By English Test Coach · Updated
Original questions · practical guidance
IELTS General Writing Task 1
Write a letter that does its job. Practise complaints, requests, invitations and friendly advice, with a clear purpose, appropriate tone and enough detail for every task point.
Aim for at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. These are original teaching tasks, not recalled exam questions or predictions.
Academic vs General Training writing: compare the tasks and choose the right practice format.
Word count and revision: develop a short response or trim repetition while keeping the information the task needs.
Choose a letter guide for the relationship
Consider who will read your letter and what you need them to understand or do. These guides develop original examples; the recipient and situation together determine the tone.
- Formal letters: make a clear request or complaint to an unfamiliar office or business, with details the reader can act on.
- Semi-formal letters: compare a manager request and a neighbour complaint, proposing practical arrangements respectfully.
- Informal letters: write to a friend with warmth and specific detail, from an apology to a request for moving help.
Decide who you are writing to
The relationship guides the register: a company you do not know needs a formal approach; a manager or neighbour may suit a respectful, semi-formal tone; a friend allows a warmer, more personal voice. Keep that tone consistent through the opening and closing.
Cover all three task points
Turn each bullet into a short note before writing. Add specific details that make the situation understandable, not just a paraphrase of the question. Use fictional names and references in practice rather than your real personal information.
Make the next step clear
If you want a replacement, information or help, say exactly what you are asking for. A friendly letter still needs a clear purpose. End naturally for the relationship, and check that your greeting and sign-off fit together.
Formal, semi-formal or informal: three worked letter plans
Start with the relationship and the reason for writing. These original extracts show how tone and detail work together. They are parts of letters, not complete 150-word answers; follow the sample links to study each complete response.
Turn planning notes into a connected letter
A plan can use fragments; the submitted letter needs connected sentences and paragraphs. The official IELTS General Training format also says that addresses at the top are unnecessary. Spend the time on relevant information and readable prose rather than creating a postal-address block.
Use the temporary shift-request situation below. The following fictional details follow the full sample: a six-week Tuesday course from 4.30 to 6.30 p.m., with a proposed earlier finish and start. This extract develops the schedule point; it is not a complete letter.
Notes for the schedule point
- Tuesday classes, 4.30–6.30 p.m., six weeks
- Finish 3.30 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.
- Need time to reach training centre
- Offer 7.30 a.m. start to make up time
One connected paragraph
“For the six weeks of the course, my classes would run from 4.30 to 6.30 p.m. each Tuesday. Would it be possible for me to finish at 3.30 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. on those days so that I can reach the training centre in time? I could start at 7.30 a.m. to make up the difference.”
What changed beyond adding full stops?
- Context before request: the course schedule explains why a temporary change is needed.
- A clear reference: “on those days” refers to the six Tuesdays, so the request does not sound permanent.
- A purpose link: “so that” connects the earlier finish to the journey, rather than leaving the reader to infer the reason.
- An offer, not a decision: “I could” proposes an earlier start for the manager to consider.
Related details belong together here because they explain one schedule request. A separate paragraph can develop handover arrangements. One paragraph per task point is a useful starting plan, not a compulsory pattern; check the meaning and flow of the actual letter.
Try it: turn the handover notes into prose
Notes: routine stock checks before leaving; urgent requests to afternoon team; discuss suitable cover with Sam only if manager agrees. Write two or three connected sentences. Keep the cover provisional rather than announcing that someone else has accepted it.
Compare a possible handover paragraph
“I would complete the routine stock checks before leaving and hand over any urgent requests to the afternoon team. If you agree, I could discuss suitable cover with Sam, who usually handles similar enquiries.”
The first sentence groups the proposed actions. “If you agree” makes the manager’s approval a condition, while the final clause explains why Sam is a plausible person to approach. The notes become a proposal the reader can assess; they do not become an unsupported promise.
Formal letter: report a damaged order and request a remedy
Your original practice question
You recently ordered an item online, but it arrived damaged. Write a letter to the company. Describe the item, explain the damage, and state what you would like the company to do.
Who is reading, and what do they need?
