IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training: how to write the letter (2026)

General Training Writing Task 1 gives you a situation and three bullet points, and asks for a letter of at least 150 words. Marks are lost for three reasons: the wrong tone, a missed bullet, and an opening that states the purpose too late. This guide shows how to choose the tone, gives a structure that works, formulas for each letter type and a 20-minute plan.

Tone first: who are you writing to

The task names the recipient; the tone follows from it. The tone must stay the same throughout: opening formally and ending with "Cheers" lowers Task Achievement and Lexical Resource at the same time.

The rule: name unknown → "Yours faithfully", name known → "Yours sincerely". "Dear Sir or Madam" in a letter to a friend is the most common tone error.

A structure that works (four paragraphs)

1. Purpose (1 to 2 sentences). Say in the first sentence why you are writing: "I am writing to complain about…", "I'm writing to let you know that…". A formal letter does not open with "How are you?".
2. Bullet 1, in its own paragraph, with detail.
3. Bullet 2 and Bullet 3, each in its own paragraph or both in one, but all three clearly visible.
4. The closing action. Say what you expect: "I would appreciate a reply by Friday", "Let me know what you think", then sign off.

An address, a date and a subject line are not needed and do not count towards the word total. 160 to 190 words is the safe range.

Letter types and a formula for each

• Complaint: what happened, what problem it caused, what you want (a refund, a repair). Firm, not rude: "I was disappointed to find…", "I would like a full refund."
• Request or enquiry: who you are, what you need, why: "Could you please send me details of…", "I would be grateful if you could confirm…"
• Application (job, course): where you heard about it, why you fit, what you enclose.
• Invitation or suggestion (informal): what, when, why they should come: "It'd be great if you could make it."
• Apology: what happened, regret, an offer to make up for it: "I'm really sorry I missed…", "How about I make it up to you by…"
• Information and advice (to a friend): the situation, the advice, the upshot: "If I were you, I'd…"

What counts on the four criteria

• Task Achievement: three bullets, a clear purpose, the right tone, 150 words or more.
• Coherence & Cohesion: paragraphs that follow the bullets; natural linking ("Firstly, secondly, finally" sounds mechanical in a letter).
• Lexical Resource: words that fit the situation: "faulty, refund, inconvenience" in a complaint; "catch up, drop by" to a friend.
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy: the grammar of politeness (would, could, might), conditionals, past tenses for events.

Typical mistakes of AZ and RU speakers

• "Respected Sir" in a formal letter. Not used in English; "Dear Sir or Madam".
• Articles: "I bought a laptop from your shop. The laptop stopped working." The second mention takes "the".
• "I want" in a formal letter. "I would like" or "I would appreciate".
• Tense: things that happened go in the past: "The delivery arrived late", not "arrives".
• Answering a bullet with a question: if the task says "explain what happened", explain, do not ask.
• The name after the sign-off: write your name after the closing (full name if formal, first name if informal).

The 20-minute plan

• 3 minutes: who the recipient is, which tone, one note per bullet.
• 14 minutes: purpose, three bullets, closing action, sign-off.
• 3 minutes: same tone throughout? all three bullets present? articles and tenses? word count?

Next step

If you are not sure whether you sit Academic or General, the Academic vs General Training guide explains the difference. Which criterion your letter leaks marks from is in the Writing band descriptors; check the length with the word counter. For Task 2, which carries two thirds of the band, there is the Writing Task 2 strategy.