How to write a formal letter in your IELTS exam for writing task one 

Almost every IELTS aspirant would believe that Formal letters, just like other letter writing tasks, is a significant part of the exam strategy. No matter who you and where you are, you might face certain issues when it comes to crafting a crisp and spectacular formal letter that sets you in an advantageous spot in your exam. 

If you are considering learning something about a formal letter and the nuances related to it, keep reading! 

What are formal letters?

Formal letters are usually written to people who are in an authoritative position in comparison to yours or can be written to someone you do not know. Through a formal letter, you could be requesting information from someone, you could be enquiring about a service or a product from a person or a company, or you could be raising a complaint or applying for a certain job. All these tasks can be achieved through a formal letter. 

The thing that you always need to keep in mind is that a formal letter is always written to people you do not know personally, hence the language, the structure and every little detail needs to be polite. 

A formal letter question in your IELTS exam would probably look like this: 

Your insurance company has just told you that they are going to increase your premium amounts you are required to pay every month. You are certainly not happy about this. Write a letter to your insurance company. In your letter, explain: 

• The reason for writing the letter 
• Why the insurance premium amount should not be increased 
• What would you like them to do instead. 

Marking criteria 

The marketing criteria for all the answers in any writing task in your IELTS exam, including the problem/solution essay will be based on the following four basis: 

1. Task response

Your score under this criterion will depend on how well you are in terms of paying attention to the requirements of the question. It will also depend on your skills being relevant in terms of the questions. Going off topic and not making sense will only lead you to a lower score spectrum.  

2. Cohesion and coherence 

Concisely crafted pieces, written in not more than four paragraphs with a logically central idea is what your examiner is looking for. Your score in this criterion depends on your ability to present your ideas in a structured manner, with the right linking words supporting the body of the written piece and having a central topic flowing in a particular paragraph. 

3. Lexical resources and vocabulary 

You can score well in this particular section by keeping in mind just three things: 

1. Your ability to use appropriate words 
2. Your ability to use the words in their right collocative manner 
3. And, your ability to spell those words right. 

These three tips will go a long way as far as this particular section is concerned. 

4. Grammar range and accuracy 

Errors must not be made in the most common grammar rules. You must avoid using the wrong tenses and the wrong verbs as much as possible. Also, you must not forget to focus on the sentence structure and syntax, word order in the sentence, as well as the correct punctuation marks. 

Each criterion carries a 25% weightage in order to determine your final score for that answer.

Formal letter structure

An extremely important parameter to look out for is the framework for the letter you are going to write. If the framework is not up to the mark or coherent, you might be losing out a lot! 

The framework for the formal letter is a three-step strategy, i.e. greetings and openings, explanations, and closing strategy. 

In order to accurately follow this strategy, all you need to do is follow in the following steps. 

• The letter must always begin with a polite greeting. Now remember, you are addressing this letter to someone you do not know, hence politeness is the key. The greetings will also be provided in the question itself. All you need to do is paraphrase the same in your answer. 
• The next thing that comes after your greetings would be an opening statement. You should begin by telling the reader your reason for writing this letter and simultaneously use your imagination to fill in the details like place, date, etc. 
• Once you are done with introducing yourself and the reason for writing the letter, you should now move on to the explanations. The explanations will consist of body paragraphs. 
• You will be required to write at least two body paragraphs. However, if needed you can add a third body paragraph. However, a letter with two body paragraphs is sufficient. In the body paragraph mention the whats and whys. Fill in the necessary details accurately, as per the details mentioned in the question prompt. 
• Your closing statement forms an essential part of your formal letter writing. The closing statement for your formal letter would completely depend on the subject and tone of your letter, or the issue about which you are writing the same. End the letter with final salutations. 
• Close your letter with appropriate end greetings.

Planning your formal letter 

Planning a formal letter happens in three stages: 

1. Analysing the question and identifying the kind of letter required 

You should always spare a few minutes to analyse the question accurately before you begin writing. Identification of the kind of letter required to be written is something most aspirants lack the skills for. A formal letter, as we already know, is very different from an informal one. However, some aspirants do confuse semi-formal ones with the formal ones. Never make the mistake. Do not just jump into your writing mode as soon as you see the question prompt. Relax and analyse, give yourself two minutes with the question, and then begin writing. 

2. Hightingling the keywords 

What most people will not explain to you, and it is something extremely important if you are aiming for success in this exam, always proofread your answers. Proofreading at least once is essential before you submit your answers to the examiner. While proofreading, you need to ensure you are highlighting all the important ideas and keywords. It sets you apart from the crowd. 

3. Brainstorming the ideas and other details in advance 

Use the right language, brainstorm all the little details that are required to be put in your answer in advance. Sparing a few minutes to plan a cohesive and coherent answer in advance will ensure you get the edge over other candidates. 

Things you should avoid doing 

There are multiple mistakes you could be making while writing a formal letter. If you believe you are making any, keep reading to know how to avoid them: 

• A few candidates have difficulty in identifying the kind of letter they are asked to write. Some candidates think that a letter written to your parents is a formal letter. Contrary to the popular belief, a letter written to your parents is not a formal letter. You know your parents personally, it can be an informal letter but with a decent tone. Always ensure you know what you are going to write before you begin writing. Take assessment tests to know and judge better on what needs to be written. 
• Not being able to support your introduction with necessary background information. It is imperative that you are doing justice to your introduction in order to set base for the further details and paragraphs that are yet to come. Not being able to do does more harm than good. 
• A formal letter is always supposed to be written in polite, decent and well, of course formal language. You are addressing this letter to a person in authority or a person you do not know or have never had a conversation with. Use appropriate tone and language throughout the letter. 
• Avoid using the same words over and over again. Using the same word can put you in a troublesome spot altogether. Try and broaden your vocabulary horizon, and use different synonyms instead of that particular word. 
• Try not exceeding your word limit. Usually, the answers are supposed to be answered in about 150 words. However, when required and deemed extremely necessary, try not to go over 180 words. Stick to a healthy word limit of 150-180 words. 
• And lastly, always always plan your answer in advance. Think about the structure and the phrases that are going to be used in your answer. What most students do not understand is the fact that it is very important to spare a few minutes thinking about the answer and the content to write in the same. If you do not spare that time, you lose grip in the middle of writing and then go ahead with a letter that is structured illogically. Avoid making these mistakes. 

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