You are writing to a company about a purchase. The reader needs enough information to identify the problem and understand the action you want. A polite, specific request is more useful than anger or unusually elaborate vocabulary.
One possible opening
I am writing about a desk lamp that I ordered from your online shop last week, as it arrived with a cracked base.
Develop all three task points
- Describe the item: identify the desk lamp and the approximate order or delivery date. A fictional order reference can help in practice; do not include a real account or payment detail.
- Explain the damage: describe the cracked base and its practical effect, such as making the lamp unstable. ‘It was bad’ leaves the reader guessing.
- State the remedy: request an undamaged replacement and ask how to return the damaged item. Be clear whether you want a replacement, repair or refund rather than demanding everything at once.
Compare the tone
Less suitable: Your terrible service has ruined everything. Sort it out immediately!
More suitable: Could you arrange a replacement and let me know how I should return the damaged lamp?
The revision replaces an accusation and vague demand with two concrete actions. It keeps the complaint firm without insulting the recipient. Add the item and damage details elsewhere so all task points are developed.
Keep the opening and closing consistent
If no recipient is named, ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ are a conventional formal pairing. If the question gives a name, use an appropriate named greeting and closing. Treat these as choices for this relationship, not a substitute for the letter’s content.
Semi-formal letter: request a temporary change from your manager
Use the complete semi-formal letter guide to compare the manager request with a neighbour complaint and develop arrangements the reader can consider.
Your original practice question
You need to change your working hours temporarily to attend a training programme. Write a letter to your manager. Explain the programme, describe the change in hours you need, and suggest how your work could be covered.
Who is reading, and what do they need?
You know the recipient through work. Be respectful and direct, while acknowledging how the change affects the team. A manager needs the dates, proposed hours and coverage plan, not only a statement that the course matters to you.
One possible opening
Dear Ms Patel, I would like to request a temporary change to my Tuesday hours so that I can attend a six-week training programme.
Develop all three task points
- Explain the programme: give its subject, schedule and relevance. For example, a weekly evening course could develop a skill used in your role.
- Describe the change: specify that you would start and finish one hour earlier on Tuesdays for six weeks. This makes the temporary request assessable.
- Suggest coverage: propose completing the handover before leaving and arranging cover for the final hour, subject to your manager’s agreement. Do not claim a colleague has agreed unless your fictional scenario establishes that.
Compare the tone
Less suitable: I’m leaving early from now on. Someone else can cover me.
More suitable: Would it be possible for me to start an hour earlier on Tuesdays for six weeks? I could prepare the handover before leaving and discuss suitable cover with you.
The revision makes a request rather than announcing a permanent decision. It also recognises the manager’s role and develops the coverage point. The tone is cooperative without being excessively apologetic.
Keep the opening and closing consistent
A respectful named greeting and a closing such as ‘Kind regards’ can fit this example. The whole letter should maintain the same relationship: an extremely formal opening followed by slang makes the register inconsistent.
Informal letter: give a visiting friend useful advice
Your original practice question
A friend from another country is coming to visit your area. Write a letter suggesting where they should stay, describing activities you can do together, and giving advice about what to bring.
Who is reading, and what do they need?
You are helping a friend plan a visit. Warmth, contractions and direct suggestions can sound natural, but a friendly tone does not remove the need to cover every point. Avoid text-message abbreviations that make a full letter difficult to read.
One possible opening
Dear Maya, I’m so pleased you’re coming to visit next month. I’ve thought of a few ideas to help you plan the trip.
Develop all three task points
- Suggest somewhere to stay: recommend a guesthouse near the station and explain why its location would be convenient. ‘There are lots of hotels’ is too general to help.
- Describe shared activities: suggest a riverside walk and a visit to the local market, explaining briefly what your friend might enjoy about them.
- Give packing advice: suggest comfortable shoes for walking and a light waterproof jacket. Connect what to bring to the activities or likely conditions in your fictional scenario.
Compare the tone
Less suitable: I am writing to provide accommodation recommendations and notify you of the items required for your forthcoming visit.
More suitable: There’s a small guesthouse near the station that would be handy for you. Bring comfortable shoes, as I’d love to show you the riverside path.
