Lesson 22 of 58 intermediate

Writing Task 1 GT: Letter Writing (Formal, Semi-Formal, Informal)

The Three Registers of GT Letter Writing

Open interactive version (quiz + challenge)

Real-world analogy

Writing a GT letter is like getting dressed for three different events. For a formal letter (to a company), you wear a full suit — everything is polished, structured, and professional. For a semi-formal letter (to a landlord you have met), you wear smart casual — respectful but not stiff. For an informal letter (to a friend), you wear whatever is comfortable — relaxed, warm, and personal. Wearing a suit to a beach barbecue is just as wrong as wearing flip-flops to a boardroom.

What is it?

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 requires you to write a letter of at least 150 words in response to a given situation. The prompt will describe a scenario and give you three bullet points to address. What makes this task unique is that it tests your ability to write in three different registers — formal, semi-formal, and informal — depending on who you are writing to. Your ability to match tone to audience is a key scoring criterion under Task Achievement.

Real-world relevance

Letter writing may seem old-fashioned, but the skill it tests is universal: adjusting your communication style to your audience. You write differently in an email to your CEO versus a text to your best friend versus a message to your building manager. Job applications, complaint letters, invitations, apologies — these are everyday communication tasks. The GT letter tests whether you can navigate social and professional writing contexts that English speakers handle daily.

Key points

Code example

IELTS GT Task 1 — Three Model Letters

====== FORMAL LETTER (Band 8) ======

[You recently bought a product online and it arrived
damaged. Write a letter to the company manager.
- Describe the product and when you ordered it
- Explain the problem
- Say what action you want the company to take]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a
recent purchase from your online store.

On 15th February, I ordered a ceramic dinner set
(Order No. 7842) from your website. The product was
advertised as a premium 12-piece set and cost 85 GBP
including delivery.

Unfortunately, when the package arrived on 20th
February, I discovered that four of the plates were
cracked and one bowl was completely shattered. The
packaging appeared inadequate, with insufficient
protective material around the fragile items.

I would appreciate it if you could arrange either a
full replacement of the damaged items or a complete
refund to my original payment method. I have retained
all packaging and can provide photographs if required.
I would be grateful for a response within seven
working days.

Yours faithfully,
John Smith
(162 words)

====== SEMI-FORMAL LETTER (Band 8) ======

[You have a problem with your rented apartment. Write
a letter to your landlord.
- Describe the problem
- Explain how it affects you
- Suggest a solution]

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I hope you are well. I am writing to let you know
about an issue with the apartment at 24 Oak Street.

Over the past two weeks, there has been a persistent
leak in the bathroom ceiling. It appears to be coming
from the upstairs apartment, and it has worsened
considerably since it first appeared.

The leak is causing quite a bit of inconvenience. The
bathroom floor is constantly wet, which I am concerned
is a safety hazard. Additionally, there are signs of
damp forming on the walls, and I am worried this could
lead to mould if it is not addressed soon.

Would it be possible for you to arrange for a plumber
to inspect the issue this week? I am available any
weekday after 5 PM to provide access. If the repair
will take time, perhaps a temporary fix could prevent
further damage in the meantime.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Sarah Chen
(168 words)

====== INFORMAL LETTER (Band 8) ======

[A friend is coming to visit your city for the first
time. Write a letter to your friend.
- Invite them to stay with you
- Describe what you can do together
- Give some practical advice for the trip]

Hi Emma!

How are you? I was so excited to hear you are finally
coming to Barcelona! It has been way too long since
we last met.

First of all, you absolutely have to stay at my place.
I have got a spare room and it is right in the city
centre, so you won't need to spend money on a hotel.
Plus, we will have so much more time to catch up!

I have already started planning things for us to do.
We could visit the Sagrada Familia, walk along Las
Ramblas, and hit the beach if the weather is nice. Oh,
and there is an amazing tapas place near my apartment
that you are going to love!

Just a few tips for your trip. The weather in April is
warm but bring a light jacket for the evenings. Also,
the metro is the easiest way to get around, so grab a
T-Casual travel card when you arrive. It will save you
a fortune!

Can't wait to see you! Let me know your flight details.

