You've practiced. You've memorized templates. You sit down for your IELTS General Training exam, crack open the question paper, and see: "Write a letter to your landlord about a leaky roof." Your heart sinks because you know letters are worth 150 points, and one wrong move could cost you a whole band.
Here's what I'm seeing over and over: students lose points not because they can't write, but because they make predictable, fixable errors in letter structure, tone, and format. These aren't grammar mistakes that examiners tolerate. These are Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion killers that drop you from Band 7 to Band 5 instantly.
That's why an IELTS writing checker can be your secret weapon. But first, let me show you exactly what's going wrong, and more importantly, how to fix it.
This is where most students trip up. You'll write "Hi" or "Dear Sir or Madam" when the situation calls for something in between. IELTS doesn't care that you know 10 different greetings. It cares that you picked the right one for this specific letter.
The task asks you to write to your workplace manager about flexible hours? You need a different greeting than one written to a magazine editor about a service complaint. Band 5 writers treat all letters the same. Band 7+ writers match the greeting to the relationship.
Weak: "Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to you in order to inform you about the problem with my apartment."
Why is this weak? Because if you know who you're writing to (your landlord, your manager, a friend), you should use their name or a specific greeting. "Dear Sir or Madam" signals you haven't done your homework. It reads as generic and impersonal.
Better: "Dear Mr. Johnson, I'm writing regarding the water leak in my apartment that appeared last week."
You've named someone (specific), and you've cut the fluff. Now the examiner knows you understand formality levels. This hits the Coherence & Cohesion band descriptor for appropriate register.
Quick tip: If the task doesn't name a specific person, use a role-based greeting: "Dear Manager," "Dear Editor," or "Dear Admissions Officer." Only use "Sir or Madam" if you truly can't identify the recipient's gender or role.
You've got 150 words to work with. That's tight. If your body paragraphs are walls of text, you're burning words on repetition instead of hitting the bullet points the task asks for.
A strong IELTS formal letter has this shape: greeting, short intro stating your purpose (1-2 sentences), body paragraphs covering each point the task lists (usually 2-3 paragraphs), and a closing. Each body paragraph should do one job: explain one reason, address one complaint, or answer one question.
Weak: "The problem with the service is that it is not good. The staff are not friendly and they do not help me. Also, the waiting time is very long and this makes me angry. I think you should do something about this because other customers have the same problem as me. I am disappointed with the service."
Count the ideas. You're saying: not good, unfriendly staff, poor help, long wait, it upsets you, others have the same issue, you're disappointed. That's seven ideas in four sentences. The examiner can't follow your thinking because you haven't organized it.
Better: "I've experienced poor service during my last three visits. The staff took over 20 minutes to serve me, and when they did, they seemed unwilling to answer questions about the menu. This has made me hesitant to return."
Same complaint, but now it's clear and organized: specific wait time, specific behavior, one clear consequence. The examiner sees you can develop an idea instead of just listing complaints.
Quick tip: Count how many bullet points the task gives you. That's your paragraph count. If it asks you to describe a problem and request a solution, that's two paragraphs minimum. Don't mix ideas. Don't repeat.
Your closing is your last impression. Band 5 writers end with "Yours sincerely" and nothing else. Band 7+ writers use the closing to reinforce their purpose or show politeness.
Weak: "I would like to hear from you. Yours sincerely, Ahmad"
This is filler. The examiner already knows you want a response. You've asked for it in the letter body.
Better: "I'd appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. Yours sincerely, Ahmad"
"Prompt attention" shows politeness and urgency without being rude. It ties back to the letter's purpose. That's coherent.
IELTS letter writing is a tightrope. You can't sound like you're texting a friend, and you can't sound like a Victorian lawyer. Most students swing too far one way.
Weak (too casual): "Hey, I'm really annoyed with the broken window in flat 5. It's been like this for ages and it's driving me crazy. Can you fix it ASAP?"
