Informal Letter o

o Expressing thanks
o How nice of you to think of
1. Dear John, / My dearest me / Thanks again!
Julianne, o I won't forget your kind
2. Apologise, give purpose, else gesture
o Apologise o Giving advice
o I am sorry I haven't written o If I were you, I'd ... / ... how
for so long. My work keeps / about doing this
studies keep me so busy, o Why don't you ... / Let me
that I never have a minute give you some advice
to myself o Hope this helped / Let me
o I am really sorry it has taken know how it went
me so long to write but I o Letters of invitation /
have ... accepting or refusing an
o Give purpose invitation
o I am writing to thank / tell / o I'd love it if you could come
ask / apologies / wish / to
congratulate … o I hope you will be able to
o I regret to inform you that make it
o Else o I hope we can get together
o Hello Sofia! Do you some other time. How about
remember me? I'm the girl next week instead?
you met ... 4. Informal ending, name,
o It was really great hearing signature
from you o With best wishes, Jo
3. More details o Yours, Jo
o Expressing o With love and many thanks
congratulations from me, Jo
o Marvelous to hear that ... / o With love, Jo
What a surprise to hear o All the best, Jo
that! o Love, Jo
o I am happy for you / Good o Best wishes, Jo
for you!
o How wonderful that you are
getting married!
o You should be so proud of
yourself
o Expressing regret
o Unfortunately, I've got some
bad news for you
o I find it hard to tell you
that….
o I can't find an easy way to
tell you this…
o Words can't express how
much I regret…
o If you need anything, I'd be
glad to ... COMPLAINT LETTER
1. Dear Sir/Madam, (or name if given) refund of $100 as soon as
2. Explanation: 1-2 sentences what possible.
you are complaining about o I hope this matter will be
o I am writing to express my resolved / I trust the situation
dissatisfaction with the ... / my will improve.
concern about 5. Formal ending, name, signature
o I am writing to complain o I look forward to hearing from
about ... / I had been led to you.
believe ... o I look forward to receiving a
o I would like to draw your prompt reply.
attention to ... o Yours sincerely, ... (you know
o The reason I am writing to you the name of person you are
is poor quality of a ... , which I writing to)
bought in your store. o Yours faithfully, ... (you don't
o After only two times it was in know the name!)
use, problems started to
appear. USEFUL PHRASES
3. Explain in more detail
o what had happened, what is  misleading information
the problem  I would like to complain about the poor
o I was supposed to receive ... . quality of service I recently received
Unfortunately, that never from your company.
happened.  I wish to make a complaint regarding
o I could not believe that ... your inefficient staff. (level of service)
o what are you unhappy about  I am writing to complain about the
o You can imagine how unhappy I poor train service your company
was to discover ... provided from the 5th to the 12th of
o I regret to inform you that your November. / ... and I missed my plane
service was below my as a result.
expectations.  I am writing to you about the party ... .
o what did you do to resolve I have a number of complaints. I hope
the situation you will agree that it was a very
o I contacted your store disappointing evening.
immediately in order to  The problems do not stop here. / ... /
return ... Furthermore, ...
o When I tried to contact you by  To begin with ... / In addition to this, ...
phone no one could offer me / Added to this, there was no ...
any sensible answer.  ... was not worth the money I paid for
o how do you feel about the it.
problem  Having paid a lot of money for the ... ,
o You can imagine how receiving I found this extremely frustrating
this offer upset me.  In your ... you promised a pleasant ... .
4. What action you want the person This was definitely not my experience.
or company to take / What would  However, I would like to point out
you like them to do, what will you that ...
do?  I feel I am entitled to a partial refund
o The ideal solution would be ... / in addition to an apology for the
Nevertheless, I hope/assume inconvenience caused.
you will replace ...  Furthermore, you will find a bill on the
o I hope you can settle this value of ... . I expect it to be
matter by ... (doing smth) compensated as well.
o I insist on getting a refund of ...  I would appreciate it if you could look
o I am very disappointed with into the matter as soon as possible.
the ... . Therefore I expect a full
 For the past two years I
Job Application o
have worked as ... / I was
Letter responsible for ...
o Skills and personal
qualities
1. Dear Sir/Madam, (or name if o I consider myself to be
given) reliable, hard-working and
2. Position – where advertised, enthusiastic.
when? o I am used to working at a
o I would like to apply for the fast pace to meet deadlines.
position of … advertised in 4. Why are you interested?
"Times" of January 19th, Motivation, interview,
2022 / "The Wings" issue of references
December 2021. o I would like to apply my
o I am writing with regard to skills in your company.
your advertisement o I believe the position you
published in January's offer will give me the
"Metro" / in yesterday's opportunity to ...
"Times". o If you find my skills and
o I am writing to you to experience suitable, please
express interest in the ... contact me to schedule an
position as advertised on interview.
[Link]. o I feel that my experience in
3. Skills, diplomas, experience, sales makes me well suited
personality for this position.
o Age, qualifications, o I consider myself a most
present job suitable applicant for the
o I am a ... with more than 10 job.
years of experience in ... o I have enclosed my
o I am a recent graduate of references and resume.
the ... University and I have o I hope you will consider my
a significant background application.
in ... o I would be happy to send
o I graduated from the you references from my
University of Western previous employers if you
Australia in 2019 with a require them.
degree in ... 5. Formal ending, name,
o At present, I am employed signature
as a ... by the company ... o I would appreciate a reply at
o Experience your earliest convenience.
o As you can see from my CV, o I look forward to meeting
I am a ... with 10 years of you to discuss the
experience. possibility of employment.
o I had a one-year o Thank you for your time and
internship/apprenticeship consideration.
with ... and the following 3 o Yours sincerely, ... (you
years ... know the name of person
you are writing to)
 o Yours faithfully, ... (you o Could you please send me
don't know the name!) further details …?
o Why? When?
o I would appreciate (it) if you could
inform me as soon as possible
o I would like to receive it as soon
as possible but not later than a
Request Letter o
week before the flight
In what form?
o You could send the above-
1. Dear Sir/Madam, (or name if given) mentioned information to my e-
2. The purpose of the letter: mail or a fax
explanation, the reason for writing (1- o It would be of great help if you
2 sentences what kind of information could fax me the details
you are interested in) o You can contact me on my
o I am writing to ask for information
mobile phone number which is:
about membership in the Snap 0454 ...
Fitness Sports club
o I am writing to ask for a complete
itinerary of a trip to Africa that I
booked with your company 4. Formal ending, name, signature
o I am writing in response to ... / I o I look forward to hearing from
was interested in your you.
advertisement in ... o I look forward to receiving a
o I am writing to inquire about ...
prompt reply.
3. Explanation in more detail: who you o Yours sincerely, ... (you know the
are, exactly what information you name of person you are writing
need, why, when and in what form to)
you need it (letter, fax, email) o Yours faithfully, ... (you don't
o Who am I?
know the name!)
o I have read your advertisement of
the … and would like to get more USEFUL PHRASES
information
o What information do I request?
 First of all, I would like to know
o The information I would like to  I would be grateful if you could inform
obtain should include the me ...
following:  I would appreciate it if ... / I would also
o Firstly, I would like to know ... like to know whether ...
o I would be grateful if you could  I would be interested in knowing ...
tell me what the price is.  I would be very grateful if you
o I wonder if I need insurance / I would/could reply as soon as possible
wonder if you could ...  Thank you in advance for your
o I would be interested to know if I assistance!
will get a certificate  I look forward to your reply at your
o I would like to know more earliest convenience
about ... / I would be grateful if  The trip I refer to starts on March 12,
you could ... 2022
o I wonder if you could possibly
tell/send me …
o Could you possibly send … / May
I request …?
STRUCTURE:
I. Greeting
II. Reason for Writing
III. Paragraph 1 – First point with detail
IV. Paragraph 2 – Second point with detail
V. Paragraph 3 – Third point with detail
VI. Closing Sentence
VII. Farewell + Name

