IELTS Focus:

General Training Writing Task 1

Student Book
Developed by IDP IELTS Middle East
 Contents
2 Computer or paper: Your IELTS, your choice

3 Which IELTS is best for you?

4 Pre-course Writing assessment: Writing Assist

6 Quiz: How much do you know about the IELTS Writing Test?

8 Understanding IELTS General Training Writing Tasks 1 and 2

9 How IELTS writing is scored

11 Writing Task 1 Band descriptors (public version)

12 Instructions and format

12 Understanding the instructions

13 Understanding appropriate format

17 Writing the letter

17 Planning the letter

18 Opening and closing the letter

19 Making the purpose clear in the introduction

22 Covering the bullet points

23 Organizing your ideas into paragraphs

23 Letter planning framework

26 Writing in an appropriate style or tone

30 General Training Writing Task 1 Practice

35 General Training Writing Task 1 Checklist

36 Error correction codes

37 Tips for General Training Writing Task 1

38 Preparation guide

39 Answers

43 Acknowledgements

© IDP Education 2020. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden except with the written permission of IDP.
Computer or paper: Your IELTS, your choice
Whether you take IELTS on paper or computer, you can be confident that you are taking the same trusted English language test.

3-5 days

Up to 7 days a week

* Please check with your local test centre for the available computer-delivered IELTS sessions.
** In the computer-delivered Listening test, the timings are slightly different from the paper-based test. This is because the paper-based test
requires users to transfer answers to an answer sheet. This step becomes redundant when answering directly on a computer.

• Before the start of each part of the Listening test you will have some time to read the questions.
• After the end of each part of the Listening test you will have some time to review your answers.
• At the end of the Listening test, you will have 2 minutes to check your answers.

The timing of the Listening test is between 30 - 34 minutes.

2 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Which IELTS is best for you?

Student Book 3
 Pre-course Writing assessment: Writing Assist
Your teacher mayl arrange for you to complete IDP’s Writing Assist. You will write a Task 1 and Task 2, which are both very similar
to the real IELTS Writing tasks.

If you're a self study student preparing for IELTS, we recommend checking out the free IELTS Writing sample tests.

4 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Ice breaker

Interview your partner, take some notes, and then introduce each other to the class:

1. What are some interesting facts about you that you’d like me to share with the class?

2. Have you taken IELTS before? Where? When?

3. When do you plan to take the IELTS test?

4. Which skills do you think you are best at?

5. Which skills are most difficult for you?

6. What do you most hope to learn in this course?

7. If you could give your classmates one piece of advice about studying in this course, what would it be?

8. If you could give your teacher one piece of advice about teaching this course, what would it be?

9. How much time do you spend in total reading, writing, listening and speaking in English?

10. How will succeeding in the IELTS test help you achieve your goals for the future?

Student Book 5
Quiz: How much do you know about
the IELTS Writing Test?
How much do you know about the IELTS Writing test? Answer the questions below. Check and see if your partner agrees. We will
come back to this later in the course.

How do you rate your writing skills on a scale of 1-10?

(10 = highest; 1 = lowest)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1. How long does the writing test last?

a. 45 minutes
b. 60 minutes
c. 90 minutes

2. How many writing tasks are there?

a. 2
b. 3
c. 4

3. How many words do you need to write for Task 1?

a. A maximum of 150 words
b. A minimum of 150 words

4. About how long should you spend writing Task 1?

a. 10 minutes
b. 20 minutes
c. 40 minutes

5. GT Task 1 involves writing a letter.

a.Yes b. No

6. How many words do you need to write for Task 2?

a. A maximum of 250 words
b. A minimum of 250 words

7. About how long should spend on writing Task 2?

a. 20 minutes
b. 40 minutes
c. 60 minutes

8. Do you have to do both tasks?

a. Yes b. No

9. Task 1 is weighted 1/3 and Task 2 is weighted 2/3 of the total Writing score, so you should spend 20 minutes writing Task 1 and 40
minutes writing Task 2.
a. Yes b. No

