As promised I also want to look at the letter which forms task 1 for General Training students. There are things regarding the letter that also need to be taken into account, very important amongst these is the ability to use different tenses and organise a series of events logically and clearly. However, if you follow these three things when constructing your letter you should be able to manage the grammar and vocabulary easily.
1. Identify the type of letter required
There are three types of letter in IELTS General Training Task 1: formal (to someone you do not know), informal (to someone you know well) and semi-formal, this could be to someone you know well about a formal matter or to someone you don’t know very well about an informal matter (you may be inviting former classmates to a formal reunion or you may be writing to a restaurant thanking them about a wonderful meal you had there).
The language you use for each of these will be different.
Formal:
You need to be objective, polite and clear. State the facts clearly and say what you want the person to do. Don’t blame them - we tend not to do this in English. To avoid blame or being too familiar we use the passive – so this will feature in your letter quite substantially. Don’t give too much detail about your story or include too much emotion – be dispassionate. Be precise and to the point and state clearly what you want them to do. Here is an example.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a second-year student of economics living in Bramcote Halls of Residence with a roommate from the same course. There are several problems with this arrangement which are affecting both my academic results as well as my health and I write in the hope that you can assist me.
My roommate invites friends to our room almost every day and they stay drinking and talking until the early hours of the morning. This makes it impossible for me to work and also sleep. As he sleeps all day following these parties, then he never tidies or cleans his part of the room and I am living in a constant untidy state which, despite my efforts, never improves. Dirty cups, plates and other debris remain for weeks. I have tried to reason with him but he is not concerned and refuses to change any of his behaviour.
Unless I can change my living accommodation, I am unlikely to pass this year and may need to leave the course. I am also taking sleeping tablets and my doctor thinks I may need anti-depressants too. I urge you to give me alternative accommodation with a single room in a quieter block. I really hope that you are able to do this as soon as possible and eagerly await your response.
Yours faithfully,
Joseph Turner
Informal
Here you need to be friendly and write as if your are speaking. Use contractions, idioms and phrasal verbs. Imagine you are speaking to your friend. Add in pleasantries such as I hope you are well, we must meet up soon, I can’t wait to hear from you etc. Include something about your shared experience – do you remember when… and don’t jump straight to the topic - have a preamble first. Try to include some emotion, be friendly and enjoy the experience of writing this type of letter. Here is an example.
Dear Emily,
Thank you so much for agreeing to come and dog-sit Toby for me next month. I really appreciate this and I hope that you will also get some time to relax here and see the sights.
I usually feed him twice a day, a cup of biscuits in the morning (there is a small cup next to the box) and half a can of meat with a handful biscuits in the evening. You’ll need to top up his water regularly as he drinks quite a lot. He needs to go out for a short walk after breakfast.
If you need me urgently you can use the phone in the kitchen to call my mobile (+44 7766 985421). I’ll leave an itinerary on the fridge in case of emergencies.
I have one other favour to ask if you don’t mind. Could you give my plants a water once a week? I have 3 beautiful orchids that were given to me by my mother and I would hate them to die.
Thank you again and please help yourself to food and drink in the flat.
I’m looking forward to seeing you on the 31st when I get back.
Lots of love
Maggie
Semi-formal
This is probably the hardest as it is a mix of both formal and informal. You can be a little chatty but not too much and you can be quite formal in parts but make sure it’s clear that you know the person - don’t be too detached. Here is an example.
Dear Classmate
As a member of the Class of ’97 at Alverton High School I would like to invite you to a class reunion.
This will be a fun night, a chance to meet with your old classmates and their families and remember your younger days and all the things you did – or didn’t do! Many of our old teachers have also been invited and so this will be an opportunity to talk with your teachers - rather than be talked at by your teachers!
The night will include a 3-course meal with wine, music, dancing and of course a few stories from our past.
The date of the event is Saturday June 10th at Alverton Golf Club and the evening will start at 7.30 with pre-dinner drinks and end around midnight.
This invitation is going out to all former class members, their families and teaching staff and we really hope that everyone will be able to come along.
Please RSVP to this letter and let us know how many people will be in your party by Friday April 3rd.
I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone.
Yours sincerely,
Jonnie March
2. Imagine the situation in your head
If the event that you are asked to write about happened to you then have this in your head as you write. What happened, what did you do. How did it end? A picture in your mind is very helpful as you can imagine the scene and write in a logical step-by-step way. If you haven’t experienced it then use your imagination and think about how it might happen and how you would feel. What would you want the person to do and how would you ask then to do this?
If your holiday was ruined by the travel company – how would you react, what would you expect?
If you needed your friend to look after your dog for a few days – how would you ask them. What instructions would you give?
If you wanted to make suggestions to your boss about something at work – how would you approach them, what would you say? How would you persuade them?
3. What reply do you want to your letter
You should write your letter to achieve a certain outcome. Think about the response of the person when they receive your letter. What will they do? How will they respond? What will the letter of reply look like. Will it be what you expect?
Construct your letter to get this reply and make sure that each sentence tells them exactly how you feel and what you expect them to do whether this is to replace your credit card or book a ticket for your high school reunion. If you think about your desired reply as you write then the chances are you will construct a great letter!