Structure for IELTS General Writing Task 1

IELTS General Writing task 1 is letter-writing, and this task requires you to write at least 150 words. It is advisable to spend 20 minutes writing task 1, as this task accounts for 30% of your total writing scores. 

In General writing task 1, you will be asked to write a letter from one of the following types:

• Formal 
• Semi-Formal
• Informal

Type of Letters

Informal

Who is this letter written to?

To someone whom you only know formally.

Sample purpose

Asking for Advice

Asking for Information 

Providing Information

Inviting for a party/holiday

Thanking a friend 

Formal

Who is this letter written to?

To someone whom you don’t know personally

Sample purpose

Complaining about something (e.g., service/product)

Providing an apology

Apply for a job 

Expressing Interest (in helping an organization)

Requesting leave from work

Semi-formal

Who is this letter written to?

To some, you only know formally. 

Sample purpose

Requesting to return an item to a colleague 

Complaining landlord about the drainage issue

Giving a suggestion to colleague/Manager

Structure of Letter Writing Task

In the IELTS exam, General Writing task 1 is letter writing where the examiner will expect you to include the 3 bullet points given in the question. You should address all the bullet points.

Be it formal, informal, or semi-formal: follow the same structure. Whatever is the purpose of the letter, your answer will have the same structure every time. 

What is the importance of structure in letter writing?

Depending on your answer, structure helps to ensure that all the information or essential points are covered in the letter. Moreover, it helps to convey a clear and meaningful message. 

How to do that?

• Start your letter with a salutation.

For Example:

Dear Poornima (Use this type of salutation in Informal letters)

Mr. Alex (Use this type of salutation in semi-formal letters)

Dear Sir/Ma’am (Use this type of salutation in Formal letters)

• Introduction

Open your Letter with an introduction and briefly describe the purpose of the Letter. 

You can rephrase the purpose of the letter from the question itself. Do not stuff all the information in the first paragraph. It will negatively impact your scores. 

For example:

Include bullet point 1 (Tell him/her about the topics that you are going to talk about) in the introduction.

• Body paragraph 1

Describe the situation or the problem and elaborate on the problem/situation with detailed facts and information relevant to the topic. Moreover, address the bullet points asked in the question. It will help you provide the required information in the appropriate format. 

For example:

Include bullet point 2 (Explain why would they be of interest to the students) in body paragraph 1.

• Body paragraph 2

Conclude your Letter with a suggestion/solution to the situation or problem.It could be possible solutions/actions that someone can take. 

For example:

Include bullet point 3 (Ask about any arrangements that you need to make to give the talk) in body paragraph 2.

• Sign-off

Close your Letter with the relevant salutation.

For Example:

Yours Faithfully (Use this closing salutation for formal letters)

Yours Sincerely (Use this closing salutation for semi-formal or formal letters)

Warm Regards (Use this closing salutation for informal letters)

Letter writing generally has its conventions better understood according to the question type, but you can also refer to some of the commonly used phrases and words.

Sample standard phrases: Standard expressions or phrases can help you express the information or message briefly. 

Example: “I am writing to express my…”

“I am (name), form …”

“I would like to inform you that…”

“Looking forward to hearing from you.” 

Vocabulary: Use commonly used words with correct grammatical structures and always pay attention to vocabulary and correct spellings of words like ‘apologize,’ ‘in regards to,’ ‘faithfully,’ etc. 

Finally, write everything on the left-hand side and leave some space before you begin a new paragraph so that the examiner can identify that it is a different paragraph.