TYPES OF LETTERS IN IELTS GENERAL TRAINING
IELTS General training test is bit different from IELTS Academic test in terms of Writing task 1 as in GT the task 1 is a letter while in academic test it is a report but the word limit is the same of 150 words. For general training aspirants it is necessary to know the different types of letters which appear in the exam so that they can practice them following the tips and structure. So here are TYPES OF LETTERS IN IELTS GENERAL TRAINING TEST
Type 1: A letter of complaint or apology
In this letter type you may need to apologize for something you have done or not done, or make a complaint about someone else. Remember that an apology letter can be formal or informal depending on the context, but letters of complaint are generally formal. Examples of these types of letters-
| Complaint | Apology |
| You have bought a new camera but when you got it home you found it had some problems. You returned the camera and spoke to the company representative a week ago but the camera has still not been repaired. Write a letter to the company. In your letter: Introduce yourselfExplain the situationSay what action you would like the company to take | You missed an important meeting at work. Write a letter to your manager. In your letter: Apologize for not attendingExplain why you did not attendSay what you will do to make up for it |
Type 2: A letter asking for or giving information
In this type of letter, you will need to give or ask for any information. Remember that the letter questions have a number of bullet points and you need to cover all in your response.
| Asking for information | Giving information |
| Write a letter to the bank manager requesting for information about the bank loan and in your letter, write the following: Why you are writing the letterWhat is the amount of bank loan you needWhen you are able to repay the loan | Your local travel agent recommended a place to visit and you are now having a good time there. Write a letter to your travel agent and tell them the following: what you have been doingwhat you hope to do before the end of your holidaysay why you like this place |
Type 3: A letter of thanks or making a request
In this letter type you need to say thanks or make a request to someone. Keep in mind the vocabulary to be used in this type should be polite and friendly and it should not sound rude.
| A letter of thanks | A letter of request |
| Last month you had a holiday overseas where you stayed with some friends. They have just sent you some photos of your holiday. Write a letter to your friends. In your letter: thank them for the photos and for the holidayexplain why you didn’t write earlierinvite them to come and stay with you | You are a member of a local group which provides a free service for your community. You have a special request for extra help. Write a letter to the group leader. thank him/her for their workexplain what you need help withsuggest what you could do in return Say how this might benefit the community. |
Type 4: A letter asking for or giving suggestions / recommendations
For this type of letter, you need to know how to present a suggestion or recommendation.
| A letter of suggestions | A letter of recommendation |
| Your cousin is about to apply to university. He/she cannot decide whether to study history which was their favorite subject at school or a business degree which may relate more directly to a future career and has asked you for your advice. Write a letter to your cousin. In your letter: • make suggestions regarding which decision you think is better • suggest other ways they could find out more information • invite him/her to visit you to talk more about the subject | One of your friends wants to apply for a job that involves working with foreign teenagers. Write a letter of recommendation for him/her. In your letter, express: how well you know your friendwhat qualifications he/she haswhy you think she would be suitable for the job |
Type 5: Letters about likes, dislikes, needs and wants
For this type of letter you need a good range of vocabulary, so you need to be confident that you can talk about preferences and interests in formal and informal ways.
Likes, dislikes, needs and wants:
You have a new pen pal and you are writing your first letter to them.
Write a letter to your pen pal. In your letter
• give some background information about you and your life
• talk about what foods you like/dislike
• talk about what you like doing in your spare time
