IELTS General Writing

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IELTS General Writing: formal phrases

Here are some formal phrases that I've used in previous lessons. See if you can use them in your own letters:

Beginning the letter by explaining why you are writing:  I am writing with regard to...

 I am writing to inform you that...

 I am writing to bring to your attention some issues with... Requesting or suggesting something:

 I have decided that I would like you to...  I am entitled to ask for...

 I was wondering if it would be possible (for me) to...  I hope that you will...

 I would like to suggest that...

Ending the letter with a request for action:

 I look forward to receiving your response.  I await your prompt response.

Posted by Simon in IELTS General Writing | Permalink | Comments (7)

Sunday, February 15, 2015

IELTS General Writing: apology answer

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This should be a formal letter, so start with "Dear Mr. Smith" (Mr. or Mrs. and any surname). Then write a short paragraph for each of the three bullet points in the task box above. End the letter with "Yours sincerely" and a full name (you don't need to use your own name).

It might help if you do a quick plan before you start writing. Just spend a couple of minutes thinking of ideas for each bullet point.

Sunday, November 02, 2014

IELTS General Writing: things to avoid

Here are some mistakes that you should avoid in writing task 1 of the GT test: 1. The main purpose of the letter isn't clear.

2. You didn't cover all of the points.

3. You wrote too much about one point, and neglected the others. 4. You didn't separate your paragraphs clearly.

5. You didn't get the 'tone' right (formal or informal).

6. The letter doesn't 'flow' well because ideas are badly organised. Avoid these mistakes, and you are on the way to writing a good letter!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

IELTS General Writing: 'local problem' letter

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The question tells you to begin with "Dear Sir or Madam", so we know that it needs to be a formal letter. After that, you just need 3 short paragraphs to cover the bullet points in the question, followed by a formal letter ending.

I'll write my sample answer for next week.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

IELTS General Writing: formal and informal

Let's compare some of the formal and informal features in the two letters that you can see if you click here.

Formal letter

 Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam

 Stating the purpose: I am writing with regard to

 Formal choice of language: due to, I intended, as a result of, caused me great inconvenience, compensate me, the additional flight

 No contractions: I am (not "I'm")

 Ending: I look forward to receiving your response. Yours faithfully,

Informal letter

 Beginning: Dear John

 Stating the purpose: I'm just writing to let you know that

 Informal choice of language: As you know, Well, prices are crazy, on the bright side, it's got nice big windows, a lovely view, if you ever fancy, great to see you

 Use of contractions: I'm, we've, isn't, it's  Ending: Keep in touch! All the best

Sunday, April 06, 2014

IELTS General Writing: tone

One of the first things that the examiner will notice in your letter is its 'tone'. In other words, is your letter written in an appropriately formal or informal way, depending on the person you are addressing?

Task:

Compare the tone of the two letters in the document linked below. Make a list of the formal and informal features that you find. Click here to see the document.

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 The letter must be well-organised

 You need to use some good (and relevant) vocabulary

Sunday, March 17, 2013

IELTS General Writing: some questions

Here are some questions that a student asked me about General Writing task 1:

1. Should I write the date at the top of a formal letter?

No, in the IELTS test you should not write the date or your address.

2. Should I use indentation at the start of a new paragraph?

You can either indent or miss a line. Just make sure it's clear that you have begun a new paragraph. Personally, I think missing a line is clearer.

3. Should I end the letter with "Yours..." on the left or on the right?

Always end the letter on the left. Have a look at my letters on this page.

4. Should I sign the letter before writing my name?

No, don't sign your name. You don't even need to put your real name. Personally, I use a first name (e.g. John) for informal letters, and a full name (e.g. John Smith) for formal letters.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

IELTS General Writing: environment letter

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IELTS General Writing: one tip

Yesterday I forgot to mention my key piece of advice for writing task 1 in the General Training test. If I had to choose one key piece of advice for GT task 1, I'd say that you need to get the 'tone' right.

The tone of your letter is its character or attitude, either formal or informal. For a summary of the differences between formal and informal letters, read this lesson.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

IELTS General Writing: verb tenses

Let's look again at the letter I wrote last week. One interesting thing to notice is the variety of verb tenses:

Present simple

I take, the overcrowding means, this is...