You'd write this to a mate down the pub, not to your landlord in an official letter.
Weak (too stiff): "I hereby submit a formal grievance regarding the aforementioned window malfunction, which has persisted for an inordinate duration, and I request immediate remedial action forthwith."
This sounds like you're reading from a legal textbook. IELTS examiners don't mark you higher for fancy words.
Better: "The window in my flat has been broken for the past two weeks, and I'd appreciate it if you could arrange for a repair at your earliest convenience."
Polite, clear, direct. It uses "would appreciate" (formal but not stuffy) and "at your earliest convenience" (professional). This is Band 7 tone.
Quick tip: Read your letter aloud. If you'd never say it in a professional phone call with your boss, it's probably too formal. If you'd say it to a friend on WhatsApp, it's too casual. Aim for the middle ground.
You're not expected to be perfect. Band 7 writers make mistakes too. But your mistakes hurt more if they're in words that show sophistication. Examiners notice patterns, not one typo.
What really kills you: misspelling words you're trying to use to sound advanced, or making the same grammar error twice.
Weak: "I am writting to complain about my accomodation. I have recieved no responce from your office. I would like a refund for my unneccesary fees."
You misspelled "writing," "accommodation," "received," "response," and "unnecessary." These are high-frequency words. The examiner now thinks your English is weaker than it actually is.
Better: "I'm writing to complain about my accommodation. I've received no response from your office. I'd like a refund for the unnecessary charges."
Spelled correctly. Same message. Huge difference in how the examiner scores it.
Quick tip: Run a spellchecker before you submit. Write words out in full, not abbreviations. Watch out for tricky spellings like "accommodation" (double c, double m), "separate," and "necessary." If you're unsure, use a simpler word you can spell correctly.
You'd think this wouldn't matter. It does. IELTS is specific about letter format because it tests whether you understand the conventions of formal written English. A missing signature or an informal sign-off signals you don't.
Weak: "I hope you respond soon. Cheers, Mike" or no signature at all.
"Cheers" is too informal for a complaint or formal request. No signature suggests you didn't finish the letter properly.
Better: "I look forward to your response. Yours sincerely, Mike Chen" or "Yours faithfully, Mike Chen" (if you don't know the recipient's name).
Remember the rule: "Yours sincerely" when you know the person's name; "Yours faithfully" when you don't (or use "Dear Sir or Madam" at the top). Always add your full name.
Here's the painful truth: many students lose points because they didn't carefully read the task. The question says "write a letter requesting information," but you write a letter complaining. Or it asks you to address three points, and you only cover two.
This is scored under Task Response, which is 25% of your Writing Task 1 score. If you don't do what the task asks, you're capped at Band 5 maximum, no matter how perfect your grammar is. Think of an IELTS general training letter evaluation: examiners check the task requirements first, before anything else.
If you're concerned you're not hitting the full scope of what's expected, our guide on 10 reasons students get stuck at Band 5 in IELTS Writing digs into this exact problem and shows you how to break through.
Quick tip: Before you write a single word, underline the task bullet points. Count them. Make sure your letter addresses every single one. Allocate one paragraph per point if possible. Check them off as you write. Don't start writing until you know exactly what you're going to say.
You've got 150 words. You can't afford to waste them repeating the same phrase twice. Yet Band 5 writers do this constantly: "I am writing to," "I would like to," "In my opinion," repeated two or three times in one letter.
Weak: "I am writing to inform you about the broken heating system. I am writing to request your help. I am writing to ask for a refund."
You've used "I am writing to" three times in 150 words. That's word wastage. It screams "template writer" to the examiner.
Better: "I'm writing regarding the broken heating system. I'd appreciate your urgent help. A refund would be appropriate given the discomfort this has caused."
Three different structures. More word variety. Stronger Lexical Resource score.
Use our free IELTS writing checker to see exactly where you're losing points in Task 1 letters. Get detailed feedback on structure, tone, grammar, and task response before your exam.
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