General Training Module TASK -1
You need to know the phrases for opening and closing a letter for the General Training Task One.
This can vary according to who you are writing to.
There are three types of letter that you may come across in this task:
- Formal
- Semi-formal
- Informal
Each of these open and close in a different way.
Opening and Closing a Formal Letter
A formal letter will usually be to some kind of company.
For example:
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Bank
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Insurance Company
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Airline
This means that you are usually writing to someone you do not know.
Opening the Letter
Dear + ?
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Sir = you know it is a man
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Madam = you know it is a woman
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Sir / Madam = you don’t know
Closing the Letter
The way you open it determines how you close it. You gave it a formal opening, and therefore it needs a formal closing.
If you have opened a letter as above, then this is how you close it:
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Yours faithfully,
Semi-formal Letter
A semi-formal letter will usually be to someone you know, or at least you know their name.
For example:
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Landlord
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Employer
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Librarian
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Doctor
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School Counsellor
Opening the Letter
To open the letter, you use the family or surname (not the first or full name). They differ depending on whether it is to a man or a woman.
Example 1: To a man
Paul Jones = You know his name and it’s a man.
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Dear Mr Jones,
Example 2: To a woman
Julie Smith – You know it’s a woman but is she married or not?
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Dear Miss Smith, = You know she is unmarried or single.
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Dear Mrs Smith, = You know she is married or a widow (married when her husband died).
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Dear Ms Smith, = Neutral i.e. you don’t know if she’s married or not (best for IELTS as you will not know).
Closing the Letter
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Yours sincerely,
Informal
An informal letter is to someone you know every well, like a friend or family.
Opening
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Dear John,
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Dear Mary,
Closing
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Best wishes,
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Best regards,
You travelled by long distance bus recently and your suitcase was damaged.
Write a letter to the bus company. In your letter
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inform the bus company of when and to where you travelled
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describe your suitcase and what happened to it
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explain why the company should pay for a new suitcase
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
A construction company finished renovations at your home recently. You are not happy with their work.
Write a letter to complain to the manager about this matter.
In your letter explain :
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what type of repairs were done
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what are you not happy about
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what do you suggest, as a solution
You should write at least 150 words.
You do NOT need to write any address.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear _
Excited= adjective
Understanding IELTS letters questions
This is a quick lesson on task achievement and understanding IELTS letters questions. The idea is that there are certain points examiners will look for in your letters to see how well you have answered the question. These are:
content
purpose
tone
To get these right you need to focus clearly on the question before you write.
How IELTS letter questions work
The questions look like this.
One of your colleagues is leaving for a new job, your manager has asked you to arrange a leaving party for him.
Write a letter to your manager and
Suggest a suitable day and time for the party
Recommend a place
Discuss about the food and entertainment options available
You should start your letter
Dear
The part in blue is an introductory statement that tells you what has happened and why you have decided to write a letter. Focusing on the spat is key to help you understand the purpose of the letter.
The part in red gives you the content of the letter – 3 points you must include
The part in green shows you how to start the letter and is a clue to how formal/informal it should be.