IELTS General Writing Task 1
How to write an IELTS formal letter
When General Task 1 asks you to write to someone you do not know, an official, or an organisation, it wants a formal letter. The marks come from a controlled, impersonal tone, the right opening and sign-off, and a clear answer to all three bullet points in at least 150 words.
In short
- Open with "Dear Sir or Madam," and close with "Yours faithfully," when the recipient is unnamed.
- Keep the tone polite and impersonal: no contractions, no slang, no casual phrasing.
- Cover all three bullet points, one short paragraph each, in 150 words or more.
Recognising a formal letter task
General Task 1 always gives a situation and three bullet points. The relationship signalled by the prompt tells you the register. A formal letter is required when you are writing to a recipient you do not know personally or to an official role rather than a person.
Common formal contexts are a complaint to a company, a job or course application, an enquiry or request to an institution, or a letter to a local authority. Phrases such as "write to the manager", "write to the council", or "write to the company" are reliable formal signals. If the prompt names a friend or a colleague you know well, it is not formal.
Under Task Achievement, the examiner checks that you have understood the situation, chosen the right tone, and answered every bullet. Misreading a formal task as informal, or vice versa, lowers this score even when the grammar is accurate.
Opening, sign-off, and tone
Because the recipient is usually unknown, open with "Dear Sir or Madam," and close with "Yours faithfully," followed by your full name. If the task gives you a surname, use "Dear Mr Smith," and switch the close to "Yours sincerely,". The faithfully or sincerely rule is a common slip that examiners notice.
State your purpose in the first sentence: "I am writing to complain about..." or "I am writing to apply for...". Keep the register impersonal throughout. Avoid contractions (write "I am", not "I'm"; "do not", not "don't"), avoid slang, and avoid emotional or chatty phrasing such as "I was so annoyed".
Useful formal phrases include "I would be grateful if you could...", "I look forward to your prompt response", and "Please find enclosed...". These controlled expressions support your Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range & Accuracy scores while keeping the tone appropriate.
Formal versus informal phrasing
The fastest way to lift your register is to swap casual phrases for their formal equivalents. The table below pairs everyday wording with the version an examiner expects in a formal letter.
| Function | Too informal | Formal version |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Hi there | Dear Sir or Madam, |
| Stating purpose | I just wanted to say | I am writing to inform you |
| Making a request | Can you sort this out | I would be grateful if you could resolve this |
| Complaining | I'm really fed up with | I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with |
| Closing line | Hope to hear back soon | I look forward to your prompt response |
| Sign-off (unnamed) | Cheers, Sam | Yours faithfully, Samuel Reed |
A structure that covers all three bullets
A clean five-part structure keeps your Coherence & Cohesion strong and makes sure no bullet is missed. Open with your greeting and a one-sentence purpose, then give each bullet its own short paragraph in the order they appear in the task.
- Greeting plus a clear purpose sentence.
- Paragraph for bullet one, then bullet two, then bullet three.
- A closing line and the correct sign-off with your full name.
Write at least 150 words; around 160 to 190 gives room to develop each bullet without padding. Once you have a draft, a tutor marking against the four IELTS criteria, Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy, can show exactly where your register or coverage is costing a band.
Get one letter corrected by a teacherIELTS formal letter FAQs
When should I write a formal letter in IELTS General Task 1?+
Write a formal letter when the prompt addresses someone you do not know personally or an official, such as a company manager, a council, or an institution. Typical tasks are complaints, requests, applications, or enquiries to an organisation.
How do I open and close a formal IELTS letter?+
If you do not know the recipient's name, open with "Dear Sir or Madam," and close with "Yours faithfully," followed by your full name. If you are given a surname, use "Dear Mr Smith," and close with "Yours sincerely,".
Can I use contractions in a formal letter?+
No. Avoid contractions such as "I'm" or "don't" in a formal letter. Write the full forms "I am" and "do not". Contractions sound conversational and weaken the formal, impersonal register the examiner expects.
How long should an IELTS formal letter be?+
Write at least 150 words. Aim for roughly 160 to 190 words so you have room to cover all three bullet points with full sentences. Letters under 150 words are penalised under Task Achievement.
Do I have to cover all three bullet points?+
Yes. Each of the three prompt bullets must be addressed clearly, ideally with its own short paragraph. Leaving a bullet out lowers your Task Achievement score because the response is incomplete.