Present continuous

I am writing, passengers are becoming, delays are making...

Present perfect

my train has arrived, I have been unable, I have seen...

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you will address

Sunday, October 21, 2012

IELTS General Training: complaint letter

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 Problem: I was given the wrong boarding card.  Effect: I missed two days of my holiday.

 Request: I would like compensation for the flight and other expenses. Don't worry about whether the problem seems realistic or not. You will be judged according to how well you express ideas, not on the ideas themselves.

IELTS General Writing: some informal phrases

The phrases below make the letter in this lesson a bit more friendly / informal:  my place (meaning 'my house')

 a few things (avoid the word 'thing' in more formal contexts)  pick up the keys (meaning 'collect')

 pop round (meaning 'visit')

 a bit warmer ('bit' is informal, use 'little' if you want to sound more formal)  worth checking out (meaning 'a good idea to go there')

IELTS General Writing: a friend's visit

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 Good local restaurant and a traditional festival in the town during his visit.

Sunday, July 08, 2012

IELTS General Writing: the opening sentence

After writing "Dear..." it's a good idea to establish the main purpose of the letter straight away in your opening sentence. Here are some examples:

1. Formal letter (e.g. complaining to a manager)

I am writing to complain about the unacceptable state of the room I was given, and the unhelpful attitude of certain members of staff at your hotel.

2. Semi-formal letter (e.g. inviting a neighbour)

My wife and I would like to invite you to a dinner party at our home next Saturday evening.

3. Informal letter (e.g. thanking a friend)

I hope you're well. I'm just writing to say thanks for letting me stay over at your house while I was in London last week.

Sunday, July 01, 2012

IELTS General Writing: use the Internet

There are plenty of websites giving advice to native English speakers about how to write letters. Try a Google search for "how to write letters" or click here to see a website that has some good sample letters.

Note: In the IELTS test, you should not write an address or date at the top of your letter.

Apart from that, sample letters on websites like the one above can teach you a lot.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

IELTS General Writing: letter to a tutor

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Sunday, May 27, 2012

IELTS General Training: informal and formal

For my first two General Training lessons I wrote examples of an informal and a formal letter. Today I want to highlight some of the differences between them.

Informal letter:

 Beginning: Dear + first name

 Friendly greeting: I hope this letter finds you well.  Contractions: I'm, didn't, couldn't, there's...

 Questions: Do you remember...? Why don't you...?  Exclamation: ...earlier than I thought it was!

 Linking: Well, Anyway, so, and

 Phrases: had a great time, couldn't have asked for, working flat out, back to normal

 Ending: Hope to see you soon + first name

Formal letter:

 Beginning: Dear Sir or Madam  No greeting necessary

 No contractions: I am, did not...

 Normally avoid direct questions: "I would like" instead of "Can I have?"  No exclamation marks (!)

 Linking: However, Consequently, and, also

 Phrases and vocabulary: with regard to, appliance, it was installed, the following day, failed to (meaning "didn't"), procedure, he assured me, report the issue, contacted, under warranty, I am entitled to, replacement, phone me personally  Ending: I await your prompt response, Yours faithfully + full name

Note:

Both letters also contain 'neutral' vocabulary that can be used in any type of letter. For example, I didn't highlight words like 'hosts', 'deadline' or 'assignment' because they could be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

IELTS General Training: formal letter

Today I'm attaching a model answer for a 'formal letter' question.

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It would be a good idea to print last week's informal letter and compare it with today's formal letter. In particular, compare the 'tone' and the vocabulary.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

IELTS General Training: informal letter

For my first lesson about IELTS General Training task 1, I'm attaching a model answer with an analysis task. The analysis task encourages you to look at the letter through the eyes of an examiner.

Click here to download

A few key things to remember:

 The 'tone' of the letter must be appropriate (i.e. formal or informal).  The purpose of the letter must be clear.

 You must cover all of the points. Write an equal amount for each.  The letter must be well-organised, with logically connected ideas.

 Try to use some good vocabulary, and try not to make too many mistakes!