Mastering the Art of Formal and Informal Letter Writing

Q: How to write a formal letter for IELTS General?

To write a formal letter for IELTS General, use 'Dear Sir/Madam' as the opening salutation, start the letter with a clear purpose statement, use formal language and expressions, give detailed and organized information, end the letter with a polite closing, use 'Yours faithfully' or 'Yours sincerely' as the closing salutation, and sign the letter with your full name.

Are you struggling to master the art of formal and informal letter writing for IELTS General Writing Task 1? Do you want expert tips to improve your letter writing skills and differentiate between formal and informal letters? Look no further! In this blog post, we will provide you with all the essential information and strategies to excel in writing both types of letters for the IELTS exam. Whether you are a beginner or seeking advanced techniques, this guide will help you craft effective and impactful letters. So, let’s dive in and acquire a proper understanding of formal and informal letters for IELTS General Writing Task 1.

When you start practising for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1, you will find different scenarios to write a letter. Every letter writing question will have specific instructions, and you have to follow them.

There are different formats of letter writing, and each format requires a different style of writing:

Definite starting and closing salutation
Formal and informal expressions
Various types of grammatical forms

Before you begin with IELTS Writing Task 1 General, you must:

Read the given instructions carefully
Identify the type of letter
Understand the purpose of the letter
Plan the format of your letter

Take these points into consideration whenever you write a letter to score high in the exam. No matter how well you write, you could lose your score if you forget to consider the mentioned points.

Types of Letter

Formal Letter
Informal Letter

But, how will you know what kind of letter you must write? It’s simple! Identify the purpose and know the types of letters.

Understand The Purpose of The Letter

You can recognize the letter type by checking:

What is the situation?
Do you know the addressee or not?

If you are writing a letter of complaint, signing up the business contract, applying for a new job, resigning from an existing one, or writing to an unknown person, it will always be a formal letter.

Let’s take an example for both the letters to understand better

Formal letter

You live in a room in college which you can 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,

Source: Cambridge English

In the above example, there is no name mentioned for the accommodation officer, so consider it as a formal letter.

Informal letter

If you are writing a letter for inviting someone you know for a birthday party, thanking a friend, or asking for advice, it is always an informal letter.

In the case of an informal letter, you are aware of the name of the addressee.

Here is an illustration to make you clear about informal letters.

A friend has agreed to look after your house and pet while you are on holiday.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

Give contact details for when you are away
Give instructions about how to care for your pet
Describe other household duties

Write at least 150 words.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear [Friend’s Name],

Source: British Council

Once you know the purpose of the letter and its type, you can start writing the letter with proper salutation.

Use Appropriate Salutation

If you’re wondering, is IELTS General Writing Task 1 formal or informal? The style of your letter defines it. Depending on the style of your letter, the opening and closing salutations vary.

Style of Letter	Opening	Closing
Formal	Dear Sir/Madam,	Yours faithfully, John Brown
Informal	Dear [Friend’s Name],	Best Wishes, Steve Stone

After the opening salutation, write an opening statement that explains the reason for writing the letter.

Start With a Suitable Opening Statement & End With a Proper Signing Off Statement

Again, the opening and signing off statements differ based on the letter style.

Style of Letter	Opening Statement	Closing Statement
Formal	I am writing this letter to ask if I could please be given another room in college.	I look forward to hearing from you.
Informal	I hope you are doing well. I’m writing to ask you a favor. I’m not in town for a few days, so it would be great if you look after my house and pet as well.	It’ll be a pleasure to catch up again soon. Give my best to everyone in the family.

Plan Well to Write Your Letter

Writing a letter with proper planning is essential as it will definitely help you achieve a high Band Score in the IELTS Exam.

The IELTS General Writing Task 1 will consist of instructions with three bullet points, as seen in the shared examples. Always cover these 3 points to make a good structure of the letter.

So, here is a letter structure that you must follow:

Opening Salutation

Opening Statement

Paragraph 1 – 1st bullet point

Paragraph 2 – 2nd bullet point

Paragraph 3 – 3rd bullet point

Signing Off Statement

Closing Salutation

Though the letter writing task may look easy for most IELTS aspirants, it is still essential to get familiar with formal and informal letter writing.

Practice IELTS letter writing with sample questions and keep track of your progress.

To help you in this, IELTS SPACE offer Writing Correction Service. IELTS experts will assess your writing tasks and give you their valuable feedback. Strengthen your strong skill areas and achieve the perfect score in the IELTS exam.

FAQs

Is IELTS General Writing Task 1 formal or informal?

The style of the letter determines whether IELTS General Writing Task 1 is formal or informal. Formal letters are used for official purposes, such as complaints, contracts, job applications, and resignations. Informal letters are for personal purposes, such as invitations, thank you letters, and seeking advice.