# IELTS General Training Letters: Choose the Right Tone | topin On this page ## Identify the reader and purpose before drafting __Suggested register decisions based on the stated relationship__ | Reader | Likely style | Example request | | ----------------------- | ------------ | --------------------------------------- | | Friend | Personal | Could you let me know what suits you? | | Known workplace contact | Semi-formal | Could we discuss changing my shift? | | Unfamiliar organisation | Formal | Could you confirm the refund procedure? | IELTS's [General Training Writing specification](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-general-training-test/ielts-general-training-format-writing) describes a letter responding to a situation and three content bullets. Style depends on the intended reader and relationship. This guide focuses on that decision, rather than offering one memorised opening for every possible letter. Write two notes before starting: who receives the letter, and what you need them to understand or do. For example, a transport company needs a clear description of a lost item and a request for help; a friend needs an explanation and perhaps a personal suggestion. The same event can therefore require different wording without changing the underlying facts. Use the table as a practical starting point, not an exhaustive rulebook. A manager you know well is still a professional reader when you request a rota change. A friendly greeting does not justify slang in the request. A stranger does not require stiff, elaborate sentences; ordinary polite English can be suitably formal. Check the supplied opening if the prompt gives one, then choose a consistent style for the remainder. Avoid switching from “Dear Sir or Madam” to jokes and casual abbreviations, or from “Dear Maya” to impersonal legal language. The reader relationship should remain recognisable throughout the letter. ## Convert the three bullets into three useful actions Use this original practice situation: you borrowed a portable speaker from a friend, accidentally damaged it and want to resolve the problem. The requested content is to explain what happened, describe the damage and say what you will do. Before writing, assign a concrete detail to each part: rain during an outdoor event, a silent left speaker and a paid repair appointment. That three-note plan prevents a common imbalance: a long apology followed by one vague sentence about repair. Each requested part needs meaningful information. You can combine related content in a paragraph if it reads naturally; three bullets do not impose an official rule of exactly three body paragraphs. A workable personal-letter order is greeting, immediate reason for writing, explanation, damage, practical solution and close. These are suggested functions rather than a fixed script. If the question requires a request early, move it earlier. Your structure should help the reader act on the letter, not force every situation into the same template. Spend a short part of your recommended Task 1 allocation planning, then leave time to check coverage and language. IELTS recommends about 20 minutes and at least 150 words. A long account of how you met the friend is poor use of that time when it does not serve any requested point. ## Study an original informal letter with complete content Original model letter: Dear Maya, I am really sorry, but I have damaged the speaker you lent me for Saturday's picnic. We were setting up beside the lake when it started raining, and I put the speaker under a table while we moved the food. Unfortunately, water must have reached it before I could get it into my bag. The speaker still turns on, but sound now comes from only the right side. I tried a different cable at home to check that the problem was not the connection, but that made no difference. There is also a small mark on the case, although the buttons seem to work normally. I have booked an appointment at a repair shop for Tuesday and will pay the full cost. If they cannot repair it properly, I will replace it with the same model. Please let me know if you would rather take it to a shop you already use. I am sorry for being careless with it. Best wishes, Arun. The model is original teaching material, not an official sample or a guaranteed band response. Its informal tone comes from a named greeting, direct personal explanation and ordinary contractions if you choose to use them. Its content covers the accident, observable damage and a specific remedy. The apology supports the purpose without occupying every paragraph. Notice that the repair promise is concrete: Tuesday appointment, full cost and replacement if repair fails. “I will do something soon” would be less informative. In your own answer, create plausible details that fit the situation, then keep them consistent. Inventing a repair date for this exercise is acceptable; inventing an official IELTS rule is not. ## Rewrite the same functions for a professional reader Now use a different original situation: you hired a speaker from a rental company and it stopped working after rain at an event. The content functions can remain explanation, damage and requested next step, but the reader relationship changes. Begin with “I am writing about the portable speaker I hired for an event on Saturday” rather than a personal apology to a friend. A formal damage paragraph could read: “The unit still powers on, but the left speaker no longer produces sound. I tested it with another cable and obtained the same result. Please let me know whether you would like me to return it directly to your office or take it to an authorised repair centre.” The wording is specific and courteous without exaggerated vocabulary. Compare “Can you get someone to have a look?” with “Could you arrange for the unit to be inspected?” Both express a request, but the second fits the unfamiliar company more naturally. Do not replace every simple verb with a longer synonym. Formality comes from an appropriate relationship and controlled request, not from