General Training Task 1: letters

In General Training Task 1 you write a letter of at least 150 words. The task describes a situation and gives three points that you must cover.

What is assessed

According to the official criteria document, read on 12 November 2026, task achievement for the letter looks at whether you clearly explain the purpose, fully address the three bullet-pointed requirements, extend them appropriately, use a letter format, and keep a consistent, appropriate tone.

Three tones

Tone	Written to	Opening	Closing
Formal	Someone you do not know: a manager, a council, a company	Dear Sir or Madam,	Yours faithfully,
Semi-formal	Someone you know by name but not closely: a landlord, a teacher, a neighbour	Dear Mr Sharma, / Dear Ms Rao,	Yours sincerely,
Informal	A friend or relative	Dear Priya, / Hi Arjun,	Best wishes, / See you soon,

The task tells you how to begin, for example "Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam". That line fixes the tone.

A plan that always works

Opening line: why you are writing.
One paragraph for each of the three points, in the order given.
A closing line: what you would like to happen next.
The sign-off and your name.

Sample task

You recently bought a mobile phone from an online shop. When it arrived, it did not work properly. Write a letter to the shop. In your letter: describe what you bought and when; explain what is wrong with it; say what you would like the shop to do. Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir or Madam,

Sample letter

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to complain about a mobile phone that I bought from your website on 3 March. The order number is 48213, and the phone was delivered to my home four days later.

Unfortunately, the phone has not worked properly since the day it arrived. The battery lasts for only about two hours, even when the phone is hardly used, and the screen often freezes when I try to make a call. I have followed the instructions in the guide and restarted the phone several times, but the problems continue.

As the phone is clearly faulty, I would like you to replace it with a new one of the same model. If that is not possible, I would expect a full refund, including the delivery charge. I would also be grateful if you could arrange for the faulty phone to be collected from my address, as I do not think I should have to pay to return it.

I have attached a copy of the receipt. I look forward to hearing from you within seven days.

Yours faithfully,

R. Mehta

About 185 words.

Comments

Task achievement. The purpose is in the first sentence. Each bullet point has its own paragraph and is extended with detail: date and order number; two specific faults and what was tried; a first choice and a second choice.
Tone. Formal and firm, never rude: "I am writing to complain", "I would like you to", "I would be grateful if". No contractions.
Format. Opening and closing match: Dear Sir or Madam with Yours faithfully.

Six practice tasks

Formal. You saw an advertisement for a part-time job in a library. Write to the manager: say which job you are applying for; describe your experience; say when you could start and which hours you can work.
Formal. A street light outside your home has not worked for a month. Write to the local council: say where the light is; explain the problems this causes; ask what will be done and when.
Semi-formal. You are renting a flat and the kitchen tap is leaking. Write to your landlord: describe the problem; explain how it is affecting you; say what you want him to do.
Semi-formal. Your child will miss a week of school. Write to the class teacher: explain why; say what work your child will do at home; ask for help on your child's return.
Informal. A friend from another city is coming to visit you. Write to your friend: say how pleased you are; suggest what you could do together; explain how to reach your home from the station.
Informal. You borrowed a book from a friend and have damaged it. Write to your friend: apologise; explain what happened; say what you will do about it.

Common slips

Covering two points fully and the third in one line.
Mixing tones: "Dear Sir" at the top and "Cheers" at the end.
Writing your address at the top. It is not needed in the test and wastes time.
Fewer than 150 words.

Task achievement and task response All writing pages

Independent practice site. IELTS Practice is not connected with, approved by or endorsed by the British Council, IDP IELTS or Cambridge University Press & Assessment, who jointly own IELTS. The practice tasks and sample answers here are our own; they are not official test questions, and we do not award bands. Facts about the test were read on ielts.org on 12 November 2026. For registration, fees, dates and official sample tests, go to ielts.org.