IELTS General Training Writing Task 1

Informal Letters Masterclass

How to Write Band 7, 8 & 9 Informal Letters

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, you will learn:

• What informal letters are
• When to use an informal tone
• How examiners score your letter
• The complete structure of a high-band letter
• How to answer every question type
• Band 7+ vocabulary and phrases
• Common mistakes that reduce scores
• How to develop ideas like a Band 8/9 candidate
• A complete Band 9 model answer with analysis

1. Introduction: What Is an Informal Letter?

In IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you may be asked to write a letter to someone you know personally. This type of letter is called an informal letter because the relationship between you and the reader is personal. You are not writing to a company, organization, or unknown person. You are writing to someone you already know.

Who Receives an Informal Letter?

Friends: Write a letter to your friend who recently moved to another city. Family Members: Write a letter to your brother about your new job. People You Know Well: Write a letter to a friend who helped you during an important event.

Common Informal Letter Topics

IELTS frequently uses situations involving:

1. Invitations: Invite a friend to an event, to visit your city, or to stay with you.
2. Thank You Letters: Thank someone for help, a gift, or hospitality.
3. Apology Letters: Apologize for missing an event, causing inconvenience, or explain why you cannot attend.
4. Advice Letters: Give advice about studying, moving, or a problem.
5. Sharing News: Tell a friend about a new job, a recent experience, or personal achievements.

2. Understanding IELTS Marking Criteria

Your informal letter is marked using four criteria. Each criterion is worth 25%.

Criterion 1: Task Achievement

The examiner asks:

• Did you answer every bullet point?
• Did you explain your ideas?
• Is the purpose of your letter clear?
• Is the information relevant?

[!IMPORTANT] A Band 9 letter answers all parts completely, gives relevant details, has a clear purpose from the beginning, and develops ideas naturally.

Example Question: You recently received a gift from a friend. Thank your friend, explain why you like the gift, and say how you will use it.

• Band 6 Answer: Thank you for the gift. I like it very much. I will use it every day. (Complete but too short and undeveloped)
• Band 8 Answer: I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful watch you sent me. I was genuinely surprised when I opened the package because it was exactly the type of watch I had been looking for. I will definitely use it every day, especially when I go to university. (More detail, personal feeling, explanation, and example)

Criterion 2: Coherence and Cohesion

How clearly and logically your ideas are organized. The examiner checks paragraph organization, logical progression, linking words, and referencing.

Ideal Informal Letter Structure:

• Paragraph 1: Greeting + reason for writing
• Paragraph 2: First bullet point
• Paragraph 3: Second bullet point
• Paragraph 4: Third bullet point + closing

Criterion 3: Lexical Resource

This evaluates your vocabulary. The examiner looks for variety, accuracy, natural expressions, and appropriate informal language.

Avoid Basic Vocabulary:

• Instead of Good, use: wonderful, excellent, fantastic, enjoyable, memorable
• Instead of Happy, use: delighted, thrilled, excited, pleased
• Instead of Like, use: enjoy, appreciate, admire, love

[!WARNING] Do not use difficult vocabulary incorrectly. E.g., "I was euphoric after receiving your letter" sounds unnatural. Better: "I was absolutely delighted to hear from you."

Criterion 4: Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The examiner checks sentence variety, complex structures, and accuracy. A Band 7+ student uses relative clauses, conditionals, and the present perfect correctly.

3. Understanding Informal Tone

[!CAUTION] Tone is one of the biggest reasons students lose marks. Your language must match your relationship.

Informal Letter Characteristics:

• Use friendly greetings
• Use personal expressions
• Use contractions (I'm, can't, don't)
• Use emotional language

Greetings: ✅ Dear Ahmed, | Hi Sara, | Dear John, ❌ Dear Sir/Madam (This is only for formal letters)

Opening Sentences:

• When replying: Thanks for your letter. It was great to hear from you.
• When sharing news: I have some exciting news to tell you.
• When inviting: I hope you are doing well. I am writing because I would love you to come and visit me.

4. Complete Informal Letter Structure

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Purpose: Greeting, friendly opening, and reason for writing.

• Thanking: I hope you are doing well. I just wanted to thank you for your incredible support during my exams.
• Apologizing: I hope everything is going well with you. I am really sorry that I could not attend your birthday party last week.

Paragraph 2 & 3: Developing Points

Do not just mention the point. Develop it using: Point > Explanation > Example.

• Basic: I got a new job.
• Band 8: I recently started working at a marketing company, which has been an exciting experience so far. The environment is very friendly, and I have already learned many new skills from my colleagues.

Paragraph 4: Closing

A natural ending is important.

• I hope you can visit me soon. I am sure we will have a great time together.
• Anyway, I should get going now. Please write back when you have time.

5. Informal Letter Vocabulary Bank

6. Common Informal Letter Mistakes

1. Writing Like an Essay: ❌ Nowadays, there are many advantages of having good friends. (Sounds academic) ✅ I was thinking about how lucky I am to have a friend like you.
2. Using Memorized Openings: ❌ I hope this letter finds you in good health. (Unnatural and overused)
3. Not Showing Personality: ❌ The trip was good. ✅ The trip was absolutely amazing, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
4. Too Short: 150 words is the minimum. Aim for 160–190 words.
5. Ignoring the Relationship: ❌ I would be grateful if you could attend my event. ✅ I would love it if you could come to my event.

7. Band 9 Model Answer

Question: You recently visited your friend in another city. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

• Thank your friend for the visit
• Describe what you enjoyed most
• Invite your friend to visit you

Answer:

Dear Ahmed,

I hope you are doing great. I just wanted to write and thank you for making my recent visit to your city such a memorable experience. I truly appreciate all the effort you made to make me feel comfortable and ensure that I enjoyed every moment of my stay.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was exploring the historical areas of your city. The old market was particularly fascinating because of its unique atmosphere and traditional shops. I also loved trying the local food, which was completely different from anything I had experienced before.

I would really like to invite you to visit me during your summer holidays. I would be delighted to show you around my hometown and introduce you to some of the places that I think you would enjoy.

Thanks again for everything. I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Take care,

Ali

Why This Is Band 9

• Task Achievement: All points answered, details included, purpose clear.
• Coherence: Logical paragraphs, natural progression.
• Vocabulary: Strong expressions (memorable experience, appreciate the effort, unique atmosphere, introduce you to).
• Grammar: Uses complex sentences, relative clauses, and a variety of structures.

[!TIP] A Band 7+ informal letter should feel like: "A real person writing naturally to a friend, with clear ideas and accurate English." Not: "A student trying to impress the examiner with difficult words."