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IELTS Writing for IELTS retakers: How to Fix The wrong tone in a General Training letter

Decide on the recipient first: formal for an unknown person or official, semi-formal for a manager or neighbour, informal for a friend. Keep greeting, vocabulary and closing consistent with that choice throughout the letter.

At a glance

For
IELTS retakers
Problem
The wrong tone in a General Training letter
Scoring criterion
Task Achievement (Task 1 letter)
Task affected
Task 1 (General Training letter)
IELTS test
Academic or General Training (check your requirement)
Typical effort
about one week
First step
Read the prompt to identify who the recipient is and what the relationship is.

Why this happens to IELTS retakers

Letter tone is part of the Task Achievement criterion. Candidates mix formal and informal language, for example 'Dear Sir' followed by contractions and slang, which signals weak control of register.

Why this affects IELTS retakers: preparation repeats the same methods, so the same weaknesses return.

Retakers often have a good structure but under-developed ideas, which holds Task Response down.

A strength to build on: A previous score report shows which criterion was lowest.

Fix it in four steps

  1. Read the prompt to identify who the recipient is and what the relationship is.
  2. Choose the greeting and sign-off that match (Dear Sir or Madam / Yours faithfully, or Dear Anna / Best wishes).
  3. Keep vocabulary consistent: avoid contractions in formal letters and avoid stiff phrases in informal ones.
  4. Reread the first and last lines to check they match in tone.

Before and after

Before

Dear Sir, Hi, I'm writing because my washing machine is rubbish, thanks.

After

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to complain about a washing machine I purchased from your store last month.

Ten-minute drill: Write the first and last two lines of three letters with different recipients and compare the register.

Questions and answers

How can IELTS retakers fix the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

Decide on the recipient first: formal for an unknown person or official, semi-formal for a manager or neighbour, informal for a friend. Keep greeting, vocabulary and closing consistent with that choice throughout the letter. Retakers often have a good structure but under-developed ideas, which holds Task Response down.

How long does it take IELTS retakers to fix the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

Most learners need about one week. Retake windows are costly, so treat each practice essay as evidence, not as a lottery.

Do I use the name or Sir or Madam?

Use the name if the prompt gives one, with 'Yours sincerely'. If not, use 'Dear Sir or Madam' with 'Yours faithfully'.

Can I use contractions in a letter?

In informal letters yes. In formal or semi-formal letters, avoid them.

What does a good practice drill look like for IELTS retakers?

Write the first and last two lines of three letters with different recipients and compare the register. Retake windows are costly, so treat each practice essay as evidence, not as a lottery.

How can IELTS retakers tell they have fixed the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

A reader can tell the relationship to the recipient from the first sentence and the tone stays the same to the end.

What should IELTS retakers know about their IELTS Writing target?

Retakers need to find out why Writing did not move last time, because repeating the same practice usually produces the same score.

Should IELTS retakers practise this on Task 1, Task 2 or both?

This is a Task 1 issue for the General Training letter. Practise it on real letter prompts within about 20 minutes, then move on to Task 2. A previous score report shows which criterion was lowest.

Can an AI checker help IELTS retakers with the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

An AI checker can show where this pattern appears in your own essay and which criterion it affects, which makes the fix concrete. It gives a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score, so use it to choose the next revision, rewrite, and check again. The first check on this site is free.

Check your own essay

See where the wrong tone in a General Training letter appears in your own writing and which criterion it affects, then rewrite the weakest paragraph.

Run a free first check

Feedback is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score. Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Score requirements change, so confirm them with the organisation that will read your result.

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