6 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

10. In GT Task 1, test takers are assessed on their ability to engage in personal correspondence in order to:
a. Elicit and provide general factual information
b. Express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
c. Express opinions (views, complaints) etc
d. All of the above

11. In Task 2, what sort of text do you need to write?

a. An essay
b. A story
c. A newspaper article
d. A speech

12. In Task 2, what should you include in your answer?

a. An introduction and body paragraphs only
b. An introduction and a conclusion only
c. An introduction, two or more body paragraphs, and a conclusion

13. In Tasks 1 and 2, how should you write your answers?

a. In notes
b. In bullet points
c. In full sentences
d. All of the above

14. What are the criteria you will be marked on?

a. Task achievement/response
b. Grammatical range and accuracy
c. Lexical resource
d. Coherence and cohesion
e. All of the above

15. In Task 2, will you get a lower score if the Examiner disagrees with your ideas and opinions?
a. Yes b. No

16. Do you have to write Task 1 before Task 2?

a. Yes b. No

17. In paper-based IELTS do you have to use a pen or pencil?

a. Pen
b. Pencil
c. Either pen or pencil is OK.

18. Are correct spelling and punctuation important in Task 1 and 2 Writing?
a. Yes b. No

19. Can you get a higher score if you use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures?
a. Yes b. No

20. Is a half band score possible in the IELTS Writing Test (for example 6.5)?
a. Yes b. No

Answers:
1. (b), 2. (a), 3. (b), 4. (b), 5. (a), 6.(b), 7. (b), 8. (a), 9 (a), 10. (d), 11. (a), 12. (c), 13. (c), 14. (e), 15. (b), 16. (b), 17. (b), 18. (a), 19. (a), 20. (a)

Student Book 7
 Understanding IELTS General Training
Writing Tasks 1 and 2
There are two Writing tasks and BOTH must be completed.

Timing: 60 minutes

No. of questions: 2

Task types

Task 1:
• Write a letter in response to a situation requesting information or explaining the situation.
• Test takers may have to engage in personal correspondence to
- Elicit and provide general factual information
- Express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
- Express opinions (views, complaints etc.).
• The letter may be personal or formal in style.
• Write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes.

Task 2:
• Write an essay in response to a point of view or argument or problem.
• Write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes.

Answering

• Write answers in full sentences organized into paragraphs.

• Do not write notes, lists or bullet points in your Task 1 or Task 2 essays.
• In paper-based IELTS you can take notes on the question booklet.
• In computer-delivered IELTS you can take notes on the screen.

Sourced from the IELTS Scores Guide page 55

8 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 How IELTS Writing is scored
Answers are scored on:

• Task Achievement/Task Response

• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

General Training Writing - Task Achievement: Task 1

• Assesses how appropriately, accurately and relevantly the response fulfills the requirements set out in the task: all bullet
points covered, clear purpose and tone, appropriate format.
• Must write a minimum of 150 words.

General Training Writing - Task Response: Task 2

• Assesses how well the response formulates and develops a position in relation to a given prompt in the form of a
question or statement.
• Ideas should be supported by evidence.
• Examples may come from the test takers’ own experience.
• Must write a minimum of 250 words.

Student Book 9
Coherence and cohesion

• Assesses the overall clarity and fluency of the message: how the essay organises and links information, ideas and language.
• Coherence means the linking of ideas through logical sequencing.
• Cohesion means the variety of cohesive devices used to make clear the relationships between ideas (e.g., logical connectors,
pronouns and conjunctions).

Lexical resource

• Assesses the range, accuracy and appropriacy of vocabulary in relation to the specific task.

Grammatical range and accuracy

• Assesses the range and accurate use of grammar at the sentence level.

Adapted from: https://www.ielts.org/about-thetest/~/link.aspx?_id=B678D89D4F974C7FAB45CC6E241CA4B6&_z=z#sthash.YcB4fYLZ.dpuf

10 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Student Book 11
 Instructions and format
Understanding the instructions
in General Training Writing Task 1 the instructions are always the same. Read the instructions below and answer the questions.