 Formal letter Informal letter

Dear Sir/Madam, Dear John,

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a I was so pleased to hear that you are planning on visiting
product I have purchased recently and to request my country, so I’m writing to give you some travel tips an
a full refund. advice before you book your trip.

Common IELTS General Training, Writing Task 1 situations may include:

Formal Informal

Letter of complaint (e.g. personal, business, Letter of invitation (e.g. party, dinner, celebration)
recent, experience, product)

Letter of request (e.g. refund, repair, advice, Letter of request (e.g. asking questions, asking
reservation) for advice, asking for help)

Letter of enquiry (e.g. information request, Letter of thanks or appreciation

booking)

Letter of recommendation (e.g. job, colleague) Letter of suggestion (e.g. suggesting ideas,
plans, solutions)

Formal vocabulary and structures Informal vocabulary and structures

Request Ask

Purchase Buy
 Could Can

Would Will

At your earliest convenience When you are free

Respond Write back/ reply

Cannot Can't

Yours sincerely/ faithfully Best wishes/ love

Futhermore And/ also

Can I suggest Can I tell you

As you described above As I mentioned before

And finally, remember that the greeting and the closing salutation of an IELTS General Training, Writing
Task 1 letter needs to match the style. For example:

Dear Sir/Madam -----------------------> Yours faithfully

Dear John -----------------------> Best wishes

n
 IELTS General Writing Task 1 Essay
Structure

sentences regarding
the points.

Paragraph 2 – Referring back to the

IELTS General Writing Task 1 Essay Second point with bullet points, use the
Structure detail second bullet point’s
information to write
Greeting This will be the
the second
easiest part of the
paragraph. Write a
letter, since it will be
minimum of 2 or 3
provided for you in
sentences regarding
the writing prompt. If
the points.
the prompt indicates:
“Begin your letter as
Paragraph 3 – Referring back to the
follows…”, use the
Third point with bullet points, use the
greeting that has
detail second bullet point’s
been provided for
information to write
you. Be sure to add
the second
a comma after the
paragraph. Write a
greeting, and then
minimum of 2 or 3
skip a line to begin
sentences regarding
writing the reason.
the points.
Reason for Writing This piece of
Closing Sentence This is the last
information will be
sentence before you
located in the
sign your name. It
prompt, in the
can vary depending
background
on the situation, but
information section.
it should be formal in
A common way to
nature. Use our table
start this sentence
for ideas on common
is: I am writing
formal closing
because_____. Write
sentences. Write a
a minimum of 1
minimum of 1
sentence.
sentence.
Paragraph 1 – Now, refer to the
Farewell + Name This is simply a
First point with background
formal farewell with a
detail information’s bullet
comma, and then
points. In almost all
your name. For the
cases, three bullet
exam, you can use
points will be
your own name or
provided, which are
invent one.
the three distinct
paragraphs that you
will use in your
outline. Write a
minimum of 2 or 3