An IELTS Letter is the Task 1 for General Training.
On the following pages you can view some letter writing samples.
Included below each letter are comments so you can understand what is good about the example, and, therefore, know how to best write your own letters for IELTS.
These are all written by an IELTS instructor, so they are examples of letters that would achieve a high band score.
The pages have the main types of IELTS letter topics for you to view.
Sample Letter 1 - Personal: Informal
Sample Letter 2 - Request: Semi-formal
Sample Letter 3 - Complaint: Formal
You want to sell your television. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from you. Write a letter to your friend.
In your letter:
Write at least 150 words
You do NOT need to write any addresses
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear……..,
Dear Gary,
Hope you are doing well.
I’m doing fine, though my life is quite hectic at the moment because, as you know, I am moving abroad and there is so much to do!
There are a few things that I can’t take with me because they are too big so I am seeing if any of my friends would be interested in buying them. One of the things I do not want to take with me is my television, and I thought you might like to buy it off me for a cheap price.
It’s a 32“ flat screen TV, and it’s a Phillips model. It has a USB port so you can just plug in a thumb drive to watch movies or listen to music. It has great stereo surround sound.
As you know, I’m leaving the country at the end of the month, which is only two weeks away. So if you want to see it, it would be best to come on 20th or 21st. That will give me time to sell it elsewhere if you are not interested.
Ok, I look forward to seeing you. Let me know if you can’t make it.
All the best,
John.
(202 Words)
Overall it is a good answer meeting all the requirements.
The IELTS letter addresses the three key points in the task about the television – why it’s being sold (paragraphs 1 and 2), it’s description (paragraph 3), and some possible dates (paragraph 4).
It is clearly organized with each key point being addressed in a separate paragraph.
The tone is appropriate – informal as it is being sent to a friend (Hope you are doing well…, so much to do!..., All the best...).
There is also evidence of the ability to use a mix of complex sentence structures correctly (though my life…, because…, that I can’t…, if any of my friends…, which is only…, as you know…), and correct usage of modality (can’t…, would…, might…, will…).
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