General Training Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Write a letter to…........ In your letter

•
•
•

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam, OR Dear…

1. Why should you spend about 20 minutes on Task 1?

2. What important elements must be included when you write a letter?

3. How do you begin and end formal letters? Give some examples below.

4. How do you begin and end informal letters? Give some examples below.

5. Why is it important to make the purpose of your letter clear to the reader?

12 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Understanding appropriate format
In General Training Writing Task 1, you have to write a letter
using an appropriate format. Read the sample question below.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Your local public library wants to make improvements to their services and facilities. In order to get ideas from
the public, they have asked library users to send them suggestions in writing.

Write a letter to the librarian. In your letter

• Describe what you like about the library
• Say what you don’t like
• Make suggestions for improvements

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,

Sourced from the IELTS Scores Guide page 56

Look at the 4 answers, A-D. With a partner, decide which are examples of appropriate or inappropriate format, and explain why.

Student Book 13
 Model Answer A

I’m going to explain what I like and dislike about the library, and make some suggestions for improvements.

First, this is what I like xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

This is what I dislike xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Finally, I would like to suggest some improvements. xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Model Answer A has appropriate/inappropriate format because ________________________________.

Model Answer B

Dear Sir or Madam,

• I’m going to explain what I like and dislike about the library, and make some suggestions for improvements.

• First, this is what I like xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

• This is what I dislike xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
xxx

• Finally, I would like to suggest some improvements. xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Your faithfully,
John Smith

Model Answer B has appropriate/inappropriate format because ________________________________.

14 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Model Answer C

Dear Sir or Madam,

I’m going to explain what I like and dislike about the library, and make some suggestions for improvements.

First, this is what I like xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

This is what I dislike xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Finally, I would like to suggest some improvements. xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Yours faithfully,

John Smith

Model Answer C has appropriate/inappropriate format because ________________________________.

Model Answer D

Dear Sir or Madam,

Introduction
I’m going to explain what I like and dislike about the library, and make some suggestions for improvements.

What I like
First, this is what I like xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx
xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Student Book 15
 What I Dislike
This is what I dislike xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

My suggestions
Finally, I would like to suggest some improvements. xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx
xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

Yours faithfully,

John Smith

Model Answer D has appropriate/inappropriate format because ________________________________.

Tip! In General Training Writing Task 1, you must write a letter with an appropriate opening and
closing. If you do not, you will lose marks for inappropriate format and will not score above a band
5 in Task Achievement.

Model Answer A: inappropriate format because this is an essay not a letter. There is no opening or closing. This would lose marks in Task Achievement.
Model Answer B: inappropriate format because it uses bullet points. This would lose marks in Task Achievement.
Model Answer C: appropriate format because it is a letter, which includes an opening and closing.
Model Answer D: inappropriate format because it includes subtitles/subheadings. This would lose marks in Task Achievement.

16 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Writing the letter
Planning the letter
Before you begin writing, make sure you understand who you are writing to, why you are writing, and what information you should
include. Underline or circle the key words in the question to help you focus on the important information.

Look again at the General Training Task 1 question below and answer these questions:

1. Who is the letter to?

2. What is the purpose of the letter?

3. What information should you include?

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Your local public library wants to make improvements to their services and facilities. In order to get ideas from the
public, they have asked library users to send them suggestions in writing.

Write a letter to the librarian. In your letter

• Describe what you like about the library
• Say what you don’t like
• Make suggestions for improvements

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,

Student Book 17
Opening and closing the letter
You need to decide how to begin and end your letter. Who are
you writing to? How well do you know this person? You may need
to write a formal or informal letter, so it is important to know the
best way to open and close your letter.

Formal letters are used for business or official purposes and are
written to people that you do not know or do not know very well.
Informal letters are written to family, friends and other people that
you know well.

