General Training Task 1: Tone Consistency and Bullet-Point Coverage

The Rules of IELTS General Training Letter Writing

In the IELTS General Training module, Task 1 requires you to write a letter of at least 150 words responding to a given situation. The prompt always includes three specific bullet points that you must address.

To score Band 7 or higher in Task Achievement, you must satisfy two fundamental conditions:

1. Maintain a consistent, appropriate tone throughout the letter.
2. Cover all three bullet points with equal weight and realistic detail.

1. Identifying the Correct Register (Tone)

The relationship between you and the recipient determines whether the letter should be Formal, Semi-Formal, or Informal:

| Situation | Recipient | Greeting | Sign-off | Key Stylistic Features | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Formal | Manager, company, landlord, university official (name unknown) | Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, | No contractions (do not, not don't); respectful, polite requests; passive voice where appropriate. | | Semi-Formal | Known colleague, neighbor, landlord (name provided) | Dear Mr. Jenkins, / Dear Ms. Davis, | Yours sincerely, | Polite and respectful; polite modal verbs (could, would); restrained personal warmth. | | Informal | Close friend, family member | Dear Alex, / Hi Sarah, | Warm regards, / Best wishes, | Conversational phrasing; natural contractions (I'm, haven't); colloquial idioms. |

Critical Rule: Never mix registers. Writing "Dear Sir or Madam... Hey buddy, I wanted to tell you about my flat... Yours sincerely" will severely penalize your Task Achievement and Lexical Resource.

2. Equal Bullet-Point Coverage

The most frequent Task Achievement deduction on GT Task 1 occurs when a student writes two long paragraphs addressing bullet points 1 and 2, and then writes a single rushed sentence for bullet point 3.

Examiner Expectation:

Structure your letter with a clear paragraph for each bullet point:

• Introduction: Reason for writing and statement of purpose.
• Body Paragraph 1: Bullet Point 1 with imaginative, realistic background context.
• Body Paragraph 2: Bullet Point 2 with concrete specifics.
• Body Paragraph 3: Bullet Point 3 with clear requested action or proposed solution.
• Formal Sign-off: Standard polite closing sentence followed by signature.

Annotated Example: Formal Complaint Letter

Prompt:

You recently ordered an electronic item online that arrived damaged. Write a letter to the customer service manager. In your letter:

• give details of the purchase
• describe the damage to the item
• explain what action you expect the company to take.

Model Paragraph Addressing Bullet 3 (Formal Register):

"Given that the product arrived in an unserviceable condition through no fault of my own, I request either an immediate replacement unit expedited to my residential address or a full reimbursement to my original payment card. In addition, please provide a prepaid return postage label so I may return the defective package at your convenience. I look forward to your prompt response within five business days."

Why This Works:

• Addresses the requested action explicitly and realistically.
• Retains polite, formal assertiveness without emotional hostility.
• Closes with an established formal convention.

Test Your GT Task 1 Letters

Practice writing letters for formal, semi-formal, and informal prompts using our Free IELTS Evaluator. You will receive instant feedback on tone consistency and bullet point development.