How to Write an Informal Letter

The IELTS General Training Writing Examination has two tasks. Test takers must write one letter and one essay. Task 1, letter writing, has a requirement of at least 150 words. This must be written in just 20 minutes. Task 1 consist a third or 33.33% of the final Writing band score.

Most of the time, the test taker would be required to write a formal letter – this means business writing or corporate correspondence. In some cases, however, IELTS takers may need to write an informal or friendly letter. Here are some tips that you can apply for a well-written letter.

1.       Remember the use of the introduction, then weave in a little warmth. The introduction of a formal letter would usually answer two questions: who you are and what is your intention for writing. Since in a friendly letter you are writing to someone with whom you are familiar with, there is no need for the former, but you must still make your intentions known. In addition, since you are friendly with the recipient of the letter, it is a good idea to bring in warmth into the text. You can do this through several ways. You can, for instance, ask about a person’s health.

2.       Answer all the questions, provide adequate details, but do not overload the reader. In the IELTS GT writing examination task 1, there are usually three questions that must be answered in a narrative. Make sure to answer all the questions by providing details. This would help you fill the 150-requirement. Do not overdo it, though, as too much detail may make your letter dragging and may prevent you from answering the other main points sufficiently.

3.       Remember, however, that the real reader of your letter will not be a friend, so do not be overly friendly. When you chat with your friends (in the real world or in social media), you can probably use more explicit language like expletives and the like. Remember that this is an examination, and your friendly letter will actually be read by an examiner who will give you a score. Be careful of your word usage.

Writing a friendly letter for your IELTS GT Task 1 is a balancing act. You must make sure that your tome is friendly, but not overwhelming. You also must make sure that you answer all questions sufficiently and that the purpose of the letter is achieved.

Good luck!