IELTS General Writing Task 1 Formal Letter, Structure, Examples

IELTS General Writing Task 1 Formal Letter: If you're preparing for the IELTS General Training exam, you already know that Task 1 in the Writing section is a letter-writing task. But when the prompt says “write a letter to your manager” or “a local authority,” you're expected to write a formal letter, not a casual note to a friend.

Don’t worry, though. Once you know the tone, format, and vocabulary, formal letters become much easier to handle. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what a formal letter looks like in IELTS, how to plan it, and what kind of language to use, along with a Band 9 sample letter at the end.

IELTS General Writing Task 1 Formal Letter

What Is a Formal Letter in IELTS? A formal letter is written when you're addressing someone you don’t know personally or someone in a professional position. That could be:

• A company manager

• A landlord

• A city official

• A customer service department

• A university administrator

The tone should be polite, clear, and respectful, even if you complain.

When Should You Write a Formal Letter?

You'll usually choose a formal style when the question mentions:

• “your manager”

• “a company”

• “an official”

• “a person you don’t know well”

• “a government office”

Examples:

• You are not happy with the service you received at a restaurant. Write to the manager.

• You lost your wallet in a taxi. Write to the taxi company.

Structure of a Formal IELTS Letter

Just follow this simple structure:

1. Greeting:

• Dear Sir or Madam (if you don’t know the name)

• Dear Mr. Sharma / Ms. Lopez (if the name is given)

2. Opening Sentence (state the purpose of the letter)

• I am writing to inform you...

• I am writing to express my concern about...

3. Body Paragraph 1: Explain the situation

4. Body Paragraph 2: Add details, explain the issue or make a request

5. Body Paragraph 3 (optional): Suggest a solution or express expectations

6. Ending sentence:

• I hope you will look into this matter promptly.

• Thank you for your attention to this issue.

7. Closing:

• Yours faithfully (if no name)

• Yours sincerely (if name is known)

• [Your full name]

Vocabulary for Formal Letters

Here’s a quick list of useful formal words and phrases:

Sample Formal Letter for Band 9

Task:
You recently had a problem while using a public transportation service in your city. Write a letter to the manager of the service. In your letter:

• Describe the problem

• Explain how it affected you

• Suggest what should be done about it

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to bring to your attention a recent issue I faced while using the city’s bus service on the 5th of May. 

I boarded bus number 24 at around 6:30 PM from Green Street on 5th May. Unfortunately, the air-conditioning system was not functioning, and the vehicle was overcrowded, making the ride extremely uncomfortable. Moreover, the bus was approximately 3 hours delayed from the given time. 

As a result, I was late for an important meeting with a potential client. This affected not only my professional schedule but also damaged my reputation as a punctual person.

I would kindly request your team to carry out regular maintenance checks on the buses and ensure that routes are followed as scheduled. It would also be helpful if real-time updates were available on the city bus app to inform commuters about such changes.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope to see improvements in the service soon.

Yours faithfully,
XYZ