Formal opening Formal closing

Dear Sir or Madam, Yours faithfully,

Dear Sir, Yours sincerely,
Dear Madam, Yours truly,
Dear Mr. Jones,
Dear Ms. Smith,
Dear Dr. Davidson,

Informal opening Informal closing

Dear Nadia, Best wishes,

Dear John, Best regards,
Kind regards,
Love,

If the question booklet says:

Dear…
Make up a name. e.g. Dear Ahmed,

Don’t use job titles in your opening. For example, it is incorrect to write:

Dear Teacher, X Dear Librarian, X

In the letter to the librarian:

1. What would be an appropriate opening?

2. What would be an appropriate closing?

18 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Making the purpose clear
in the introduction
You will lose marks if the purpose of your letter is not clear, so
read the question carefully and make sure you understand the
situation. Why are you writing the letter? Are you asking for
information? Are you making some suggestions? Are you writing
to complain and requesting further action? What do you want the
reader of your letter to do as a result of reading your letter?

In formal business letters, the purpose of your letter (why you are
writing) is usually expressed in the first sentence of the
introduction paragraph. However, in informal letters to friends
and family, it is more usual to give a general greeting first and
then explain why you are writing.

Look at the examples below of first sentences in a letter. Which

sentences are suitable for a formal letter? Which are more
suitable for an informal letter? Put a check mark √ in the
appropriate column.

1st sentence Formal letter Informal letter

It was great seeing you last week and…

I am writing to explain how concerned I am

about…

I am writing in connection with…

It’s been ages since I last saw you!

I am writing in regards to…

Thanks very much for the newsy letter and sorry

for not being in touch for a while, but…

As a resident of the Views apartments, I would like

to draw your attention to…

Now, write the introduction paragraph of your letter to the librarian. Write your paragraph on the Writing Answer Booklet on the next
page. Focus on clearly explaining the situation and your purpose in writing.

Tip!
Do not copy the question from the question booklet. Paraphrase the prompt by using your own words.

Student Book 19
 L E
M P
S A

20 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 L E
M P
S A

Student Book 21
Covering the bullet points
The General Training Writing Task 1 question always includes 3
bullet points. If you do not write about all 3 bullet points, you will
lose marks. It is a good idea to write about the same number of
lines for each of the 3 bullet points.

Look again at the letter to the librarian and the 3 bullet points that
you have to write about. With a partner, think of 2 different ways
that you could write this letter. Fill in the chart below with different
information in column A and B.

Letter to a Librarian

The 3 bullet points A B

What you like

What you dislike

Suggestions for improvements

Tip!
If you only write about 1 or 2 of the bullet points, you will not score above a band 4 in Task Achievement.
You must write about all 3 bullet points!

Some bullet points have 2 parts e.g. Say what you like and why you like it.
You must answer both parts of these 2-part bullet points.

22 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Organizing your ideas into paragraphs
The 3 bullet points will form the main part of your letter. You may
want to write a separate paragraph for each of the 3 bullet points.
You will not get a high score if you only write one paragraph in
your General Training Task 1 letter! It is also a good idea to write
about the 3 bullet points in the same order as they are set out in
the question booklet.

• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence (a sentence that

expresses the main idea of the paragraph).
• Use a logical order for the sentences in each paragraph.
• Use cohesive devices (linking words or signal words) to connect
your ideas and show the relationships between ideas.
• Leave a complete blank line between paragraphs.

Letter Planning Framework

Introduction paragraph
Appropriate opening e.g. Dear…
Clearly state your purpose for writing.

Bullet point 1
Begin with a topic sentence.
Explain the bullet point fully and clearly, and include examples.

Bullet point 2
Begin with a topic sentence.
Explain the bullet point fully and clearly, and include examples.

Bullet point 3
Begin with a topic sentence.
Explain the bullet point fully and clearly, and include examples.

Concluding sentence(s)
Write a concluding sentence.
End with an appropriate closing e.g. Yours sincerely,

Now with your partner go back to the chart and the Writing Answer Booklet again.

Write 3 paragraphs that cover the 3 bullet points. One of you should use the information from the chart labeled A, and your partner
should write about the information from the chart labelled B.

Focus on covering all 3 bullet points and writing in an appropriate tone.

Close your letter in an appropriate way.

When you have finished, check your letter against the General Training Writing Task 1 Checklist.

