IELTS GT Formal Letter Checklist

General Training Task 1 is a letter, and formal letters are where many candidates lose easy marks. They write a friendly email voice, miss a bullet point, or forget a clear purpose. This checklist from IELTS AI Tutor by IELTSGRADER is designed for complaint, request, application, and formal enquiry letters.

Use it before you submit practice letters to the essay checker, and compare with a high-band model such as the Band 8 complaint letter.

First: confirm it is a formal letter

Formal tone is usually required when you write to:

• A company, council, or institution
• Someone you do not know by name (or know only as a role: Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Hiring Manager)
• Situations involving complaints, applications, official requests, or problems with a service

If the prompt says you are writing to a friend, switch to informal style instead. Mixing tones is a Task Achievement problem.

The master checklist (print this)

A. Purpose and opening

• First sentences state why you are writing
• Tone matches formal expectations (no slang, no text-speak)
• Correct greeting (Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Mr Smith / Dear Ms Lee)
• If name unknown, you plan to end with Yours faithfully
• If name known, you plan to end with Yours sincerely

B. Bullet coverage (Task Achievement critical)

• Bullet 1 fully addressed with enough detail
• Bullet 2 fully addressed with enough detail
• Bullet 3 fully addressed with enough detail
• No bullet answered with a single vague sentence if the prompt expects explanation
• Extra information does not replace a missing bullet

C. Organisation

• Short opening paragraph for purpose
• Separate paragraphs for different bullets (or clear separation)
• Logical order (often: situation → details → request/action)
• Clear closing paragraph stating what you want next

D. Formal language

• Full forms preferred in most places (I am, not I’m, contractions are often too casual)
• Polite modality where appropriate (I would be grateful if…, Could you please…)
• Precise vocabulary for the situation (complaint, refund, appointment, documentation)
• No chatty fillers (anyway, by the way, emoji-style emphasis)

E. Closing

• Polite closing line (I look forward to your response.)
• Correct sign-off
• Name on the next line
• Word count at least 150

F. Grammar and accuracy

• Consistent tense for the timeline of events
• Clear references (this issue, the above appointment)
• No meaning-blocking errors in key request sentences

Bullet points: the #1 GT Task 1 failure

Examiners score Task Achievement on whether you cover the required information. A beautifully written letter that ignores one bullet is still incomplete.

Method that works under time pressure:

1. Underline the three bullets in the prompt.
2. Number them 1–3 in your plan.
3. Tick each after you write it.
4. Spend your last two minutes checking ticks, not adding fancy vocabulary.

Tone bank: formal phrases that sound natural

Opening purpose

• I am writing to complain about…
• I am writing to enquire about…
• I am writing to request…
• I am writing with regard to…

Explaining a problem

• On [date], I purchased / attended / booked…
• Unfortunately, …
• Despite contacting your staff, the issue remains unresolved.
• This has caused considerable inconvenience because…

Making a request

• I would be grateful if you could…
• I am requesting a full refund / replacement / written explanation.
• Please confirm in writing by…
• I would appreciate your urgent attention to this matter.

Closing

• I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
• Please do not hesitate to contact me on [details] should you require further information.

Use two or three of these, not all of them stacked in one paragraph.

What “enough detail” looks like

Too thin (risk Band 6 TA):

The room was bad. Please fix it.

Stronger:

The room I was given on 3 May was advertised as a quiet double with a sea view; however, it faced a construction site and the air conditioning did not work throughout my two-night stay. I would like a partial refund and an explanation of why I was not moved after I reported the problem at reception.

Detail makes the bullet complete and supports Lexical Resource with precise situation language.

Formal vs semi-formal: quick boundary

Feature	Formal	Semi-formal (e.g. neighbour / colleague you know)
Greeting	Dear Sir or Madam / Dear Ms X	Dear John / Dear Mr X (context-dependent)
Contractions forms	Avoid	Sometimes acceptable
Directness	Polite and measured	Can be a little warmer
Sign-off	Yours faithfully / sincerely	Kind regards / Best regards often fine

If unsure, check the recipient relationship in the prompt first.

20-minute timing checklist

Time	Task
0–2 min	Identify tone + underline bullets
2–4 min	Plan one point per bullet + desired outcome
4–17 min	Write letter
17–20 min	Tick bullets, check greeting/sign-off, count words

Common formal-letter mistakes

1. Starting with background and never stating the purpose clearly
2. Sounding angry and rude in complaints (firm is fine; insults hurt tone)
3. Using Dear friend or first names for unknown recipients
4. Ending with Yours sincerely after Dear Sir or Madam (conventionally mismatched)
5. Writing an essay-style conclusion instead of a clear requested action
6. Falling under 150 words because bullets were answered in one line each

How to practise with AI tutor feedback

1. Write two formal letters per week from past-style prompts.
2. Submit via the essay checker and read Task Achievement notes first.
3. Rewrite any letter that missed a bullet, even if grammar was strong.
4. Compare your complaint structure to the Band 8 sample.
5. If you also take Academic-style essays, keep modules clear, see Academic vs GT writing.

IELTS AI Tutor is useful here because GT letters fail on task coverage and tone as often as on grammar. Fix cards can target those directly.

Mini self-mark after every practice letter

Score yourself quickly:

• TA: Did I cover every bullet with enough detail? (yes/no)
• CC: Can a reader find purpose, details, and request easily?
• LR: Did I use situation-precise words?
• GRA: Are request sentences accurate?

Any “no” on TA means rewrite before polishing vocabulary.

Try this yourself

Prompt: Write a formal complaint letter covering all three bullets in ~150–180 words under 20 minutes.

1. Write under realistic time limits.
2. Check your essay free (or the Task 1/2 checker if relevant).
3. Rewrite only the lowest criterion once, then re-check.

Next steps

Formal GT letters are won on purpose, bullets, and tone. Use this checklist until it becomes automatic under timed conditions.

Practise with the essay checker, explore IELTS AI Tutor, review pricing, and signup to build a letter practice streak before test day.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start a formal IELTS letter?

Use Dear Sir/Madam if unnamed, or Dear Mr/Ms + surname if named. State your purpose early.

What sign-off should I use?

Yours faithfully after Dear Sir/Madam; Yours sincerely after a named recipient.

Do I need to cover every bullet?

Yes — missing a bullet hurts Task Achievement.