General Writing Task 1

Democratising quality global education
General Writing Task - 1

Overview of Writing Task - 1
Suggested time spent- 20 minutes
Suggested words- Min 150 (aim for 160)
What is Task 1?
Respond to a given problem by writing a personal informal, semi formal or formal
letter requesting information or explaining a situation.
You will be assessed on your ability to:
● Engage in personal correspondence
● Elicit and provide general factual information
● Express needs, wants, likes and dislikes
● Express opinions (views, complaints etc)
Marking & Assessment
Task 1 scripts are assessed on the following criteria:
Task achievement: how appropriately , accurately, relevantly the response fulfils

the requirements set out in the task (BULLET POINTS)
Coherence and Cohesion: Overall clarity and fluency of message, writing is well
structured, organised with linking words
Lexical resource: wide range of vocabulary, not much repetition
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: very few/ no errors of grammar/ tenses, good
use of complex sentences.
Strategies for Task 1
● Plan (5mins), Write (10 mins), Check (5 mins)
● Planning- Read the task and note down the key words- to identify exactly
what it is that the examiners want you to write about.
● You normally need at least 3 paragraphs.
● Para1- Reason for writing- usually refers to the past.
● Para 2- Expands on the main purpose of the letter- describes a present
situation.
● Para 3- Action to be taken, either by the writer/ the recipient. Refers to the
future.
● Use the correct register. In a formal letter, the final paragraph should end with
‘I look forward to hearing from you’.
● End with either ‘yours sincerely’(If your letter begins with the name of the
recipient) or ‘yours faithfully’, followed by your signature and name.
Understanding the style of writing
1. INFORMAL IELTS Vocabulary with LeapScholar
a. Family/ Friends
b. People you know very well
2. SEMI FORMAL
a. Colleagues
b. Landlord
3. FORMAL
a. People you don’t know very well
b. Local newspaper/ Company/ Business
Difference between Informal and Formal letter
Informal Letter Formal Letter
Salutation- Dear friend/ Hi/Hello Steve Dear Sir
Contractions should be used. No contraction

I’m, I’ll, I’d, You’re, He’s
Usage of more active expressions Use of more passive expressions

I will be happy to have your reply on that.
I need some more details.
Usage of expressions with Verb Usage of expressions containing modals

I’ll meet you before I’ll leave for the
meeting.
I want
Hope to hear from you soon.
Expressing dissatisfaction
I didn’t expect such a bad response from you. This is not expected from a reputed restaurant like
yours.
I’m writing this to tell you that I am not satisfied. I am writing to express my dissatisfaction about…
GIVING SUGGESTIONS
The facilities are out of date.
I would appreciate if you could provide the latest
facilities.
I feel you must hire well trained staff. Could I suggest that you should hire professionally
trained staff in your organisation.
You should try to give better service. It would be really great if you could improve the
quality of your services.
Common Indianisms to avoid
1. Please revert to me- Please get back to me. IELTS Vocabulary with LeapScholar
2. As per my last letter- As mentioned in my last letter.
3. Your earliest response is requested- I look forward to hearing from you soon.
4. I am out of station- I am out of town.
5. Please do the needful- Please attend to this matter.
6. Kindly resend the same- Please resend it.
7. Kindly prepone the meeting- Please advance the meeting/ bring the time of the
meeting forward.
Analysing and brainstorming ideas for a letter
Read the following exam task and highlight or underline the key words and
phrases.
You eat at your college cafeteria every lunchtime. However, you think it needs
some improvements. Write a letter to the college magazine. In your letter:
● Explain what you like about the cafeteria.

● Say what is wrong with it.
● Suggest how it could be improved.
Begin your letter as follows : ‘Dear Sir/Madam,’
You should write at least 150 words.

Brainstorm ideas
Think of :
1. Three things you like about the college cafeteria- Para 1(often just 1
sentence)
2. Three things you don’t like about the college cafeteria.(these shouldn’t be too
strong because you eat there everyday).- Para 2- Describe these properly!
3. Three suggestions for how the cafeteria could be improved- Para 3
Tip for point 2. - What things are worth complaining about? Think about why you
find them annoying and what you could do about them.
BRAINSTORM IDEAS
Discuss why you would find these things annoying and what can be done about it? Also,
think of better vocabulary for these problems. IELTS Vocabulary with LeapScholar
1. The service isn’t quick enough.

2. The food isn’t good enough.
3. There are too many people.
4. The other customers are too noisy.
5. The waiters aren’t friendly.
6. The restaurant isn’t very clean.
7. There’s a mistake in the bill.
8. The restaurant is too hot.
BRAINSTORM IDEAS
Discuss why you would find these things annoying and what can be done about it?
Also, think of better vocabulary for these problems. IELTS Vocabulary with LeapScholar
1. The service isn’t quick enough- the service was somewhat lackadaisical.
2. The food isn’t good enough- the food was so spicy it was barely palatable.
3. There are too many people- overcrowded/ jam packed during peak hours.
4. The other customers are too noisy- No possible solution for this complaint
5. The waiters aren’t friendly- the staff is rather aloof/ inhospitable.
6. The restaurant isn’t very clean
7. There’s a mistake in the bill- the staff made a blunder of overcharging..
8. The restaurant is too hot- the atmosphere is stuffy/suffocating.
Sample letter
Dear Sir/Madam,
I normally eat lunch at the college cafeteria because it is reasonably priced, convenient and it has a friendly atmosphere.
There are, however, a number of deficiencies which I think should be put right/ rectified. Firstly, although the staff try to keep
the tables clean, there are not enough workers at peak times to do this adequately. Moreover, since the cafeteria is
self-service, students are supposed to clear their tables themselves when they have finished eating. Unfortunately, some
students do not bother to do this. Also, there are a number of students who do not wait in the queue to be served , which is
very annoying/ bothersome for the majority of us. Finally, I think the cafeteria could have better ventilation as it gets too
stuffy, especially in the summer.
I think it would be a good idea if more signs were put around the cafeteria asking students to put their dirty plates and
cutlery on the trolleys provided and to throw away their leftovers and rubbish. Also, I think we should tell students when they
are being anti-social and jumping the queue. Finally, could we please have a few windows open when things get too hot?
Yours faithfully,
Deeksha (201 words)

Letter giving advice to a friend
Read the following exam task and underline the key words.
An English- speaking friend wants to spend a two- week holiday in your region and
has written asking for information and advice. Write a letter to your friend. In your
letter:
● Offer to find somewhere to stay.

● Give advice about what to do.
● Give information about what clothes to bring.
● Begin your letter as follows: ‘Dear……..’
PLANNING
1. What details about your friend will you have to invent?
2. What places to stay could you offer to find?
3. How many pieces of advice about what to do should you give?
4. What things should you consider when giving information about what
clothes to bring?
5. Should you use contractions?
6. Should you use formal, colloquial or neutral language?

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Democratising quality global education

General Writing Task - 1

Task achievement: how appropriately , accurately, relevantly the response fulfils

Lexical resource: wide range of vocabulary, not much repetition

Salutation- Dear friend/ Hi/Hello Steve Dear Sir

Contractions should be used. No contraction

Usage of more active expressions Use of more passive expressions

Usage of expressions with Verb Usage of expressions containing modals

● Explain what you like about the cafeteria.

Begin your letter as follows : ‘Dear Sir/Madam,’

You should write at least 150 words.

1. The service isn’t quick enough.

Deeksha (201 words)

● Offer to find somewhere to stay.

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