Student Book 23
 Band score awarded
Sample response
General Training Writing Task 1: and examiner comments
Public Library, Response C
Task 1 Public Library Script B
Band 6.5
Look at the sample response. Discuss with your teacher the Examiner The test taker covers all the task
Task 1 Public Library Script B
Task 1 Public
comments Library
about this–letter.
Response C Band 6.5
requirements and states the purpose
of the letter. The tone, though
The test taker covers all the task
assertive,
requirements is consistently
and states the purposepolite.
of The
the letter.key
Thefeatures
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are highlightedisand
assertive,
consistently polite. The key features are
highlightedextended but this
and extended could
but be more
this could
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appropriately dealt with in some areas.
in some areas.
There is a clear overall progression, but the
arrangement
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times detracts from the clarity of the letter.
but thethe
At other times, arrangement of not
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There is a good range of vocabulary that
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is used, but mistakes in punctuation and
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in areas such as article use, subject-verb
agreements,
that etc. limit than
is more the rating for
adequate. Although
this criterion.
there are errors in collocation and
This response shows some features of
word
higher-level choice, there
performance, butare also many
weaknesses
in organisation
examplesand grammatical control and
of accurate choice
limit the rating to Band 6.5.
appropriate modification.

A mix of simple and complex

structures is used, but mistakes in
punctuation and in areas such as
article use, subject-verb agreements,
etc. limit the rating for the criterion.

This response shows some features of

higher-level performance, but
weaknesses in organisation and
grammatical control limit rating to
Band 6.5.

Sourced from the IELTS Scores Guide page 59

24 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Writing IELTS Scores Guide 59
 Band score awarded
Sample response
General Training Writing Task 1: and examiner comments
Public Library, Response D
Band 6.5
Look at the sample response. Discuss with your teacher the Examiner The purpose of the letter is clearly stated
Task 1 Public
comments Library
about – Response D
this letter. Band
and6.5
all three bullet points are highlighted
and developed. However, the final bullet
The purpose of the letter is clearly stated
and alland thebullet
three closing section
points of the letter could
are highlighted
DQGGHYHORSHG+RZHYHUWKH¿QDOEXOOHW
be more fully or more appropriately
and the closing section of the letter could be
extended.
more fully or more appropriately extended.

The presentation of information is clear

throughout and cohesiveofdevices,
The presentation information is clear
UHIHUHQFLQJDQGVXEVWLWXWLRQDUHÀH[LEO\
used, throughout and cohesive
with occasional error. Thedevices,
absence
of paragraphs prevents the award of a
referencing and substitution are flexibly
higher band for this criterion.
used, with occasional error. The absence
9RFDEXODU\LVDOVRXVHGZLWKVRPHÀH[LELOLW\
of paragraphs
and there prevents
is a good range, withthe award of a
evidence
that the test taker can use less common
higher band for this criterion.
expressions and has an awareness of
collocation. There is occasional error in
word form and choice.
Vocabulary is also used with some
Although a variety of structures is apparent,
flexibility and there is a good range, with
with a mix of simple and complex
sentences, the level
evidence andtest
that the regularity of errors
taker can use less
in articles, prepositions and some verb
phrasescommon
limit theexpressions and
rating for this has an
criterion.
awareness of collocations. There is
The density of grammatical error prevents
this response from
occasional fullyinsatisfying
error word form theand choice.
descriptors of the higher band, so Band
6.5 is awarded.
Although a variety of structures is
apparent, with a mix of simple and
complex sentences, the level and
regularity of errors in articles, prepositions
and some verb phrases limit the rating for
this criterion.

The density of grammatical error prevents

this response from fully satisfying the
descriptors of the higher band, so Band
6.5 is awarded.

Sourced from the IELTS Scores Guide page 60.

Student Book 25
Writing IELTS Scores Guide 60
Writing in an appropriate style or tone
You may have to write a formal business letter, a semi-formal letter or
a personal letter, so it is important to use the right tone when you write.
If you can use an appropriate tone or level of formality in your letter,
you will communicate more successfully and earn higher marks.

