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.::. Simon .::. IELTS General Writing Task 1 .::.----------------------------------------------------------------------------IELTS General Writing: another informal letterHere's a recent question from task 1 of the general writing test:IELTS General Writing: informal letterI wrote the following letter with some of my students here in Manchester. It contains some great examples of informal phrases. Can you guess what the full question was?IELTS General Writing: resignation letterHere's my full answer for?last week's question:IELTS General Writing: resignation questionI haven't done a lesson about the general writing test for a while, so here's a question that you could try. I'll post my full answer next week.IELTS General Writing: 'new business' letterHere's my full letter for?last week's question:IELTS General Writing: 'new business' letterI haven't done a lesson about the General Writing test for a while, so here's an interesting question that a student sent me. I'll share my answer next week.Remember that the examiner is looking for the following things:The tone must be appropriate (formal or informal)The purpose of the letter must be clearYou must cover all of the pointsThe letter must be well-organizedYou need to use some good (and relevant) vocabularyIELTS General Writing: environment letterHere's my full letter for?last week's question:IELTS General Writing: environment problemHere's a recent question from General IELTS writing task 1:My advice is to choose an easy topic like "litter". Write a quick plan with ideas for each bullet point. If you need some help, have a look at?this website.IELTS General Writing: one tipYesterday I forgot to mention my key piece of advice for writing task 1 in the General Training test. If I had to choose one key piece of advice for GT task 1, I'd say that you need to get the 'tone' right.The tone of your letter is its character or attitude, either formal or informal. For a summary of the differences between formal and informal letters, read?this lesson.IELTS General Writing: verb tensesLet's look again at the letter I wrote last week. One interesting thing to notice is the variety of verb tenses:Present simpleI take, the overcrowding means, this is...Present continuousI am writing, passengers are becoming, delays are making...Present perfectmy train has arrived, I have been unable, I have seen...Futureyou will addressIELTS General Training: complaint letterHere's my letter for?last week's?question:IELTS General Training: letter of complaintLet's do a quick plan for the question below.Problems: trains arrive late and are overcrowdedEffects: people arriving late for work, uncomfortable, unhappyChanges: more regular trains, more carriages to increase spaceAlways do a quick plan! The plan above only took me a couple of minutes, and now I'm ready to write a good essay. I'll post it next week.IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' letterHere's my full sample letter for?last week's?question:IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' topicBefore you start writing, quickly note down some ideas for each point:Problem: I was given the wrong boarding card.Effect: I missed two days of my holiday.Request: I would like compensation for the flight and other expenses.Don't worry about whether the problem seems realistic or not. You will be judged according to how well you express ideas, not on the ideas themselves.IELTS General Writing: some informal phrasesThe phrases below make the letter in?this lesson?a bit more friendly / informal:my place (meaning 'my house')a few things (avoid the word 'thing' in more formal contexts)pick up the keys (meaning 'collect')pop round (meaning 'visit')a bit warmer ('bit' is informal, use 'little' if you want to sound more formal)worth checking out (meaning 'a good idea to go there')IELTS General Writing: a friend's visitHere's my full band 9 letter for the question in?this lesson:IELTS General Writing: planning ideasIt's a good idea to write a quick plan before you start writing your letter. Take this question for example:Here's my quick plan:Informal style - friend's name can be John.Quick greeting and reason for writing.Neighbour at number 10 has keys. Visit any time after 5pm.Instructions about turning the heating off and opening the windows.Good local restaurant and a traditional festival in the town during his visit.IELTS General Writing: the opening sentenceAfter writing "Dear..." it's a good idea to establish the main purpose of the letter straight away in your opening sentence. Here are some examples:1. Formal letter (e.g. complaining to a manager)I am writing to complain about the unacceptable state of the room I was given, and the unhelpful attitude of certain members of staff at your hotel.2. Semi-formal letter (e.g. inviting a neighbor) My wife and I would like to invite you to a dinner party at our home next Saturday evening.3. Informal letter (e.g. thanking a friend)I hope you're well. I'm just writing to say thanks for letting me stay over at your house while I was in London last week.IELTS