Strategies To Implement In IELTS General Writing Task 1

The task 1 requires you to write either a formal or an informal letter on a given subject. There are usually three bullet points provided in the task rubric for you to address in your letter.

You are required to use 150 words to frame your letter in 20 minutes. The main motive of this writing task is to examine your functional writing skills. It is to check whether you are able to write different types of letters such as to apologize, thank, complain, suggest, give information, or ask for information in an appropriate tone, using the appropriate structure and language.

Once you have read the question, identified the letter type you need to write, make sure you address all the three bullets in your writing, and use an appropriate format and language to solve the task.

The main key elements in the assessment is structuring the letter you write. So, make sure you use the ODAC formula to plan and write your letter.

ODAC is an acronym for four elements of effective letter writing: Opening, Details, Action and Closing. All these four elements must be suitable used in your letter to attain higher IELTS band scores for this task.

Let’s look at each of these elements in detail as well as the language that should be used in each of the sections.

• Opening

The first thing you must do when you read questions promptly given to you is to identify the purpose, type, and context of the letter you have been asked write.

If you have been asked to write a letter to your manager or your professor, it is a formal letter, and if you have been asked to write a friend or a family member it is an informal letter .

The next imperative step is to determine the purpose of writing the letter. Ask yourself what function does this requires me to perform? Is it a letter of complaint, aplopgy ,invitation or is it asking you to convey or obtain some specific information?

In a formal letter, the purpose of writing the letter can be clearly signposted in the following ways,” I am writing to inform you about …..”,/ “In this letter, I wish to raise the issue of ……,”/ “I would like to invite you to conduct a workshop….,” / I am writing to apologise…..”/ “I regret to inform you…..”

In an informal letter, the purpose of the letter need not be so direct and formal. It could be a little more casual like “I just want to thank you for ….” /, “I wanted to ask if you ……”/ I want to share some exciting news with you ….” In both formal and informal letters, the purpose of the letter must be stated in the opening paragraph of the letter.

Strategies to implement in IELTS General

The type of letter you write will also impact the tone of the letter.

So the tone is conveyed by the language you use.

• Details

Generally, in the IELTS General Training writing test, there are three bullet points provided in the prompt to you. When you write your letter makes sure you address all three bullets. You must read each bullet point very carefully. A single bullet point may require you to do two things. For instance, in a letter recommending a friend to do a specific course, the bullet point could be “describe the course and why you think the course is right for him/her.” If you only describe the course but leave out why you are recommending the course for him/her, you will not achieve a higher band.

Also look out for plurals:-

“Describe the things you had in your bag “implies that you’re expected to describe more than one thing in your bag. If you write only about one thing, it won’t fetch you the desired band.

Each bullet point must have a paragraph itself. There should be one central topic which should be the first sentence of the paragraph. Then add two or three sentences to support the central idea of your paragraph . The final sentence of the paragraph is generally a transition sentence that provides a link to the next paragraph.

• Action

The last bullet point of the prompt is generally an action-oriented one. It asks you to give suggestions, take some action or give directions. So, in the last paragraph of your letter, you must clearly state what you are going to do next or what you want the reader of the letter to do.

The action points should be framed as “Therefore, I would like to suggest…..” ” Please let me know whether…..”

For an informal letter, the tone could be slightly more casual like “do let me know if …..”, ” make sure that you follow my directions “, let’s see if we can,” “I really would like you to ….” ” I really hope you can make it …”

These actions statements are generally followed by a reference to future contact.

• CLOSING

The opening and closing of the letter must be in consonance with the formal or informal conventions of letters writing.

Have a look at below:

Salutation

Complimentary close

Usage

Dear Sir/Madam

Yours faithfully

Dear Mr.Sharma/ Miss Shah

Yours sincerely

Dear Rajiv/ Dear Neha