The tone of your letter depends on who you are writing to. If you are writing to a friend or family member, for example, your language
can be informal and more direct. However, if you are writing a formal letter, you must use language that is more polite or neutral in tone.

Many people lose marks in General Training Writing Task 1 because they mix formal and informal language in their letter, so the tone
is not consistent. This will also lose you marks. Be clear from the beginning whether you need to write in a formal or informal tone, and
then write in the same tone from the beginning to the end of your letter.

Look at the expressions for each of the language functions below. Put a check mark √ in the appropriate column if the expression is
formal/neutral or informal.

Apologizing for something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

Sorry to hear about…

Unfortunately,/Regrettably,…

Please accept my apologies for…(-ing)…

I was so sorry to learn that/about…

Asking for information:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

Would it be possible to find out whether…?

Why…? Who…? How…? Where…?

Is…?

I’d be grateful if you could tell me…

Thanking someone for doing something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I very much appreciate you (ing)…

I am extremely grateful (to you) for …

Thanks very much for…

26 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Complaining about something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I was extremely disappointed to learn that…

I am writing to express my concerns about….

I can’t believe you did that!

Making suggestions:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

How about we…?

I’d like to propose…

Why don’t we/you…?

Let’s…

Expressing satisfaction:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I was delighted to hear that…

Wow – that’s fantastic!

…was so enjoyable.

General expressions:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

Kindly… e.g. Kindly send me your email address.

You guys…

How’s it going?

What’s up?

Student Book 27
 Concluding sentences

You should write a short conclusion or concluding sentence at the end of

your letter. Look at the concluding sentences below. Which are formal
and which are informal? Write F if the sentence is formal. Write I if the
sentence is Informal.

Concluding sentence: Formal or Informal?

Hope to hear from you soon.

I trust the situation will be resolved shortly.

Bye for now!

Thank you very much for your attention.

I can’t wait until…!

See you next weekend.

I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Inappropriate language use

No matter whether you are writing a formal or informal letter, you should avoid certain types of language in General
Training Writing Task 1:

• Expressions that are not widely-known outside a specific region of the word e.g. [ lakh | crore | Dear Ma, | Dear Mamsir, ].

• Swear words [**xxxx*!]

• Text/SMS language e.g. [lol, u, btw, rotfl]

• Threats e.g. [Dear Landlord, If you don’t repair the washing machine in my apartment, I’m not going to pay you any more
rent!]

• Flattery e.g. [my esteemed colleague | your world-renowned institution ]

• Very casual verb forms e.g. [I’m gonna | Do you wanna..?]

Use the correct verb forms e.g. [I’m going to…. | Do you want to…?]

• Abbreviations that are not widely-known e.g. [b/c | w/o]

Write the word in full e.g. [because | without]

Answers: I, F, I, F, I, I, F

28 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Spot the errors in tone!

Now read the letter below from a resident to a local neighborhood homeowner’s association.

Find and circle 5 instances where the tone of this letter is not appropriate. For each, suggest how to make the tone more consistent.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Hi, what’s up guys? It has recently come to my attention that some of the residents in
The Views neighborhood are parking their cars in my driveway and blocking me in. This is
preventing me from getting to work on time in the mornings, which is causing me some
problems with my supervisor. Who the heck do these people think they are!!

I would be most grateful if you would arrange for the security guards to patrol the
neighborhood on a regular basis to ensure that law-abiding residents like myself are no
longer inconvenienced in this way. The next time someone parks in my driveway, I’m going
to smash the windscreen of their car- maybe that will convince them to stop doing it!

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my request. I look forward to
hearing from you shortly.

Love and best wishes,

Dr. Miriam Jones

P.S. If I don’t get a reply from you in the next 2 days, I’m going to publish a letter in the local
newspaper telling everyone how useless our local homeowner’s association is.

Student Book 29
General Training Writing Task 1
Practice
Read the General Training Writing Task 1 question prompt
below. Then, read the sample response on the next page.

General Training Writing sample task - Task 1

Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

You live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are many problems with this arrangement
and you find it very difficult to work.

Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In the letter,

• describe the situation

• explain your problems and why it is difficult to work
• say what kind of accommodation you would prefer

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Sourced from www.idpielts.me/prepare

30 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 General Training Writing Task 1: Sample Script B
Look at the sample response. Discuss with your teacher the Examiner comments about this letter.

Examiner comment

Band 7
This answer is also short. Although ideas are often provided in the task rubric, candidates are at liberty to include some of their own
ideas in their answers. In this case, the candidate has attempted to incorporate some original m aterial. The answer reads quite fluently,
is well organised and there is good use of conjunctions to link points. There are some grammatical errors but these do not affect
the reader greatly and there is evidence of some more complex sentence structures.

Sourced from www.idpielts.me/prepare

Student Book 31
 General Training Writing Task 1 Practice
Look again at the question prompt about the letter to the accommodation officer. With a partner, think of 2 different ways that you could
write this letter. Fill in the chart below with different information in columns A and B.

Letter to an Accommodation Officer

The 3 bullet points: A B

Describe the situation

Explain the problems and

why it is difficult to work

Say what kind of accommodation

you prefer

Then, write your General Training Task 1 response on the Writing Answer Booklet.

When you have finished, check your letter against the General Training Task 1 Checklist on page 35.

32 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 L E
M P
S A

Student Book 33
 L E
M P
S A

34 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 General Training Writing Task 1 Checklist
General Training Task 1 Checklist Yes or No?

Did you…

…write at least 150 words?

…paraphrase the introduction?

…express the purpose of the letter clearly?

…cover all 3 bullet points?

…use an appropriate opening and closing

to match the tone of your letter?

…use an appropriate tone (formal or informal)?

…write in paragraphs and use linking words

to connect your ideas?

…use simple and complex sentence types?

…check your verbs for errors?

…use a range of vocabulary and check your spelling?

Student Book 35
 Error correction codes
Task Achievement / Task Response

Ir Irrelevance

? Unclear

Coherence and Cohesion

// Start a new paragraph

R Reference error - I wrote a letter to him after I came to this country. They were happy to receive them.

Lexical Resource

Sp Spelling error - I wrote a letter to him after I came to this contry.

WF Wrong form - I wrote a letter to himself after I came to this country.

WW Wrong word - I wrote a letter to him after I came in this country.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

/ Start a new sentence

/\ A word is missing - I wrote a letter to him after came to this country.

X Extra word - I wrote a letter to him after I came in to this country.

Gr Unspecified grammar error

Ar Error with articles (a, an, the) - I wrote letter to him after I came to this country.

P Punctuation error - I wrote a letter to him, after I came to this country.

WO Wrong word order - To him I wrote a letter after I came to this country.

T Wrong tense - I write a letter to him after I came to this country.

SV Error with subject-verb agreement - I writes a letter to him after I came to this country.

( ) Not necessary

WN Wrong number - singular or plural - I write a letters.

36 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Tips for General Training Writing Task 1

You have 20 minutes to write your Task 1 letter. Spend a few minutes planning your letter first and a few minutes
checking your work at the end.

Planning:

• Decide whether a formal or informal tone is required.

• Make sure you understand the purpose of the letter.
• Decide what information to include to fully cover each of the 3 bullet points.
• Decide how to organize your paragraphs.

Writing:

• Write the opening and introduction in the appropriate tone.

• State the purpose of your letter clearly.
• Cover the 3 bullet points in 3 separate paragraphs. Explain each bullet point fully and clearly and in the appropriate tone.
• Use an appropriate ending.
• Use a range of vocabulary and sentence types.

Checking:

• Check for mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

• In paper-based IELTS Writing count the number of lines e.g. if you write 10 words on a line on average, count to make
sure you have written at least 15-17 lines.
• In computer-delivered IELTS there is a word counter on the screen.