General Writing: use the InternetThere are plenty of websites giving advice to native English speakers about how to write letters. Try a Google search for "how to write letters" or?click here?to see a website that has some good sample letters.Note:?In the IELTS test, you should not write an address or date at the top of your letter. Apart from that, sample letters on websites like the one above can teach you a lot.IELTS General Writing: letter to a tutorHere's my full band 9 answer to?last week's question:IELTS General Writing: letter to a tutorThe following question comes from Cambridge IELTS book 5.You have a full-time job and are also doing a part-time evening course. You now find that you cannot continue the course. Write a letter to the course tutor. In your letterdescribe the situationexplain why you cannot continue at this timesay what action you would like to takeThere are three main things to consider before writing your essay:1. Tone (formal or informal)Sometimes students are friendly with their tutors, but I think it would be better to write a formal letter. Start with your tutor’s surname (e.g. Dear Mr. Smith,) and end with “Yours sincerely,”. Avoid contractions (write “I am” instead of “I’m”), and avoid using informal idioms or expressions. Be polite rather than friendly.2. PurposeThe main purpose of this letter is to inform your tutor that you are leaving the course. Make this clear straight away (e.g. I am writing to inform you that...). Then cover the three points, writing a short paragraph for each.3. IdeasI recommend spending a few minutes planning ideas for each of the task points before you start writing. You need to decide what the evening course is about, what your full-time job is, a reason why you are too busy with work to continue with the course, and whether you want to leave completely or perhaps continue at a later date.IELTS General Writing: semi-formal?IELTS books and teachers sometimes talk about formal, semi-formal, and informal letters. But a student asked me an interesting question recently:Can we make things easier by forgetting about "semi-formal"?Actually, I think the answer is?yes! When writing to a colleague or neighbour, you can write in a friendly, informal way using the informal features mentioned in?this lesson. I can't really think of any reason why we need the "semi-formal" category for IELTS writing purposes. Your letter will be either formal or friendly!Note:Feel free to disagree with me if you can find a reason why we need the semi-formal category. Maybe I've missed something.IELTS General Writing: how to start and end lettersIt's important to start and end letters in the correct way, depending on who you are writing to. The table below should give you all you need.Note:You should follow the rules for formal letters, but there are many ways to end an informal letter. The main thing is to avoid mixing formal and informal.IELTS General Training: informal and formalFor my first two General Training lessons I wrote examples of an informal and a formal letter. Today I want to highlight some of the differences between rmal letter:Beginning: Dear + first nameFriendly greeting: I hope this letter finds you well.Contractions: I'm, didn't, couldn't, there's...Questions: Do you remember...? Why don't you...?Exclamation: ...earlier than I thought it was!Linking: Well, Anyway, so, andPhrases: had a great time, couldn't have asked for, working flat out, back to normalEnding: Hope to see you soon + first nameFormal letter:Beginning: Dear Sir or MadamNo greeting necessaryNo contractions: I am, did not...Normally avoid direct questions: "I would like" instead of "Can I have?"No exclamation marks (!)Linking: However, Consequently, and, alsoPhrases and vocabulary: with regard to, appliance, it was installed, the following day, failed to (meaning "didn't"), procedure, he assured me, report the issue, contacted, under warranty, I am entitled to, replacement, phone me personallyEnding: I await your prompt response, Yours faithfully + full nameNote:Both letters also contain 'neutral' vocabulary that can be used in any type of letter. For example, I didn't highlight words like 'hosts', 'deadline' or 'assignment' because they could be used in both formal and informal contexts.IELTS General Training: formal letterToday I'm attaching a model answer for a 'formal letter' question.Click here to downloadIt would be a good idea to print last week's?informal letter?and compare it with today's formal letter. In particular, compare the 'tone' and the vocabulary.IELTS General Training: informal letterFor my first lesson about IELTS General Training task 1, I'm attaching a model answer with an analysis task. The analysis task encourages you to look at the letter through the eyes of an examiner.Click here to downloadA few key things to remember:The 'tone' of the letter must be appropriate (i.e. formal or informal).The purpose of the letter must be clear.You must cover all of the points. Write an equal amount for each.The letter must be well-organised, with logically connected ideas.Try to use some good vocabulary, and try