Dear Sir, I am writing to tell you about the problem in the flat. The heating is not working and this is very bad. I hope you are doing well.
Online English TutorIELTS General Training · Writing
IELTS General Training Writing: Task 1 is a letter. That does not make it the easy Writing test.
The first task changes from Academic, but the discipline does not. You still have to read the situation properly, write for the right recipient, cover every bullet point and keep the tone appropriate.
The useful answer first
General Training Writing is 60 minutes. Task 1 asks you to respond to a situation by writing a letter of at least 150 words, usually in about 20 minutes. Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words, usually in about 40 minutes. Task 2 carries more weight.
Fix the communication job first
Your grammar can be clean and the letter can still be wrong for the recipient.
IELTS calls the Task 1 criterion Task Achievement. For General Training, that includes how well the letter achieves its purpose.
Who is “Sir”? Is the task a landlord you know, a housing office or somebody else? What exactly do you want them to do? Which bullet points must be covered? Tone is not a decoration added after grammar; it comes from the relationship and purpose.
Dear Mr Collins, I am writing to ask for an urgent repair to the heating system in my flat, which has stopped working during the current cold weather.
The purpose and request are clearer. The rest of the letter still has to cover the task’s bullet points and use the right level of formality.
Before writing, note four things: recipient, relationship, purpose, three bullet points. If you cannot state those quickly, do not start drafting yet.
Not sure whether the problem is tone, coverage or language?
Build My Roadmap for direction, use the Diagnostic for a repeated unclear blocker, or use the Fit Call to check the right support.
Know what changes from Academic
Task 1 changes. Task 2 remains an essay.
Speaking and Listening are the same across Academic and General Training, but Reading and Writing differ. In Writing, the biggest visible difference is Task 1.
Task 1: letter
Respond to a situation in at least 150 words. The relationship with the recipient affects tone. All bullet points need to be handled.
Task 2: essay
Respond to a point of view, argument or problem in at least 250 words. Develop relevant ideas and support them.
Time
The total Writing time is 60 minutes. IELTS commonly recommends about 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2.
Marking
Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Task 2 carries more weight.
Check yourself
Can you plan the letter before you start decorating the language?
Tick only what your latest timed letter proves.
TRY IT
Use a 60-second skeleton.
Write the recipient, purpose and one line for each bullet point. Then decide the tone. Only after that should you draft the full letter.
Official sources
Use the official format, then diagnose from your own letter.
Sources
QuickTalk Tutor examples are original practice material and do not guarantee a band score.