Task 1 (General Training): letters that do their job
Purpose, tone and the three bullet points — the three things that decide your band.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Writing
General Training Task 1 is a letter of at least 150 words, written in about 20 minutes. The task tells you who you are writing to and gives three bullet points. You must cover all three — missing one limits your Task Achievement band.
Choose the tone from the reader
| Reader | Tone | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Someone you do not know (a manager, a company) | Formal | Dear Sir or Madam, | Yours faithfully, |
| Someone you know by name, not a friend (a landlord, a colleague) | Semi-formal | Dear Mr Khan, | Yours sincerely, |
| A friend or relative | Informal | Dear Sara, | Best wishes, / Take care, |
✗ I am writing this letter to you today because there is something I want to tell you about.
✓ I stayed at your hotel from 3 to 6 March in Room 214, and I am writing because I believe I left a personal item behind when I checked out.
The second opening states the purpose and covers the first bullet point in one sentence.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: You are writing to a company and do not know the reader's name. How do you end?
- Yours sincerely,
- Best wishes,
- Yours faithfully,
Show the answer
C: Yours faithfully, — Dear Sir or Madam goes with Yours faithfully. Dear Mr Khan goes with Yours sincerely.
Quick check: How many of the bullet points must you cover?
- Any two
- All three
- Just the first
Show the answer
B: All three — Missing one limits your Task Achievement band.
Quick check: What should the opening paragraph do?
- Say why you are writing
- Describe the weather
- Apologise for writing
Show the answer
A: Say why you are writing — State your purpose at once, and cover the first bullet point if you can.
Quick check: Which opening suits a letter to a close friend?
- Dear Sara,
- Dear Sir or Madam,
- To whom it may concern,
Show the answer
A: Dear Sara, — An informal letter starts with the friend's first name and ends with Best wishes or Take care.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now