’ve heard from you |
| Lots of love | Thanks very much |
A letter to inform is used whenever the sender (you) would like to inform the receiver of some information. The information you wish to convey could be related to just about anything. Below is a list of topics or concepts your letter may cover:
- Inform about a death/ engagement/ wedding/ special life event
- Inform about an acceptance or rejection of application
- Inform about the receipt of a document or package
- Inform about a current event
The purpose of an “inform” letter is to make sure that whatever important news the receiver has to get is clear and articulate. You want to ensure that your letter has a structure. This would include your introduction, your body and ultimately your conclusion.
The introduction- here you want to set up the conversation of the letter. This can include a greeting, an enquiry about how the receiver is doing and then depending on how well you know the receiver a brief introduction of who you are.
Example: Letter to inform about an upcoming wedding
Sample introduction:
Hi Emily,
This is Jill, we met at the art exhibition last year. I hope this email finds you well.
The body – Once the introduction is complete you need to write the reason for your “inform letter”.
Sample Body:
Jack and I engaged! I would love it so very much if you could make it to our wedding. You played a huge role in us getting together and it only makes sense that you are part of the big day.
The conclusion – this section is where you close your letter. You can make any final requests or list any final requirements
Sample conclusion:
By the way, I lost all my contacts as my phone was stolen. This is my new number 123 456 789. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Regards,
Your friend, Jill
VIDEO: IELTS Band 9 Sample General Task 1 and Vocabulary
For more help with your IELTS preparation, take a look at our tutorials:
- IELTS Sample Letters – Band 9
- IELTS task 2
- Task 1 GT
- IELTS academic task 1
- IELTS general task 1 recent questions
- IELTS sample general task 1 letter
Another component for your IELTS writing success is lexical resource, here is an in-depth tutorial to help you boost your essays.
To contact Ben and the team you can send an email after signing up.
Take a look at our free IELTS sample task 1 GT letters ebook(PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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