The revision sounds like one friend helping another and links advice to a reason. It also supplies useful detail. It is only an extract, so the full letter still needs the activities and any other task points not yet developed.
Keep the opening and closing consistent
‘Dear Maya’ with ‘Best wishes’ or ‘See you soon’ can suit this friendship. A closing should feel consistent with the opening and the body, rather than switching suddenly into a business letter.
Check purpose and coverage before counting words
- Can the recipient identify the reason for the letter near the start?
- Does each task point have enough specific detail to make sense?
- Do any dates, requests or arrangements contradict each other?
- Does the language fit the relationship throughout?
- Is the requested action or next contact clear?
One paragraph per task point can be a useful starting plan, but related details can be grouped naturally. Write the actual letter in connected sentences and paragraphs, not as a copy of the planning list. Use fictional personal details for practice.
Practise purpose and tone in a short lesson →14 original questions
Choose what to practise
Each question has its own planning ideas, vocabulary in context and a complete annotated sample. Try writing first, then compare the approach.
Apology letter
- Question & guidance
Semi-formal letters
Returning borrowed club equipment late
You borrowed a portable speaker from a local club and did not return it on the agreed day. You know the club coordinator through regular volunteering. Write a letter to the coordinator. Apologise and explain the delay, describe how you will return the equipment, and say how you will avoid a similar problem.
Application letter
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Applying for weekend museum work
You have seen an advertisement for a weekend visitor assistant at a local history museum. Write a letter to the museum manager. Explain why you are interested in the role, describe relevant experience, and give details of your availability.
Complaint letter
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Damaged online order
You recently ordered an item online, but it arrived damaged. Write a letter to the company. Describe the item, explain the damage, and state what you would like the company to do.
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Repeated delivery delays
A delivery company has repeatedly delivered important packages late. Write a letter to its manager. Describe the deliveries, explain the problems the delays caused, and state what action you expect.
- Question & guidance
Semi-formal letters
Noise from a neighbouring flat
A neighbour in your apartment building has recently been making noise late at night. Write a letter to the neighbour. Describe the noise, explain how it affects you, and suggest a way to solve the problem.
Request letter
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Organising a community event
You are organising a community event and would like a local business to support it. Write a letter explaining the event, describing the support you need, and explaining how the business would benefit.
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Booking a public hall
You would like to hire a public hall for a local club. Write a letter to the venue manager. Explain the purpose of the event, describe the facilities you need, and ask about availability and cost.
- Question & guidance
Semi-formal letters
Requesting a temporary shift change
You need to change your working hours temporarily to attend a training programme. Write a letter to your manager. Explain the programme, describe the change in hours you need, and suggest how your work could be covered.
- Question & guidance
Formal letters
Lost property on a train
You left an important item on a train. Write a letter to the railway company's lost-property office. Describe the item, explain when and where you lost it, and state how the office can return it to you.
Personal letter
- Question & guidance
Informal letters
A friend is visiting
A friend from another country is coming to visit your area. Write a letter suggesting where they should stay, describing activities you can do together, and giving advice about what to bring.
- Question & guidance
Informal letters
Advice about a training course
A friend is considering taking a professional course that you recently completed. Write a letter to your friend. Describe the course, explain what you found useful, and give advice about preparing for it.
- Question & guidance
Informal letters
Missing a friend’s celebration
You accepted an invitation to a friend’s celebration but can no longer attend. Write a letter to your friend. Explain why you cannot come, apologise, and suggest another way to celebrate together.
- Question & guidance
Informal letters
Thanking a weekend host
You recently stayed with a friend for a weekend. Write a letter to your friend. Thank them for the visit, describe something you particularly enjoyed, and invite them to stay with you.
- Question & guidance
Informal letters
Asking a friend for moving help
You are moving to a new home and would like a friend to help you. Write a letter to your friend. Explain when you are moving, describe the help you need, and say how you will thank your friend.
Before you finish
- Is my purpose clear near the start?
- Have I developed every bullet point?
- Does the tone fit the recipient throughout?
- Is the requested action or next contact clear?
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