IELTS Informal Letters: Definition, Format, & Examples

IELTS Informal Letter: Definition, Format, & Examples

Curious about mastering informal letters for the IELTS General Writing Task 1? Dive in to discover essential tips and strategies!

Effective IELTS Essay Connectors for Writing Task 2 & Task 1

IELTS Writing Task 1 General requires you to write a letter in response to a given situation. You’ll need to choose the appropriate tone and style, which can be informal, semi-formal, or formal, depending on the context. A common type of task is writing informal letters to friends or family. It is typically written in a casual and friendly tone and does not follow any specific format, while still ensuringCohesion and coherence. However, there are some basic parts that all informal letters should include which is mentioned in the blog below:

Parts of an IELTS Informal Letter

The following are the basic parts of an IELTS writing task 1 general informal letter:

Sender’s address: This is the address of the person who is writing the letter. It is usually written in the top left corner of the page.
Date: The date of the letter is written below the sender’s address.
Recipient’s address: This is the address of the person who is receiving the letter. It is usually written in the top right corner of the page.
Salutation: The salutation is the greeting that you use to address the recipient of the letter. It is usually followed by the recipient’s name.
Body: The body of the letter is where you write the main content of your letter. This is where you can share news, ask questions, or just chat with the recipient.
Closing: The closing is the farewell that you use to end your letter. It is usually followed by your signature.

How to Write an IELTS Informal Letter?

Here are some tips on how to write an IELTS writing task 1 informal letter:

Use a casual and friendly tone. This is not a formal letter, so there is no need to use formal language or grammar.
Start by introducing yourself and saying hello.
Share some news or updates about your life.
Ask the recipient about their life.
End the letter with a friendly closing and your signature.

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Samples of Informal letter questions asked in the IELTS General training exam are:

Write a letter to your friend in another country where you would like to visit for the holidays.

In your letter, you should:

explain your travel plans
describe the interesting places you plan to visit
ask for suggestions for sightseeing options

You live in a block of flats, your neighbor makes a lot of noise which has caused problems for you. Write a letter to your landlord.

In your letter, you should:

explain the situation
tell him/her how you are affected by this
suggest what you want the landlord to do.

Structural Breakdown of an IELTS Informal Letter

Understanding the structural breakdown of an IELTS informal letter is crucial for achieving a high IELTS band score. Here’s an IELTS informal letter format to help you write a great informal letter.

IELTS Informal Letter Format

Salutation

The letter’s opening salutation should begin with ‘dear, Hi, Hey, etc’ and use the first name of the receiver.

For Example:

Dear Jasmeet

Hi Jasmeet

Body Paragraph 1

This is also known as the opening paragraph. It includes the purpose of the letter and what you are going to discuss in the letter. You can paraphrase the question and begin the letter with expressions like ‘How are you?’, ‘I hope you are in good health,’ etc.

Body Paragraph 2

This paragraph includes the supporting details covering all the bullet points mentioned below the question. Close the paragraph with 1 or 2 concluding lines.

The Complementary Closure

This closure is not mandatory, but you can include a few words or a single line. It can help you enhance your test scores. For example: Looking forward to hearing from you

Closing Salutation

The closing salutation of the informal letter includes your best wishes and your name along with it. For example: Warm Regards

A Brief Explanation of the Structure of the IELTS Informal Letter

Here’s a brief explanation of the structure of an IELTS informal letter. This will help you understand to write a successful IELTS informal letter.

Dear Kanika, (Opening Salutation)

It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. ________________ (Body Paragraph 1)

____________________________ (Body Paragraph 2)

Hope to hear from you soon. (Complimentary Closure)

Best Wishes

Deeksha (Closing Salutation)

Check more samples: IELTS General Writing Task 1 Sample Informal Letters

Tone of the IELTS Informal Letter

The tone of an IELTS informal letter should be friendly, warm, and conversational, aiming to mimic the natural flow of everyday communication with friends or family. Using casual language, personal anecdotes, and a relaxed style helps convey the intended message in a relatable and engaging manner. However, avoid using abbreviations and acronyms like ‘bcz,’ ‘LOL,’ ‘IDK,’ ‘luv,’ ‘ASAP,’ etc. Instead, to demonstrate your understanding of informal writing, you can use contractions like ‘I’m,’ ‘I’d,’ ‘she’s,’ or ‘he’s.’ This approach not only makes the letter feel genuine but also showcases your ability to adapt your writing style to suit informal contexts. Here’s a sample IELTS informal letter

Write a letter to your friend in another country where you like to visit for the holidays.

In your letter, you should:

explain your travel plans
describe the interesting places you plan to visit
ask for suggestions for sightseeing options.

Answer

Dear Rubina

It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. I hope this letter finds you in good health. As summer approaches, I am thinking of spending my summer break with you in your country.

I want to come to Australia to meet you and your family. It’s been almost 2 years since we haven’t met. Besides, I would like you to give me a mini tour of your country. I want to get familiar with Melbourne culture, see the old churches of Melbourne, and explore the job possibilities. I have heard that the weather in Australia is very pleasant during those days.

I am excited even at the thought of spending time together after so long. I need your advice on some popular tourist places I can see on my visit. I have to tell you lots of things and expect the same from you. Please give my regards to Uncle and Aunty!

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Warm Regards

Shilpi

To conclude, Understanding different types of letters, essays, and their respective formats and patterns is crucial for success in IELTS Writing General Task 1.

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Also, check:

Here are the 10 examples for the IELTS General Writing Task 1 Sample Informal Letters:

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the things to remember while attempting an informal letter?

Informal letters are usually non-official letters. Some of the things that should be borne in mind when attempting an informal letter are that phrasal verbs, slang, idioms, colloquial expressions, contractions, and reductions can be used.

What is the format of the informal letter?

The format of an informal letter should include the address of the sender, date, address of the receiver, salutation/ greeting, body of the letter, conclusion, and signature of the sender.

What is the difference between informal and formal letters?

A formal letter is a business letter written in a professional manner with a specific format where the letter's intent is directly mentioned, whereas an informal letter is a personal letter written to close acquaintances or friends. The language used in an informal letter is casual and personal

Mention the types of informal letters

Some of the types of informal letters are inviting a buddy to a birthday/wedding party, apologizing to someone for a mistake, congratulating a friend/ colleague on their success, writing to seek about a family member's well-being, and requesting assistance from family members/ relatives/ close acquaintances

Is vocabulary important in an informal letter?

Of course! If the test-taker aims to get a high band score in the Writing Task 1, the requirements for 'Lexical Resource' are that they use a wide range of vocabulary to convey precise meanings and skillfully use uncommon lexical items, which means that they should avoid using very simple words and repeating the same words in their letter.

Practice IELTS General Writing Task 1

Janice Thompson

Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.

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