IELTS Writing Task 1 Letter Greeting Checker: Hit Band 7 With the Right Formality

Here's the thing: your opening line in an IELTS letter isn't just politeness. It's your first signal to the examiner about whether you understand formality levels, and it directly impacts your Coherence & Cohesion score. Get this wrong, and you're already fighting uphill to reach Band 7.

Most students blow this in one of two ways. They go too casual when they should sound professional, or they sound so stiff and robotic that they seem like they've never written a real letter in their life. Both cost you marks.

This guide teaches you exactly how to match your greeting to the letter type, shows you what Band 7 actually looks like in practice, and gives you a framework you can use for every single IELTS letter task.

Why Your Letter Greeting Matters More Than You Think

The IELTS band descriptors don't specifically mention greetings, but they absolutely judge you on "Coherence & Cohesion" and your ability to write in an appropriate register. Your salutation sets the register for your entire letter.

Think about it this way. You're writing to a company manager about a faulty product. You start with "Hey, mate." The examiner already knows your formality awareness is weak. It doesn't matter if the rest of your letter is grammatically flawless. You've violated the context.

On the flip side, you're writing to a close friend. You open with "Dear Sir or Madam." That's equally jarring. It signals you don't understand how humans actually talk to each other.

Band 7 writers get this right. Band 5 writers don't. The difference? They've actually thought about who they're writing to and what tone that person expects.

The Three Letter Types and Their Formality Levels

IELTS Task 1 letters fall into three distinct categories, each with its own formality requirement.

1. Formal Business Letters (High Formality)

These go to organizations, companies, government bodies, or people you don't know personally. Think complaint letters, job applications, or inquiries about services.

Your formal greeting options:

• Dear Sir or Madam (when you don't know the person's name)
• Dear Mr. [Last Name] (when you know the person's name)
• Dear Ms. [Last Name] (for women, when unsure about marital status)
• Dear Mrs. [Last Name] (for married women who prefer this title)

That's it. These four options cover every formal business scenario you'll face.

2. Semi-Formal Letters (Medium Formality)

These go to people you have some connection to but aren't close friends with. Teachers, acquaintances, distant relatives, or someone you've met once.

Your semi-formal greeting options:

• Dear [First Name] (most common choice)
• Hi [First Name] (acceptable if the relationship allows it)

Semi-formal is where you can breathe a little. You're still respectful, but you sound like an actual person.

3. Informal Letters (Low Formality)

These go to close friends or family members you know well.

Your informal greeting options:

• Hi [First Name]
• Hello [First Name]
• Dear [First Name] (still acceptable, just less warm)

You can be friendly here. Exclamation marks work. Contractions sound natural. This is where you let your personality show.

How to Identify the Right Formality Level From the Prompt

The IELTS prompt always tells you who you're writing to. Your job is to decode that information and match your formality accordingly.

See "write to a hotel manager," "write to a government office," "write to a company," or "write to a person you don't know"? Use formal greetings.

See "write to your teacher," "write to an acquaintance," or "write to a person you recently met"? Use semi-formal greetings.

See "write to a friend," "write to a close colleague you know well," or "write to a family member"? Use informal greetings.

Read the prompt twice before you write a single word. It's your roadmap.

Weak vs. Strong: Real Examples That Lose or Gain You Marks

Let's compare actual opening lines and see exactly where marks slip away.

Example 1: The Overly Casual Mistake

This is going to a company. The greeting "Hi" is too casual, and the tone ("Can you help me out?") sounds like you're texting a friend. The examiner marks you down for register awareness immediately. You're capped at a 6, not a 7.

"Dear Sir or Madam" immediately signals you understand professional communication. The phrases "I am writing to request" and "I would appreciate" are appropriately formal. Band 7 territory.

Example 2: The Stiff Robot Problem

The ultra-formal phrasing ("I hope this letter finds you in excellent health and high spirits") is overdone. It sounds like a template from 1995. The person is someone you actually know, but you've made it sound like a formal business negotiation. You lose marks for sounding unnatural.

Still professional. Still respectful. But natural. You sound like a real person, not a grammar bot. This is Band 7 writing.

Example 3: The Informal Mistake in a Formal Context

This is a job inquiry letter. "Hey there" and "I reckon I'd be perfect" are far too casual. You've just tanked your coherence score by misreading the context. The examiner thinks you don't understand professional communication at all.

Appropriate register, clear purpose, no wasted words. Band 7.

Common Greeting Mistakes That Kill Your Band Score

Avoid these entirely. They'll tank your formality score.

Capitalization and Punctuation: The Rules You Must Follow

Getting the greeting right means nailing the technical details too.

Rule 1: Capitalize "Dear" and the first letter of the name. "Dear Sir or Madam" has capitals on Dear, Sir, and Madam. "Dear John" has capitals on both. No exceptions.

Rule 2: Use a comma after the greeting in British English. IELTS expects this. You'll see "Dear Sir or Madam," with a comma, never a colon.

Rule 3: Start your first sentence on a new line after the greeting. Press Enter once after "Dear [Name]," and then begin your first sentence. This creates visual clarity and shows you understand letter structure, which contributes directly to your Coherence & Cohesion score.

Quick Formality Checklist for Band 7

Before you finalize your letter, run through this checklist.

• Have I correctly identified whether this is formal, semi-formal, or informal? (Re-read the prompt.)
• Does my greeting match that level?
• Have I capitalized correctly? (Dear, Sir, Madam, first letter of names.)
• Have I used a comma after the greeting?
• Does the tone of my first sentence match my greeting?
• Have I left a line break between the greeting and the first sentence?

Hit all six, and you're not losing marks on formality. That's Band 7 awareness.

Once your greeting is solid, the rest of your letter needs to stay consistent. Our guide on matching tone to purpose walks you through keeping that formality consistent throughout your entire letter. Tone drift is a common Band 6 mistake that's easy to fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check Your Letter With an IELTS Writing Checker

Getting the greeting right is the first step. But if your greeting is solid and the rest of your letter drifts in tone, you'll still lose marks. That's why using an IELTS writing checker matters. It analyzes your formality, register, and grammar in real time, catching tone shifts you might miss on your own.

You can also work through our guide on identifying letter purpose and matching tone if you're unsure whether your greeting aligns with what the prompt is actually asking for. These resources work together to help you understand how formal greetings fit into a larger strategy for Band 7 writing.