IELTS General Writing: Formal Letters
This tests whether you can write a clear, appropriately formal letter to someone you do not know well (a manager, official, company or landlord), covering all three bullet points and using the right level of politeness.
What this question looks like
In General Training Task 1, you are given a situation and three bullet points telling you what to include. Formal letters are addressed to someone in a position of authority or someone you don't know personally, such as a hotel manager, council official, employer or company. You must write at least 150 words in about 20 minutes, using a formal or semi-formal opening and closing, and cover every bullet point clearly.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Identify the recipient and relationship: if you know their name, use 'Dear Mr/Ms [Surname]' and close with 'Yours sincerely'; if you don't know their name, use 'Dear Sir or Madam' and close with 'Yours faithfully'.
- 2Underline the three bullet points in the task and plan one paragraph per bullet, in the order they appear, so nothing is missed.
- 3Open with a short sentence stating who you are and why you are writing, without small talk or personal chat (this is not a letter to a friend).
- 4Use formal vocabulary and structures throughout: 'I am writing to inform you that...', 'I would be grateful if...', 'Please could you...', avoiding contractions and casual phrases.
- 5Make requests and complaints politely but clearly, using modal verbs (would, could, might) rather than direct commands, and keep a respectful, professional tone even if you are frustrated.
- 6End with a clear statement of what you want to happen next and a polite closing line before signing off.
Worked example
You recently stayed at a hotel and were unhappy with the service. Write a letter to the hotel manager. In your letter: explain when you stayed and why, describe the problems you experienced, say what you would like the manager to do.
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with my recent stay at your hotel from 3rd to 6th March, which I booked for a family celebration. Unfortunately, several issues affected my stay. Firstly, the room I had reserved with a sea view was not available, and I was given a room overlooking the car park instead, with no explanation or apology from staff. Secondly, the air conditioning in the room did not work properly, making it very difficult to sleep, despite two calls to reception. Finally, breakfast, which was included in the price, was not served on the final morning because the restaurant closed earlier than advertised. Given these problems, I would be grateful if you could look into what happened and consider offering a partial refund or a discount voucher for a future stay. I would also appreciate an explanation as to why the room allocation and breakfast service did not match what had been agreed at the time of booking. I look forward to hearing from you and hope this matter can be resolved satisfactorily. Yours faithfully, A. Rahman
The recipient's name is unknown, so it opens with 'Dear Sir or Madam' and closes with 'Yours faithfully', matching the formal register. Each bullet point gets its own paragraph: dates and reason for the stay, then the three specific problems, then the requested resolution. The tone stays polite and controlled even while complaining, using phrases like 'I would be grateful if' and 'I would also appreciate' instead of blunt demands, which is exactly what examiners look for at band 7+ for tone and Task Achievement.
Try it yourself
Write a full formal letter of at least 150 words. Cover all three bullet points in the order given, choose the correct greeting and closing, and keep the tone consistently formal.
You recently ordered a piece of furniture online but it arrived damaged. Write a letter to the company. In your letter: describe what you ordered and when, explain what was wrong with it, say what you would like the company to do.
Common mistakes
- !Using 'Dear Sir or Madam' but then closing with 'Yours sincerely' (or vice versa) instead of matching it correctly with 'Yours faithfully'.
- !Writing in an overly casual style, using contractions (I'm, don't), exclamation marks or chatty openers like 'Hope you're well!' which don't suit a formal register.
- !Missing or barely mentioning one of the three bullet points, which directly limits the Task Achievement score no matter how good the language is.
- !Being too aggressive or emotional in a complaint letter instead of firm but polite, which can feel unprofessional to an examiner.
- !Forgetting to sign off with a full name (or just a first name) when the task implies a formal signature is expected.
Quick quiz
1. You are asked to write to a company but you are not given the name of a specific person. Which greeting and closing pair is correct?
2. A task gives three bullet points describing what your letter must include. What is the safest structural approach?
3. Which sentence best fits the formal tone required for this letter type?
4. In a formal complaint letter, how should requests generally be phrased?
Practise this in a real IELTS test
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Take a free Writing testIELTS General Writing: Formal Letters — FAQ
How do I know if a letter should be formal, semi-formal or informal?
Look at who you are writing to. Formal letters go to people you don't know personally or people in authority, such as a manager, landlord or official, and use titles or 'Dear Sir or Madam'. Informal letters go to friends or family and use first names and casual language; semi-formal sits between the two, such as writing to a colleague you know a little.
Do I need to invent a real address or date at the top of the letter?
No, IELTS General Training letters do not require a full postal address or date; you simply start with the greeting, such as 'Dear Sir or Madam' or 'Dear Mr Patel', and move straight into the body. Focus your time on covering the bullet points well rather than formatting an address block.
How formal is too formal, and can I show any frustration in a complaint letter?
You can and should show that you are unhappy, using phrases like 'I was extremely disappointed to find...' or 'This is not what I expected', but keep it controlled and professional rather than rude or emotional. Examiners reward a firm, polite tone over aggressive language, since it reflects real-world appropriate communication.