Lots of love,
Maria
(183 words)

Line-by-line walkthrough

  1. 1. The formal letter opens with 'Dear Sir or Madam' because the manager is unknown, and immediately states the purpose: 'I am writing to express my dissatisfaction.' No small talk, no warmth — pure professional communication.
  2. 2. The formal body uses specific details (date, order number, cost) and formal vocabulary (dissatisfaction, inadequate, insufficient). No contractions appear anywhere. Passive voice ('The product was advertised') adds formality.
  3. 3. The formal closing requests specific action (replacement or refund) and sets a timeline (seven working days). It ends with 'Yours faithfully' — matching the unknown recipient greeting.
  4. 4. The semi-formal letter opens with 'Dear Mr. Thompson' and a brief pleasantry ('I hope you are well') before stating the purpose. The tone is respectful but not stiff — notice 'let you know about an issue' rather than 'lodge a formal complaint.'
  5. 5. The semi-formal body mixes registers naturally: 'quite a bit of inconvenience' is conversational, while 'safety hazard' is more formal. The suggestion is framed as a polite question: 'Would it be possible...?'
  6. 6. The informal letter bursts with energy: 'Hi Emma!', exclamation marks, contractions (you are becomes you're style through won't, I've), and casual language ('hit the beach', 'going to love', 'grab a T-Casual card'). It sounds like a real person genuinely excited.
  7. 7. Notice the informal letter still has clear paragraphs addressing all three bullet points. Being informal does not mean being disorganized — structure matters in every register.
  8. 8. All three letters fall within the 150-185 word range, proving you can fully address the task without overwriting. Each one would score Band 8 for different reasons: formal for precision, semi-formal for balance, informal for natural warmth.

Spot the bug

Dear Sir or Madam,

Hey! How's it going? I'm writing cuz I got a problem
with my apartment. The heating don't work and it's
freezing! Can you send someone to fix it ASAP?

Also, the neighbours are super noisy at night and I
can't sleep. It's driving me crazy!! Could ya maybe
talk to them or something?

One more thing - the kitchen tap is leaking and it's
wasting loads of water. That ain't good for anyone's
bills, right?

Anyway, sort it out please. Cheers mate!

Yours faithfully,
Tom
Need a hint?
The greeting says formal but the entire body says something very different. Count at least six register mismatches.
Show answer
The letter starts with 'Dear Sir or Madam' (formal) but immediately switches to informal language throughout. Problems: (1) 'Hey! How's it going?' is informal. (2) Contractions everywhere (I'm, don't, it's, can't, ain't). (3) Slang: 'cuz', 'ASAP', 'ya', 'loads', 'Cheers mate'. (4) Double exclamation marks. (5) 'sort it out please' is too casual for a formal letter. (6) 'ain't' is non-standard English. Fix: Either change the greeting to 'Hi Tom' and keep informal, or rewrite the body formally: 'I am writing to report several maintenance issues in my apartment. Firstly, the heating system has not been functioning...'

Explain like I'm 5

Imagine you spill juice on the carpet. If you tell the school principal, you would say: 'I am sorry, there has been an accident with some juice and I think the carpet needs cleaning.' If you tell your teacher you see every day, you would say: 'Sorry about the carpet — I accidentally spilled some juice. I will clean it up.' If you tell your best friend, you would say: 'Dude, I just spilled juice everywhere, it is a total mess!' Same event, three different ways of talking. That is what GT letters test.

Fun fact

In the real IELTS exam, approximately 40% of GT candidates lose marks by using the wrong tone. The most common error is writing a formal letter to a friend or an informal letter to a company. One IELTS examiner shared that a candidate wrote 'Yo, Dear Sir' as their greeting — mixing registers in the most spectacular way possible. Another common mistake is signing off with 'Yours faithfully' in every letter regardless of the recipient.

Hands-on challenge

Write three short letters (each 80-100 words for practice) responding to this scenario: Your local gym has changed its opening hours. Write: (1) A formal letter to the gym director you have never met, complaining about the change. (2) A semi-formal letter to the gym manager you know by name, asking for clarification. (3) An informal message to your friend who also goes to the gym, telling them about the change. Compare your tone, vocabulary, and greetings across all three.

More resources

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