Student Book 37
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38 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Answers

Page 12 Understanding the instructions

1. Why should you spend 20 minutes on Task 1?

You should divide your time according to the weighting of the marks: 1/3 of writing mark is based on Task 1 and 2/3 of the writing mark is
based on Task 2. Therefore, spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2 in either order, but keep the time allocation.
2. What important elements must be included when you write a letter?
● A salutation e.g. Dear...,
● The body of the letter
● A closing e.g. Yours faithfully,
3. How do you begin and end formal letters? Give some examples below.
Dear Sir,/Dear Madam,/Dear Mr. Smith,
Yours faithfully,/Yours sincerely,/Yours truly,
4. How do you begin and end informal letters? Give some examples below.
Dear John,/Dear Nadia,
Best wishes,/Best regards,/Kind regards,/Love,
5. Why is it important to make the purpose of your letter clear to the reader?
Because the reader needs to understand why you are writing and what you want the reader to do as a result of reading the letter e.g. are you
writing to invite a friend to a party? Are you writing to complain to your landlord that the air conditioning is not working? Etc.

Page 17 Planning your letter

Review the answers:

1. The librarian
2. To send suggestions as to how the public library can improve their services and facilities
3. What you like about the library/what you dislike about the library/your suggestions to improve the library

Page 18 Opening and closing a letter

1. What would be an appropriate opening?

Dear Sir or Madam,
This is a fairly formal business letter to a librarian that the writer does not know, so the writer should use a more formal opening.

2. What would be an appropriate closing?

Yours faithfully,/Yours sincerely,/Yours truly,
The closing should be formal so that it matches the formal opening.

Student Book 39
Answers

Page 19 Making the purpose clear in the introduction

1st sentence Formal letter Informal letter

It was great seeing you last week and...

I am writing to explain how concerned I am about...

I am writing in connection with...

It’s been ages since I last saw you!

I am writing in regards to...

Thanks very much for the newsy letter and sorry for not being in
touch for a while, but...

As a resident of the Views apartments, I would like to draw your

attention to...

Pages 26

Apologising for something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

Sorry to hear about...

Unfortunately,/Regrettably,...

Please accept my apologies for...(-ing)...

I was so sorry to learn that/about...

Asking for information:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

Would it be possible to find out whether...?

Why...? Who...? How...? Where...? Is...?

I’d be grateful if you could tell me...

Thanking someone for doing something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I very much appreciate you (ing)...

I am extremely grateful (to you) for...

Thanks very much for...

40 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

Answers
Complaining about something:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I was extremely disappointed to learn that...

I am writing to express my concerns about...

I can’t believe you did that!

Making suggestions:

Expressions? Formal/neutral Informal

How about we...?

I’d like to propose...

Why don’t we/you...?

Let’s...

Expressing satisfaction:

Expressions Formal/neutral Informal

I was delighted to hear that...

Wow - that’s fantastic!

was so enjoyable.

General suggestions:

Expressions? Formal/neutral Informal

Kindly... e.g. Kindly send me your email address.

You guys...

How’s it going?

What’s up?

Student Book 41
Answers

Page 29 Spot the errors in tone!

Dear Sir/Madam,

1. Hi, what’s up guys? It has recently come to my attention that some of the residents in The Views neighborhood are parking their cars in my
driveway and blocking me in. This is preventing me from getting to work on time in the mornings, which is causing me some problems with my
supervisor. 2. Who the heck do these people think they are!!

I would be most grateful if you would arrange for the security guards to patrol the neighborhood on a regular basis to ensure that law-abiding
residents like myself are no longer inconvenienced in this way. 3. The next time someone parks in my driveway, I’m going to smash the
windscreen of their car - maybe that will convince them to stop doing it!

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my request. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

4. Love and best wishes,

Dr. Mriam Jones

5. P.S. If I don’t get a reply from you in the next 2 days, I’m going to publish a letter in the local newspaper telling everyone how useless our
local homeowner’s association is.

42 IELTS Focus - General Training Writing Task 1

 Acknowledgements
IDP IELTS Middle East would like to thank all those who contributed to the production of these materials.

Every effort has been made to give credit where due for material used in this Handbook. We apologize if there has been any
inadvertent infringement of copyright and, if notified, we will be pleased to rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest
opportunity.

Student Book 43
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