not to make too many mistakes!IELTS General Writing: informal lettersLater today I'll publish a video lesson about writing informal letters. Here's the question that you'll see me answer in the lesson.Update: I'm really sorry that I still haven't published this video lesson. I should have time to finally finish it on Wednesday 7th December.IELTS General Writing: formal or informal?Tomorrow I'll share a video lesson about formal letters for General Writing Task 1. If you're doing the General test, think about the question below.Would you write a?formal?or?informal?letter to the following people?1. a hotel manager2. your boss3. the local council4. your child's teacher5. a friend6. a work colleague7. a neighbourIELTS General Writing: 'purpose' sentenceWhen writing a GT task 1 letter, I normally begin with a sentence to introduce the purpose of the letter.A student asked me for help with the "purpose" sentence for the question below:Although the overall purpose of the letter isn't stated in the question, I think we can still write a good purpose sentence. Here's an example:Dear Sir or Madam,I am writing to give you some feedback after the party that my company recently held at your hotel.IELTS General Writing: full answerHere's my band 9 answer for the task in yesterday's lesson:IELTS General Writing: task 1 letterWe haven't looked at a General Writing task 1 for a while, so here's one from Cambridge IELTS book 11:This is a formal letter task, and you would begin with "Dear Sir or Madam". I would probably start with a sentence that explains why I'm writing the letter (e.g. I'm writing with regard to...), and then I would write a short paragraph about each of the bullet points.I'll show you my full answer tomorrow.IELTS General Writing: semi-formal letter?Someone asked me a useful question about 'semi-formal' letters. I've summarised the student's question here:The task in my test was to write to a colleague. In my letter, I used some informal language e.g. I greeted the colleague in a friendly way and I used contractions (I'm, don't, isn't). However, I also included some formal language when asking the colleague to speak at a conference. Is this mix of informal and formal ok?In?this lesson?I wrote that we can forget about "semi-formal" letters. However, in the situation described above, I think it's fine to include both formal and informal language. You can write to a colleague in an informal style, but you may use some formal language when discussing work-related issues. This is what we do in 'real life', so I think it's perfectly acceptable in an IELTS task.IELTS General Writing: some questionsHere are some questions that a student asked me about General Writing task 1:1. Should I write the date at the top of a formal letter?No, in the IELTS test you should not write the date or your address.2. Should I use indentation at the start of a new paragraph?You can either indent or miss a line. Just make sure it's clear that you have begun a new paragraph. Personally, I think missing a line is clearer.3. Should I end the letter with "Yours..." on the left or on the right?Always end the letter on the left. Have a look at my letters on?this page.4. Should I sign the letter before writing my name?No, don't sign your name. You don't even need to put your real name. Personally, I use a first name (e.g. John) for informal letters, and a full name (e.g. John Smith) for formal letters.IELTS General Writing: 'thank you' answerHere's my band 9 answer for the letter writing task in?this lesson:IELTS General Writing: correct the mistakesCan you correct and improve the following sentences, which were written by students below last week's General Writing?lesson?We were looking for a place to gathering and we found it through an adds published on a newspaper.Because it has good rating in the app, my friends and I went to your restaurant.My husband and me visited there to celebrate it. All people around us are looking happy and cheerful.We love to gather, grab a beer and watch some sport every Friday.Keep up with your good work.I couldn't thank enough to make this even more better.IELTS General Writing: 'thank you' letterSeveral people have asked for another lesson about letter writing for the General Training test. Let's look at one of the questions from Cambridge IELTS book 10:I would call this a "thank you" letter task. Before writing your letter, have a look at some "thank you" letters by searching online. There's a good example?here.IELTS General Writing: 'accommodation' answerHere's my letter for the question in?this lesson. Even if you're not doing the General IELTS test, you should find some useful language in my answer. (158 words, band 9)IELTS General Writing: 'accommodation' letterI haven't done a lesson about the General Writing test for a while, so here's a recent exam question that a student sent me. I'll share my answer next week.Remember that the examiner is looking for the following things:The tone must be appropriate (formal or informal)The purpose of the letter must be clearYou must cover all of the pointsThe letter must be well-organizedYou need