maximum word length. Use conventional closings consistently: a named formal recipient can take Yours sincerely, while an unnamed recipient can take Yours faithfully. A personal letter can end Best wishes. These are standard conventions and useful practice choices, not separate automatic band bonuses. The complete letter still needs relevant content and accurate language. ## Correct tone and content before polishing vocabulary Do a content pass first. Put the three task bullets beside the response and underline the sentence or sentences addressing each. If a bullet has no evidence, add relevant detail before hunting for synonyms. A beautifully worded letter about the wrong issue remains an incomplete response to the task. Then do a tone pass. Circle slang, abbreviations, excessive politeness and any phrase inconsistent with the reader. For a friend, change “I hereby notify you” to an ordinary explanation. For an unfamiliar company, replace “Hey guys” with the appropriate greeting. Keep the purpose clear after every edit. A language pass should target errors you repeatedly make: verb tense in the account, singular and plural agreement, articles and sentence boundaries. Avoid rewriting a correct sentence into an unfamiliar complex structure just before time ends. Improve clarity first, then use variation you can control. Use the [IELTS writing word counter](/ielts/writing-word-counter) during practice to inspect length. It cannot judge tone or bullet coverage. Read your actual letter after counting it. If you are short, add the missing requested information; do not pad the greeting or repeat the apology solely to reach the minimum. ## Train tone by changing the audience, not memorising letters Take one everyday event and write its opening for three readers: a friend, a colleague and a customer-service department. Keep the facts constant. This isolates tone as the practice variable. Compare the greeting, purpose sentence, request and closing, then explain why each change suits the relationship. Next write a complete new letter in the recommended Task 1 allocation. Use official General Training prompts for additional practice, without copying their sample answers. Review against the public descriptors and retain the original response. A rewritten version is useful learning evidence, but your first timed attempt shows which decisions still need practice. Academic Task 1 is a visual report, so letter practice needs its own materials. The [Academic versus General Training guide](/articles/ielts-academic-vs-general) explains the difference. Pair letters with the [General Training Reading timing plan](/articles/ielts-general-training-reading-timing) if you are preparing that version; do not spend the week exclusively on shared skills. [topin's free IELTS Academic mock](/ielts/practice-test) can support shared Listening and Speaking practice and Academic preparation, but it does not replace a General Training letter diagnostic. Finish your letter routine with three checks: every bullet answered, reader relationship consistent and language understandable. Those checks travel across new situations better than a memorised response. ## Try a full IELTS mock free Timed like test day, every section scored, every answer explained. [Take the free mock ](/ielts/login) ## FAQs How do I choose formal or informal tone? Use the reader and relationship stated in the task. An unfamiliar organisation normally needs formal wording; a friend needs a personal style. Do I need an address at the top? IELTS’s General Training specification says you do not need to write addresses at the top of the letter. Must each bullet have its own paragraph? No fixed paragraph count is imposed here. Give every requested part meaningful coverage and organise it clearly. Can I use contractions in an informal letter? They can fit a natural personal style. For formal requests, complete forms are a useful choice; consistency and appropriateness matter. How long should the letter be? At least 150 words. IELTS recommends about 20 minutes, leaving more time for Task 2. ## Sources (checked 5 October 2026) * [IELTS: General Training Writing specification — checked 5 October 2026](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-general-training-test/ielts-general-training-format-writing) * [IELTS: public Writing band descriptors — checked 5 October 2026](https://ielts.org/cdn/Guides/ielts-writing-band-descriptors.pdf) * [IELTS: official General Training sample materials — checked 5 October 2026](https://ielts.org/take-a-test/preparation-resources/sample-test-questions/general-training-test) * [British Council: coherence and cohesion tips — checked 5 October 2026](https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare/ielts-academic/writing/tips-coherence-cohesion) ## Related articles [All IELTS study guides ](/ielts) * [IELTSStudy plans & strategyIELTS General Training Reading: a 60-minute timing planPlan General Training Reading across social, workplace and extended texts, with original practice notices, a flexible timing budget and an error audit.Updated 5 Oct 2026](/articles/ielts-general-training-reading-timing) * [IELTSStudy plans & strategyIELTS Task 1 overview: selecting the main featuresWrite an IELTS Academic Task 1 overview that selects the main features, with original chart, map and process examples and a practical comparison checklist.Updated 5 Oct 2026](/articles/ielts-task-1-overview-examples) * [IELTSStudy plans & strategyIELTS Task 1 percentages: points, proportions and comparisonsDescribe percentages accurately in IELTS Task 1, distinguish points from relative change, and practise original data comparisons without unnecessary maths.Updated 5 Oct 2026](/articles/ielts-task-1-percentages-comparisons) * [IELTSStudy plans & strategyIELTS Task 1 maps: organise change and unchanged featuresDescribe IELTS Task 1 maps using an original site conversion, location checks, tense choices and a model response that includes both changes and continuity.Updated 5 Oct 2026](/articles/ielts-task-1-map-comparison)