This unit is ≈12% of the IELTS, across 7 lessons. Full syllabus
Lesson 5 of 7 · Writing Task 1: Academic reports and General Training letters
General Training Task 1: purpose, bullet points and tone
8 min read · about 50 min with practice3 quick checks≈3% of the testFoundational: Foundational: the groundwork the rest of the unit builds on
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General Training Task 1 is a letter worth one third of your Writing band. Before your language is judged, Task Achievement asks three questions: can the reader tell at once why you are writing, are all three bullet points covered and developed, and does the tone suit the reader? Get these right and your English has a base for Band 7+; get one wrong and even excellent English is held back.
By the end you’ll be able to
Identify the purpose, the reader and the required register from the prompt
Cover and extend all three bullet points with relevant, invented detail
Open and close the letter appropriately for formal, semi-formal and informal readers
Organise a 160–200-word letter into purposeful paragraphs
What the exam asks
You have about 20 minutes and must write at least 150 words. On computer an on-screen counter shows your total; with Writing on Paper you count yourself. Every prompt follows the same pattern. Here is an original example:
You are going to be away from home for two weeks and would like a neighbour to help you while you are away.
Write a letter to your neighbour. In your letter
explain why you will be away
describe the help you need
offer something in return
Write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any addresses at the top of your letter.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Mrs Lindqvist,
The situation gives you the purpose, the reader sets the register, and the bullets are your content checklist. How the three essentials map onto Task Achievement:
Band
Purpose
Bullet points
Tone
8–9
Unmistakable from the start
All three fully developed
Right for the reader throughout
7
Clear
All covered; some could be extended
Consistent, occasional slips
6
Generally clear
Covered unevenly; some thin
Some inconsistency
5
Unclear at times
One missing or barely touched
Variable or inappropriate
Core ideas
Decode the reader and the register
Read the prompt for the relationship, not the job title.
vii.Check your understanding
3 questions on General Training Task 1: purpose, bullet points and tone. Every option is explained once you answer.
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PromptCard 1 of 3
The three things Task Achievement checks in a General Training letter
Reader
Register
Begin (as the prompt says)
End with
A company, organisation or unknown official
Formal
Dear Sir or Madam,
Yours faithfully, + full name
A named person you have not met, or someone in authority
Formal
Dear Mr Novak,
Yours sincerely, + full name
A neighbour, colleague, landlord or teacher you know
Semi-formal
Dear Mrs Lindqvist, / Dear Priya,
Kind regards, / Best wishes, + name
A friend or relative
Informal
Dear Sam,
Best wishes, / All the best, + first name
Dear + a first name can be semi-formal (a colleague) or informal (a friend): the relationship decides. When the prompt shows a blank (Dear ……,), invent a name that fits the register.
Name the purpose, then state it early
Most letters do one or two jobs: request, complain, apologise, explain, thank, invite, suggest, apply, or give news. Find the main job in the situation sentence, not the bullets. In the neighbour prompt the purpose is to ask for help; the reason and the offer are supporting content. State it in your first one or two sentences:
Formal: I am writing to request a refund for a coffee machine I bought from your Kingsway branch on 3 March.
Semi-formal: I’m writing to ask whether you might be able to help me out while I’m away from 10 to 24 July.
Informal: I’ve got a favour to ask – any chance you could keep an eye on my flat next month?
In an informal letter, one warm opening line (It was great to see you at Maya’s party!) is natural, but the purpose should still arrive in the first paragraph.
Cover, then extend, every bullet
A bullet is covered when you mention it and extended when you develop it. Band 7 needs every bullet covered; Band 8+ needs every bullet developed. Build each in three layers:
State:I’ll be away on a training course in Leeds.
Add specifics (when, where, who, how much): It runs from 10 to 24 July.
Add a consequence or next step:so the house will be empty for the whole fortnight.
Invented details are expected, but they must be plausible and relevant to the purpose. Your cousin’s wedding plans add words, not Task Achievement, to a letter about watering plants.
Watch for two-part bullets. Say when and where you would like to meet needs a time and a place; answering half is a partial answer.
Keep the bullets balanced, at roughly 40–50 words each. A letter that spends 150 words on bullet 1 and one sentence on each of the others is covered unevenly, which is a Band 6 feature.
Choose the tone, then hold it
Tone comes from the reader and the purpose. A complaint to a neighbour you like is firm but friendly; a request to a company is polite and precise. Keep the same level from greeting to sign-off.
Marker
Formal
Semi-formal
Informal
Contractions
None
Some
Natural
Requests
I would be grateful if you could…
Would you mind…?
Any chance you could…?
Closing line
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks so much in advance.
Can’t wait to hear from you!
A structure that works for every letter
Greeting → purpose paragraph → one paragraph per bullet (in the prompt’s order unless another is clearly more logical) → a closing line → sign-off and name. Aim for 160–200 words; beyond about 220, extra length rarely adds marks and often adds errors.
Worked examples
Exam technique
Decode (1 minute): underline the reader, circle every verb in the bullets, and note the register and purpose in the margin.
Plan (2 minutes): one line per bullet with two extension details; split two-part bullets at and.
Write (14 minutes): purpose first, then one paragraph per bullet.
Check (3 minutes): tick each bullet (and each part); match the sign-off to the greeting; scan for contractions in a formal letter; confirm you are over 150 words.
Don’t copy the bullets (I will now explain why I will be away): just explain.
Don’t write addresses or a date. They are not required and earn nothing.
Common mistakes
Quick recap
The situation gives the purpose, the reader sets the register, and the bullets are your checklist.
State the purpose in the first one or two sentences.
Extend every bullet: state it, add specifics, add a consequence or next step.
Answer both parts of two-part bullets and keep the bullets balanced.
Match greeting and sign-off, and hold one tone throughout.
Write one paragraph per bullet: 160–200 words in about 20 minutes.
A missing bullet limits Task Achievement to about Band 5.