to use some good (and relevant) vocabularyIELTS General Writing: formal phrasesHere are some formal phrases that I've used in previous lessons. See if you can use them in your own letters:Beginning the letter by explaining why you are writing:I am writing with regard to...I am writing to inform you that...I am writing to bring to your attention some issues with...Requesting or suggesting something:I have decided that I would like you to...I am entitled to ask for...I was wondering if it would be possible (for me) to...I hope that you will...I would like to suggest that...Ending the letter with a request for action:I look forward to receiving your response.I await your prompt response.IELTS General Writing: apology answerHere's my full answer to last week's General Writing?task:IELTS General Writing: apology letterIf you are taking the General IELTS test, try this letter writing task:IELTS General Writing: 'time off work' letterHere's my full answer for last week's general writing?question:.....Dear Mr. Smith,I am writing to ask for some time off work next month.The reason for this ______ is that my brother is getting married. His future wife is Australian, and the wedding will take ______ in her home city, Melbourne. As the brother of the groom, I cannot miss such a special occasion.To attend the ceremony and make the ______ trip from the UK, I would need at least five days off work. However, I would like to take the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Australia, and so I am hoping that you will allow me to take a full two weeks’ ______, from the 1st to the 15th of May.I have spoken to my co-workers, and it seems that Peter Jones would be best ______ to cover my project commitments while I am away. I will ______ detailed instructions for him on my desk.I hope that my request does not cause you any inconvenience.Yours sincerely,Michael Hall.....Fill the gaps with the words below:- round- leave (verb)- leave (noun)- placed- place- requestIELTS General Writing: 'time off work' topicIf you're doing the general IELTS test, try this writing task 1 question from Cambridge book 9, page 117:This should be a formal letter, so start with "Dear Mr. Smith" (Mr. or Mrs. and any surname). Then write a short paragraph for each of the three bullet points in the task box above. End the letter with "Yours sincerely" and a full name (you don't need to use your own name).It might help if you do a quick plan before you start writing. Just spend a couple of minutes thinking of ideas for each bullet point.IELTS General Writing: things to avoidHere are some mistakes that you should avoid in writing task 1 of the GT test:The main purpose of the letter isn't clear.You didn't cover all of the points.You wrote too much about one point, and neglected the others.You didn't separate your paragraphs clearly.You didn't get the 'tone' right (formal or informal).The letter doesn't 'flow' well because ideas are badly organized.Avoid these mistakes, and you are on the way to writing a good letter!IELTS General Writing: 'local problem' letterHere's my full answer for last week's?question:IELTS General Writing: local problemHere's a recent GT question that students told me about. Feel free to share your ideas, and I'll show you my full answer next week.IELTS General Writing: 'insurance' letterHere's my full answer to last week's?question:IELTS General Writing: 'insurance' letterHere's a general writing task 1 question from Cambridge IELTS book 9:The question tells you to begin with "Dear Sir or Madam", so we know that it needs to be a formal letter. After that, you just need 3 short paragraphs to cover the bullet points in the question, followed by a formal letter ending.I'll write my sample answer for next week.IELTS General Writing: formal and informalLet's compare some of the formal and informal features in the two letters that you can see if you click?here.Formal letterBeginning: Dear Sir or MadamStating the purpose: I am writing with regard toFormal choice of language: due to, I intended, as a result of, caused me great inconvenience, compensate me, the additional flightNo contractions: I am (not "I'm")Ending: I look forward to receiving your response. Yours faithfully,Informal letterBeginning: Dear JohnStating the purpose: I'm just writing to let you know thatInformal choice of language: As you know, Well, prices are crazy, on the bright side, it's got nice big windows, a lovely view, if you ever fancy, great to see youUse of contractions: I'm, we've, isn't, it'sEnding: Keep in touch! All the bestIELTS General Writing: toneOne of the first things that the examiner will notice in your letter is its 'tone'. In other words, is your letter written in an appropriately formal or informal way, depending on the person you are addressing?Task:Compare the tone of the two letters in the document linked below. Make a list of the formal and informal features that you find.?Click here?to see the document.IELTS General Writing: 'lost photo' letterHere's my full answer to the question in?this lesson: ................
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