General Training Writing Task 1 · Lesson 7 of 7
General Training: writing letters
Choose the right tone, begin and end correctly, cover every bullet point and write a firm, polite letter of complaint.
In this lesson you will
- write in the correct tone: formal, semi-formal or informal
- begin and end your letter correctly
- use small talk in an informal letter
- cover all three bullet points
- write a firm, polite letter of complaint
Part A
The General Training letter
In General Training Writing Task 1, you write a letter of at least 150 words in about 20 minutes. The question describes a situation and gives you three bullet points. You do not need to write any addresses, and the question tells you to begin your letter with Dear…
You recently bought a coffee machine from a company whose products your family has used for many years. The machine stopped working after one week.
Write a letter to the company. In your letter:
- describe what you bought
- explain what happened
- say what you want the company to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows: Dear ……………,
| Band | Task Achievement (General Training) |
|---|---|
| 8 | “All bullet points are clearly presented, and appropriately illustrated or extended.” |
| 7 | “It presents a clear purpose. The tone is consistent and appropriate to the task.” |
| 6 | “The purpose is generally clear. There may be minor inconsistencies in tone.” |
| 5 | “The purpose may be unclear at times. The tone may be variable and sometimes inappropriate.” |
| 4 | “Not all bullet points are presented.” |
Part B
Choose your tone
Before you write, ask who will read your letter. Your choice of tone decides everything else, and it must stay the same from beginning to end.
| Formal | Semi-formal | Informal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reader | A company or someone you have not met | Someone you know, but not as a friend: a landlord, manager or neighbour | A friend or relative |
| Begin | Dear Sir or Madam, (no name) Dear Ms Wong, (a name you know) | Dear Mr Patel, | Dear Maria, |
| Language | No contractions, polite and precise | Polite and friendly, with few or no contractions | Contractions, phrasal verbs and everyday words |
| Closing line | I look forward to hearing from you. | Thank you for your help with this. | Take care, and see you soon! |
| Sign off | Yours faithfully, (Sir or Madam) Yours sincerely, (a name) | Kind regards, Yours sincerely, | Best wishes, All the best, |
| Your name | Full name | Full name | First name |
What tone do you need?
You are writing to…
- an airline, to complain about lost luggage
- your best friend, to invite them to a party
- your landlord, whom you have met several times, to report a broken window
- the manager of a hotel where you have never stayed, to ask about prices
- a colleague you know quite well, to ask them to cover your shift
- your cousin, to thank them for a birthday present
Match the beginning and the end
A complimentary close is the phrase just before your name.
- Dear Sir or Madam,
- Dear Ms Wong,
- Dear Tom,
Formal or informal?
- I am writing to enquire about your evening courses.
- Just a quick note to say thanks!
- I would be grateful if you could send me the details.
- Can you do me a favour?
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- Write back soon!
- Please accept my apologies.
- Sorry about that!
Keep your tone consistent
Choose the letter extract with a consistent, suitable tone.
- To a company:
- To a friend:
Part C
Open your letter
The descriptors reward “a clear purpose”, so the reader must quickly understand why you are writing.
- Formal and semi-formal letters: state your purpose in the first sentence or two.
- Informal letters: begin with small talk, then move to your purpose with a phrase such as Anyway, the reason I'm writing is…
Choose the opening
Which opening matches each purpose?
- Your new phone does not work.
- You would like information about a language course.
- You missed an important meeting.
- A company gave you excellent service.
- You need a copy of your certificate.
Is it good small talk?
Which sentences could begin an informal letter to a friend?
- How are you? It's been ages since we last spoke.
- I hope you and the family are keeping well.
- I am writing to inform you of my intentions.
- Sorry I haven't been in touch for so long.
- Dear Sir, I trust this letter finds you well.
A model informal letter
Notice the small talk, the contractions and the friendly closing. The question asked the writer to say how they feel about a friend's visit, suggest some things to do and offer to help with arrangements.
Dear Maria,
How are you? It's been ages since we last spoke, and I hope you and the family are keeping well. Life has been pretty hectic here because I've just started a new job, but I'm really enjoying it.
