IELTS General Training Task 1
How to write an IELTS informal letter
When a General Training Task 1 prompt asks you to write to a friend or a family member, you need the informal register: a first-name greeting, contractions, friendly idiom and a warm sign-off. Get the register right and you protect your Task Achievement mark before you write a single sentence of content.
In short
- Informal letters go to a friend or family member, so write the way you would speak to them.
- Open with Dear plus a first name, use contractions, and close with Best wishes or Take care.
- Cover all three bullet points in at least 150 words to satisfy Task Achievement.
When the letter is informal
General Training Task 1 always gives you a person to write to. The relationship decides the register. If the recipient is a friend, a cousin, a sibling or anyone you would normally text or call, the letter is informal. Phrases like "Write a letter to a friend who has just moved abroad" or "Write to your brother about your new job" are clear signals.
Informal does not mean careless. It means warm and natural. You still need clear paragraphs, accurate grammar and a logical order, but the vocabulary and tone are relaxed. Personal feeling is welcome, so opening with "It was great to hear from you" or "I've been meaning to write for ages" fits perfectly here, where it would feel out of place in a formal complaint.
The fastest way to lose marks is to mismatch the register, for example writing "I am writing to inform you" to a close friend. Examiners read register as part of Task Achievement, so choosing the wrong tone costs you before content is even judged.
Structure and useful phrases
Build the letter in five short moves: greeting, friendly opener, the three bullet points, a closing line, and the sign-off. Spend roughly 20 minutes and aim for one paragraph per bullet point so the structure stays easy to follow.
Greeting: "Dear Anna," on its own line. After that, warm the letter up with an opener such as "How are you doing?", "I hope you're well", or "Sorry it's taken me so long to reply". These small touches signal the right register and read naturally.
For the body, use friendly linking phrases: "Anyway, the reason I'm writing is", "By the way", "Guess what", and "I can't wait to". Contractions belong here, so write "I'm", "you'll", "don't" and "we've" rather than the full forms. A little idiom, such as "it's been ages" or "in no time", lifts your Lexical Resource as long as it stays accurate.
Close with a forward-looking line like "Write back soon and let me know how it goes", then sign off with "Best wishes,", "Take care," or "All the best," followed by your first name. Never use "Yours faithfully" or "Yours sincerely" here, as both belong to formal letters.
Formal phrasing vs informal phrasing
The same idea changes shape with the register. Use this table to swap stiff, formal wording for the warm equivalents an informal letter needs.
| Purpose | Formal (avoid here) | Informal (use here) |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear Mr Brown, | Dear Anna, |
| Opening | I am writing to inform you that | I just wanted to let you know that |
| Giving news | I am pleased to advise you | Guess what, I've got some great news |
| Asking | I would be grateful if you could | Do you think you could |
| Closing line | I look forward to your reply | Write back soon and let me know |
| Sign-off | Yours sincerely, | Best wishes, / Take care, |
IELTS informal letter FAQs
How do I know if an IELTS letter should be informal?+
Read who the letter is to. If the task says write to a friend or a family member, use the informal register: first-name greeting, contractions, a warm personal tone and an informal sign-off such as Best wishes or Take care.
Can I use contractions in an informal IELTS letter?+
Yes. Contractions like I'm, you'll and don't are expected in an informal letter and match the friendly tone. They would be marked down in a formal letter, so always check the relationship before you choose your register.
How long should an IELTS informal letter be?+
Aim for at least 150 words, the minimum for General Training Task 1. Cover all three bullet points fully. Most strong answers run 160 to 190 words; padding far beyond that wastes time you need for Task 2.
Which criteria are used to mark an informal letter?+
The four IELTS Writing criteria: Task Achievement, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Matching the right register and covering every bullet point both feed directly into Task Achievement.
What greeting and sign-off should I use?+
Open with Dear plus the first name, for example Dear Anna. Close with a warm phrase such as Best wishes, Take care or All the best, then your first name. Avoid Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely, which belong in formal letters.