IELTS Writing for Candidates stuck at Band 6.5: 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: Candidates stuck at Band 6.5
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 candidates stuck at Band 6.5

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 candidates stuck at Band 6.5: practice is broad when it should target the single weakest criterion.

Ideas are developed in one paragraph and thin in the other.

A strength to build on: Most criteria are already close to Band 7, so one fix can lift the result.

Fix it in four steps

Read the prompt to identify who the recipient is and what the relationship is.
Choose the greeting and sign-off that match (Dear Sir or Madam / Yours faithfully, or Dear Anna / Best wishes).
Keep vocabulary consistent: avoid contractions in formal letters and avoid stiff phrases in informal ones.
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 candidates stuck at Band 6.5 fix the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

How long does it take candidates stuck at Band 6.5 to fix the wrong tone in a General Training letter?

Most learners need about one week. Two to four weeks of targeted practice on the lowest criterion is a realistic window.

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 candidates stuck at Band 6.5?

Write the first and last two lines of three letters with different recipients and compare the register. Two to four weeks of targeted practice on the lowest criterion is a realistic window.

How can candidates stuck at Band 6.5 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 candidates stuck at Band 6.5 know about their IELTS Writing target?

At Band 6.5, one criterion is usually holding the score back. Finding it matters more than more general practice.

Should candidates stuck at Band 6.5 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. Most criteria are already close to Band 7, so one fix can lift the result.

Can an AI checker help candidates stuck at Band 6.5 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.