Anyway, I was so excited to hear that you're finally coming to visit next month! I can't wait to show you around, and it'll be great to catch up properly.
There's plenty to do while you're here. We could wander around the old town, which is full of lovely little cafés, and if the weather's nice, we could take a boat trip along the river. You definitely need to try the street food too!
Let me know when your flight gets in, and I'll pick you up from the airport. You're very welcome to stay with me, so don't worry about booking a hotel.
Take care, and see you soon!
Best wishes,
Alex
Find the bullet points
Which bullet point does each paragraph answer?
- “Anyway, I was so excited…”
- “There's plenty to do while you're here…”
- “Let me know when your flight gets in…”
Each bullet point has its own paragraph, and each one is extended with details. This is what the higher bands reward.
Part D
Letters of complaint
A strong letter of complaint is firm, but it is never rude. Two techniques make your complaint more powerful:
- Show that you have been a loyal customer: My family and I have used your products for many years, and we were very disappointed…
- Hint that you may stop doing business with them: I am afraid that we will have no choice but to take our business elsewhere.
| Purpose | Useful language |
|---|---|
| Show your disappointment | I was very disappointed to find that… / I was extremely unhappy with… |
| Say what you want | I would be grateful if you could… / I would appreciate a full refund. |
| Hint at ending the relationship | If this matter is not resolved, I will have no choice but to take my business elsewhere. / I will have to reconsider using your company in future. |
Complete the complaint
Type one word in each gap.
- My family and I have your products for many years.
- We were very with this latest purchase.
- I would be if you could refund the full cost.
- I will have no but to take my business elsewhere.
- I look to hearing from you.
Firm, polite or rude?
Choose the best ending for a letter of complaint.
Build the letter
Use the arrow buttons to put the four paragraphs in order.
- I would therefore be grateful if you could either replace the machine or refund the full cost by the end of this month. I have enclosed a copy of my receipt for your reference.
- I am writing to complain about a coffee machine that I purchased from your Riverside store on 3 May.
- If this matter is not resolved by then, I am afraid that my family and I will have no choice but to take our business elsewhere.
- My family and I have used your products for many years, and we were very disappointed with this latest purchase. The machine, a Model X200, cost £120 and was intended as a birthday gift for my mother. However, it stopped working after only one week. When it is switched on, the power light flashes and no water passes through. I have contacted your customer service department twice, but nobody has replied to my messages.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to complain about a coffee machine that I purchased from your Riverside store on 3 May.
My family and I have used your products for many years, and we were very disappointed with this latest purchase. The machine, a Model X200, cost £120 and was intended as a birthday gift for my mother. However, it stopped working after only one week. When it is switched on, the power light flashes and no water passes through. I have contacted your customer service department twice, but nobody has replied to my messages.
I would therefore be grateful if you could either replace the machine or refund the full cost by the end of this month. I have enclosed a copy of my receipt for your reference.
If this matter is not resolved by then, I am afraid that my family and I will have no choice but to take our business elsewhere.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Alex Chen
Part E
Write your own letter
You rent a flat, and the heating has stopped working. Think about your tone before you begin. You have met your landlord, Mr Patel, several times.
Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter:
- explain the problem
- say how it is affecting you
- say what you would like your landlord to do
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Mr Patel,
Write your letter
Dear Mr Patel,
I hope you are well. I am writing to let you know about a problem with the heating in the flat.
The radiators in both bedrooms stopped working last Monday. I have tried resetting the boiler, as you suggested when I moved in, but they are still cold.
As you can imagine, this has been quite difficult during the recent cold weather. My children have been sleeping in the living room, where we have a small electric heater, and it is taking much longer to dry our clothes.
I would be very grateful if you could arrange for someone to look at the boiler this week. I am at home most evenings after six, and I am happy to let an engineer in at a time that suits you.
Thank you for your help with this. Please let me know if you need any further information.
Kind regards,
Alex Chen
- Have I chosen one tone and kept to it?
- Does my first paragraph make my purpose clear?
- Have I covered all three bullet points, with details?
- Have I used a suitable closing line and complimentary close?
- Have I written at least 150 words?
Lesson and model letters by Tips4IELTS.