IELTS General Training Writing Task 1: write a purposeful letter
General Training Task 1 practice develops clear letters for a stated situation and reader. GetYour9’s Writing workspace includes a Gen Task 1 category. Use the purpose, required points, and relationship with the reader to plan your answer.
By the GetYour9 team · Updated
Read the situation as well as the bullet points
Open Writing and choose Gen Task 1 for letter practice. Identify why you are writing, who receives the letter, and what you need the reader to know or do.
Original practice situation: You booked a room at a community centre for a workshop, but the room is now unavailable. Write to the centre manager. Explain your booking, describe the problem, and request a suitable alternative.
Make the request concrete and appropriate
A request to a manager benefits from a clear, polite statement of the problem and a practical next step. Formal language should still communicate a precise meaning.
First attempt
The room problem is very bad. Give me a different room soon.
One possible revision
I booked a room for a workshop on Saturday morning, but I have been told it is unavailable. Could you arrange an alternative space for twelve participants at the same time?
The revision identifies the booking and the needed alternative. Its tone fits a request to a manager. A full letter would also explain the relevant problem and include an appropriate opening and closing.
Give each required point enough attention
Mark the sentence or paragraph that covers each instruction. A long introduction cannot compensate for leaving out the requested action.
Do not use the same opening for every letter. A message to a friend and a request to a service manager involve different relationships, even when both concern a change of plan.
For the community-centre situation, which detail helps the request most: the writer’s favourite colour or the number of participants who need a room?
Show explanation
The number of participants helps the manager choose a suitable space. Include details that support the purpose of the letter, then check that all three instructions are covered.
Use feedback to check purpose and tone
After drafting, inspect task coverage before correcting individual words. Could the reader understand the issue and act on the request? Then check that the tone stays consistent throughout.
AI can suggest a rewrite that changes the request or relationship. Keep only changes you understand. GetYour9 bands are practice estimates; these original examples have no official score.
Common questions
Do I need an account to practise?
This guide is public. The practice workspace requires an account, and practice allowances depend on your plan. Check the Pricing page and the allowance shown in your account before starting.
Should every letter be formal?
No. Choose the tone from the situation and your relationship with the recipient. A friend, a manager, and an unfamiliar organisation call for different choices.
Can I practise custom letter prompts?
The Writing workspace includes a Custom category alongside the Academic, General Training, and Task 2 categories. Custom-prompt access is subject to the allowance shown in your account.
References and corrections
- IELTS: official sample test questions — Official tasks and test-format reference; examples on this page are original GetYour9 exercises.
- IELTS: scoring in detail — Official assessment information, separate from GetYour9 practice estimates.
Original teaching examples are illustrative. GetYour9 is not affiliated with or endorsed by the IELTS test owners. Report a content issue or read our Privacy Policy.
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